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JimF
Engine Wiper
 
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Posted - 12/23/2016 : 4:22:20 PM
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Has this subject been abandoned, or has discussion moved eleswhere?
Jim F
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Country: USA
| Posts: 205 |
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George D
Moderator
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/23/2016 : 4:34:38 PM
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Jim, there isn't a whole lot of action here right now, but the Dead Rail Forum hasn't been abandoned. If anyone has something to post, please do.
George
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Fly Army |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 16949 |
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Philip
Fireman
   

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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 10:55:17 AM
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Pardon me, How long has this dead rail forum been here? Where do I start to convert a loco? My subject of interest is On30. I like the idea of building outdoors! thanks!
Philip
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3494 |
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BurleyJim
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 11:04:10 AM
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quote: Originally posted by Philip
Pardon me, How long has this dead rail forum been here? Where do I start to convert a loco? My subject of interest is On30. I like the idea of building outdoors! thanks!
Philip
Appears to date back to 2013.
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Take the red pill |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6340 |
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desertdrover
Engineer
    

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Ensign
Engineer
    
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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 2:55:05 PM
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I think this "Dead Rail Forum" is living up to it's title quite well. 
Greg Shinnie
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Country: Canada
| Posts: 9163 |
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Philip
Fireman
   

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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 3:26:49 PM
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I think your correct
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3494 |
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BurleyJim
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 3:44:56 PM
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quote: Originally posted by Ensign
I think this "Dead Rail Forum" is living up to it's title quite well. 
Greg Shinnie
  
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Take the red pill |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6340 |
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cajon
Engine Wiper
 

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Posted - 04/19/2017 : 11:16:46 PM
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Has anyone here been able to convert an HO ALCO S-2/-4 or CF7 to dead rail that is self-contained, i.e. everything inside the loco shell?
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Andy Jackson Santa Fe Springs CA LAJ/ATSF Modeler |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 287 |
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TmOn30
Engine Wiper
 

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Posted - 04/20/2017 : 04:29:48 AM
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quote: Ensign Posted - 04/19/2017 : 2:55:05 PM I think this "Dead Rail Forum" is living up to it's title quite well.
Greg Shinnie
While NOT wanting to take this off topic Greg your posting cannot go pass unrewarded
  
Classic Dad humour (keep it up ) Normal broadcasting will now resume
Cheers Tom.
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Edited by - TmOn30 on 04/20/2017 04:38:29 AM |
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Country: Australia
| Posts: 177 |
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Bart Salmons
Section Hand


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Posted - 05/02/2017 : 7:40:28 PM
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quote: Originally posted by cajon
Has anyone here been able to convert an HO ALCO S-2/-4 or CF7 to dead rail that is self-contained, i.e. everything inside the loco shell?
It is doable with the right components.....
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Country: USA
| Posts: 72 |
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Brunton
Crew Chief
  

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Posted - 05/03/2017 : 05:53:30 AM
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As I wait for retirement and purchase of my retirement home (boy, does THAT sound creepy!), I've been messing around with ideas for what I want in my new model railroad.
I have no idea what my available square footage or space configuration will be. I'm also open to abandoning my "CB&Q in Wyoming" setting for an entirely new theme. I'm not really considering moving into the diesel age, but I may shift back in time from the 1940's to the late 19th or early 20th century.
One thing I HAVE settled on is that I'm going to give dead rail a very serious try. Being an engineer (not the "loco driver" type), the challenges of creating a solidly functional model railroad in which the battery-powered, radio-controlled equipment can operate reliably and without significant compromise (i.e., no permanently attached battery cars, no manhandling of equipment during a session to swap out / recharge batteries, etc.) are enticing. I'll be settling into my retirement in 14-18 months, and shortly thereafter will begin my foray into dead rail. We'll see how it goes!
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Edited by - Brunton on 05/03/2017 05:55:27 AM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 555 |
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Bill Gill
Fireman
   

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Posted - 05/03/2017 : 07:44:48 AM
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Brunton, I'll be one interested in your progress and challenges. I have a friend seriously considering dead rail for an HO scale Civil War era layout.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3295 |
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tloc
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 05/03/2017 : 08:34:14 AM
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Mark, creepy no, but I am on my second retirement home since I retired in 9/14. Lots of time in retirement to do what you want when you want. Unless you're married then it's when she wants! It's that third retirement home that scares me.
Anyway, battery power.
I have a Blue Rail setup with battery. http://bluerailtrains.com
The power is smooth and constant, but using the cell phone as the throttle is not for me. Cost was under $150 for the decoder, batteries and charger. Mine is diesel and while the board is in the powered SD40-2 the battery is in a dummy Sd40-2. I have run on my layout for up to 3 hours without degradation of power. Since you are into steam everything should fit into a decent size tender and therefore no need for a trailing battery car. Biggest issue other than the throttle for me is lack of diesel consisting. I know they are working on that.
I am also using CVP's micro air. http://www.cvpusa.com/airwire_micro_decoder.php
The boards are small, my batteries are again in a dummy engine. For for you everything will easily fit a steam tender. Like Blue Rail this system is independent from DCC or Dc and can be run along side them. You need in addition to a DCC decoder installed in a engine is of course the radio board, the batteries, a charger AND a CVP radio throttle. A small investment but I really like this system. Consisting diesels is just like using the regular CVP DCC systems, not hard at all.
Thirdly, my main power is Rail Pro. Rail Pro can easily be switched to battery power but again nothing is small enough to fit in one diesel and for you it would need a large steam tender. There has been some discussion on the Rail Pro forum about battery power, mostly con. I have not tried it yet! I have extra batteries from the above systems just too lazy on this one.
https://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php/topic,345.0/topicseen.html
A helpful site: Is Pete's dead rail install---
http://deadrailinstalls.com/about
Rail Pro is IMO, great, wonderful cannot say enough good about it EXCEPT the sound stinks and that is why I experiment elsewhere. I want good quality sound. In that regard CVP with loksound decoders and battery is the best so far for me.
IMO, until batteries are small enough to fit into a single engine along with the decoders Battery power will stay a small niche market. Modelers fight change, look how long it took DCC to really catch on.
Hope this is helpful, there are a few others on the market and a google search can help you there. The S-cab by Staton is a great but seemingly expensive. The British product escapes me at this time but if you don't need sound it maybe for you! These are what I have settled on for the time being!
TomO
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Country: USA
| Posts: 4420 |
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Bill Uffelman
Fireman
   
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Posted - 05/03/2017 : 12:13:39 PM
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Deleting is the British system.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1105 |
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Bill Uffelman
Fireman
   
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Posted - 05/03/2017 : 12:15:20 PM
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Deltang - dampened auto correct!
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1105 |
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