Hobbytown F7A

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



This installation of TCS T1 Decoder is for HO Scale Hobbytown F7A and was performed by Jean Lacroix, Canada.

The locomotive is a complete, body and mechanism from former Hobbytown of Boston company. It has a very big flywheel and has a very big pulling power.
First, you will have to locate and remove all the screws underneath the locomotive that holds the body. Normally you have 2 screws under the cab and 2 others at the opposite end near the steps at rear. Remove the shell of the locomotive which is spitted in two by the cab. Remove all lamps hooked to the motor or otherwise connected. If they are of 1,5 volts you should discard them and save them for future projects.
In this locomotive, the motor is usually a Pitman open frame type and is not insulated from the frame or the body. You will probably have to put aside the motor and change it for a smaller size on, like Sagami or the like. On this unit, you should install extra contacts using phosphor bronze wires inserted in plastic tubing on each truck in order to have better electrical pick up current from the track. This is done on the side of the locomotive that has the wheels insulated.
You will need to unsolder the wires that were hooked to the motor. You will then solder the black wire from the harness to one of the truck and the red wire to the other truck. After this is done, you have to solder the grey harness wire on one of the motor contact and the orange on the other. You can put a tape over the motor contacts to prevent a short circuit with the metal body.
Then, it is a good idea to take care of the lights. I used an Led to replace the original 1.5v bulbs. Solder the wires as mentioned in the instructions that came with your T1. The lights were then simply glued behind the holes for the headlights. All the wires soldered together should be covered with electrical shrink tubing or electrical tape.

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