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Deadrail question: DC or DCC ready loco?

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KPack:
Bill, if you are doing a deadrail install with Railpro in a steam locomotive, it might be beneficial to buy DCC-ready and plug the LM into the supplied harness (like Tim described).  If that takes up too much space, remove the factory board and hardwire the wires to a new 9 pin harness for the LM to plug into.  Space might not be quite as much of an issue in a steam tender and it is in a typical hood unit.  However, you'll find that space goes quickly once you start adding in the necessities....battery, LM, wiring, speakers, lights, etc. 

On my own locomotives I prefer to completely remove all factory electronics and hardwire the LM in the best place possible.  This leaves me with maximum space.  So much easier to do an install when there is ample space.

Depending on the battery you will be using, you'll need a voltage step-up board.  I used a 3.7 volt battery and used a tiny Pololu board to bring it up to 12 V.  Worked like a charm. 

-Kevin

WyldBill:
Kevin, I've read through your post on the deadrail install. Very nice!
I have just ordered the step up voltage board from pololu. I'm new to this part of model railroading so I'm a little apprehensive about removing the existing board and completely rewiring, but that is the direction I'm leaning. (Jump in with both feet)
Thanks for the info, I'm sure there will be more questions soon.

Bill

KPack:

--- Quote from: WyldBill on April 25, 2020, 10:16:06 AM ---Kevin, I've read through your post on the deadrail install. Very nice!
I have just ordered the step up voltage board from pololu. I'm new to this part of model railroading so I'm a little apprehensive about removing the existing board and completely rewiring, but that is the direction I'm leaning. (Jump in with both feet)
Thanks for the info, I'm sure there will be more questions soon.

Bill

--- End quote ---

Yeah, I was that way as well.  My very first locomotive build required hardwiring, so I didn't have a choice but to figure it out.  It took forever the first couple of times and there were a lot of mistakes.  But now it's just another step in my builds and not difficult.  Just time consuming.  You'll find you will be much more comfortable after getting the first install under your belt.  And it will make you much more knowledgeable about how things actually work.

If you need help during the install, let us know.  Most of us hardwire everything.

-Kevin

ON28:
I was an electrical novice, but I managed to build a self-contained HO deadrail Stewart/Kato F3 with Del-Tang receiver, throttle and Turnigy r/c battery. I had no DCC locos or equipment and wanted to do things on the cheap, and not bother with track wiring. Along the way I fried two receivers and one battery. I also realized it would take two battery locos to get a train up my 2.7% helix. As it happened, I lucked into a bargain quartet of DCC locos and NCE equipment and later, another bargain on RailPro stuff. I am now in the process of wiring my 21x15 double-deck layout and recently acquired a bunch of TCS keep alives, my first, which act like batteries (thanks, Lee!) And I found I don't dislike wiring as much as I thought.

In the end, I found for my purposes deadrail was a solution in search of a problem.

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