Athearn EMD FP45

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation is for N-Scale Athearn EMD FP45, uses TCS K1D4 Digital Decoder, and was performed by A.G.

The three upper pictures show the beautiful Athearn locomotive prior to the TCS K1D4 Installation.
The three upper pictures show the beautiful Athearn locomotive prior to the TCS K1D4 Installation.
Using Phillips screw driver remove both screw heads and de-attach front and rear couplers. Remove the shell by carefully pinching it on either side and rocking it back and forth while pulling upwards on it.
Using Phillips screw driver remove both screw heads and de-attach front and rear couplers. Remove the shell by carefully pinching it on either side and rocking it back and forth while pulling upwards on it.
Here is a picture of the locomotive with its shell removed and original light board installed.
Here is a picture of the locomotive with its shell removed and original light board installed.
Remove the original light board by sliding it off to the side and up.
Remove the original light board by sliding it off to the side and up.
Drop-in our TCS K1D4 decoder and replace the shell and your locomotive is ready to run!
Drop-in our TCS K1D4 decoder and replace the shell and your locomotive is ready to run!

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