Users of R/C Systems and Deadrail / Battery Power

Just got done with my 2nd conversion to battery power/deadrail with a legacy NW2 switcher. I find that trying to get all wires and components in the shell was a no go. So I added a tender. I did not want to do that. Have any one of you doing battery power a idea on what I could do differently to make hardware fit .  I am using mto #9 battery also railpro module.  I added cab lights and hooked up front and back lights using leds from evans lighting. Here is a picture  of a not finished tender along with legacy NW2.

I used a smaller MTO battery in a GP-7.   Very slightly less run time.  All my other locos all use the #9 MTO battery.

Over the past few years, I have run battery power with several different R/C systems. The R/C 's tested included LionChief and several versions of BlueRailTrains bluetooth products. A number of published articles (including OGRR magazine) have covered this. Current testing activity is centered on the new bluetooth R/C decoder from SoundTraxx.

Tom. Do have the # MTO battery. I looked at there website and saw a # 19 but not sure if it would fit. I hate to buy if it is to big.

Bob thank you for your input. I have purchased the RailPro system and I do like it very much so far. I am a guy that needs simple. so far the system is easy for me to navigate through with out going nuts trying to figure out the program. Well I did have a few hiccups but finally got over them.

I also have a lionchief plus that I converted to battery keeping the Lionchief + R/C installed. Now that is simple. I think I will install the railpro module some time soon with a new speaker.  I want to give it a better sound than what it has now. .  I also just love deadrail . I really feel that my 2 converted engines have ran so much smoother , have not had a problem with one exception I forgot to tighten one of my kadee's after the conversion on one engine. That caused a derail. 

Great job Bill.  That looks great.  I think you will find the deadrail runs wonderful without many of the technical issues that come up with track power.

With smaller engines, you have to compromise with either a smaller battery or a battery tender car.  I like way you did yours.  I did something similar with my 44 tonner and a scratch-built transfer caboose to house my battery.

I left the MTH board in the 44 tonner for my sound.  So I needed a car to hold my battery and BlueRail board.  But because I wanted my transfer caboose to look as close to the prototype at possible, I still had space challenges. 

I ended up using an 11.1V (3 cell) LiIon and mounted the BlueRail board to the battery.  The fit is perfect.  And I do not see any performance issues using the 11.1V vs the typical 14.4V I use in my larger engines.

Fortunately, MTO, XML and others have a large selection of batteries to make custom fits work for you.  Just remember to ensure you get a battery with PCB protection to prevent under current and over charging.

I discovered an unintended benefit of battery operation when I performed the MTH extended shutdown sequence.  Listen carefully what the engineer tells Al to do.

Have Fun!

Ron

Ron thanks so much for the pictures. That speaks volumes . I need to get one of those 44 tonner engines. I love to run yard switching. 

@BOB WALKER posted:

Over the past few years, I have run battery power with several different R/C systems. The R/C 's tested included LionChief and several versions of BlueRailTrains bluetooth products. A number of published articles (including OGRR magazine) have covered this. Current testing activity is centered on the new bluetooth R/C decoder from SoundTraxx.

Hi Bob - must have missed this article - do you happen to know the "Run #"?

Iʻd like to convert a LionChief to battery power for my track cleaning consist, and learn more about battery power.

Thanks!

There are articles in OGRR runs 314, 298 and 288. Hope this helps.

Just finished with legacy NW2 and tender car. I really enjoyed the process of a complete conversion to RailPro systems . She runs very smooth no problems. I also added a cab light and used a red led instead of white. I like the affect it has a low cast looks different but that's my layout . 🤪 

I like how you hid the battery in plain sight.

The nice thing is that this engine and the cab2 remote didn't get along. I had continuous on going problems with trying to run operate it . I finally became so  frustrated that I put the engine on my display shelves and forgot about it. That's why I converted it to battery power and RailPro. The only thing amiss is she is running on 3 rail instead of 2rail.  But she runs so smooth that I am in love 🥰

@Tom Tee posted:

I used a smaller MTO battery in a GP-7.   Very slightly less run time.  All my other locos all use the #9 MTO battery.

Tom . Would you share how many locos you have with battery power ? Also how long do they sit in between charges if not running ?

Well it's been awhile since the last post. I also rebuilt 2/3rds of my layout. Starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.  I completely tore out all my electrical except for my switch machines. Tore up and replaced my 3 rail to 2 rail. Replaced scenery and buildings. Decided to use Dwarvin fiber optic lighting. I really like it,  simple and fast . After getting things back to order ran trains to make sure track and switches we r e working. Had to work on 2 switch machines and replace a small section of track that I was not happy with. I will add some pictures .

Not sure how the 1st picture got downloaded just disregard. still need to add things but the biggest part of the layout  redo is done. Now  it's time to play with trains.

I tinkered with Bluerail in one of my large Factory Test steamers a while back.  Even with the big areas in the steam shell and the large tender, finding the right fit for the battery, DCC card (or MTH PS3 card) plus the Bluerail / RC card takes some tinkering to get satisfactory.

I was super jazzed at first, but since our layout is still primarily DCS, we tend to forget about the Bluerail loco and charging / managing the battery tends to be a bit of a pain.  It's a shelf queen for now, but maybe in the future when I have more RC equipment it'll get more play time.

Here's a thread about the install.

Wanted to put a z Stuff crossing signals in but I need to know if one can hook up signals to battery power. Does any one know if this can be done?

@Bill Grafmiller posted:

Wanted to put a z Stuff crossing signals in but I need to know if one can hook up signals to battery power. Does any one know if this can be done?

Bill, Instructions say AC power.  So you would have to convert the DC battery to AC.  Seems just as easy to use the accessory function on your transformer.