ER Shark A unit decoder install

[Jim Starbuck]

I installed decoders in some ER Sharks for a friend and came up with a technique that worked kind of slick.
I cut a rectangular hole in the stock board to make room for a Digitrax DZ126 then wire everything to the board essentially turning it into a nice drop in decoder.
The stock board is held down by two screws.
First cut the hole to fit the decoder. My friend prefers Digitrax but this method would work for many other small wired decoders.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Remove the capacitor and the diode (next to the resistor) but leave the resistor and the LED.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Cut the traces in various places to isolate components.
Sorry I didn't get a picture but you can kind of see the locations in the second photo.
I used a small file to cut through the traces.
The decoder is simply taped into the hole.
Solder the wires to the various places necessary on the board.
The red wire is soldered to the trace on the upper right after scraping part of it bare to expose copper. The blue wire went to the bottom end of the resistor and the white wire went where the diode came out.
The other wires are visible.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
I cut off the yellow wire as there is only one light function used.
Wrap all but the ends of the motor tabs with tape because they get close to the frame at one spot.
Drop it on and reinstall the two screws.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
No mechanism modifications or disassembly required.

[Jim Starbuck]

I installed decoders in some ER Sharks for a friend and came up with a technique that worked kind of slick.
I cut a rectangular hole in the stock board to make room for a Digitrax DZ126 then wire everything to the board essentially turning it into a nice drop in decoder.
The stock board is held down by two screws.
First cut the hole to fit the decoder. My friend prefers Digitrax but this method would work for many other small wired decoders.
(Attachment Link)
Remove the capacitor and the diode (next to the resistor) but leave the resistor and the LED.
(Attachment Link)
Cut the traces in various places to isolate components.
Sorry I didn't get a picture but you can kind of see the locations in the second photo.
I used a small file to cut through the traces.
The decoder is simply taped into the hole.
Solder the wires to the various places necessary on the board.
The red wire is soldered to the trace on the upper right after scraping part of it bare to expose copper. The blue wire went to the bottom end of the resistor and the white wire went where the diode came out.
The other wires are visible.
(Attachment Link)
I cut off the yellow wire as there is only one light function used.
Wrap all but the ends of the motor tabs with tape because they get close to the frame at one spot.
Drop it on and reinstall the two screws.
(Attachment Link)
No mechanism modifications or disassembly required.

[peteski]

Very clever Jim! That method works quite well.
I've done this few times myself few years ago.  One was the Con-Cor Galloping Goose (I have not documented that), but the one I documented is a Brawa E77 locomotive. It also had very limited space for a decoder and I also cut an opening in the factory-installed circuit board and "plugged" a decoder into that opening.
Here is a link to that install: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31615.msg351219#msg351219

In another example I actually made a new circuit board and then installed a decoder in it(again due to tight fit).  Here is a link to that post: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=34952.msg408111#msg408111

[Lemosteam]

Nice and simple Looks like that if one wanted to modify the frame to add sound that a Econami might fit in there?

[Jim Starbuck]

I love the transplant idea Peteski. Very nicely done. It makes good sense to me to use as much of the stock board if possible because it already has provision for track power, motor feed and lighting.

Lemosteam, I'm not sure about the sound install on these. I've never done one but there is plenty of room under there so it's most likely doable.

[Urodoji]

The TCS Intermountain FT decoder is a drop in.