I've been running so much deadrail that I did not even recognize when this track issue emerged until my son's track powered engine just died on the switch today.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
just watched it on youtube
Interesting observation, and a very well thought-out,logical, troubleshooting process.
Nice fix, too!
Ron thanks for sharing. Yes just another reason that battery power is so much mote convenient. It's so frustrating to me when something like that switch problem jumps up during operation of my layout. Just having to crawl under the layout sends shivers up my spin. Thanks again for sharing.
Correction: Dead Rail does not care about electrical track issues.
But mechanical ones still matter and if not respected can put the train on the ground, or worse yet, on the floor.
Excellent way to trace out your problem. Thanks for the video.
Mike
The only concern I have about dead rail concerns my lift outs. There are several that occasionally need to be removed for walk in service traffic and they each have micro switches killing power to their adjacent tracks.
However, where there is no track power there is no protection. At all.
On the positive side I have been using battery power for about 11 years and only one engine has hit the floor. Thank goodness it was not mine. 
However, as the state DMV is phasing the dates on driver license's of those my age to Roman Numerals my cognition is a concern.
@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:Correction: Dead Rail does not care about electrical track issues.
But mechanical ones still matter and if not respected can put the train on the ground, or worse yet, on the floor.
Excellent way to trace out your problem. Thanks for the video.
Mike
Right you are Mike.
@Tom Tee posted:The only concern I have about dead rail concerns my lift outs. There are several that occasionally need to be removed for walk in service traffic and they each have micro switches killing power to their adjacent tracks.
However, where there is no track power there is no protection. At all.
On the positive side I have been using battery power for about 11 years and only one engine has hit the floor. Thank goodness it was not mine.
However, as the state DMV is phasing the dates on driver license's of those my age to Roman Numerals my cognition is a concern.
Its simple! you hit stop on your control
@Dave Koehler posted:Its simple! you hit stop on your control
Sure, if you can see it...that is the catch. Not quite that simple. There is no way that the entire RR could be seen from any one position. Thankfully my hearing is about equal in both ears so I can somewhat project the progress of each train. Many blind spots, multiple trains, large man cave.
Deadrail wouldn't have the electrical connectivity issues we have with track.One thing it might have is connectivity from the device running the App and the bluetooth receiver in the locomotive. Bluetooth has come a long way, the range has been extended and it is much better dealing with obstacles, but it could be a concern. If an engine goes into a mountain that has plaster over a metalic base, it could have problems, lose connectivity. Does that mean that Deadrail isn't workable? Not at all, just saying it can have equivalent problems.
As far liftouts go/raised bridges, etc, you could have normally closed switches or an optical detector set up that if the the liftout or whatever opens, it activates a solenoid that raises a mechanical stop in the track(s), so nothing can pass it. People have done this fully mechanically, but it would be easy enough to set up such a system where it is electrically activated. This would work for a track powered system as well.
Attachments
Images (1)
