Walthers Trainline GP9M

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



Train Control Systems T1 decoder installed in HO Scale Walthers Trainline GP9M. Performed by TCS.

Above is the locomotive with the shell on. To remove the shell spread the sides of shell just above the fuel tank and lift off.
Above is the locomotive with the shell on. To remove the shell spread the sides of shell just above the fuel tank and lift off.
Here is the shell removed with the original wiring in the locomotive.
Here is the shell removed with the original wiring in the locomotive.
Here we have installed the T1 decoder under a section of the frame. First remove all of the wiring from the motor. Position the harness/decoder as shown above. Notice we used a 2-pin quick connector (available from our website) to connect the front headlight (mounted in the shell) to the decoder. This allows us to completely remove the shell after disconnecting the 2-pin connector without worrying about pulling the headlight out. The 2nd blue wire attached to the 2-Pin connector is for the anode connection of the rear LED (see instructions below for more information).
Here we have installed the T1 decoder under a section of the frame. First remove all of the wiring from the motor. Position the harness/decoder as shown above. Notice we used a 2-pin quick connector (available from our website) to connect the front headlight (mounted in the shell) to the decoder. This allows us to completely remove the shell after disconnecting the 2-pin connector without worrying about pulling the headlight out. The 2nd blue wire attached to the 2-Pin connector is for the anode connection of the rear LED (see instructions below for more information).
Cut the orange and gray to length and attach as shown above. The orange wire should connect to the lower motor terminal on the fireman's side and the gray should be the upper motor terminal on the engineer's side. NOTE: Use caution when soldering on the motor terminals due to the risk of damaging/melting the plastic housing for the brushes.
Cut the orange and gray to length and attach as shown above. The orange wire should connect to the lower motor terminal on the fireman's side and the gray should be the upper motor terminal on the engineer's side. NOTE: Use caution when soldering on the motor terminals due to the risk of damaging/melting the plastic housing for the brushes.
Connect both of the engineer's side track wires to the red wire coming off the decoder. Connect both of the fireman's side track wires to the black wire coming off the decoder. Ignore the coloring of the track wires in the locomotive.
Connect both of the engineer's side track wires to the red wire coming off the decoder. Connect both of the fireman's side track wires to the black wire coming off the decoder. Ignore the coloring of the track wires in the locomotive.
Here we filed down the rear nose of the frame to allow room to fit a surface mount LED for the rear light. Please note that we kapton taped the frame prior to gluing the LED in to prevent it making contact with the frame. Also notice we connected the anode lead for this LED into the 2-Pin connector used for the headlight. We used a 680 ohm 1/4 watt current limit resistor in series with the yellow wire of the decoder for the rear LED headlight.
Here we filed down the rear nose of the frame to allow room to fit a surface mount LED for the rear light. Please note that we kapton taped the frame prior to gluing the LED in to prevent it making contact with the frame. Also notice we connected the anode lead for this LED into the 2-Pin connector used for the headlight. We used a 680 ohm 1/4 watt current limit resistor in series with the yellow wire of the decoder for the rear LED headlight.

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