Bachmann Spectrum USRA Light 2-10-2

The three upper pictures show the locomotive prior to the decoder installation. The TCS T1P-SH will be fitted into the locomotive's tender.

Here is a picture of the tender where the decoder will be installed.

There is a one Phillips screw that holds the tender's chassis and its shell together - Remove the screw and gently lift the shell off of the tender's chassis.

Here is a picture of the original light board with original Bachmann DCC decoder.

Remove the original Bachmann DCC decoder that came originally installed with the tender.

There are two capacitors that need to be cut out. There are two capacitors across the motor circuit that drastically affects the speed curve when using a Quiet Drive decoder. It causes an over-speed problem. It must be removed from the circuit. Do this by simply cutting the capacitor out . The capacitor is typically yellow and has a marking of 105. Technical explanation. The capacitors are placed in the circuit by Bachmann for the purpose of reducing the possibility that electrical noise generated by the motor when running would interfere with a TV or radio or cell phone or possibly some other electronic device. All TCS decoders have this capacitor built into the decoder and there for external capacitors are not needed. The TCS decoder is tuned to work with its own internal capacitor in operation. With external capacitors applied in the circuit the result is a de tuning which results in poor speed control. That is why the Bachmann applied capacitors need to be removed. The internal decoder capacitor reduces the possibility of electrical interference so there is no harm in removing the external capacitors.

Picture of the capacitors after the clipping process.

Place our TCS T1P-SH into the DCC socket exactly as shown above. Plug in the decoder so that the Orange wire lines up with Pin #1 of the socket. Pin #1 will be designated with a "1" or a small arrow/chevron. Place the shell back, reinstall the Phillips screw and we are ready to go!