Deadrail question: DC or DCC ready loco?

[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

[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]

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

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.