Author Topic: Atlas N scale Alco S-2 conversion from DC to DCC  (Read 1461 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

boisecity

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 41
  • Respect: +20
Atlas N scale Alco S-2 conversion from DC to DCC
« on: November 23, 2015, 03:47:26 AM »
+1
Atlas N scale Alco S-2 conversion from DC to DCC

Living in Australia, I can't always find the locos I want but I did come across an Alco S-2, DC version.  My layout is DCC and I have converted many locos previously so I decided to buy the loco and work out how to fit a decoder later.

Being quite a small loco I wasn't sure what decoder would fit but found one made by TCS, an EUN651.  When this arrived I set about taking the loco apart, not an easy job as it is constructed very differently to any other N scale loco.

First I removed the cab which was fairly easy.  Then the shell which is held in place by two small screws under the front end of the loco.  But the shell didn't want to budge, it took quite some effort to free it from the frame as it appeared to have something sticky holding it down. 



There is no split frame to hold the light board as in other Atlas locos, it sits on top of the motor held in place by pins at the ends.  The EUN651 is a small flat decoder with six pins so at first I was a bit unsure about where it could be fitted.  I couldn't find any information in the drawing that came with the loco, so initially I thought I would have to solder the pickup and motor wires to the decoder.  Then I noticed six small solder spots across the light board near the cab end.  I looked under the board and noticed a small device plugged into where the solder spots were.  Then the penny dropped, it was a six pin socket.  All I had to do was to remove this device and plug in the decoder.  I first had to remove the cab interior which was also held in place by two pins.



This photo is from the other side of the loco.

So in the end it was a fairly simple conversion and the loco is now running on DCC.  All I had to do then was to re-attach all the end handrails that fell off.

Hope this helps anyone else considering a similar conversion.

JF

Santa Fe Guy

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 1096
  • Respect: +359
Re: Atlas N scale Alco S-2 conversion from DC to DCC
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2015, 07:09:29 PM »
0
Great outcome John.
Rod.
Santafesd40.blogspot.com