I have been attempting of late to wrap my head around dead rail. I can certainly see the advantages of such a system, but like many of the members of this forum, expense control is part of my model railroading experience. It appears that while I can use virtually any dcc decoder (properly set up) to operate dead rail, I need to have one or more of the commercially available throttles to operate the trains. I cannot use an arrangement such as JMRI and a kindle with Engine Driver to operate a dead rail layout at this time, correct? Or am I missing something? Thanks in advance to all who respond.
In addition to the decoder, your engine also needs a receiver in the engine and also a transmitter (handheld device) to control it - much like a radio controlled car, only the transmitter sends packets of information that the decoder understands.
JMRI and a Kindle aren't configured to send this information wirelessly to the engine's receiver. So far, these set-ups are of a proprietary means by which you need each company's transmitter and receiver to work with each other.
I have a friend who is getting involved in this using CVP Products Airwire .... not a cheap venture ....
Mark.
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Sounds like RailPro would work fine. The receiver is in the decoder.
Yes, South Penn, Rail Pro probably would work. Also, both NCE and Digitrax make decoders with receivers integrated for dead rail use. The issue remains the throttle .It appears that at this time, dead rail in the smaller scales, is a higher priced option than I care to pursue. But, I do appreciate your response.
BlueRail trains offers a reciever that has your smart phone as the transmitter. They offer a compleat assembled dead rail kit now. Their sound is in the phone now or onboard in larger scales but feasable in HO on some stuff. No DCC though, kinda don't need it.