VR T class by Powerline

3rd production run with 21 pin plug and speaker (c. 2020)

Items used:

ESU 58429 LokSound 5 DCC 21-MTC decoder with DCCSound 3rd series T class sound project

DCCSound Premium Speaker for Powerline T class (21 pin)

Disassembly

1) Remove the four body screws from the underside of the model as well as the coupler assemblies.

2) Gently lift the body up and remove the long hood end first, so as not to damage the number one end light pipes.

3) Next, the 16x35mm cone style speaker (driver and enclosure) is removed, being unplugged from the motherboard. The 21 pin DC socket board is also removed.

4) Solder the two speaker wires to the decoder's speaker solder pads.

5) The decoder is then plugged in and the speaker positioned, sitting underneath the motherboard and up against the long hood lighting structure.

6) Tape is applied to hold the speaker and lighting wires in position.

Following testing on a DCC section of track, the body is then refitted onto the chassis.

1st production run (c. 2008)

Items used:

ESU 58420 LokSound 5 DCC 8 pin decoder with DCCSound 3rd series T class sound project

DCCSound Premium Speaker for Powerline T class (8 pin)

Disassembly

1) Remove the four body screws from the underside of the model as well as the coupler assemblies.

2) Gently lift the body up and remove the long hood end first, so as not to damage the number one end light pipes.

The Powerline model comes with an Atlas style decoder layout. The factory Powerline decoder and twin capacitors (where fitted) need to be removed to make way for a hard-wired sound decoder and DCCSound premium speaker.

3) Remove the decoder, decoder mounting plate and top chassis piece.

4) Remove material from the top chassis plate such that there is a 16 mm gap (lengthways) for the deepest section of the speaker to now sit in.

Installation

1) Solder the decoder's orange wire to the top motor terminal with heatshrink applied to the joint, as per the factory example. This prevents a short to the chassis.

2) Fit the chassis top plate and fasten the 4 screws to the lower chassis section.

3) Fit the speaker in place, with the rear bogie pickup wires routed carefully next to the speaker as shown.

4) Wire the decoder to the model as according to the configuration below, noting additional resistors are not required as the model has surface mount resistors fitted on each lighting board:

1) Black decoder wire: Left (driver's) side rail pick-up wires (black)

2) Red decoder wire: Right (fireman's) side rail pick-up wires (red)

3) Orange wire: Motor top terminal / red wire

4) Grey wire: Motor bottom terminal / black wire

5) Blue wire: +ve common, connected to blue wire (#1 end) and dark violet wire (# 2 end)

6) White wire: # 1 end white wire (headlight, white markers) & # 2 end red wire (red markers)

7) Yellow wire: # 2 end orange wire (headlight, white markers) & # 1 end red wire (red markers)

Recommended though optional:

8) Green wire (aux 1): # 2 end red wire only, for independent red markers

9) Magenta wire (aux 2): # 1 end red wire only, for independent red markers

Additional work

Once the conversion is done, if the user experiences poor running, there may be excess grease in the bogie mechanisms preventing good pickup from the wheels. Alternatively, if the wheel treads are worn or pitted, they may require replacement.

The axle assemblies should be removed and rinsed of excess grease, with Peco Powerlube (or equivalent) applied to enhance operation.

1) Remove the cover plates from the underside of the bogies. A small screwdriver or blade may help.

2) Remove the axle assemblies and wash the grease out in isopropl alcohol (or equivalent). Pay particular attention to the brass bearings, axles and brass pick-up plates.

In this example, the treads were pitted, so new wheelsets from Powerline were fitted.

3) Apply Peco Powerlube to the bearings, axles where the bearings reside and where the axle bearings slot into the power pick-up plates.

4) Refit the wheel assemblies to the model, check alignment of the bearings in the bogie housing then refit the cover plates.

Once running well on DCC, refit the body, body mounting screws and coupler assemblies.