Kato EMD FP40PH

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-KAT-2

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AK-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Kato EMD F40Ph using a TCS WOW121-Diesel Decoder, AK-MB1 motherboard 
and 28mm speaker.

HO-Scale Kato EMD F40Ph shown with the shell on before installation.
HO-Scale Kato EMD F40Ph shown with the shell on before installation.
To start off this install, gently separate the shell from the chassis along each side and the shell will lift off of the chassis. With this done, remove the two screws highlighted above from the original lighting board, loosen the metal track and motor tabs and lift the board out.
To start off this install, gently separate the shell from the chassis along each side and the shell will lift off of the chassis. With this done, remove the two screws highlighted above from the original lighting board, loosen the metal track and motor tabs and lift the board out.
Shown with the original lighting board removed.
Shown with the original lighting board removed.
Clip the motor connection tabs as shown.
Clip the motor connection tabs as shown.
Clip the track connection tabs as shown.
Clip the track connection tabs as shown.
Using the original screws, attach the AK-MB1 to the frame, solder the track and motor leads to it with new solder points added to the metal tabs and insulate these with shrink tubing in the process.
Using the original screws, attach the AK-MB1 to the frame, solder the track and motor leads to it with new solder points added to the metal tabs and insulate these with shrink tubing in the process.
In the top of the shell is a weight which must be removed. Remove the screw as indicated above and discard this and the weight.
In the top of the shell is a weight which must be removed. Remove the screw as indicated above and discard this and the weight.
With the weight removed, carefully remove the front headlight assembly. With a small mitre saw, trim this tube length to the end of the assembly. Save this assembly for reinstallation.
With the weight removed, carefully remove the front headlight assembly. With a small mitre saw, trim this tube length to the end of the assembly. Save this assembly for reinstallation.
Next remove the number board lighting assembly highlighted in red and trim this light tube to just beyond the mounting tabs as shown in blue. Save this assembly for reinstallation.
Next remove the number board lighting assembly highlighted in red and trim this light tube to just beyond the mounting tabs as shown in blue. Save this assembly for reinstallation.
Likewise, remove the rear speaker lighting assembly. Trim this light tube as well to just beyond the outside of the housing as indicated in red. At this time, drill a 1/8" hole in the speaker housing portion as shown above. We have found that introducing a port of 1/8" size, shown here outlined in blue, greatly enhances the volume and sound quality of this installation.
Likewise, remove the rear speaker lighting assembly. Trim this light tube as well to just beyond the outside of the housing as indicated in red. At this time, drill a 1/8" hole in the speaker housing portion as shown above. We have found that introducing a port of 1/8" size, shown here outlined in blue, greatly enhances the volume and sound quality of this installation.
With this done, clip each LED off from the ends of the original lighting board and discard the board. Solder wire leads and cover the the solder points with shrink tube insulation to ready these LED's for reinstallation.
With this done, clip each LED off from the ends of the original lighting board and discard the board. Solder wire leads and cover the the solder points with shrink tube insulation to ready these LED's for reinstallation.
Reinsert the two front and the single rear lighting assemblies into the shell as they were and using hot melt glue, secure the two original LED's to the end of the front and rear light tubes. For this installation, as we separated out the front light tube assemblies, we added a 3mm warm white LED to the end of the number board light tube for a separate lighting function control. Solder these wire leads to the AK-MB1 according to your included wiring diagram. We have found that LED light output is brightest when shinning directly into the end of the light tube, but in some circumstances they may be placed along the length of the tube as well with satisfactory results. In doing so, white light LED output would be least affected, while non white LED output will be more affected by placement.
Reinsert the two front and the single rear lighting assemblies into the shell as they were and using hot melt glue, secure the two original LED's to the end of the front and rear light tubes. For this installation, as we separated out the front light tube assemblies, we added a 3mm warm white LED to the end of the number board light tube for a separate lighting function control. Solder these wire leads to the AK-MB1 according to your included wiring diagram. We have found that LED light output is brightest when shinning directly into the end of the light tube, but in some circumstances they may be placed along the length of the tube as well with satisfactory results. In doing so, white light LED output would be least affected, while non white LED output will be more affected by placement.
With the lighting installed, place the 28mm speaker into the housing, securing the very outside edges with a tiny dab of hot melt glue. *NOTE. Please be very careful to avoid getting glue on the speaker cone. Glue on the cone with restrict movement and ultimately cause the speaker to fail and produce no sound. With the speaker in place, solder the wired leads to the AK-MB1. You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Carefully reattach the shell being careful of the wires and your Kato EMD F40Ph is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
With the lighting installed, place the 28mm speaker into the housing, securing the very outside edges with a tiny dab of hot melt glue. *NOTE. Please be very careful to avoid getting glue on the speaker cone. Glue on the cone with restrict movement and ultimately cause the speaker to fail and produce no sound. With the speaker in place, solder the wired leads to the AK-MB1. You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Carefully reattach the shell being careful of the wires and your Kato EMD F40Ph 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