Bachmann EMD SD45 Early Frame

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-BAC-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AS-MB2-NC

Speaker Kit
Keep Alive®

KA3



Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Bachmann SD45 Early Frame using a TCS WOW121 Decoder, AS-MB2 NC Motherboard, a KA3 Keep Alive® and UNIV-SH1-C WOWSpeaker kit. 

HO-Scale Bachmann EMD SD45 Early Frame shown prior to installation.
HO-Scale Bachmann EMD SD45 Early Frame shown prior to installation.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above in red and their housings.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above in red and their housings.
Remove the two screws located underneath the fuel tank as highlighted above in red and with them the fuel tank. 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.
Remove the two screws located underneath the fuel tank as highlighted above in red and with them the fuel tank. 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.
Shown with the shell off. As the frame takes up almost all of the shell, this unit will need to be milled out to accept the WOWKit. To do this, you will need to separate the frame in two and remove the truck assemblies as well as the motor. Remove the four screws highlighted above in red and their components to separate the frame and remove the original lighting board. Shown here from the opposite side, you can see the unit with half of the frame removed. Use great care to keep the component pieces and note their locations for reinstallation. In this locomotive, the top of the frame will be milled down to fit the WOWKit. The modification required is extensive and should be only done by someone with a good knowledge base and skill set in milling.
Shown with the shell off. As the frame takes up almost all of the shell, this unit will need to be milled out to accept the WOWKit. To do this, you will need to separate the frame in two and remove the truck assemblies as well as the motor. Remove the four screws highlighted above in red and their components to separate the frame and remove the original lighting board. Shown here from the opposite side, you can see the unit with half of the frame removed. Use great care to keep the component pieces and note their locations for reinstallation. In this locomotive, the top of the frame will be milled down to fit the WOWKit. The modification required is extensive and should be only done by someone with a good knowledge base and skill set in milling.
Above, the locomotive is shown reassembled after milling and with new motor leads soldered and insulated to the motor with shrink tube. As this locomotive was originally electrically split in two halves with the track pick ups running through the two parts of the frame, to install the WOWKit, you will need to install two new solder posts using a tap and die, on the top of the frame as shown below highlighted in red. On this installation we used a 3/64" drill bit, a #80 tap and electrical lugs to create the solder points.
Above, the locomotive is shown reassembled after milling and with new motor leads soldered and insulated to the motor with shrink tube. As this locomotive was originally electrically split in two halves with the track pick ups running through the two parts of the frame, to install the WOWKit, you will need to install two new solder posts using a tap and die, on the top of the frame as shown below highlighted in red. On this installation we used a 3/64" drill bit, a #80 tap and electrical lugs to create the solder points.
The two new solder connections posts installed on the top of the frame shown above.
The two new solder connections posts installed on the top of the frame shown above.
Using double sided foam tape, mount the AS-MB2 NC to the top of the frame and solder the motor and track lead wires to it according to the included wiring diagram.
Using double sided foam tape, mount the AS-MB2 NC to the top of the frame and solder the motor and track lead wires to it according to the included wiring diagram.
Using double sided foam tape, mount the KA3 Keep Alive® to the frame and solder the leads to the AS-MB2 NC.
Using double sided foam tape, mount the KA3 Keep Alive® to the frame and solder the leads to the AS-MB2 NC.
Insert the 35mm X 16mm speaker into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure and mount this to the frame using double sided foam tape. Solder these wire leads to the motherboard. This unit has fans that are loose in their frame and can cause vibration and can degrade the sound. To prevent this vibration, we found it necessary to secure the fan blades to the housing with a small dab of glue.
Insert the 35mm X 16mm speaker into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure and mount this to the frame using double sided foam tape. Solder these wire leads to the motherboard. This unit has fans that are loose in their frame and can cause vibration and can degrade the sound. To prevent this vibration, we found it necessary to secure the fan blades to the housing with a small dab of glue.
As the original locomotive came with bulbs, we installed TCS part #1417 sunny white LEDs to the shell. Above is the detailed photographs showing the front (Left) and rear (right) installations using a small dab of hot melt glue. Solder the wire leads to the AS-MB2 NC according to the 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. TCS motherboards include onboard current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
As the original locomotive came with bulbs, we installed TCS part #1417 sunny white LEDs to the shell. Above is the detailed photographs showing the front (Left) and rear (right) installations using a small dab of hot melt glue. Solder the wire leads to the AS-MB2 NC according to the 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. TCS motherboards include onboard current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
You can now plug in the WOW121 diesel decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies and fuel tank. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Bachmann SD 45 Early Frame is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
You can now plug in the WOW121 diesel decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies and fuel tank. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Bachmann SD 45 Early Frame 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