Rivarossi 2-6-6-6 Allegheny

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

DP5



This installation of TCS DP5 Decoder is for HO Scale Rivarossi 2-6-6-6 Allegheny and was performed by A.G.

The locomotive showed up here as a courtesy of Bill Meyer, PA.

The three upper pictures show the beautiful and very well made Rivarossi 2-6-6-6 Allegheny with its shell on, prior to the TCS DP5 Decoder Installation. The locomotive uses three functions: head light, reverse light and the flicker box light.
The three upper pictures show the beautiful and very well made Rivarossi 2-6-6-6 Allegheny with its shell on, prior to the TCS DP5 Decoder Installation. The locomotive uses three functions: head light, reverse light and the flicker box light.
Here is the close-up picture of the locomotives's top. The plastic part that is marked in red will come off and there will be a phillips screw underneath that needs to be removed as well. Be very careful working on this very detailed locomotive as it has many details are are very easy to brake.
Here is the close-up picture of the locomotives's top. The plastic part that is marked in red will come off and there will be a phillips screw underneath that needs to be removed as well. Be very careful working on this very detailed locomotive as it has many details are are very easy to brake.
Here is another close-up picture of the stack where you can clearly see the phillips screw.
Here is another close-up picture of the stack where you can clearly see the phillips screw.
Using a phillips screw driver, remove the screw inside the stack.
Using a phillips screw driver, remove the screw inside the stack.
VERY GENTLY remove the air hose assembly. Use a small size, flat end screwdriver.
VERY GENTLY remove the air hose assembly. Use a small size, flat end screwdriver.
Gently remove the piping from the air tank and lift the front of the boiler upward to disengage the wire braces that holds it to the frame.
Gently remove the piping from the air tank and lift the front of the boiler upward to disengage the wire braces that holds it to the frame.
Here is the picture of the air line assembly that is partially removed.
Here is the picture of the air line assembly that is partially removed.
WITH A GREAT CAUTION pull the whole boiler assembly out to the front exactly as shown in the picture above.
WITH A GREAT CAUTION pull the whole boiler assembly out to the front exactly as shown in the picture above.
Gently lift the plastic boiler cover up.
Gently lift the plastic boiler cover up.
This picture illustrates the locomotive where you can clearly see the original light board with 8-PIN NMRA plug. Great - the engine is DCC ready!
This picture illustrates the locomotive where you can clearly see the original light board with 8-PIN NMRA plug. Great - the engine is DCC ready!
Here is a close-up of the 8 Pin NMRA Plug.
Here is a close-up of the 8 Pin NMRA Plug.
Remove the DCC plug. The picture above shows you the pin scheme of the socket. Pin #1 is marked in red.
Remove the DCC plug. The picture above shows you the pin scheme of the socket. Pin #1 is marked in red.
Insert TCS DP5. Make sure the Pin#1 of the decoder is lined up with the Pin#1 of the NMRA socket. For more details about the DP5 Pin layout, see the manual that came with the decoder.

Reverse these steps to reattach the parts.
Insert TCS DP5. Make sure the Pin#1 of the decoder is lined up with the Pin#1 of the NMRA socket. For more details about the DP5 Pin layout, see the manual that came with the decoder. Reverse these steps to reattach the parts.

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