Atlas Trainman NRE Genset

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATL-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AK-MB1

Speaker Kit


DXI Installation

This was performed by our friends from DCC Xpress installations. 
They offer high quality WOWSound installations for a flat rate complete with free return shipping! 
You can find them at: www.dxinstalls.com

This installation is for a HO-Scale Trainman NRE Genset using a TCS WOW121-Diesel Decoder, AK-MB1 Motherboard with built in Keep Alive®,
motor mount and UNIV-SH1-C WOWSpeaker.

HO-Scale Trainman NRE Genset shown prior to installation.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above and their housings. With the couplers removed, 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.
The Trainman NRE Genset shown with the shell off.
Remove the wires from the original lighting board, the four screws highlighted above in red and remove the lighting board from the chassis.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.
Using double-sided foam tape, secure the motor mount to the top of the motor. Be sure to test fit it to center it front to back, to allow for the AK-MB1 to meet the front weight as shown below.
Attach the AK-MB1 to the motor mount and solder the motor and track pickup wires according to the included wiring diagram.
With the motor and track leads soldered to the AK-MB1, solder the front and rear ditch lights to the board according to the included wiring diagram. In this installation, we soldered the front to pad 1 and rear to pad 3. The common for these lights as well as the headlight and rear light are soldered to the BK pad.
With the 35mm X 16mm WOWSpeaker inserted into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure, using double-sided foam tape, mount the assembly into the front inside of the shell as shown above. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new port hole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
At this point, solder the speaker, front and rear light leads to the AK-MB1 according to the included wiring diagram. 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 your WOW121 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. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Atlas Trainman NRE Genset 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