Atlas N Scale 2 truck shay DCC install ideas

[rhiadon]

I love these projects of trying to get DCC sound into a tiny locomotive. I've got a plan to put DCC sound into one of the Atlas N Scale 2 truck shays and wanted to pick some brains for some ideas.

First, how to get the decoder in. I've constructed a platform out of styrene that sit over the rear worm gear and angles up to the edge of the motor. This is where the decoder will sit. The back panel of the cab will need to be milled away to accommodate this just a little bit. But I believe this can be covered with a larger oil bunker. I'm not sure about prototypes, but I'm not so much a rivet counter so I figure this approach will be "good enough". Any other ideas or if you've seen someone take another approach, I'd love to hear it.

So the first stumbling block is how to mill out a chunk of the rear of the cab. It appears as if the cab and rear section of the shell come apart, but I can't see how to do it. Any insight?

The second thing I want to look into is using the oil bunker as the baffle for the tiny cell phone speaker that I've used in my SW-1 project. I might even be able to use a larger cell phone speaker. Does anyone make a plastic oil bunker that I could start with and turn into the speaker baffle? The one that comes with the unit is metal and not really suitable for the job. I might be able to build a bunker and then add rivet details but I'd rather use a premade object and cut it down to size to work. Any ideas?

[mighalpern]

I had a TCS M1 decoder installed in mine from a guy named jonesy here in the SF bay area.   Runs real good, he never said he had to modify anything.  I think its in the bunker.  I can get his email if your interested.

[mighalpern]

sorry its a DZ125 decoder

[mmyers]

I've seen at least one non-sound decoder install where the oil bunker was changed to make the Shay a coal fired loco. Building a coal bunker in place of the oil tank to get enough room. That was back on the first run Shays when decoders were just a little larger. So if the sound decoder will fit with little or no mods now, maybe a simulated coal bunker for a speaker?
Damn, now I have another project.

Martin Myers

[mmyers]

My first one got a DZ123. second has an M1. Both in the cab. Wrapper removed from the DZ and IIRC, i trimmed a little excess off the board.

[carlso]

rhiadon - may I borrow your thread for a question to Martin that may have value to you as well ?

Martin,

have you checked out the fit with an ESU Loksound Select Micro ? I have an original run Shay I want to decoderize as well.

Carl

[rhiadon]

rhiadon - may I borrow your thread for a question to Martin that may have value to you as well ?

Martin,

have you checked out the fit with an ESU Loksound Select Micro ? I have an original run Shay I want to decoderize as well.

Carl

Ask away. It's related.

The mention of replacing the oil bunker with a coal bunker is a very interesting idea. I must explore that.

Does one make a casting for coal? Can you buy plastic "sheets" of coal loads? Hiding a speaker behind such a thing seems like a very interesting idea

[rhiadon]

I'm having trouble finding a useful picture of a 2 truck shay with a coal bunker. I would want the bunker to at least be close to correct. Any pictures that anyone knows of?

[peteski]

I installed DZ125 in my Shay and had a writeup on the Atlas forum. But imageshack no longer hosts the images. I'll have to re-post this install here on TRW..

[Chris333]

I installed DZ125 in my Shay and had a writeup on the Atlas forum. But imageshack no longer hosts the images. I'll have to re-post this install here on TRW..

I remember that, it was like a work of wiring art!

[peteski]

I remember that, it was like a work of wiring art!

Yeah, I'm a bit anal when it comes to clean installs. 

[wazzou]

Yeah, I'm a bit anal when it comes to clean installs. 

That's it?   

[delamaize]

I installed DZ125 in my Shay and had a writeup on the Atlas forum. But imageshack no longer hosts the images. I'll have to re-post this install here on TRW..

I followed Ron Bearden's Writeup, It's a Difficult install, but not impossible, and well worth the effort. I used a TCS M1.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Atlas/Shay/Shay%20M1%20Advanced.html

[peteski]

That's it?   

Among other things ... 

[peteski]

I re-posted my decoder install here in https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=37764.0