Atlas Track Cleaning Car

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation of TCS DP2X-UK Decoder is for HO Scale Atlas Track Cleaning Car and was performed by A.G.

The upper pictures show the beautiful Atlas Track Cleaning Car with its shell on prior to the TCS DP2X Decoder Installation.
The upper pictures show the beautiful Atlas Track Cleaning Car with its shell on prior to the TCS DP2X Decoder Installation.
Gently remove the wheel to access the philips screw (marked in red).
Gently remove the wheel to access the philips screw (marked in red).
Unscrew Phillips head screw and remove the truck assembly from the body.
Unscrew Phillips head screw and remove the truck assembly from the body.
Unscrew the two circled in red Phillips head screws to release top cover.
Unscrew the two circled in red Phillips head screws to release top cover.
Remove the top cover.
Remove the top cover.
Remove the marked in red 8-PIN DCC Jumper plug.
Remove the marked in red 8-PIN DCC Jumper plug.
Install the TCS DP2X-UK Drop-In decoder so that the PIN #1 of the board match PIN#1 of the decoder. (See the decoder manual for more info). Reverse above procedures to return Track Cleaner to operational use. According to the Atlas manual that came with the unit, no more than 9V should be applied to the cleaner. If more than 9V. is applied, the solder that connects the pick-up spring to the trucks will melt, and the connection will be broken, avoiding damage to the motor. Please, remember that the Track cleaning car MUST be given a different address from the locomotive that is pulling it. If you fail to do this than you may inadvertently apply more than 9V to the motor. TCS recommend to set the Vhigh (CV5) to the value of somewhere between 180-200 and do not exceed speed step 100 during the operation.
Install the TCS DP2X-UK Drop-In decoder so that the PIN #1 of the board match PIN#1 of the decoder. (See the decoder manual for more info). Reverse above procedures to return Track Cleaner to operational use. According to the Atlas manual that came with the unit, no more than 9V should be applied to the cleaner. If more than 9V. is applied, the solder that connects the pick-up spring to the trucks will melt, and the connection will be broken, avoiding damage to the motor. Please, remember that the Track cleaning car MUST be given a different address from the locomotive that is pulling it. If you fail to do this than you may inadvertently apply more than 9V to the motor. TCS recommend to set the Vhigh (CV5) to the value of somewhere between 180-200 and do not exceed speed step 100 during the operation.

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