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Can any one give me some guidance  on starting up with Dead rail , I used it extensively  20 years ago, when I was in G, but I see things have changed!     I currently have a roster of 2  A class 4-4-2  Weaver Hiawatha's , an F7 4-6-4  Weaver Hiawatha ,  a  K Line semi scale 4-6-2 and a William's brass  4-6-2 in black.   I am not a fan of white smoke, so I have removed the smoke units ( if any one invents black smoke I might re=install them)   As far as sound , I am familiar Phoenix sound ( not a fan of Lionel's )   but I am open .     I need help in Trans miters, receivers , and current batteries.   All My loco's will be track powered by a flick of a switch.

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I am not a fan of white smoke, so I have removed the smoke units ( if any one invents black smoke I might re=install them) .

Black smoke is bad, except maybe on Halloween.

White smoke, i.e. "a clear stack", is what every good fireman is shooting for, isn't it?

Mike

(I hate it when people butt in with questions like this, but I just had to.)

BTW -- While your at it tell us why you don't like Lionel's sound.  Specifically what's wrong with it?  You may have many people here agreeing with you.

I love deadrail.  There are a few of us here who do, while the rest scoff at us.

I run BlueRail and RailPro.  Both have their plusses and minuses.  It all depends on what you want and how you want to run them.

I have have several posts and videos on the subject.  Search for ron045 and BlueRail or ron045 and RailPro.

Or go to YouTube and search ron045 and you can see my stuff.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have.  My email is in my profile.

If my son and brother in-law didn't run their stuff on my layout, I'd rip every last wire out.  That is how passionate I am with deadrail.

Ron

Last edited by Ron045

(Sigh)...

'Someday'...perhaps...there'll be a separate forum category...or two?...to capture the collective, budding knowledge/experience/encouragement for all things "Dead-Rail", "Battery-Powered", regardless of scale...in keeping with the scope of this forum.

Seems like the lack of any nascent endorsement by one of the popular/established 'gorillas' of the hobby is...stifling.

Among the realities of age setting in day-by-day...as I pen this from our home-away-from-home in Floriduh..., I become more acutely aware of concepts such as 'Down-scything', K.I.S.S, Getting-Down-Is-Easy/Getting-Up-Is-Hard, etc., etc..   Frankly, I'd rather have another colonoscopy than face tracing another under-table layout wiring problem, running another 100 feet of buss wire, connecting up another couple dozen track taps...while lying on my aching back on a cold basement floor...recalling the necessary veeblefetzer (tool) I forgot to bring along...down here...to complete the job, creating blue clouds of commentary on the condition of my antiquated knees, ...and now yet ANOTHER lump on the head from that $%XY#@ table girder!!!

Converting to Dead-Rail or Battery-Powered for a sizable investment in today's O3R paradigms, for instance, is ludicrous.  (Ditto the preferred prospect of total conversion to Kadee couplers)  But, as the OP suggests, returning to the scale (O...or even S or HO?) after an absence and/or venturing into a far more simplified, limited scope of model railroading without the concomitant under-table PITA requirement can be a really welcome option for the gray-and-balding demographics...of which I'm a card(s)-carrying member, thank you.

But, what the heck...the mirror and I haven't been very productive with some of these opinations, either.

Yo, DK!...another cup o' Joe?

KD

Last edited by dkdkrd

I've used BlueRail and Deltang.  I get my batteries and chargers from Tenergy, using 9.6 and 12v 2000Mah NiMh battery packs or 11.1v 2200Mah LiPo battery packs.  The Deltang receivers are no longer made I'm afraid, or at least not presently made.  I have over 2 dozen engines converted and have not had a single failure in over 5 years, doubt I'll be getting any more engines (spending more $$$ these days on firearms than trains).  I run 3-rail equipment on 2-rail track.  You can convert one 3-rail engine just to see how you like it and run it on any existing, wired layout.  Bob and Ron have been more constant on the forum than I have and are more up to date on the current offerings.

Here's a basic wiring diagram using the Deltang receiver:

BPRC Wiring Diagram

Another:

Single Motor Wiring Diagram

Attachments

Images (2)
  • BPRC Wiring Diagram
  • Single Motor Wiring Diagram
Last edited by Bob Delbridge

Dave, For batteries and chargers consider MTO of York PA.  They specialize in batteries for almost any application.  They have extensive experience with model trains.

Their batteries and chargers have a safe charging circuit which preempts problems.   Use their charger with their batteries.  They make train batteries for many different configurations.

MTO Battery

237 Church La

Red Lion PA 17356

717-751-2795

MTObattery.com

Scroll down on the product list to "Train", click to open.

All of my batteries are MTO

Does any one have a  good supplyer for batteries and chargers? not a soul around here to ask.  Last time around I was using Nicads

I have had good luck with Bob Buck at gscaleinstallations.net.  I'm lucky I only live 30 minutes away, so I have no idea what shipping costs are.  But his batteries are MTO also and slightly cheaper than the MTO website and have the built in PCB protection to protect from overcharge or under voltage use.  Chargers are simple plug in.  Since these are LiIon and not LiPo, there is no balancing of cells. These batteries are meant for trains and not RC cars or planes which need a lot of energy fast.

3 of my engines run on 4 cell 14.8v 3000mah batts.  My smaller 44 tonner runs on 3 cell 11.1v 3000mah.  They all run great.

Ron

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