Bachmann Baldwin RF-16 Sharknose

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

M1



The installation is for the HO Scale Bachmann Baldwin RF-16 Sharknose. It uses the TCS M1 decoder and was performed by A.G.

The three upper pictures represent the locomotive prior to the TCS M1 decoder installation.
The three upper pictures represent the locomotive prior to the TCS M1 decoder installation.
Remove the four phillips screws that are circled in red.
Remove the four phillips screws that are circled in red.
Here is a picture of the original light board with the Bachmann decoder.
Here is a picture of the original light board with the Bachmann decoder.
De-solder all wires from the board and remove the Bachmann decoder as shown in the picture above.
De-solder all wires from the board and remove the Bachmann decoder as shown in the picture above.
Remove the original Bachmann board.
Remove the original Bachmann board.
Here is a close-up picture of the motor where you can see the capacitors (yellow) and resistors. All these parts need to be removed.
Here is a close-up picture of the motor where you can see the capacitors (yellow) and resistors. All these parts need to be removed.
De-solder all capacitors and resistors so that the motor looks exactly as shown above.
De-solder all capacitors and resistors so that the motor looks exactly as shown above.
Solder the gray wire of the decoder to the copper tab at the top of the motor. Use some Kapton or electrical tape to isolate the solder point.
Solder the gray wire of the decoder to the copper tab at the top of the motor. Use some Kapton or electrical tape to isolate the solder point.
Gently, solder the orange wire of the decoder to the copper pad on the bottom of the decoder. Be careful not to melt the motor casing.
Gently, solder the orange wire of the decoder to the copper pad on the bottom of the decoder. Be careful not to melt the motor casing.
Solder both red power pick-up wires together with the decoder red wire and isolate the connection point with the Kapton or Electrical tape.
Solder both red power pick-up wires together with the decoder red wire and isolate the connection point with the Kapton or Electrical tape.
Solder the blue decoder's wire to the brown LED's wire as shown in the picture above.
Solder the blue decoder's wire to the brown LED's wire as shown in the picture above.
Insert 680 Ohm 1/4 Watt resistor between the decoder's white wire and the LED's gray wire. Isolate the connection with Kapton or Electrical Tape.
Insert 680 Ohm 1/4 Watt resistor between the decoder's white wire and the LED's gray wire. Isolate the connection with Kapton or Electrical Tape.
Here is a picture of the complete decoder installation. The decoder is placed behind the motor between the motor armature and the chassis.
Here is a picture of the complete decoder installation. The decoder is placed behind the motor between the motor armature and the chassis.

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