Atlas ALCO RS-11

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATL-2

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AK-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Atlas RS-11 using a TCS WOW121 Diesel Decoder, AK-MB1 Motherboard with built in Keep Alive® and UNIV-SH4-C WOWSpeaker kit.

HO-Scale Atlas RS-11 shown prior to installation.
HO-Scale Atlas RS-11 shown prior to installation.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above in red and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above in red and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
The Atlas RS-11 shown with the shell off. Unplug and remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
The Atlas RS-11 shown with the shell off. Unplug and remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.
Remove the two screws on the rear weight highlighted above in red and with them the rear weight.
Remove the two screws on the rear weight highlighted above in red and with them the rear weight.
Attach the AK-MB1 to the frame and with the front LED still in place, solder the motor, track and front LED to it according to the included wiring diagram. TCS motherboards include onboard current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Attach the AK-MB1 to the frame and with the front LED still in place, solder the motor, track and front LED to it according to the included wiring diagram. TCS motherboards include onboard current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Insert the 25mm x 14mm WOWsound speaker into the UNIV-SH4-C and using a small amount of hot melt glue, mount this assembly to the top of the shell as shown above left. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new porthole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality. NOTE: You must be very careful to avoid getting glue on the speaker cone. Glue on the speaker will ultimately cause it to produce no sound and fail. With the same glue, mount the front LED in front of the speaker facing into the light tube. Wire these leads to the AK-MB1 according to the included wiring diagram. We have found that LED light output is brightest when shinning directly into the end of the light tube, but in some circumstances they may be placed along the length of the tube as well with satisfactory results. In doing so, white light LED output would be least affected, while non-white LED output will be more affected by placement.
Insert the 25mm x 14mm WOWsound speaker into the UNIV-SH4-C and using a small amount of hot melt glue, mount this assembly to the top of the shell as shown above left. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new porthole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality. NOTE: You must be very careful to avoid getting glue on the speaker cone. Glue on the speaker will ultimately cause it to produce no sound and fail. With the same glue, mount the front LED in front of the speaker facing into the light tube. Wire these leads to the AK-MB1 according to the included wiring diagram. We have found that LED light output is brightest when shinning directly into the end of the light tube, but in some circumstances they may be placed along the length of the tube as well with satisfactory results. In doing so, white light LED output would be least affected, while non-white LED output will be more affected by placement.
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Atlas RS-11 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Atlas RS-11 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!

Important Soldering Tip

Please do not use any flux either liquid or paste on the mother board. Over time, the acidic properties of liquid or paste flux will begin eating away at the fiberglass PCB and will damage it. Use only Rosin-core solder or no-clean flux approved for electronics use.

TCS recommends the use of Kester "44" Sn63 Pb37, .015" diameter Rosin-core solder. Kester part number 24-6337-0007.

You can order this solder from the following retailers:
Digikey - PN:KE1110-ND
Techni-Tool - PN:488SO6775

Other solder tips

When stripping wire, only strip a tiny little bit of the insulation. Strip no more than a 1/32 of an inch. When the wire gets tinned with solder, the insulation will shrink back more. Try to not expose any more wire than half the length of the solder pad at most. In no case should solder or exposed wire wire ever be outside the boundary of the the solder pad you are attaching a wire to.
Click here for important information on properly Stripping and Tinning wire

Lacing Cord

In order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, we recommend lacing the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Lacing cord is a wax impregnated string used for wire bundling and making harnesses. There are many choices of lacing cord available from Digikey www.digikey.com. 
We use part number 802534B BK032-ND