QSI Revolution-A Installation in Tower 55 ES44AC
Steve Gill from Ulrich Models forwarded his Quantum Revolution-A installation notes. Thanks!
Revised November 11, 2008
I Abstract
The Installation of the Revolution-A, board replacement decoder in the Tower 55 ES44 is moderately difficult and requires soldering skills. The QSI Revolution coupled with the base enhanced speaker used in the installation adds high quality sound to this great model. In addition to the great sound, the upgrade adds flashing ditch lights keyed to the horn.
The installation works for all DC Pioneer Series locomotives and for the Digitrax sound model. If the sound model is being converted, the Digitrax sound board is removed instead of the DC boards.
This installation uses a Revolution-A decoder with three of the resistors changed to support dual lamps for the headlight, backup light and number boards. Ulrich Models modifies the decoder board and it can be ordered by specifying the revolution-A/T55 option. All the components for this upgrade can be purchased at one time by ordering the T55 Revolution Sound Upgrade Kit. Installation is available.
This installation does not use a speaker in the tank. If you are converting a Digitrax T55 model, the tank speaker can be used but will not deliver as good quality sound as the base enhanced speaker. The ES44 DC model does not include the plastic speaker baffle that mounts in the tank so it is difficult to install the tank speaker; the tank speaker is also close to the track and can easily pickup metal debris.
T55 ES44AC
QSI Revolution-A Decoder
Revolution Board Diagram
T55 with Factory DC Boards Installed
Completed Installation
II Installation
Remove the couplers and detach the shell by sliding it up and off the holding tabs. The T55 shells are usually easy to slide off. There are not any wires that run between the frame and the shell in the DC version.
The DC model has two boards; the motor board and the DC lighting circuit board. Both of these must be removed. The motor board is connected to the motor by two copper strips. These strips must be unsoldered from the board or cut just below the board. The strips will be trimmed and wires attached later.
Remove the light board attached to the shell by removing the two screws and disconnecting all the lighting wires connected to it. Remove all the lighting wires from the board by unsoldering the wires or clipping them.
ES44 Motor and DC Lighting Board – Motor Board is Unsoldered
Trim the copper leads to the motor and solder a wire to each lead. Make the wires long enough to reach the motor tabs on the Revolution board. Since the Revolution board will clip onto the board mounts attached to the motor; clip the leads short enough to clear the board when it is installed to prevent a possible short.
ES44 Motor after Soldering Leads
Mount the Revolution board onto the board motor clips. Make sure the front of the board is facing forward and the board is installed with the top side up.
Solder the motor leads to the Revolution board motor tabs. Solder the right (red) wire to the + tab and the left (black) wire to the – tab. If for some reason the locomotive runs backwards, reverse these two wires.
Solder the lighting wires removed from the original lamp board to the Revolution lighting tabs as follows:
- Headlight FO-F and +5v
- Taillight FO-R and +5v
- Number Boards F5 and +5v
- Right Ditch F3
- Left Ditch F4
It does not make any difference which wire pair is used for each function since, at this time, the wires only go to the female connectors. Since both ditch lights are wired together on the original model, we are short one set of wires. The wire pair for one of the ditch lights must be made using wire and a two position female connector. If you purchased the kit, the connector, shrink wrap, and wire is included.
The wires connecting the male plug to the ditch lights in the shell must be separated; two wires for one ditch light bulb are attached to the original plug while the other two wires are attached to the new plug.
Install the speaker in the rear of the shell as show in figure 5. It is pushed nearly all the way back and the backup light wires are run under it. It can be attached with double sided tape or Goop. I recommended using a connector between the speaker and the Revolution board so the shell can be detached from the frame. The connector is included in the upgrade kit.
Connect all the lighting connectors; be sure to connect the male plug for a function output to the female plug for the associated light function.
The installation is complete. Temporarily set the shell on the frame and take it to the track for testing. Once testing is complete, install the shell on the frame. Make sure all the wires are clear and none of them are caught between the shell and the frame. There are many wires to watch with this installation. Install the couplers.
Revolution Light Port Assignments
The light port assignments for sound file used are:
- Port 1 Headlight
- Port 2 Taillight
- Port 3 Right Ditch
- Port 4 Left Ditch
- Port 5 Number Boards
- Port 6 OHBL (Overhead Beacon Light)
The recommended sound is EMD Gen 2 XB (Extended Base) sound file with Dash 8 Notching and a Nathan M5 Horn. This is what comes in the T55 Revolution Upgrade Kit. Optionally, the Standard Dash 8 engine sound without extended base can be selected. Why the EMD XB? The XB sound file has greater base than the standard GE sound file and sounds very much like a GE, FDL diesel engine. It is a great match for the enhanced base speaker.
