TCS Z2 in a Life Like C-Liner

We start a new year of installing DCC decoders in N scale locomotives.  This year will be almost all new material as I think I've used almost all the old material I once had on the nscalestation web site. 

First up will be the Life Like C-Liner

I sent the frames to Aztec Mfg for milling.  This photo shows what is removed from the frame.  Because of the way the motor mounts into the frame with no plastic saddle, the space around the motor is tight and it's important to have the spaces milled around the motor so the brush caps don't touch and wires don't get pinched.


Just like I do with Kato F units, I take the extra step to drill and tap holes for size 2-56 screws that will be used to attach the decoder wires securely to the frame.  This would be a requirement on the B's anyway because there is no light board so I just do it for both A's and B's.


In this case I am using a TCS Z2 but any of the small decoders available today should fit in the space provided.

The wires are cut to the lengths indicated in this photo.  Then the brush cap are removed from the motor and the orange and gray wires soldered to those.  The motor brush contacts that are removed with the brush caps and then soldered to the red and black wires.  These will be secured by the screws to the frame to provide a reliable connection.










This step is done on A units only.  With a Dermal motor tool and a cutoff wheel, I remove the circuit traces that could connect the board to the frame.  Then I also make a notch in the front edge of the board that the blue and white wires pass through.  The blue and white wires are then soldered to the board as shown in this photo.  On this one I kept the light stock light bulb so a resistor is not needed.



After re-installing the motor brushes into the motor, the motor, gears, and bushings are all re-installed into the right side frame as shown in this photo.  Take care that the orange wire is in the channel and not being pinched between the motor and frame.  This model has a spacer with an odd shape that goes on the front.  Notice the orientation of the spacer.

Install the left side frame and install the nuts and screws.  Then use the 2-56 x 1/4" screws to secure the red wire to the right side frame and the black wire to the left side frame.





This is the completed mechanism for a C-Liner A.  Double stick tape is used to secure the decoder and wires. Test run the mechanism then if satisfied with the way it runs, install the shell. The shell on this model goes on straight down so that ribs inside the shell fit into slots on each side of the frame.