Bachmann Spectrum Thomas The Tank Limited 2002

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

MC2



This installation of TCS MC2 Decoder is for HO Scale Bachmann Spectrum Thomas The Tank Limited 2002 and was performed by A.G.

The three upper pictures show the Bachmann Spectrum Thomas The Tank Limited 2002 prior to the MC2 decoder installation.
The three upper pictures show the Bachmann Spectrum Thomas The Tank Limited 2002 prior to the MC2 decoder installation.
Remove both screws circled in red (see the two upper pictures).
Remove both screws circled in red (see the two upper pictures).
Remove the front screw (circled in red).
Remove the front screw (circled in red).
Remove the rear screw (circled in red).
Remove the rear screw (circled in red).
Gently separate the wheels from the shell being careful not to damage the power pick-up wires.
Gently separate the wheels from the shell being careful not to damage the power pick-up wires.
Remove the screw that holds the shell and the motor compartment together (circled in red).
Remove the screw that holds the shell and the motor compartment together (circled in red).
Gently lift the locomotive shell up as shown in the picture above.
Gently lift the locomotive shell up as shown in the picture above.
Remove the engine compartment by removing the two silver screws and by sliding it off of the shell.
Remove the engine compartment by removing the two silver screws and by sliding it off of the shell.
Remove both of the screws (circled in red) that hold the original light board.
Remove both of the screws (circled in red) that hold the original light board.
Remove the engine compartment by removing the two silver screws and by sliding it off of the shell.
Remove the engine compartment by removing the two silver screws and by sliding it off of the shell.
Remove both of the screws (circled in red) that hold the original light board.
Remove both of the screws (circled in red) that hold the original light board.
Here is the picture of the locomotive with its shell removed.
Here is the picture of the locomotive with its shell removed.
Close-up picture of the original light board.
Close-up picture of the original light board.
Desolder all wires (brown, orange, black, red) from the light board.
Desolder all wires (brown, orange, black, red) from the light board.
Pick up the harness (that comes with the MC2 decoder) and solder its orange wire to the orange wire of the motor and solder the brown wire of the motor to the gray wire of the decoder's harness as shown in the picture above. Make sure you isolate them with electrical tape, Kapton tape or a shrink wrap (used in the example above).
Pick up the harness (that comes with the MC2 decoder) and solder its orange wire to the orange wire of the motor and solder the brown wire of the motor to the gray wire of the decoder's harness as shown in the picture above. Make sure you isolate them with electrical tape, Kapton tape or a shrink wrap (used in the example above).
Do the same for the power pick-up wires. Solder the red power pick-up wire to the red harness wire, and black power pick-up wire to the black harness wire. Isolate the contacts.
Do the same for the power pick-up wires. Solder the red power pick-up wire to the red harness wire, and black power pick-up wire to the black harness wire. Isolate the contacts.
Gently insert the motor compartment into the shell and install both screws (circled in red) that hold it to the shell.
Gently insert the motor compartment into the shell and install both screws (circled in red) that hold it to the shell.
Place the decoder with its harness exactly as shown in the picture above.
Place the decoder with its harness exactly as shown in the picture above.
Gently put the shell back together and install all those screws that you removed on the beginning of the installation.
Gently put the shell back together and install all those screws that you removed on the beginning of the installation.

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