I found this on Digitrax site

I found this on Digitrax site about this, maybe it will help.

http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB992/life-like-proto-2000-s-1-may-damage-dcc/

Good link, Bob. One for the

Good link, Bob. One for the bookmarks

Position

Double-stick foam tape will keep a small decoder up in the cab roof. Then all you have to figure is isolating the motor and wiring and positioning the LEDs.

Digitrax link...

Yep... that's the link that told me about the motor issue.

I'm pretty sure I can probably handle that.

I still haven't found any help on how to fit the damned decoder INTO that tiny space!

I mean, sure... I can carve out the cab, where that beautiful detail of the engineer, and controls is the whole reason I bought the model... but that's really the last thing I'd ever want to do.

Is it this

Is it this one?

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Life_Like/Proto_2000_S1_Special%20Edition/Proto%202000%20S1%20Special%20Edition.html

Yep!

That's the one! Only in Southern Green!

This is what I have...

oh it's not that bloody hard

Cab floor...

Maybe inside the cab... but not under it. That's a molded, tight fit.

The web site that Peter Ulvestad gave is actually very helpful. I know how to fit the decoder now, so now my only issue will be the speaker, and the capacitor. The capacitor I can figure out, and I may be buying a sugar cube speaker now. (I haven't been to the local shop in two months... I'm heading there tomorrow, they haven't had sugar cube speakers before, but it's quite possibly they might now)

DCC in pair of S1's

We have a pair of S1's (also Southern paint) that we always run MUed and have DigiTraxx DN146IP installed.

These 1 Amp N decoders have proven more than adequate for our switching needs. I think we did have to isolate the motor lead, but just in case we often add Kapton tape to motor terminals. We removed the little plastic tabs and soldered the wires to the connector pcb which was also insulated with Kapon tape.

We are thinking about updating these loc's to sound with plans to put a sugar cube speaker in the top of the cab. This will be similar to the installation referenced in Improving electrical pickup and  Speaker replacement for Proto2000 SW-type switchers?. We have not selected decoders for this install. 

Here's how I did it

@ Warflight,

I put a Loksound decoder in a Southern P2K SW9 which has essentially the same room as your S-1.  The front weight was replaced with a piece of styrene to mount the decoder and cap, you can see the LED and resistor for the front light, and a hole was cut in the center of the cab floor for the sugar cube speaker which fits between the engineer and conductor.  Rear LED and resistor are attached to the cab roof.  I don't remember having to isolate the motor, but it's not difficult if required.

In this last picture you can see over the top of the speaker.  That will give you something to think about.

motor was isolated on SW9/1200

and Walthers changed the trucks

Different motors....

.......so it seems, but the speaker placement should work. 

Well...

With all of this, I'm actually starting to believe I might be able to do this!

Decoder...

Okay, so... I managed to fit a non sound decoder in... and it runs on the default of #3.

However... it is an MRC 0001651 decoder that I had lying around.

and JMRI cannot detect it.

I can't even find the 1651 listed in JMRI. (I blame MRC for this, and not JMRI)

How the hell do I program it???

Fixed-ish...

Okay, so, I updated JMRI and was able to find the decoder...

Well, the decoder was listed in the new (December) JMRI.

It still won't READ the decoder, but JMRI won't read ANY of my MRC decoders (which is why I refuse to intentionally buy an MRC decoder) but I was able to program it. This decoder is as basic as you can get... and it's still a bit too thick for the shell (the shell won't go all the way down, so all that beautiful detail, and the shell if up about a millimeter... fine for the naked eye, but rubbish for up close photography)

Until I can find something thinner (preferably with sound)

Possible short issues with proto s1

warflight I remembered this from a while ago. I have a couple same locos that I haven't yet converted

Read this carefully to ensure your install will be OK as I notice yours is an older flip top blue boxed proto

http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB992/life-like-proto-2000-s-1-may-damage-dcc/

Sound decoder

TCS is working on a WOW sounder decoder kit for this loco.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Life_Like/Proto%202000%20S1/Proto%202000%20S1.html

oooooo.....

DCC-no sound...

Logger suggested the DigiTrax DN146IP, so I just ordered one from YankeeDabbler (gotta support the advertisers, right? Plus, they were $10 cheaper than any of them on eBay, and, I am still Jewish, so...)

Yea... I have only ever been happy with ONE MRC decoder, and it came factory installed on a 0-4-0T with a cool remote, so I can run it on DC as a DCC sound engine if I want... I think that was what impressed me, because nothing else about that decoder does (control is a bit... 'feh', and not being able to play with the lights... I like setting my engines so the headlight is always on, and the back up light only comes on in reverse, and well... MRC won't let you do that)

Like I said, the MRC decoder is my "throw away"... it's the first decoder I ever bought, and the seller said it was duel mode, when it wasn't, and the manufacture used to show it as insulated, and it wasn't, and when I contacted them, I got a "newbies shouldn't be playing with DCC" response, and "just put a piece of tape on it!" Made me never want to buy MRC again, but unfortunately, they own Model Power, and I still have fond memories of Model Power...

So it's the decoder I can use to test a theory (I have a Bachmann decoder that I can also use to test... or maybe I'll use it for a turntable some day) that if it fries... I won't lose any sleep over it.

I have to say... in DC mode, this little engine runs BEAUTIFULLY! (though it's DCC track, it whines in DC mode) and despite the MRC controller (which never worked right in ANY other engine... it had two speeds... stop, and super fast) it is without a doubt, the SMOOTHEST running engine I have ever played with! I can make that little thing CRAWL! Even my Gandy Dancer is a bit faster on it's slowest speed, and the Gandy Dancer does prototypical speeds! I am VERY happy with the detail, and the engineering of it.. I just wish there was room for proper sound.

So once I get the DigiTrax DN146IP in the mail, I'll be putting the MRC decoder back in it's drawer.

I'll run it without sound until TCS comes out with their sound decoder for it... huh... that will be my first ever TCS decoder when they do!

It's strange running it without sound, because it's just so... freeking... QUIET! The gearing on it is so slow too... it was obviously built for DC guys that wanted prototype DCC speeds. Very much built for operations.

Oh, I didn't check the motor (it looks like there's some sort of tape under it?) to see if it's isolated, and because it's the ferkakta MRC decoder, I intentionally derailed it, and it didn't smoke the decoder, so this one MIGHT actually be DCC ready. I'll be looking when I get the new decoder though... for a non-sound decoder, that DigiTraxx DN146IP is pretty pricey! Even with Yankee Dabbler's lower price. (most places want $40 for it... for an extra $10, I can get a sound decoder from Digitrax!)

S-1 Prime Mover Sound

I like WOW decoders, and I may just be getting a little picky, but from what is current posted TCS does not have any ALCO 539 sounds in the WOW's. There is a big difference between the sound of the ALCO 251 which is available (not sure which versions) and the non-turbo 6 cylinder 539. You can get SoundTraxx Tsunami2's with non-turbo 539 sounds and ESU Selects with 539T.

Tight Fit...

If only my Digitrax decoder would fit... there are S-1 sound projects... but the decoder won't even fit, let alone the speaker. Sure, I could get a sugar cube speaker, but where to put that even?

This engine...

I do have to say, even with the crap MRC decoder, this is the SMOOTHEST running engine in my entire fleet. No jerking... no stopping... Every engine I have has at least ONE spot on the layout it doesn't like... the power will cut for a brief second, and it will go (the Jupiter has a few spots like that) and no amount of track cleaning will fix it... but THIS engine? There isn't a spot on the layout it won't go. It's start up is VERY slow... it's so quiet... I can't even hear it click on the track...

Whatever they did... they did it right. I would go out on a limb and even say that it runs better than a Kato!

It's quite amazing, really. It performed the same in DC as well.

I did replace the lights with LEDs... the front light (well, I guess rear, as it's in Southern livery) is beautiful, with beautiful lighted number boards (and no bleed through... I have a P2k that the plastic glows with the stock incandescent, dim lamps in it) The rear (front) light on the other hand... there is a tube that leads from the LED, through the top of the cabin to the light, and the light never quite gets that far, but instead, it does look like the cab is light by the panel lights, and an overhead, so it's still a pretty cool effect, even if it isn't what I wanted.

It would be an easy fix to pull out that plastic, and place a Peco light in the hole, I suppose... but i know I'm not going to do that.

As soon as i have a decent decoder in, I plan to add the rest of the detail (lots of extra details in the box) and then do some very light weathering. (I'm told Southern would clean their switchers at the end of each shift, seeing how they were in the yard, and the green livery was a point of pride back in the 40s) So just minimal yard dust.