01-23-2023, 08:31 PM
PART II: WHERE, OH WHERE TO MOUNT THE DECODER?
Once you've disassembled the locomotive components, you'd think there'd be plenty of space and opportunity to place a little decoder, but you'd be wrong.
First of all, you want to stay clear of moving parts - motor, flywheels, driveshafts, pivoting trucks. That pretty much takes the space lower and middle right out of play. With the low hood in front and the windows in the cab, you pretty much have to stay clear of the fat front of the locomotive. That leaves exactly two areas to put the decoder - the top, back corner of the long hood,
or in the area under the dynamic brake fan that conveniently lifts off for access.
I would love to do the 2nd, HOWEVER, the largest thickness of the decoder will not allow the removable cover to close. Width is good, and I can get the wiring harness in and out through the hole that's already provided. I've done stuff like the first option, and that could also work, but one thing I don't like about that arrangement is that you end up stuffing the decoder and the extra wiring up there and you try to close the shell on the frame and you get a nasty bird's nest of wire and encoder pushed right up into the rear light assembly.
What to do? I think I'm going to get my Dremel out and lay waste to the area in white (in the photo below) to allow the decoder to have enough space to allow the fan cover to close. If the decoder ever went belly up, it would be a simple replacement, and I think everything will be a lot neater if I can mount the decoder up there. More on that tomorrow I guess.
Once you've disassembled the locomotive components, you'd think there'd be plenty of space and opportunity to place a little decoder, but you'd be wrong.
First of all, you want to stay clear of moving parts - motor, flywheels, driveshafts, pivoting trucks. That pretty much takes the space lower and middle right out of play. With the low hood in front and the windows in the cab, you pretty much have to stay clear of the fat front of the locomotive. That leaves exactly two areas to put the decoder - the top, back corner of the long hood,
or in the area under the dynamic brake fan that conveniently lifts off for access.
I would love to do the 2nd, HOWEVER, the largest thickness of the decoder will not allow the removable cover to close. Width is good, and I can get the wiring harness in and out through the hole that's already provided. I've done stuff like the first option, and that could also work, but one thing I don't like about that arrangement is that you end up stuffing the decoder and the extra wiring up there and you try to close the shell on the frame and you get a nasty bird's nest of wire and encoder pushed right up into the rear light assembly.
What to do? I think I'm going to get my Dremel out and lay waste to the area in white (in the photo below) to allow the decoder to have enough space to allow the fan cover to close. If the decoder ever went belly up, it would be a simple replacement, and I think everything will be a lot neater if I can mount the decoder up there. More on that tomorrow I guess.
Check out my "Rainbows in the Gorge" website: http://morristhemoosetm.wixsite.com/rainbows