Install a decoder in the Silver Sky Zephyr

Install a Digitrax TF4 decoder in the Silver Sky Zephyr

The last car of the Kato Zephyr set, the Silver Sky has a red light. Unfortunately if you are running a DCC layout the light will be on all the time. The Digitrax TF4 is a very small decoder with 4 functions and a transponder. Only one function is used in the Siver Sky because there is only one light to control, but I installed this decoder because if I want to install a light in the voiture I will need another function to control it.

Removing the frame
To remove the frame just pull gently each side of the frame and pull it up. Then you must remove the decoration of the voiture by uncliping it.

Installing the decoder
To wire the decoder on the original board you must remove the small chip at the back of the board. This chip in the analog control insure that the lights are always on.

The power wires are red and black, they must be soldered to the rods at each side of the board. We are using the function F1 so we must solder the white wire to the control the LEDs. The white wire must be soldered at the iron strap on the board. The blue wire which is the common must be soldered to the other common pin of the LEDs (see the pictures).

There is not a lot of space to pass the wires and I had to modify a bit the plastic frame to ease the wires positionning. There is a black piece on the frame where the upper LED is inserted.The front part of this piece must be removed as on the picture. This will allow the wires to pass from the decoder to the board without preventing the frame to close properly.

The following pictures shows some details of the installation.


Connecting the blue wire	Position of the wires

Programming the decoder
There are 2 possibilities to program the decoder. You can eitheir give the same address as the locomotive or give another addres.

If you choose the same address as the locomotive you can control the light simultaneously when you switch on or off the light of the locomotive. However if you are using the transponders then it's better to use another address.

Using another address for this decoder will allow you to control the light of this car independently of the locomotive's light. Another advantage is also the usage of the transponder of the decoder. Using a different address will allow you to detect the end of the train when the car exits from the block that you're controlling.