Atlas Dash 8-40C

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation is for N Scale Atlas Dash 8-40C and uses TCS AMD4 Decoder and was performed by A.G.

The upper three pictures show the Atlas Dash 8-40C with its shell on.
The upper three pictures show the Atlas Dash 8-40C with its shell on.
Gently remove the locomotive's shell starting from the rear side as shown in the picture above.
Gently remove the locomotive's shell starting from the rear side as shown in the picture above.
This picture shows the locomotive's chassis with its shell taken off and the original light board.
This picture shows the locomotive's chassis with its shell taken off and the original light board.
Using philips screw driver loosen the rear and front screws (circled in red) without removing them. Using the flat head screw driver spread the chassis far enough apart to remove the original light board. Remove the four copper clips that came with the original light board (be careful not to loose them as we are going to use them on out TCS decoder).
Using philips screw driver loosen the rear and front screws (circled in red) without removing them. Using the flat head screw driver spread the chassis far enough apart to remove the original light board. Remove the four copper clips that came with the original light board (be careful not to loose them as we are going to use them on out TCS decoder).
Reattach those four copper clips to TCS AMD4 decoder and place it in the frame so that two motor tabs (that are underneath of the decoder) are lined-up with motor pads of the decoder, and make sure there is a tight fit in all four connections. Tighten the front and the rear philips screw so that the chassis stays together.
Reattach those four copper clips to TCS AMD4 decoder and place it in the frame so that two motor tabs (that are underneath of the decoder) are lined-up with motor pads of the decoder, and make sure there is a tight fit in all four connections. Tighten the front and the rear philips screw so that the chassis stays together.

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