Kato GE 44 Tonner

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

M1



This installation is for N Scale Kato GE 44 Tonner uses TCS M1 Decoder and was performed by Jim Starbuck Clinton, Iowa

Although designed as a powered chassis for a Japanese prototype trolley car, these wonderful little mechanisms are fodder for many kitbash projects due to their small size, low cost, simplicity and superb running qualities. This installation will be a GE 44 ton switcher, but the decoder install should be about the same for most any shell.

First, disassemble the motor, driveshaft, worm gear, pickup strips and trucks so there is a bare chassis.
Using a motor tool and files, grind a rectangular hole through the chassis that allows the decoder to inset into the frame. The M1 will just fit between the pickup strips.
I combed the pickup and motor wires back and glued them down using MicroScale crystal clear. There is just enough clearance under the driveshaft coupler for the wires.
When satisfied with the vertical clearance, tack the decoder into the chassis with crystal clear from the bottom side. Place a drop of solder on the center of the pickup strips and glue them down into their centering pockets using crystal clear. After the glue sets, solder the red and black to the pickups The orange and gray motor leads route to the back. I this case the motor is mounted on it's side with two sided tape to facilitate the narrow hood of the switcher. Lighting wiring is then a straight forward process as well.

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