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Deadrail question: DC or DCC ready loco?

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WyldBill:
Hi All,
Fairly new to the group, I've got a deadrail question for anyone who has tried that process.
Is it better to start with a loco that is DC or DCC ready? It seems that a locomotive to be used for a deadrail purpose will need to be wired differently so there might be no need for a DCC board....or does it matter?   ???
Thanks,
Bill 

G8B4Life:
I haven't done it, but one of our members has. This is the thread detailing Kevins deadrail install in a Kato SD40-2: https://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php/topic,345.msg2499.html.

DC or DCC ready are basically the same thing these days, so unless you manage to find a locomotive from many moons (years) ago what you get new today will be DCC ready. This just means it has a circuit board that a DCC decoder (purchased separately) can plug into but it comes with a "blanking" plug in place so it runs on straight DC. I hope that makes sense.

In reality you would most likely have to remove whatever circuitry from the model anyway except for the lights etc and hardwire all the components in just to get them all to fit. It might be possible to it without doing that but I think you'd be braver than most to try. In relation to being wired differently, it's only be different to normal DCC ready wiring is that the wires from the trucks would be wired to the battery circuitry instead of the trucks.

- Tim

WyldBill:
Thanks for the info Tim.
Yes, this makes sense....but, will that circuit board be useful with a RailPro module or will an LM-3S render it useless?
My layout will be HO, and I'm planning on installing this in steam locomotives using the space in the tender.

WyldBill

G8B4Life:
An LM-3 (or DCC decoder for that matter) doesn't render the circuit board (called a motherboard) useless, the circuit board is actually there to make installation of a control device (LM / DCC decoder) easier by the way of having the user simply plug their control device onto the board and not have to worry about rewiring the model.

That being said today more and more models are coming out with motherboards that have a 21 pin connector on it. To plug the LM into these motherboards you would need to use an adapter harness (9 pin JST to 21 pin) between them. This also true if you found an older model with an 8 pin connector on the motherboard. These adapter harnesses take up extra room etc and so many RailPro users just find it easier to remove the motherboard and hardwire the LM in to give themselves the most working room available inside the model. For a deadrail install I think you'd have to go down that route too to fit all the extra battery stuff in.

- Tim

WyldBill:
Thanks Tim. You explained clear and concise, that helps.
I figured I might have to do that for space.....something else this hobby allows me to experience!

Bill

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