Athearn RTR GE DASH 9-44CW

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATH-5

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

RTR-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Athearn Dash 9-44CW using a TCS WOW121-Diesel Decoder, RTR-MB1 Motherboard with built in Keep Alive® 
and UNIV-SH1-C WOWSpeaker kit by TCS.

HO-Scale Athearn Dash 9-44CW shown prior to installation.
HO-Scale Athearn Dash 9-44CW shown prior to installation.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
The Athearn Dash 9-44CW shown with the shell off. Remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
The Athearn Dash 9-44CW shown with the shell off. Remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.
Attach the RTR-MB1 to the frame and solder the motor and track pickup wires according to the included wiring diagram. When attaching the wires to the pads, it is not necessary to insert the wires through the holes. We recommend attaching the wires flat on top of the solder pads.
Attach the RTR-MB1 to the frame and solder the motor and track pickup wires according to the included wiring diagram. When attaching the wires to the pads, it is not necessary to insert the wires through the holes. We recommend attaching the wires flat on top of the solder pads.
In this installation, we utilized the two sets of 1.5 v light bulbs that were inserted into the shell. These lights were soldered to the FL and FR and 1.5V pads on the board on each end as according to the included wiring diagram.
In this installation, we utilized the two sets of 1.5 v light bulbs that were inserted into the shell. These lights were soldered to the FL and FR and 1.5V pads on the board on each end as according to the included wiring diagram.
To install the speaker assembly, gently lift off the cover on the rear of the shell by pushing up on it from inside. It should easily release.
To install the speaker assembly, gently lift off the cover on the rear of the shell by pushing up on it from inside. It should easily release.
With the 35mm X 16mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure, using double sided foam tape, mount this assembly onto the inside of the cover piece and reattach it to the shell, feeding the wires through. It is important to place the speaker housing in a way to avoid any interior frame members after reassembly. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new port hole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
With the 35mm X 16mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure, using double sided foam tape, mount this assembly onto the inside of the cover piece and reattach it to the shell, feeding the wires through. It is important to place the speaker housing in a way to avoid any interior frame members after reassembly. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new port hole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Athearn Dash 9-44CW is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Athearn Dash 9-44CW is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!

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

Lacing Cord

In order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, we recommend lacing the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Lacing cord is a wax impregnated string used for wire bundling and making harnesses. There are many choices of lacing cord available from Digikey www.digikey.com. 
We use part number 802534B BK032-ND