This weekend I completed the installation of a loco sound module into an Athearn SD50 so that I could connect and try out the RailPro system. The verdict: the hype is all true, RailPro works great and is so easy to get things running smoothly and quickly! Including connecting power and layout wires to the PWR-56, turning on the HC-2, and getting the locomotive programmed took about 5-7 minutes. I am impressed with just how simple this is!
I had not hard wired a DCC decoder in a couple of years so I was very rusty with that aspect, but the RailPro installation instructions made it very simple. Additionally the information Bill, Kevin, and others have put on this forum was very helpful. I replaced the Athearn motor with a Kato as those run much better. I also used an iPhone 4S speaker and installed it like Bill showed in his GP38-2W's. I will take some photos and upload them to the Installation section of this forum as it may be helpful for anyone else starting out like myself. I gave the Athearn SD50 a test run without the shell to make sure everything was connected correctly, amazingly it was all good. One of things I like best about the RailPro "programming" so far is that the ditch lights flash smoothly and activate with the horn! Yes you can do this with DCC, but other than turning the feature "on", I didn't have to adjust any settings! Also I haven't customized any sounds using a computer yet, so I find it even more amazing just how much can be done with the HC-2. Additionally it is intuitive enough that the instruction manual isn't required. Try that with Digitrax and good luck!
Feeling so confident, I installed the shell and handrails, put the locomotive back on the rails, connected the power and I hear "pop" and the PWR-56 shows a short. Ugh! Turns out the snow plow was too close to the rail head and shorted out and it also zapped one of the surface mount LED's for the ditchlights. So, I have to replace the LED and remove some material from the plow. At the same time I'll paint any bare metal with some paint to add some insulation insurance. This situation is not a RailPro issue, it was operator error and would have occurred regardless of whether on DCC or RailPro.
Even with having to deal with this rework issue, I am still so impressed with how easy Railpro is to use that I'm ready to add it to 5 additional locomotives! Yea! Thanks to everyone on this forum for providing useful information and answering questions and to the RailPro team for developing such a wonderful product!
Dan Risdon
