Tiger Valley Models C424

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



This installation of TCS T1 Decoder is for HO Scale Tiger Valley Models C424 and was performed by Jean Lacroix.

First, remove all the screws underneath the locomotive that hold the body. Normally you have 2 screws in the front just behind the steps and 2 other at opposite end. Remove all lamps if they are of 1,5volts and discard for other projects. In the example shown, the motor is a Sagami and is already insulated. On this unit, extra contacts wiring were added on each truck in order to pick up current from the track. You will need to unsolder those contacts that were hooked to the motor and solder them to the black and red wire lead from the harness designed for the T1. After this is done, you have to solder the grey harness wire on one side and the grey on the other. Then, it is a good idea to take care of the lights. Led’s replaced the original 1.5v bulbs. Solder the blue wire from the harness to the “+” side of your Led and the “-“ to a 680ohms (1/4watt) resistance and then the opposite side of the Led should be soldered to the white or yellow wire. I used double sided tape to stick the decoder on the locomotive floor so I can later add sound in it. The green and violet wires can be cut and put electrical liquid tape at their ends.
First, remove all the screws underneath the locomotive that hold the body. Normally you have 2 screws in the front just behind the steps and 2 other at opposite end. Remove all lamps if they are of 1,5volts and discard for other projects. In the example shown, the motor is a Sagami and is already insulated. On this unit, extra contacts wiring were added on each truck in order to pick up current from the track. You will need to unsolder those contacts that were hooked to the motor and solder them to the black and red wire lead from the harness designed for the T1. After this is done, you have to solder the grey harness wire on one side and the grey on the other. Then, it is a good idea to take care of the lights. Led’s replaced the original 1.5v bulbs. Solder the blue wire from the harness to the “+” side of your Led and the “-“ to a 680ohms (1/4watt) resistance and then the opposite side of the Led should be soldered to the white or yellow wire. I used double sided tape to stick the decoder on the locomotive floor so I can later add sound in it. The green and violet wires can be cut and put electrical liquid tape at their ends.

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