Tyco 521 Streamlined Lighted Passenger Coach

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation of TCS FL2 Decoder is for HO Scale Tyco 521 streamlined lighted passenger coach and was performed by Thomas Gosser, Big Lake, Alaska.

The Tyco lighted Combine, Coach and Observation cars are similar to each other so this procedure will cover all three (3) cars. The factory lighting isnt very bright or evenly distributed. You may want to consider upgrading to LEDs and adding a third light source located toward the center of the car. That way all windows will be equally illuminated.
The Tyco lighted Combine, Coach and Observation cars are similar to each other so this procedure will cover all three (3) cars. The factory lighting isnt very bright or evenly distributed. You may want to consider upgrading to LEDs and adding a third light source located toward the center of the car. That way all windows will be equally illuminated.
Locate the screw on the one end of the car body and remove it.
Locate the screw on the one end of the car body and remove it.
Using a small standard screwdriver pry the metal chassis away from the car body as shown.
Using a small standard screwdriver pry the metal chassis away from the car body as shown.
On the opposite end of the car are located two (2) mounting tabs. The metal chassis pulls out of this end as you rotate it away from the car body.
On the opposite end of the car are located two (2) mounting tabs. The metal chassis pulls out of this end as you rotate it away from the car body.
Next, you will locate the three (3) wires that are connected together. Pull the cap and untie the wire.
Next, you will locate the three (3) wires that are connected together. Pull the cap and untie the wire.
Cut the short left rail pickup wire in the middle and strip the ends.
Cut the short left rail pickup wire in the middle and strip the ends.
Solder together all wires to the harness as shown. The Black and Red wires to the rail pickups. Blue wire to chassis. Green and Purple wires to each light bulb. This will give you separate control over each light source.
Solder together all wires to the harness as shown. The Black and Red wires to the rail pickups. Blue wire to chassis. Green and Purple wires to each light bulb. This will give you separate control over each light source.
Plug the FL2 into the harness and mount to the chassis with some double-sided foam tape. Use kapton tape to hold down the wiring. Test installation. Reverse car body shell removal steps to put it all back together.
Plug the FL2 into the harness and mount to the chassis with some double-sided foam tape. Use kapton tape to hold down the wiring. Test installation. Reverse car body shell removal steps to put it all back together.

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