Intermountain SD40T-2 Snoot Nose

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:


This installation is for N Scale Intermountain SD40T-2 Snoot Nose uses TCS IMD4 Decoder and was performed by A.G.

The upper picture shows the Intermountain SD40T-2 Snoot Nose with its shell on.
The upper picture shows the Intermountain SD40T-2 Snoot Nose with its shell on.
This picture shows the locomotive's chassis with its shell taken off and the original lighting board.
This picture shows the locomotive's chassis with its shell taken off and the original lighting board.
Be careful as you take off the shell because it is difficult to remove and can be broken easily.
Be careful as you take off the shell because it is difficult to remove and can be broken easily.
Gently, unsnap the fuel tank as shown in the picture above.
Gently, unsnap the fuel tank as shown in the picture above.
Using philips screw driver remove the rear screw (circled in red).
Using philips screw driver remove the rear screw (circled in red).
Using philips screw driver remove the front screw (circled in red).
Using philips screw driver remove the front screw (circled in red).
Once you removed both screws, gently unsnap both locomotive's trucks.
Once you removed both screws, gently unsnap both locomotive's trucks.
Gently spread both sides of the chassis apart as shown in the picture above and remove the original light board.
Gently spread both sides of the chassis apart as shown in the picture above and remove the original light board.
Insert the TCS IMD4 decoder so that both motor tabs underneath of the decoder board are lined up with copper perforation of the decoder. Put the frame back together and make sure all four copper tabs ( circled in red ) of the decoder make electrical connection with the chassis.
Insert the TCS IMD4 decoder so that both motor tabs underneath of the decoder board are lined up with copper perforation of the decoder. Put the frame back together and make sure all four copper tabs ( circled in red ) of the decoder make electrical connection with the chassis.
Place both trucks back, screw the chassis down with two screws, reassemble the fuel tank and place some Kapton tape on the chassis so that it is isolated from the LED's legs.
Place both trucks back, screw the chassis down with two screws, reassemble the fuel tank and place some Kapton tape on the chassis so that it is isolated from the LED's legs.
Here is the picture of the SD40T-2 Snoot Nose's chassis with the TCS IMD4 decoder installed and isolated LED. Place the shell back on being very careful not to break anything.
Here is the picture of the SD40T-2 Snoot Nose's chassis with the TCS IMD4 decoder installed and isolated LED. Place the shell back on being very careful not to break anything.

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