Question: Decoders in Athearn; and ballast before scenery?

Everyone, im sad/happy to announce that the Layout in my basement is being dismantled for safety reasons, and we're making the basement liveable. Over the summer, im goin to take it apart, rip up all the track, and store the equipment. BUT, before you all get saddened, we're rebuilding it! My dad and i have talked this over, and aren't pleased with the overall appearance. But, we're going to model from the Waverly Split, to East Binghamton Yard. NO signals left out. IM going to take pics before, of course, and im going to send Scotty my 2242 model pics. (later, i have to put the card back in the camera) so you can all see what a terrific job Tim did! Im probably going to retrofit couplers, and lighting. Probably get DCC going also. The future looks bright, guys. So here are the questions:

1. how do i put a decoder in an Athearn Blue Box model/ any other old locomotive, with no plug.

2. The proverbial wuestion: which first: ballast or scenery?

Being DC, can't help on question # 1

#2, it's ballast first. This way you don't disturb anything else that will only
get in your way.

This article covers installation in an Athearn pre-Genesis F7, but it applies to any blue-box Athearn locomotive:

http://loystoys.com/install/install-athearn-f7.html

The most important things to remember are that you must isolate the motor from the frame electrically; and that the decoder's continuous current rating (in Amps) should be higher than the stall current of the motor. I recommend either getting a local electricity geek to test your motor, or using a decoder rated for 1.5 A continuous motor current or higher.

I just make the Webmaster do all my installs. ;-)

I ballast as a last step. That is my personal preference.

-otto-

Digitrax sells a no-solder decoder kit for the Athearn blue box diesels. It looks like it basically just clips in.

http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_dh163at.php