Railpro on battery power (deadrail)

Рет қаралды 27,885

7 жыл бұрын

This video demonstrates the ease with which Railpro can be set up for battery power. DISCLAIMER: Ring Engineering does NOT recommend using LiPo batteries in model railroad applications due to their inherent risk of fire. This mod was done at my own risk and without the blessing of Ring Engineering.
You will need three things in order for this to work: a 3.7V LiPo battery (many different sizes available), a 3.7V-12V voltage converter board (By Pololu, available at Litchfield Station), and a small 2-pin plug (Evan Designs in this case). The battery connects to the voltage converter, which connects to the Railpro module. Between the battery and voltage converter is where you want your plug.
Railpro uses direct radio communication between the controller and the locomotives, so nothing more than the basic Railpro module is needed here. This battery powered locomotive can be used with other normal Railpro locomotives without issue. The only difference is that the battery powered locomotive will only have 12V to the motor, whereas the normal Railpro locomotives will have 14V (if they are on a Railpro-powered layout). The start speeds will likely be slightly different.

Пікірлер: 77

@ldifalco2010 24 күн бұрын

In 20 years or less, this will be the #1 go to method for model railroading. To never have to clean wheels or track again with locos stalling all over the place is a model railroaders dream.

@chennaicitymadhanmichael9906 6 жыл бұрын

yes sir no power through the track to the diesel/steam model locomotives is only correct process this dead rail application is really superb i waited for this plan for more than 10 years now i got this thank you sir please upload more RAIL PRO Dead rail application videos to get more ideas from you thank you.

@jamesoctavo3100 5 жыл бұрын

I think it's time for all train layouts to have battery on board power. With modern battery technology and usb charging, realistic modeling can be achieved. Since in real life, powered rails are rare, it would be nice to use 'dead rail' throughout. The most frustrating thing in model railroading is deadspots and keeping all sections live.

@antlorch 7 жыл бұрын

Very cool Kevin. Setting a new standard for the future.... Awesome

@Narrowgaugefilms 4 жыл бұрын

I remember back in the 1970s someone did this and wrote it up in Railroad Model Craftsman. The technology being what it was back then he converted an F7 "A" and "B" with the battery and most of the electronics riding in the dummy "B" unit. He brought it to a National Model Railroad Association convention, created quite a stir by running it across a bare table at Breakfast! It would be nice if you could charge your battery by spotting the unit on a piece of live track after you're done running it.

@manderschannel2275 Жыл бұрын

Agreed!!!

@DavidGallowayTrains 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. MRH just did an article in the October 2017 edition. The MRH article was my first introduction to RailPro; didn't know it existed. Liking what I've seen, however I'm in N-Scale, so I'll have to give it some time for Ring Engineering to bring the RailPro loco modules to fit in the smaller scale. Like the other commenters, I agree that deadrail is the future of the hobby. Thinking of existing charging technology - you can wirelessly charge a cell phone by induction, why not a loco? Wish I was better with electronics as there is money to be made in providing the solution for running loco's off battery for those modelers that want to go that route but don't have the knowledge.

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

It was a good article that MRH ran. Railpro has been around for a while, but flying under the radar. I have had it since 2011. Since then it has improved dramatically, especially in the sound arena. I know Ring Engineering has plans to bring it to N-scale at some point, but when that would happen remains a mystery. I can imagine it would be very difficult to miniaturize everything into something that would be viable for N-scale. The installs certainly wouldn't be plug and play. How Ring will all make it work remains to be seen. But hopefully it can be done because I know quite a few N-scalers who would jump on board if this were made available to them.

@Mikey45013 Жыл бұрын

I have railpro for g scale I also have n scale and wish they would release for n scale also. I thought about doing a trailing car with a ho railpro board but don't want to always have the same car behind the engine.

@baldypalmsrailroad Жыл бұрын

Nice demo. Li-On battery is preferred. Thanks for sharing.

@thetwogardens6048 8 ай бұрын

I would get into model railroads with this kind of technology . More people in general would be interested too , me Thinks !

@csx-nsmodelrailman4098 7 жыл бұрын

That is cool as hell ! Yes definitely the future of MRR. Or maybe a marriage of ?

@richardcolemanjr3749 7 жыл бұрын

Railpro has a system that's not getting print and airtime. Dcc is about 30 years old and is the standard by the industry. It's going to have to move in Railpro's direction. Battery-powered locomotives in the hobby are coming too.

@freewake84 7 жыл бұрын

You're correct Richard, Railpro doesn't get a whole lot of print and airtime. DCC is still by far the most popular, especially as every locomotive manufacturer offers their locomotives with DCC decoders pre-installed. One of us users really ought to write an article on Railpro installation/operation for MRH. Many people have heard of it but don't know much about it, or are misinformed by detractors. I also agree that battery power could become the future of the hobby. Keep alive capacitors certainly have become the norm, and batteries are basically a glorified keep alive.

@socallyourmom 6 жыл бұрын

KPACK, would you be up for joining us on the MRH Podcast and chat with us to your experiences with RailPro and Deadrail? Feel Free to email me back, chrispy_joe@yahoo.com -Chris

@buffalop32acdm23 4 жыл бұрын

I always figured that battery powered would be superior at low speeds, and this video seems to indicate that. No matter how good the electrical pick ups are it always seems like locomotives hesitate a little bit at start. Since this is not relying on a pick up but a battery pack, looks like it crawls very very smoothly and realistically.

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

I do love that battery power is completely free from pick up problems. Keep-alive will do much the same, but on really bad/dirty track they will drain quickly. But they do help with the startup. This particular locomotive isn't as smooth as many of my other ones. That has nothing to do with the battery or Railpro, it's just the drivetrain of the loco. For whatever reason it takes a bit more power to get it started than say a ScaleTrains SD40-2.

@caseyjones2818 6 жыл бұрын

LOVE IT!!!

@benzacct1 10 ай бұрын

6 years ago! What about currently since technology is in fast drive?

@ronnied9330 7 жыл бұрын

Is Rail Pro only for HO or is for N scale as Well and Can you Consist Engines Together.. To me Kevin this way Neater than D.C.C. plus it's way less likely that you'll ever have to worry about shorts on your Engine or your cars.. from a Hot switch..

@ChristinaLarsen-dk1pe 4 ай бұрын

Hey I was wondering if you know what battery c-rating should I get for n scale locomotives that would give my locomotives the same pulling power as my transformer would in full throttle

@jacko9759 7 жыл бұрын

Hi Kpack, it's been a month now have you had time to see just how long the battery last yet, most of the guys think it's great idea but worry about not being able to run all day on the layout as we run from 11am to 5pm, it would be nice to be able to run most of it, if not all day but most of it. Jack

@roberthelm5533 2 жыл бұрын

Why do you need a voltage converter?

@RonStanek 5 ай бұрын

If you do have a "live" rail, could the batteries be recharged through those as you operate the train on the layout. Either dc or dcc track?

@freewake84 5 ай бұрын

You could, but you would need to have a circuit board/module that would control that. There was an outfit that made something like that....I think it was Tam Valley Depot. Not sure if they still do. I didn't look into it because it was another thing to fit and it just wasn't necessary. At that point you might as well run a keep-alive because it's essentially the same thing. Just doesn't last when power is cut.

@amtrakpilots8947 5 жыл бұрын

Does this mean I can use a DCC model on DC rail due to this running on battery

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

Any locomotive that is fully dead-rail should be able to run on any track, regardless of what power source is fed to the track. Full dead-rail implies that there are no wires coming from the wheels to any electronics in the locomotive. If you have a hybrid dead-rail (charging the battery from the rails) then your hardware needs to be compatible with different sources of power (DCC vs DC)

@DennisMurphey 3 жыл бұрын

Can tell me what the power convertor is setting the dc power to for the Railpro board. My interest is operating the Railpro on a layout with Vintage AC power only. I have used rectifiers and Volt Regulators to use adapt DC Controllers and sounds, and fan driven smoke and LEDs to my 1950s engines. I want to try the RailPro products in my engines. But i can not afford to convert train power to DC I have 20 or more engines i can not afford to convert.

@freewake84 3 жыл бұрын

I used the Pololu 12V Step-Up Voltage Regulator U3V12F12. I picked it from Litchfield Station. Get some extras...I burned one of them up because I was an idiot and connected it wrong.

@DennisMurphey 3 жыл бұрын

@@freewake84 Found it $8 up to $15 but i am unclear how you used it. Would I set that in the engine and take track power thru it and output to the Track Module 3S? This would be awesome if i can create an acceptable power supply from the track power and operate the TM3S via Radio signals. Thank You for your reply Dennis

@tschagalaga 4 жыл бұрын

how many minutes last this battery? and how much mAh it have?

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

I've never tested it to see how long it will last during one session. I've never had it die on me. That battery I'm using is 700 mAh

@08trader 4 жыл бұрын

Hello, I would love to see dead rail become the new standard in HO models. But do these batteries age and lose charge over time, how long before one has to buy a new battery?

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

All batteries will degrade over time and require replacement. I believe it mostly has to do with the number of charge-discharge cycles it goes through. I'm not sure how long these particular batteries will last, but so far so good. I don't run all the time so the battery doesn't go through many cycles.

@mpetersen6 4 жыл бұрын

Has there been any standardization of Dead Rail systems. I'm also surprised that this is not available commercially.

@3006USMC 5 жыл бұрын

This is awesome.... any updates?

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

Nothing new. The locomotive still works fine. I haven't done a second one because of the difficulty in finding space for the battery. Milling out the frame is not fun. I've more or less standardized on using keep-alive capacitors instead of full dead-rail. They are easier to install and work fine.

@russellloomis4376 6 жыл бұрын

What was your over all cost in switching over remote? I have older none DCC trains. Is it possible to do this to them? Also great video.

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Russell. There are two different ways you can go to switch over. The first way is to purchase the full controller, which retails for about $225, and some modules which retail for around $75 with sound. A less expensive way to get into Railpro would be to buy a CI-1 (computer interface) for $40, which turns a computer into a fully-functional Railpro throttle. It's a nice way to get involved in Railpro without a large expense right off the bat. I still recommend getting at least one normal controller though. You can certainly convert DC locomotives to Railpro. They will need a standard DCC 9-pin harness hardwired into them, which the Railpro plugs right into. There are numerous videos and instruction manuals out there that show how to hardwire in 9-pin plugs. I have hardwired nearly all of my locomotives and it is not terribly difficult once you have done it a few times. If you don't want to hardwire anything yourself there are a few stores that will do it for you.

@tschagalaga 4 жыл бұрын

@@freewake84 i want do this With a H0 loco With battery and more interresting, see if its possible to get the modul in a N scale loco… tought to put it where the fueltank is, between the trucks and wire all directly on the modul... N scale will be without battery think i, to less space....

@jacko9759 7 жыл бұрын

That's very interesting, looks like something that would be great for use on a large or small layout, could you charge it through the track by parking it on a live track like it was in a refueling yard? just one more step to working like the real thing....

@freewake84 7 жыл бұрын

Hi Jack, as I have it right now you will not be able to charge from the track. In order for that to happen I would need to install another board that manages the battery charging and discharge. I believe Stanton makes one called the BPS. I didn't include it because of the size, and also because I wanted to make a locomotive completely independent of any track power whatsoever. In reality, it would be better to install a BPS in line with the battery so that the battery always remained charged. Perhaps I will do that on the next locomotive?

@jacko9759 7 жыл бұрын

That's great and thanks for the information, I'm still for Railpro to make thier system for N scale & I like this idea for my trips to San Diego at the Balboa Museum we run on once a month this would be a great way to show off railpro system

@mstanco3153 6 жыл бұрын

i think RailPro and battery power are the future i am either going rail pro or nce leaning twards rail pro

@manderschannel2275 6 жыл бұрын

Jack O. I was really thinking about that yesterday and how awesome of an idea it would be to have a few areas on the layout to charge the power in the locomotives at just your diesel fuel area, roundhouse tracks, staging yard lines and for emergency, helper parking, yet still be able to run on a powered track if low on battery, who wouldn’t want that? Just charging from the wheels to 1 track area to get power.

@christtking894 4 жыл бұрын

Should have the rails powered to be able to recharge the battery

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

I didn't do that because I wanted to try full dead-rail. Having power to the rails to recharge the battery is essentially like using a keep-alive. A battery in that sense is just an enormous keep-alive capacitor that really won't do anything different than using a typical keep-alive. Not to mention that I would need to install another piece of hardware to charge the battery. I built this locomotive as proof-of-concept that a fully dead-rail locomotive can be done using Railpro.

@lanesteele240 4 жыл бұрын

KPack The best way to do it would be to park your train over a wireless charger like cell phones use.

@lanesteele240 4 жыл бұрын

Have any of the model makers moved to this technology over dcc yet. I think rc battery powered engines would help many new people enter the hobby because of the ease of switching and not having to do complex wiring with frogs

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

In HO scale, no. Large scale yes. I don't see this becoming a big thing in HO scale anytime soon. I do love the concept, and this locomotive still works flawlessly, but it's just so much easier to install a keep-alive and be done. It accomplishes the same purpose without the headache of trying to fit a battery in there.

@PresleyTV 6 жыл бұрын

Great information, thank you for taking the time to share. I sure hope this catches on. I would be happy to pay a premium for a locomotive that came with battery power and a built-in charger. This has got to be the future -- I hope. Taking track wiring out of the equation is paramount. What kind of run time are you getting on one charge? Have you consisted two or more? Thanks again!

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

Run time has been satisfactory. On a full charge it will run around 4 hours or so, depending on how much it is pulling, etc. I haven't done a second battery-powered loco, but I have consisted this one with all my other Railpro locomotives and it works great. I love how it never stalls!

@caseyjones2818 6 жыл бұрын

KPack , I am so impressed. Finally we are moving the hobby to a more prototypical operation of our trains. Eliminating the mass amount of wiring should help to open up this hobby to many more people

@Steamerthesteamtrain 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah I got the warning of a risked fire too. Has any of your engines caught fire yet?

@freewake84 4 жыл бұрын

Nope. I totally get that LiPo can be dangerous and that precautions need to be taken. And Ring Engineering needs to cover itself from any liability. I have no problem with that. The locomotive is still doing great. To be honest though I don't use it as much as my other locomotives because I'm never really sure where the charge level is at. I charge it so infrequently that I'm sure the battery drains down pretty far before I get to it again.

@caseyjones2818 6 жыл бұрын

Sure would like to talk to you more about this

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

You should be able to message me directly through KZfaq somehow. Get in contact that way and we can talk via email.

@caseyjones2818 6 жыл бұрын

KPack , you can email through my work. csukanen@hotmail.com

@charlesisbell4340 2 жыл бұрын

Ehhh, awesome concept but pulling batteries from numerous locomotives after a run and charging them all then reinstalling each one seems cumbersome and I prefer to handle my trains by hand as little as possible, basically for maintenance or derail damage which is almost nonexistent with good track work.

@legolt7215 Жыл бұрын

What escale

@freewake84 Жыл бұрын

HO scale

@wheelslip 6 жыл бұрын

KPack have you thought about building locos for customers? I would be first in line.

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the compliment, but there is no way I'm interested in any commission work. I prefer to keep my hobbies as hobbies and not work!

@richfiles 6 жыл бұрын

All this was missing was little scale people freaking out about the runaway locomotive that had hopped off it's rails and was barreling toward them... Hehe

@thomream1888 5 жыл бұрын

Danggitt! You did that without the legally required "spew alert"... Now I gotta spend the next 30 minutes cleaning soda off my monitor. I'm sending you the bill! Next you're going to tell us all those drunks were right, the train really did come out of nowhere... lol!!! Ghost of SP

@WarDaddy66 6 жыл бұрын

The real 1778 is in Barstow CA as a switching power

@freewake84 6 жыл бұрын

Sounds like it got moved then. It was working central Washington for a good while with its sister unit 1999. Did that unit make it down there also?

@WarDaddy66 6 жыл бұрын

KPack not sure if it's sister made it but I was on the 1778 last night

@WarDaddy66 6 жыл бұрын

My bad it was the 1748

@wheelslip 6 жыл бұрын

Has everyone seen the new RailPro update with DCC added? Opens new doors for them. www.ringengineering.com/RailProVideosPage.htm

@apocalypserailroad9047 3 жыл бұрын

Need to setup your battery to charge from available track power! Much easier, and never have to touch the locomotive again.

@freewake84 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, but the circuitry takes up much more space and is an added expense. To be honest, I've determined that a good keep-alive is more useful than battery. Zero maintenance and keep-alives fulfill essentially the same function as a battery. Railpro's new keep alive is the one I'm going to start using from now on.

@mpetersen6 3 жыл бұрын

@@freewake84 For this to take off it needs a manufacturer to jump in. Start by offering it in starter sets. The extra cost for the locomotive can be offset by eliminating the power supply. Attractive to parents as this no cords to trip over. Simply have an app for a smart phone to handle control functions via Bluetooth. And get rid of the name Deadrail. Simply call it wifi or wireless. For charging on these basic locomotives a plug and a phone charger.

@tschagalaga 3 жыл бұрын

@@mpetersen6 here is your phone controlled locomotive... bluerailtrains.com/ to be honest: every one have a smartphone today. that i have to use so much money for the railpro controllers is stopping me from buying it. if i want a session with friends, is need to have more controllers, and every single one of them cost me money. the bluerail solution is the better one if you already have (decoder) locomotives and want use your phone for controll.... and its a dead rail solution too.... only way to get me to railpro is a much cheaper controller or they adapt it somehow for smartphoneuse...