JimT JoeinPA Jim: Before you tackle the older Atlas Roco S2s look over this TCS install. It shows the critical insulation that is needed regardless of the decoder chosen. Make sure to replace the screw holding the motor with a Kadee delrin or nylon screw. I haven't dealt with any of the newer models but they may be similar. http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Atlas/S2/Atlas%20S2.htm Joe and I appreciate this link, which leads to the one for the TCS AS6 decoder install, which I'll use for those decoders. I also read somewhere that it's hard to find an exact nylon screw to fit for the motor screw--so folks use the Kadee screw as a next-best-thing alternative. Is that still the way to go, or does someone know where to get an exact replacement for the motor screw?
JoeinPA Jim: Before you tackle the older Atlas Roco S2s look over this TCS install. It shows the critical insulation that is needed regardless of the decoder chosen. Make sure to replace the screw holding the motor with a Kadee delrin or nylon screw. I haven't dealt with any of the newer models but they may be similar. http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Atlas/S2/Atlas%20S2.htm Joe
Jim:
Before you tackle the older Atlas Roco S2s look over this TCS install. It shows the critical insulation that is needed regardless of the decoder chosen. Make sure to replace the screw holding the motor with a Kadee delrin or nylon screw. I haven't dealt with any of the newer models but they may be similar. http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Atlas/S2/Atlas%20S2.htm
Joe
and I appreciate this link, which leads to the one for the TCS AS6 decoder install, which I'll use for those decoders. I also read somewhere that it's hard to find an exact nylon screw to fit for the motor screw--so folks use the Kadee screw as a next-best-thing alternative. Is that still the way to go, or does someone know where to get an exact replacement for the motor screw?
The thread in the motor is metric but you can use either the Kadde screw or a nylon 2-56 screw. I used nylon screws for my S2s and they worked well. Although they are not metric they will screw into the hole on the motor and hold very tightly.
rrinker The TCS A series are for Atlas/Kato and newer Atlas locos, they won;t be an easy fint in the Roco-built S2. I have one of the S2's and like most of my installs I am jiust going to ahrd wire it, there's plenty of room and it's easiy to isolate the motor - the loco is NOT DCC Ready, like the similar P2K S1 (and talk about copycat - even has the same motor with a purple end cap!) the lower motor brush is connected to the frame. This is isolated from the pickups, however if the loco derails a wheel can be forced into contact with the frame and POOF. --Randy
The TCS A series are for Atlas/Kato and newer Atlas locos, they won;t be an easy fint in the Roco-built S2. I have one of the S2's and like most of my installs I am jiust going to ahrd wire it, there's plenty of room and it's easiy to isolate the motor - the loco is NOT DCC Ready, like the similar P2K S1 (and talk about copycat - even has the same motor with a purple end cap!) the lower motor brush is connected to the frame. This is isolated from the pickups, however if the loco derails a wheel can be forced into contact with the frame and POOF.
--Randy
Now THIS is what they don't teach you in kindergarten. Don't think it would have occurred to me that the Kato locos would be different from the Roco ones. Hmm. Maybe this is another good reason to stock up on a few of the NCE decoders. I'll also have to see how many Kato vs how many Roco engines I have. I really appreciate this input, you're going to save me from making a hasty and expensive mistake in ordering. I suppose I should probably pull one of each apart to better see what I'm dealing with.
on edit: I've been trying to get my locos and rolling stock inventoried, here's what I know I have (it's possible there are a couple more squirreled away in another box somewhere):
LV150 ALCO S2 ATLAS AUSTRIALV151 ALCO S2 ATLAS CHINALV157 ALCO S2 ATLAS CHINALV158 ALCO S2 ATLAS CHINALV163 ALCO S2 ATLAS CHINAEL526 ALCO S2 ATLAS ROCOEL528 ALCO S2 ATLAS ROCOUNDEC S2 ATLAS ROCOUNDEC S2 ATLAS ROCOERIE 520 ALCO S2 ATLAS SILVER
Reformed Grownup Litchfield Station has the NCE ATLS4 in stock. https://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=524113
Litchfield Station has the NCE ATLS4 in stock.
https://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=524113
Richard, thanks for this, not sure why I didn't get that to come up when I searched. I'll likely order some of those tonight, thanks!
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As I mentioned in the other headlight thread, I'm looking ahead to installing some decoders in about a dozen older Atlas/Roco and Atlas/China S-2 locos. Planning primarily to go non-sound obviously, I just want to get them back up and running.
But I did some searches here and online, and it appears from the NCE website that the dedicated, drop-in decoder they had for the application (their NCE ATL-S4) is 'retired,' and a search online didn't turn any up in terms of lingering NOS.
TCS makes a similar drop-in decoder (their TCS AS6), but I'm not sure I'm seeing it on their website, there are none on feebay, and only a couple of sites online seem to have them. I ordered three of those to get going on the project.
Anyone have any other suggestions either (a) of any others sources for the TCS AS6 decoders, assuming these work out well, or (b) an alternative decoder choice that is as close to drop-in as possible?
I'm also inclined to try at least ONE sound installation, and caught the reference in an earlier thread to a MR article in 2010 that detailed the installation of a Soundtraxx 827012 (MicroTsunami TSU-750), so I am going to try that once I've done a simpler install on one of these. (Open to suggestions on sound installations as well.)
Are there any other options that I'm not seeing yet? I have several of the recent Atlas sound/DCC S2s, so I'm not looking to convert all of my older ones over to sound, just want to get them running again.
thanks in advance,
Jim