Example of Atlas Shay DCC decoder install

[woodone]

Well the new light boards in the new run do help with the lights.  They were powered up via the rails. I unsoldered the negative truck leadsto the boards and attached two twisted # 36 magnet wires to the boards. This was for the control on both the front and rear lights. The new motors are a bit different. I removed the motor and there are two motor contact strips that must be bent up away from the strips that run for and aft. I then soldered my orange and gray wires to the motor and remounted it into the frame. I mounted a DZ126 mines the heat shrink to a u shaped brass bracket just like you did. Mounted the DZ126 on that and soldered the rest of the wires into place and was done.
I did have to recess the screw that holds the water tank to the body. The screw head was pressing down on the decoder. On my bracket there is only about .020 clearance between the worm and the bracket.
You have and issues with this screw?         

[peteski]

Very good!  My decoder bracket also has very small clearance over the worm. 0.020" sounds about right.  I didn't remember a problem with that oil bunker screw, but upon reviewing the photos I see that I did.

My solution was to slightly countersink the area surrounding the screw hole (visible at the bottom of the photo below).  That way the screw head can be screwed slightly deeper, just clearing the microcontroller chip on the decoder.



If I was going to install a decoder now, I would probably use the DZ156T DZ126T mounted on the side of the chassis without a bracket (like it was mentioned an an earlier post).

[woodone]

I did the same thing, plus I also took off some of the top of the screw head.
I did not see a listing for the DZ156T- How did I miss that?

[peteski]

Oops!  That is DZ126T. It was mentioned in another new Shay thread: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=38236.0

It is a fairly new decoder, smaller than DZ126. "T" stands for . . . tiny.    It is similar in size to TCS Z2 (but less expensive).

[woodone]

Thanks- just finished up a second one. maybe the DZ126T will help with the install- Do you think that we will have to remove the shrink?
More that likely I will remove it so I can use better wires for connections. http://therailwire.net/forum/Smileys/classic/grin.gif

[peteski]

Removing heatshrink from all the Digitrax decoders is easy. I do it often.

I take a hobby knife with a fresh #11 blade and score (but no cut through) the heat shrink.  Well, sometimes the knife falls through but I do it gently.  Then I take pair of pointy tweezers and start prying the heat shrink apart at the score line. It splits  fairly easily. Once I do that all the way across, the heat shrink can be peeled off the decoder.

[propmeup1]

Thank you for posting that. I did think about putting the decoder in a boxcar and running the wires through. It will be an engine used up in a mountain so
I don't think the wires will be noticeable.

[Mike C]

    I'd use a caboose instead of a boxcar , it was common to see a combination like that .....Mike