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The decoders that I've bought have had only the most general of instructions. They rarely ever have specific installation instructions for specific locos. In N, Ho, and On30, I've run into numerous sites that give specifics, with pictures, for different locos. I have not been able to find any for G scale. The decoder included instructions always seem to assume that the person doing the install is intimately familiar with the construction of the loco they are installing it in. My experience is that most people are not. That is what keeps many from trying it themselves. There are a number of things the general instructions do not include. 1. How you get the #$%&^ thing apart without destroying it, or breaking something getting it apart. I've broken several things getting them apart myself, and I'm very mechanically inclined. 2. Many locos have motors that are not isolated. Making them isolated is often not easy to do. I've spent many hours trying to solve problem. 3. What modifications will you have to do to the loco to get the decoder/RC unit to fit in the loco. I've had to drill holes, grind channels, cut flanges, and a host of other things to get the blasted things to fit. Even then, I haven't always been totally successful at making an installation that I was really satisfied with. 4. Many locos have circuit boards in them that contain filtering circuits, sound circuits, etc. and I've not been able to find schematics for any of them. I've spent hours tracking circuit board tracks, tracing wireing, and such trying to figure out what they are doing, how they are doing it, and where I can tap in to make things work. I pity anyone that doesn't have an electronics background. (I'm an Advanced Class Ham) These are just a few of the problems I've encountered trying to install decoders, and RC units. My whole point is, If someone else has already solved the problems, figured out the best, or at least a good way to do it, put in an article with pics. Why reinvent the wheel? We do it with building construction and scenery. Why not with decoders and other electronics? Show step by step how to do it. Many of us don't have advanced mechanical, or electronic skills. Having a step by step pictorial would allow, and encourage, more people to take on installing decoders and R/C themselves. They do it with the smaller scales. Why not G scale, too? Having links to different decoder, and electronic installs, all in one place, would make things so much easier for everyone.
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