Walthers EMD SW1

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



This installation of the TCS T1 Decoder is for the HO Scale Walthers EMD SW1 and was performed by TCS.

First, remove the cab and hood and set them aside.
First, remove the cab and hood and set them aside.
Next, desolder the track pickup wires from the lighting board, and unscrew the center mounting screw. Now remove the lighting board.
Next, desolder the track pickup wires from the lighting board, and unscrew the center mounting screw. Now remove the lighting board.
Cut the traces on the lighting board as shown in the image above, and set the lighting board aside. Next lift the motor out of the frame and you will be presented with something similar to the image below.
Cut the traces on the lighting board as shown in the image above, and set the lighting board aside. Next lift the motor out of the frame and you will be presented with something similar to the image below.
Next mill a small channel directly under the motor as shown below. NOTE: if you do not have access to a milling machine a dremel tool will suffice.
Next mill a small channel directly under the motor as shown below. NOTE: if you do not have access to a milling machine a dremel tool will suffice.
Place a piece of kapton tape within the groove to prevent the motor from shorting to the frame. Your frame should look like the image below.
Place a piece of kapton tape within the groove to prevent the motor from shorting to the frame. Your frame should look like the image below.
Next attach the gray wire to the bottom motor tab as shown in the image below.
Next attach the gray wire to the bottom motor tab as shown in the image below.
Now you can reinstall the motor in the frame. Next cut a small amount of the plastic from the hood as shown below. This is how the wires will pass from the cab to the hood.
Now you can reinstall the motor in the frame. Next cut a small amount of the plastic from the hood as shown below. This is how the wires will pass from the cab to the hood.
Now you are ready to reinstall the lighting board. Once it is screwed back in place attach the decoder wires as shown in the image below. Take care to make sure that BOTH of the left side track wires connect to the left side of the lighting board and BOTH of the right side track wires connect to the right side of the lighting board. If care is not taken you will short out your layout.
Now you are ready to reinstall the lighting board. Once it is screwed back in place attach the decoder wires as shown in the image below. Take care to make sure that BOTH of the left side track wires connect to the left side of the lighting board and BOTH of the right side track wires connect to the right side of the lighting board. If care is not taken you will short out your layout.
At this point we chose to add a rear LED to this locomotive for reverse lighting. If you do not wish to add an LED simply install the T1 in the cab, replace the shell and you are ready to run. However, if you would like to add a rear light read on. We wired the led to the blue and yellow wire with a 1K resistor in series with the blue wire.
At this point we chose to add a rear LED to this locomotive for reverse lighting. If you do not wish to add an LED simply install the T1 in the cab, replace the shell and you are ready to run. However, if you would like to add a rear light read on. We wired the led to the blue and yellow wire with a 1K resistor in series with the blue wire.
Then we slid it into the rear light shroud, added a bit of glue to keep it in place and the installation is complete. You are now ready to run your switcher.
Then we slid it into the rear light shroud, added a bit of glue to keep it in place and the installation is complete. You are now ready to run your switcher.

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