Greetings! This is the O Scale Dead-Rail Site, created for those interested in modeling in O scale and utilizing battery power and radio control (BPRC) for locomotives.
If you’re into O-scale model railroading, enjoy modifying or updating locomotives, or are interested in “dead-rail” technologies, you might find some of our posts intriguing.
Please use the search function on the right to find relevant blog pages. Additionally, we have several recommended pages listed on the side for your convenience.
I am selling my ProMiniAir Transmitter and Receiver, which are compatible with Dead-Rail products from CVP Airwire(TM), Tam Valley Depot, Stanton Cab (S-Cab), and several others. These items range from $39.99 to $49.99. If interested, please contact me here with a comment, or you can search on eBay using “ProMiniAir” to find my offerings.
Summary of ProMiniAir Transmitters and Receivers for Dead-Rail
- System: ProMini Air (PMA) Transmitters and Receivers
- Transmit and receive in the 902-928MHz North American ISM band or the 869MHz European ISM band, frequently used bands for Dead Rail.
- Nineteen channels are available: Airwire(TM) 0-16, Stanton Cab (S-Cab) on Channel 17, and European operation on Channel 18.
- If the PMA Receiver finds no signal on its default channel, it auto-scans all 19 channels
- Acts as a DCC device with a unique address: change settings using “OPS” (PoM) mode on the throttle
- We paid the manufacturer for both FCC and EC certification of the RF module (Ebyte E07-900M10S) used for both the PMA transmitter and receiver
- Has connections for an LCD that provides information about what the PMA is transmitting or receiving
- Requirements:
- RECEIVER
- DCC decoder: Any DCC decoder should work. We test with the following:
- TCS (WOW501)
- LokSound (4 L, 5 L, 5 XL)
- Zimo (MX696 and MX699)
- MTH PS-3.0 (in DCC mode)
- Battery: We test with 14.7V, but 11.1V also works. The maximum is 20V, but lower voltages reduce RF noise.
- Compatible transmitters:
- A ProMini Air transmitter can be connected to the track output of any DCC throttle or to a WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation we can provide (search “ProMiniAir” on eBay) for a fully stand-alone transmitter.
- Tam Valley Depot DRS1 transmitter connected to a DCC throttle
- CVP Airwire(TM) handheld throttles: T1200, T2300, T5000, T6000
- Stanton Cab (S-Cab) handheld throttle
- Gwire handheld throttle
- DCC decoder: Any DCC decoder should work. We test with the following:
- TRANSMITTER
- Any DCC throttle’s Track Right/Left connects to our ProMiniAir Transmitter or our NEW stand-alone ProMini Air Transmitter/WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation—nothing else is needed to transmit! Just put it down in a convenient/central location, plug-in power or use a battery, and use your smartphone throttle app (multiple smartphones are OK) to connect to all of your dead-rail locomotives! Search “ProMiniAir” on eBay—our thanks to the DCC-EX.com team.
- Compatible receivers:
- ProMini Air receiver
- Tam Valley Depot DRS1 receivers
- CVP Airwire(TM) receivers: G-3, G-4, CONVRTR 15/25/60
- Stanton Cab (S-Cab) receivers
- Gwire receivers
- NCE D13DRJ wireless decoder
- Any DCC throttle’s Track Right/Left connects to our ProMiniAir Transmitter or our NEW stand-alone ProMini Air Transmitter/WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation—nothing else is needed to transmit! Just put it down in a convenient/central location, plug-in power or use a battery, and use your smartphone throttle app (multiple smartphones are OK) to connect to all of your dead-rail locomotives! Search “ProMiniAir” on eBay—our thanks to the DCC-EX.com team.
- RECEIVER
- Why Choose
- Compatible with multiple other dead-rail transmitters and receivers:
- Tam Valley Depot
- CVP Airwire(TM)
- Stanton Cab (S-Cab)
- Gwire
- Inexpensive
- PMA Rx: $39.99: The price includes a fully-wired amplifier. Search “ProMiniAir” on eBay.
- PMA Tx: $39.99: The price includes the small board that converts track DCC from a standard DCC throttle to power, a 5V DCC signal for the PMA transmitter, and an LCD that provides helpful information. If you don’t have a DCC throttle, we offer a small WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation for a complete stand-alone transmitter solution using any WiThrottle-compatible smartphone app (up to 5 users) for $10 extra. Search “ProMiniAir” on eBay.
- Less susceptible to supply chain disruptions by using commodity components
- Modular:
- Use best-in-class amplifiers, not some add-on on the receiver board that decreases receiver mounting flexibility. We provide one of the following amplifiers:
- Cytron MD13S: a powerful amplifier (13A) for G-scale and large O-scale locomotives
- DRV8871: a small (1.0″ x 0.8″) amplifier (3.6A) for smaller, lower-power locomotives
- Cytron MD13S: a powerful amplifier (13A) for G-scale and large O-scale locomotives
- Small receiver size (1.1″ x 0.83″) will fit in some smaller-scale locomotives and be located separately from the amplifier
- U.FL connector on the receiver offers numerous antenna options (internal antennas don’t cut it in many applications such as metal-shell locomotives):
- Whip antenna (provided): simple and practical
or more “classical” compact RP-SMA antennas 
U.FL extender: re-locate the whip antenna 
or to RP-SMA antennas: 
U.FL patch antennas: mount to non-metallic surfaces
(compact enough for internal mounts in non-metallic shells!)
- Use best-in-class amplifiers, not some add-on on the receiver board that decreases receiver mounting flexibility. We provide one of the following amplifiers:
- It provides centralized or localized handheld dead-rail control, while other solutions only offer localized handheld transmitter control, a severe limitation.
- It uses an FCC/EC-approved transmitter/receiver. The ProMini Air’s range performance significantly exceeds the Tam Valley Depot DRS1 transmitters: open-air performance up to approximately 250 ft with default power settings.
- North American or European operation
- DCC-based: preserves your investment in DCC decoders (connects to PMA receiver) and throttles (connects to PMA transmitter). Let’s face it: DCC decoders are standardized and produce beautiful sounds, flexible light effects, superb motor control, etc. Other proprietary locomotive control solutions “vendor-lock” you into a single solution that may leave you stranded if the vendor goes out of business.
- Compatible with multiple other dead-rail transmitters and receivers:
- About that name: We based the “ProMini” part of the name on Sparkfun’s “Pro Mini” MCU, which we initially used as part of our modular design philosophy.
- Documentation: We hope the ProMiniAir is simple to use. We provide a detailed user manual, should you need it.
- Where to Purchase: You can contact me here with a comment or search on eBay for my various offerings using the search string “ProMiniAir.”
Two critical points:
- Most other Dead-Rail solutions provide localized control using handheld throttles or smartphones. This approach does not scale well for larger or complex layouts better managed by centralized control. “Classical” DCC throttles or the very low-cost WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation, we can solve these problems well. The ProMini Air transmitter connects to these well-designed throttles to control numerous dead-rail locomotives by simply replacing track DCC with wireless DCC.
- Numerous Dead-Rail systems are not interoperable with other vendors’ products. We strive to provide as much interoperability as possible with other vendors in the 869MHz (for Europe) and 915MHz (for North America) ISM bands. It’s an “island of compatibility” in Dead-Rail, and the rest is a “tower of Babel” vendor lock.
As of July 2022, Tam Valley Depot no longer sells its DRS1 series dead-rail products. Our ProMini Air receiver and transmitter are complete and fully compatible replacements for Tam Valley Depot’s DRS1 transmitters and receivers. Your Tam Valley transmitters and receivers will work with the ProMini Air products. The ProMini Air transmitters and receivers are compatible with CVP Airwire(TM) and Stanton Cab (S-Cab) dead-rail products.
Thanks for dropping by!
Found your site through your facebook page. I’m blown away by your capabilities and communication talent.
I’m in north Idaho (remote) and your site opens up a world to me. I am starting a new layout and am using Atlas 3-rail track. Am into the bench work stage, have thought about going 2 rail, but not sure how to go about selling/converting my 3-rail stuff. Have used DCS/TMCC and found them problematic to maintain signal integrity.
I think dead rail is the future and your are there already. Have been watching Blue Rail etc technologies but not confidant enough to jump in. You have inspired me to go forward. Your spirit gives me confidence should I need some guidance.
I have thought about charging from the third rail in “parking” places on the layout. Ever do this?
Again, thanks for your donation to the hobby!
Larryt
Thanks for dropping by and for your comments! I’m happy that you are taking the next steps in dead-rail. Powered trackage just makes my heart quail, and I want to overcome the 2-rail/3-rail “divide” in O scale with dead-rail.
I have not tried charging at a “parking place.” You would need to be very careful not to short out onboard electronics after working so hard to eliminate locomotive/tender electrical connections to the track.
Here’s a possible approach. I usually use a single-pole, 3-position switch whose center pole connects to Battery +. Battery – is always ground for me. “Position 1” of the switch connects Battery + to all of the onboard electronics to supply power. Position 2 disconnects Battery + from everything to help keep it from draining away charge while off. Positon 3 connects Battery + to the center pole of a charging plug. The outer side of the charging plug is grounded. Perhaps you could electrically connect this position on the switch to whichever rail is positive power, making sure that the “battery ground” is electrically-connected to whichever track is ground.
Here’s the catch. The power you supply to the rails for charging should be the same as comes from a specialized LiPo battery charger. The chargers are not expensive, but voltage and amperage levels during charging is specialized. To my way of thinking, you should electrically isolate the parking place track with a LiPo charger connected to it.
I cannot emphasize enough; please ensure that applying power to the tracks will not inadvertently damage your onboard electronics or cause a short!
Battery charging is a downside to dead-rail. Folks at the Facebook dead-rail group discuss this topic, among many others. Who knows, maybe you will come up with an elegant solution!
This is fantastic!
I have been involved with 1:29 scale (G Scale) for the better part of the last 20 years. I have been considering making a transition to 1:48 (2-rail) due to more product availability and prototypical offerings. Don’t get me wrong – I love modeling in 1:29, but it has became a bit labor-intensive to try to model prototypically.
Anyway – questions:
I am a huge fan of the Ring Engineering team and their Rail Pro system. Do you or does anyone have any experience or opinions on the optimal set up for modern diesel locomotives using the Rail Pro system combined with (?) battery configuration? Can this be accomplished without using a “non-powered” additional loco or boxcar to house these components? Plus sound?
Cheers! Jeff
sjgust89@gmail.com
Jeff, sorry for the delayed reply. Although I have looked over Ring Engineering products, I have no personal experience with them. I’m not sure they support DCC for large-scale locomotives, and in general, I shy away from proprietary, non-DCC-compliant Dead-Rail solutions – but that’s just me. I suggest you join the Dead-Rail Society Facebook group to gain others’ perspective on Dead-Rail solutions.
Working in O scale, I have always been able to put the Dead-Rail components in the locomotive and tender (I work with Steam). I have found that sound (and smoke!) are best solved using DCC decoders coupled with Dead-Rail.
Hi Guys,
I have been using the CVP system in my On3 locos since 2014 and have had no problems.
I purchased a receiver from a dealer at the Narrow Gauge convention last week.
My question is what is the input (power) and output (to the Tsunami in my case)
My device has the circuit boards double stacked and has two pairs of red/white wires with plugs. One plug has a mark on it that appears to be “A” and the other “B”
I do not want to cause any damage to the board or the decoder.
Keith Stamper MMR
Hi Keith,
Thanks for dropping by.
The the “power in” is the “plug” with male pins, and the “dcc output” is the “socket” with female “pins”. Because sockets provide power, they always have protected female pins to prevent inadvertent shorts that might occur with exposed male pins.
Please let me know if this helps. If not, I’ll attach some photos.
Thanks again, Darrell
My name is Jeff Gust. I am a prototype modeler and have been in the hobby for over 40 years. I currently selling off my current inventory to begin collecting and modeling in 1:48 2-rail. Two things: I am planning to build the layout outdoors and I am going all onboard power (Dead Rail). Is there a Dead Rail club I can subscribe to? I would like to be able to share ideas with other like-minded individuals.
nwshortlines@gmail.com
Hi Jeff,
I recommend you join the Dead-Rail Group on Facebook (here). This group is active and diverse. Also, there is the O Gauge Battery Trains Facebook group here. They are British/European in emphasis, but there are lots of O Gauge outdoor layouts! Also, this group tends to be quite knowledgeable and technically capable. I hope this gives you a start. Thanks for stopping by.
Lot of information, but where is pricing on here located?
James,
Somehow this comment eluded me. My apologies.
Recently found your website!!!
I’ve been running deadrail (or BPRC, Battery-Powered, Remote-Control) for 7+ years now. I have approximately 2 dozen 3-rail O-scale engines (MTH, Lionel, Atlas, Williams/Samhongsa brass) converted to Deltang receivers/transmitters and using 9.6v, 12v 2000Mah NiMh or 11.1v 2200Mah LiPo battery Tenergy battery packs. I get over 2.5 hours of run time on a charge.
All of my engines and rolling stock are 3-rail, but I run on code 148 2-rail track (Atlas, Micro-Engineering, and Signature Switch).
I can honestly say that in 7 years I have had zero failures of the electronics. Also zero derailments that were not “operator error”.
After using the MTH DCS system and Lionel TMCC system, then converting to BPRC, I’ll never go back.
I don’t have sound currently, but I really don’t miss it. The trains make enough sounds (noise) themselves that most onboard sounds are lost or muffled by the sounds of the train running around the layout anyway.
No wiring on my 13×30 layout, no worrying about reverse loops, short or open circuitry, or dirty track causing loss of signal. Just good clean running of my locomotives.
Smallest/tightest engines I have are a MTH RailKing Imperial USRA 0-6-0 and a NW2, largest is a Williams/Samhongsa brass 4-8-4 N&W class J #611.
I get most of my batteries from the Tenergy store on Amazon and RC gear from RCS Australia or Micron Radio Control in the UK. Tony Walsham at RCS Australia makes/made a real nice unit that has an on/off switch, a charging jack, and necessary fuses all on a single circuit board, called a BIK-U3. Simplifies wiring greatly.
I’ll be stopping by regularly to see what’s going on!
Hi Bob,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m with you on never “going back” to track-based power and control. Just for grins, I recently converted an older 2-Rail MTH Z-6 to combined DCC track-power/BPRC. Using track power was nothing but pain, and using BPRC was a joy!
I’ve had good experiences with Tenergy batteries, using their long, thin configurations where space is challenging, especially with tender-mounted MTH PS-3 boards (in DCC mode) since I need to mount the battery and receiver/amplifier in the crowded tender.
A big part of this hobby is the variety of what folks enjoy. I like sound and smoke – the sound of an actual Allegheny recording and smoking away produced by my Zimo decoder works for me.
To get a feel for the diversity of BPRC, I suggest joining either or both Facebook groups https://www.facebook.com/groups/deadrailsociety and https://www.facebook.com/groups/batterytrains. The latter has a distinctly “Commonwealth” feel with lots of outdoor/garden layouts.
Thanks again.
Hello
I’d like to convert my O scale MTH and LionChief locomotives to dead rail. I already have dead rail G scale with Airwire control.
Please let me know how you can help with the conversions.
Thanks
Hello George,
Welcome to my site!
Several of my posts deal with the conversion of MTH steam locomotives. Generally, my strategy for converting MTH is:
– Install PS-3.0 boards if the locomotive has previous-generation PS boards. My posts provide information on getting PS-3.0 boards from Ray Manley. PS-3.0 boards have DCC capability as set by a DCS/DCC jumper.
– Disconnect the locomotive/tender leads to the track inputs on the PS-3.0 board. My posts show examples of this.
– Install the battery, charging plug, power switch, antenna, and dead-rail receiver/amp.
– Connect the DCC track output of the dead-rail receiver/amp to the PS-3.0’s track inputs.
If there is interest, I will describe my conversion of a Lionel H-7 to deadrail. My strategy is to remove all Lionel electronics and install a standard DCC decoder in the locomotive and the dead-rail components (battery, charging plug, power switch, antenna, and dead-rail receiver/amp) in the tender. I like Lionel because they are designed to be serviced, so they are easy to take apart for conversion.
I hope that starts to answer your question…
Do you have pictures of the process?
Hi Tim! Can you tell me a bit more about what pictures you’re interested in?
Hi Darrell, I have had 1/29 deadrail going right back to when Locolinc was the new kid on the block. I traded up to AirWire 10/15 years back. I still use it now.
What I would like to do is to use the AirWire Tx to run British 1/43 O scale. Is this possible? If so what do I need to get started. Btw, I live in England.
Thank you.
Rod
Hi Rod, Thanks for visiting! I absolutely have some solutions for you (see next paragraph). I don’t know how sticky you are about transmission legality, but Airwire is NOT approved for Tx in the GB/EU since Airwire only transmits in the North American 902-928MHz ISM band, and its Anaren transceiver is approved to do so. But I very much doubt the Authorities will knock on your door if you use Airwire Tx!
Solutions: You can use a fully Airwire-compatible ProMini Air receiver (PMA Rx) with a 3.6A or 13A amplifier: US$40+shipping. The PMA Rx will auto-scan to find valid transmissions, including the GB/EU-approved channel at 869.85MHz. The PMA Rx will absolutely work with Airwire transmitters. My homepage shows how you can use either the provided whip antenna, a “patch antenna” (I can provide one for about US$2.00), or a “pigtail” connector with a small, high-quality antenna. Connect battery power to the PMA Rx’s amplifier (which powers the PMA Rx itself), and connect the amplifier’s DCC output to your onboard DCC decoder, and away you go! The PMA Rx itself is small (1.1″ x 0.75″), and the small DRV8871 amplifier is (1.0″ x 0.8″). The larger Cytron MD13S 13A amplifier is 61mm x 33mm and requires no heatsink. This separation of the receiver from the amplifier gives you mounting flexibility, best-in-class amplifiers, and replacement modularity since these amplifiers are widely-available.
Also, I have a completely stand-alone ProMini Air transmitter integrated with a WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation ($50US+shipping). You can then use your WiThrottle-compatible smartphone app that connects to the PMA Tx’s WiFi and re-transmit to dead-rail receivers from me (ProMini Air receiver), Airwire, or Tam Valley Depot. The ProMini Air transmitter is FCC/EC approved. The PMA Tx is simply plopped down; power is applied from either wall or battery, and you connect to its WiFi with your smartphone throttle app. For my GB/EU customers, I set the default transmit frequency to the GB/EU-approved “Channel 18” (869.85MHz).
Again, thanks for reaching out, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sounds just what I’m looking for Darrell, although I shall have to re read the technical side with one of my electronic savvy friends. 😊
I am aware of the issues regarding AirWire over here. I live quite rural so I’m fairly isolated from what could be problematic.
I’ll be in touch soon. BTW, how do you accept payment? I don’t do PayPal.
Regards
Rod.
I’m here to answer any questions you have.
I think the RF issues are pretty small, given the modest power (10mW max) for the transceivers we use.
We can work out some payment method, such as Zelle or ACH (Automated Clearing House. Google ACH if you are not familiar with it – I was not, but it looks pretty simple)…
I hope to hear from you soon!
Ok thanks Darrell. I’m meeting up with my techy friend this coming weekend.
Rod
I look forward to any further questions you two may come up with!
Hi Darrell,
I have been using Railpro for BPRC. With your system would I need 1 transmitter (use with my MRC 10A command station)?. I have a couple locos with MTh PS3 boards and Lionel switchers with small motors (ran with ho sound decoders) . which of your receivers would you recommend, and the rating of the decoder should match the receiver? My goal is to run with smart phones and later hopefully upgrade to protothrottle.
Thank you,
Fred
Hi Fred,
Thanks for visiting and for your interest. Yes, the ProMini Air (PMA) transmitter would connect to your MRC10A (via a DCC converter that I provide as part of the cost). The transmitter will then transmit to all PMA receivers (or receivers from Airwire, Tam Valley Depot, or Stanton Cab). However, if you get the PMA transmitter integrated with a WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation, you have a low-cost ($50 total) way to control multiple locomotives with a smartphone throttle app WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL DEVICES. Otherwise, you will need to equip your MRC10A with a WiFi add-on, such as the Prodigy WiFi module that will set you back about $139!
If your long-range goal is Protothrottle, consider Martin Sant’s Xbee receivers at http://blueridgeengineering.net/protothrottle/. They are NOT compatible with PMA receivers.
Again, thanks for your interest.
Hi Darrell
Thank you for the information and the links. I am sticking with your system using smart phones. How do I order and pay? I would like to purchase the DCC-ex TX and 1-13 amp rx and one small rx.
Thank you, Fred
Hi Fred,
Please contact me at darrelllamm0@gmail.com, where you can provide me with a mailing address, and I’ll give you the “how to pay details.” The total would be PMA Tx/WiFI+EX-CommandState ($50) and two PMA Rx ($40/ea) for a total of $130. Appreciate your interest.
Hi Darrell:
I reached out via the OGR forum just now. My system runs trains off of 18.5VAC overhead catenary, and the outside rails are the return, just like the real thing. Motors run very nicely (pan/wire interaction is solid), but DCS seems to get overwhelmed with more than three motors at once. More importantly, I have 2 Atlas O AEM7s that need some kind of command system that fits. Bluerail is a good solution that Ron045 on the OGR Forum used, but those board don’t appear to be available. Plus, to get rolling with basic lighting effects is over $300, which is not an investment I am willing to make.
I read over your method briefly (more tonight), and while the cost seems much less, it seems a bit more complicated to get all the parts and get them talking. I wanted to email you about my system and how yours system might work in these motors. Thank you!
–Nate
Hi Nate,
The ProMiniAir receiver requires a DCC decoder that controls your motor, lighting, and sound (if you want it). DCC decoders do not need to be expensive. Radio control, however, usually uses battery power to prevent power interruptions, although a healthy rectifier w/ capacitors would probably work. Powering the radio-control receiver is an issue you need to address regardless of your chosen solution.
So let’s total up the cost without battery or power converter since you would need to solve this problem for ANY radio-controlled solution.
Possible solution #1:
1. Transmitter: If you use my stand-alone ProMini-Air transmitter, that allows you to use a smartphone app such as WiThrottle. The cost is $49.99.
2. Receiver: The integrated ProMiniAir transmitter/amp will deliver up to 13A to a decoder – more than you need. Please check that the amplifier will fit your application. It’s separate from the receiver, giving you some mounting flexibility. The cost is $39.99
3. DCC decoder: Which brand is religion. A SOUNDTRAXX #886005 TSU-4000 4 AMP TSUNAMI2 DECODER – ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES will set you back $164. A Massoth 8153101 eMOTION XXL II Locomotive Decoder will cost $100.
So, you are talking about $189.98 to $253.98, with a recurring cost for an additional locomotive of $139.99 to $203.99.
Possible solution #2:
1. Receiver: You can use an Airwire G-4 to control your motor and lights without any additional components. The cost is $160.
2. Transmitter: You can pay $170 or so for an Airwire T6000 or $49.99 for my stand-alone ProMiniAir transmitter (using a smartphone app). The ProMiniAir transmitter is compatible with Airwire receiver products.
With this combination, you are talking about $219.99 to $330. But your recurring cost for an additional locomotive is only $160 for the G-4.
I hope this helps you start your trade-offs. Of course, you may find another way of looking at things!
Hi Darrell:
Thank you for getting back to me. Here is the desired control method, and why Bluerail seems the best alternative right now. I do not wish to convert to 100% deadrail. There is ~18VAC at the trolley wire, and the return on the outer rails, as with real catenary systems. That is what I want to use to power the electronics, not an onboard power source. The problem I have is that the control signal goes over the wire as well (MTH DCS), which I’d love to get away from. Plus, there are the two Atlas AEM7s that cannot use MTH PS3. Bluerail gets around all these issues, as the control is over the air, and the catenary only powers the onboard systems. Ron performed a Bluerail install on his Atlas AEM7, and it worked very nicely. The end issue there is Bluerail availability.
Now your system is attractive because you use ~900mhz radio, which I would prefer over Bluetooth or WLAN. The question then becomes, can you power the radio equipment by AC? Not directly of course; you’d need a bridge and regulator somewhere, and then things get tricky, (primarily with the limited space in any AEM7 models).
If you have an idea that might work using catenary voltage with your system, I’d love to hear it. I do not mean to take up your time, as I am not looking to be fully deadrail, but I do appreciate your responses and innovation.
Nate,
Thanks for your continued interest and response. Don’t worry about “taking up time.” I’m semi-retired, and I’m here to help.
I make a special-purpose AC-to-DC converter that can power the ProMiniAir receiver/amp using AC power input. I use a large “keep-alive” capacitor originally used for a decoder so that this converter will power the ProMiniAir receiver/amp during power gaps. I charge $5 for this.
You then hook the input of this converter to your AC power and the DC output to the power plug on the ProMini Air receiver. This adds to the total footprint, but you can locate it separately.
The ProMiniAir receiver is tiny: 1.1″x0.76″. The AC-to-DC converter is also small: 1.2″x0.94″. The powerful (13A) Cytron amp is 2.4″ x 1.3″. You can separately locate these components, giving you much installation freedom. Also, if the 82mm whip antenna is inconvenient for your installation, I provide a small adhesive patch antenna for $1.00. You can get an idea of the options from my homepage.
I am selling the ProMiniAir receiver with a more miniature amplifier, the DRV8871, which is 1.0″x0.8″ that produces 3.6A, but I’m unsure if it will power your loco.
I hope to hear from you soon.
One of the big problems with other Dead Rail systems is they are starting down the rabbit hole of a proprietary system. I really like your solution. Much like I liked the Tam Valley solution until they gave up on Dead Rail.
Could you contact me with purchasing information?
Thanks,
George
Hi George, welcome to the site!
Compatibility and affordability drove my ProMiniAir design and offerings. I dislike proprietary designs, so we provide the software and easyEda hardware designs on GitHub.
You have two routes for purchasing:
1. Contact me by email: darrelllamm0@gmail.com. We can then determine what you want and arrange payment via PayPal or Zelle with my email as the account #.
2. Go to eBay and search for “ProMiniAir” to see my several listings for the ProMiniAir receivers and transmitters. The descriptions there may be helpful, too.
Again, thanks for your interest in our site and products.
Hello. Can you sell me 5 DRV8871 recievers. (Smaller, lower amperage). Also, do you know where one can buy tiny magnetic Reed switches? R. Johnny Guild in Idaho. Thanks. 208 880-2302
Hi Ron, sorry I missed this. I will reply via your email. Thanks for your interest.
Wes Cooper was kind enough to send me your way via a facebook post I made. I would like to purchase 2 receivers. one with small amplifier and 1 with large amplifer. I will try them out and figure out my future needs from there. I think it’s great that you make a product to fill in with my tam valley / airwire needs. Send me via email how to order and pay please.
thanks
Mike
Welcome aboard! I will contact you by email to go over the details.
Just getting into DCC over RF with my outdoor ‘G’ scale track. Using the Airwire system and was looking for ways to use the WiThrottle (previously used on my wired DCC track). Found your website and have ordered the ProMini Air transmitter/WiFi-equipped EX-CommandStation. Already loving my battery-operated DCC trains (4 of them so far) and will be looking seriously at your DCC receiver (in place of the airware CONVERTER series) . Keep up the great work !!!
Hi Chuck,
Thanks for dropping by! As you probably know, I’m also active on the Facebook Dead Rail Group that you are a member of. I extensively test my ProMiniAir(TM) Transmitters with Airwire900(TM) CONVRTR and G-4. The ProMiniAir Receiver is highly customizable in selection of an amplifier, but in general, the Cytron MD13S I offer as a default is a powerful monster, providing 13A continuously (and 30A briefly) without cooling. It’s a great choice for G scale. The ProMiniAir Receiver’s tethered design gives you a lot of mounting freedom and it costs about 1/3 as much as an Airwire CONVRTR60. Please stay in touch. I’d love to answer any questions or bounce around ideas.
Thanks much. The Airwire CONVRTR60 is indeed pricey – I have 4 of them at this point. Will be checking out the PMA Receiver for my next locomotive. I had an extensive N scale DCC layout in the house with a bunch of python code to run the layout (could run 7 trains ‘automated’). Decided to go outdoors and get into ‘G’ scale about 5 years ago – had a bunch of digitrax DCC stuff (command station + repeaters0 and it was a pain in the neck keeping those outdoor rails clean. I feel like I just discovered fire with the DCC over RF setup – wish I had known the dead rail benefits about 5 years ago when I had invested in all that Digitrax stuff. I also have 2 live-steam locomotives (roundhouse) and now can run them on the same track since the track is now dead rail. I am also looking into a few electronic couplers (hood and loop style) – any suggestions would be most helpful.
Hi Chuck,
Glad you discovered “fire” (Dead Rail)!
You can hook up a “standard” ProMiniAir Transmitter (ProMiniAir Tx/CNV) to your Digitrax’s Track output for Dead Rail transmission. This saves your expensive investment in a DCC command station.
Follow-up:
The live steam sounds like a ton of fun!
I think there are DCC-based couplers available for G scale. For the servo coupler, see https://www.kadee.com/11220-kadee-rc-g-scale-remote-coupler-actuated-body-mount-coupler-with-gearbox and Kadee’s servo controller solution https://www.kadee.com/shop-by-category/couplers/remote-couplers/11130-kadee-rc-servo-controller-dcc-airwire-etc for a start. The Kadee servo solution is massive overkill. If you look at https://oscaledeadrail.com/an-inexpensive-servo-controller-with-dead-rail-control/, you will find a very inexpensive Dead Rail servo controller. You can tap off the Dead Rail’s DCC amp output (from either the CONVRTR or the ProMiniAir Receiver) with the servo controller I describe. I will post a very simple solution using a $5.00 component I developed for the standard ProMiniAir transmitter to extract 5V DC power and a 5V DCC signal from any high power DCC output such as from a Dead Rail Receiver. I will point out that some decoders also provide servo outputs that can activate the Kadee coupler!
I am now using the PMA Tx w/ the DCC+EX command station and it is working great. I have two simple technical question, when I use the WiThrottle attached to the DCCEX wifi – is it possible to reprogram the F1-F28 labels on the WiThrottle like I can when I am attached through a JMRI server ? I also use a CVP AirWire Transmitter (Model 6000) and it doesn’t function when the PMA Tx is turned on. I assume this is probably because of transmitted power differences between the two units – is there any way to overcome this issue. The transmitters (CVP and the PMA Tx) are relatively close to each other at this point in time.
Hi Chuck,
Thanks for your purchase and questions.
I looked around a bit, but I could not see a way to change the labeling from the app itself. I don’t know if it would help, but you can attach a computer running JMRI to the standalone ProMiniAir Transmitter via the USB port, but that might not be part of your concept of operation.
Regarding the “competition” between the PMA Tx and the T6000: you should not try to transmit on the SAME CHANNEL. The transmissions will interfere with each other. The channel # is displayed on both the PMA Tx and the T6000. It’s easy to select another channel for your T6000. It’s also doable on the PMA Tx (see the link in the upper right corner of the home page). You CAN use both Transmitters simultaneously using the auto-scan feature of the ProMiniAir Receivers:
– Turn OFF all Transmitters and Receivers
– Turn ON the PMA Tx
– Then turn ON PMA Receivers (or Airwire Receivers) you want to lock onto the transmitting PMA Tx and verify communication for instance by activating the horn, bell, etc.
– Turn OFF the PMA Tx. The PMA Receivers will still be locked onto the same channel, patiently waiting. Once locked on, the PMA Receives will not scan with signal loss. The Airwire Receivers do not auto-scan, they will listen on their default channel unless they don’t get a signal within a minute, in which case the Airwire Receiver will switch to Channel 0. Once Airwire Receivers lock on. They will also wait for the signal to return on the same channel.
– Turn ON the T6000 ON A DIFFERENT CHANNEL
– Now turn on all additional PMA Receivers. They will auto-scan on startup and lock onto the T6000’s channel.
– Now turn the PMA Tx back on. The original PMA Receivers will now pick up transmissions on the PMA Tx’s channel.
I hope this helps. If not, ask more questions. I’m here to help.
I have been looking closely at the DCC-EX command station software and I know the current PMA WiFi configuration is an Access Point, I am considering the benefit of changing this configuration to being a part of my existing wireless network. It looks like I would need to build (via the Arduino IDE) a new instance of DCC-EX command station on the processor. I am certain there is a downside to this endevour but I wanted to get your thoughts on the matter. In addition, do you have a step-by-step instructions on loading the PMA ESPWROOM-32 processor with a new software build (sketch)? I used to do quite a bit of Arduino programming (built a mechanically driven filter wheel for astrophotography) so I am familiar with the Aduino IDE environment.
Hi Chuck,
I have a repo of the modified EX-CommandStation software here. You can modify the config.h file to suit your interests, and you can create a myAutomation.h based on the myAutomation.example.h file to include rosters.
If you are familiar with the Arduino IDE, then you can do the following for recompiling and reloading the EX-CommandStation firmware (this is an overly-brief explanation that will make sense to those familiar with the Arduino IDE):
1. Add the ESP32 board manager from Expressif
2. Select the EPS32 Boards
3. Select the “Node32s” board
4. Connect the PC to the USB plug on the standalone PMA Transmitter
5. Select the correct USB port. You may need to install the correct serial port driver for the ESP32 board.
5. Select the CommandStation-EX.ino file. The rest of the modified repo will also be loaded.
6. Compile and load by selecting the “->” button.
There is a lot of churning during the compile, but it definitely works (tried on both Mac and PC)! Kudos to the DCC-EX.com team. By the way, I donate 10% of the sale of every Standalone PMA Transmitter to the DCC-EX.com team.
This capability goes to heart of the ProMiniAir design, which is
1. Open source and hardware design transparency: In addition to the open-source repository above, I make the the software and hardware design available here.
2. Modularity: replace one part, not the entire assembly.
3. Commodity or near-commodity components to reduce cost and supply-chain risk.
I hope this explanation works for you! If not keep asking questions.
Darrell,
Thanks for the link to your version of the Ex-CommandStation software – very helpful. I like your technical approach to this particular market – using open-source software and commodity hardware. I will probably have a few technical questions when I jump back into the arduino IDE stuff – glad to see that there is so much flexibility. I just added another locomotive (25 ton diesel w/ a Tsunami 4400 decoder and your PMA air receiver) – works like a champ. I really like how I can use my CVP 6000 hand controller or JMRI on a laptop and then use WiThrottle on my ipad or iphone – it is a great system and operates quite well. Sometimes there are ‘join’ issues with the WiFi but that requires just a bit of patience.
Chuck,
I’m gratified that the ProMiniAir “system” is working out for you. I, too, have to “fiddle” sometimes to get the WiFi connection to behave. Sometimes, I remove power and then plug back in to reset.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with further questions/comments/ etc. I’m here to respond and help!
Hi Darrell,
I want to install dead rail into 2 Atlas O scale MP15DC locomotives which will be coupled together.
I want one to be powered with a Loksound 5L decoder and large Tang Band speaker.
Second loco will have the same decoder and speaker but will be a dummy full of batteries.
Can you please advise on equipment that I will need?
Regards Daryl Blake
Hi Daryl,
Thanks for dropping by.
First, check out my web page to see how I mounted the ProMiniAir Receiver inside the locomotive’s shell. The tethered design will help you locate the receiver and amplifier in separate places that have space. For O Scale, I recommend the large Cytron amplifier that will give you plenty of power. See this eBay listing. The cost is low: $39.99+S&H.
If you don’t already have a transmitter, I humbly suggest you get a good Android or iOS throttle app and purchase my “stand-alone” ProMiniAir Transmitter at this eBay listing. The cost is also low $49.99+S&H. See this page for information on this transmitter.
Let’s talk about conversion strategy. If I understand your use of a second “dummy” locomotive, there is no need for a second decoder. Just route battery power from the dummy to the “live” locomotive, connect this power to the ProMiniAir’s Amplifier and route the decoder’s speaker output from the decoder in the live back to the dummy’s speaker. I also suggest you look at this page for a strategy that puts the ProMiniAir Receiver/Amp in the dummy car along with the battery and routes the Amplifier’s DCC output from the dummy to the live’s decoder. This strategy allows you to use any trailing dummy as your power and receiver to receive wireless DCC commands and convert them to high-power DCC sent to the live’s DCC decoder via a two-wire connection. Any decoder output, such as speaker output and light control, can be routed from the live back to the dummy in a small, low-power connector.
Of course, I might not quite understand your situation and desires, so please keep the lines of communication open…
Hi Darrell
Thanks for the reply.
I presently have a NCE Procab with 1 T bar throttle and 1 Protothrottle which I connect using an ISE bridge.
I would like to continue using this system so I guess I’m needing a suitable transmitter.
Regards Daryl Blake
Hi Darrell
Thanks for the reply.
I have an NCE Procab along with 1 T bar throttle and a Protothrottle which I connect to using an ISE bridge.
I’d like to continue to use the NCE Procab and the Protothrottle with dead rail if possible.
Regards Daryl
Hi Daryl,
I offer exactly what you need: a version of the ProMiniAir Transmitter that connects to the DCC Track R/L output of your Procab for wireless transmission of the DCC to a ProMiniAir Receiver (or other compatible receiver such as Airwire, Tam Valley Depot DRS1, S-Cab, and Gwire). See this eBay listing. Nothing else is needed to transmit. Also, if you ever want to use your Protothrottle without interfacing with the Procab, see my posting here for details on how to do this.
I hope my answer helps.
Best, Darrell
Hi Darrell
I now have a transmitter, receiver and battery so I’m ready to wire things together, but I’d like your advice first.
Do you have an email address to contact you direct?
Regards Daryl
Hi Daryl,
Good to hear from you. I messaged you on eBay with contact information. I hope to hear from you.
Best,
Darrell
Hi Darrell. I enjoyed your article in run 334 of OGR. I am O gauge 3 rail operator of 20 years. The layout has 375 feet of track. I have often thought that with modern battery packs and techknowlegy., it should be possible to carry a battery on board the locomotive or tender that WOULD CARRY THE LOCOMOTIVE OVER THE CRUCIAL ONE OR TWO INCHES ON A SWITCH OR DEAD SPOT and keep the loco powered.
I am happy with DCS for controlling. Could your systems provide this sort of battery back-up? Or am I not understanding. After all, the layout is already wired.
Thank you, Robert
Hi Robert,
Thanks for “dropping by.”
Usually, folks use large “keep alive” capacitors with series with a small resistor/diode pair in parallel to provide DC power over the rough spots. I know PS-3 boards have hefty, integrated keep-alive capacitors that keep the locomotive going for several seconds. I am unsure about older PS-2.0 or PS-1.0 boards.
The purpose of the batteries for Dead Rail is to supply power directly to the radio receiver and amplifier that, in turn, powers and controls the onboard decoder, not as a direct power supply to the decoder.
In summary, I suggest you look at keep-alive capacitors rather than batteries. The capacitors will be considerably smaller than any battery for supplying sufficient voltage and current.
I hope my reply helps.
It does help, and thanks for the reply. In passing over switches, especially when mimicking yard endeavors, I like to proceed at slow speeds, and this can cause a stall.
Since I am looking for keep-alive capacitors, would you be able to steer me to a supplier for those, and instructions on where they integrate with PS 2 or PS3 boards? That is, to what I attach them electrically to?
Thank you.
Robert
Hi Robert,
I researched keep-alive capacitors for MTH PS-2/3 but did not find anything clear-cut, and I have no personal experience. I suggest that you contact Ray Manley at http://www.rayman4449.com/ to see if he can help you with upgrading any MTH controllers you have. You also might be able to find some help at https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/. Sorry, I can’t help more.
Darrell,
I’m new to the game of wireless battery control. I have a large On3 layout and a portable Ow5 (2 rail) layout (the Ow5 travels to a local museum at Christmas and an occasional show here and there) I currently use a Digitrax Superchief system for the On3, utilizing old iPhones and iPads as throttles, and a mix of DCC and straight DC power for the standard gauge. I want to try converting one of my brass Steam Ow5 locomotives to battery power. If I like the results, I will convert the rest of the fleet, around 30 standard gauge steam and diesel locomotives and close to 60 narrow gauge locomotives to battery power.
Where do I start?
Thanks!
Gordon
Hi Gordon,
First, determine what battery technology and voltage will work with your space constraints. Fitting a battery is sometimes a challenge even in O scale. The battery will usually be either be either 11.1V or 14.8V Li-Ion. See my recent “Batteries Onboard” columns in O Gauge Magazine for various options. An excellent place to get batteries for Dead Rail is reindeerpass.com. You will also need a battery charger.
It’s important to note that any DC engine should be converted to DCC. This conversion is a crucial step that will allow you to utilize DCC Dead Rail technology’s benefits fully.
Determine the DCC-based Dead Rail transmitter/receiver system you want to use. Of course, I’m biased toward using ProMiniAir Receivers and Transmitters (available by searching for “ProMiniAir” on eBay) that are compatible with the venerable Airwire products and Tam Valley Depot and Gwire. I will say that Airwire (cvpusa.com) has excellent documentation that shows typical Dead Rail installs. Any place you can use an Airwire Receiver, you can use a ProMiniAir Receiver for about 40% of what Airwire will cost you. For your collection, that cost difference can be significant. I’ve converted over 100 locomotives to Dead Rail and used ProMiniAir for almost all of them. It saved me several kilo bucks. I’ve even demonstrated using a ProMiniAir Receiver at the Facebook Dead Rail Group in two different N-scale locomotives.
Spend some time on the web “woolgathering” on Dead Rail. This will help you pick up some of the terms and technology.
The Socratic method of questions/answers is a good learning approach, so ask your questions…
Thanks for the reply! Next question; all but a couple of my On3 locos/geese have DCC, (The standard gauge…. Not so much) not all have sound though. To convert a locomotive that is already DCC, am I correct in assuming I just need a battery pack and a receiver? What about charging connections/etc?
Hi Gordon,
Glad to have you back. Your statement regarding what you need if you have already have DCC is correct.
You will want some means to turn the battery on/off/charge and some sort of charging plug. Mechanical toggle switches are available from numerous sources, but I urge you to use reputable, “branded” switches whose manufacturer will guarantee their specifications. I have had excellent luck with Dailywell toggle switches such as the 1MS3T2B3M1QES “ON-OFF-ON” (5 A @ 28 V) and 2MS1T2B3M1QES “ON-ON” (3A @ 28 V). Numerous options are available in the Dailywell “1M” and “2M” series of toggle switches.
I use three-connector charging sockets. When the charging plug is inserted, using a three-connector “switched” socket adds a measure of safety by disconnecting the “-” (ground) that goes to the Dead Rail receiver/amp from the charging “-” (ground) that connects directly to the battery pack. When the charging plug is removed, the two “-” (ground) are shorted together inside the jack to establish a “-” (ground) connection from the battery pack to the Dead Rail receiver/amp. An example of this type of socket I frequently use (5A max @ 24 V) can be found at http://tinyurl.com/Mouser-Switched-Jack (CUI Devices PJ-065B, 5.5mm x 2.5mm) and http://tinyurl.com/Low-Profile-Mouser-Switch-Jack (CUI Devices PJ-005B, 5.5mm x 2.5mm, low profile). Similar 5.5mm x 2.1mm versions are also available.
Hi Darrell,
thanks for your response to my earlier query. I am interested in converting some of my O Scale 3 rail locomotives to dead rial. Here’s a couple of Newbie questions.
1. What do you suggest for MTH locomotives that have blown PS3 boards?
2. what do you suggest for MTH locomotives that have PS2 not PS3?
3. What do you suggest for Lionel or other locomotives that have TMCC?
thanks!
MArc
Hi Marc,
1. There are several articles on my website for how to convert PS-3.0-equipped locomotives to Dead Rail or Track-based DCC control. It’s very easy! Simply use the search function in the upper right corner on any of my web pages.
2. See this web page for how to contact Raymond Manley to exchange the PS-2.0 board for a PS-3.0 board so that you can activate the PS-3.0’s DCC capability. Then the conversion is the same as for any PS-3.0-equipped locomotive.
3. Sadly, you cannot use TMCC with Dead Rail with my conversion philosophy of using DCC. See this web page for an example conversion of Lionel locomotives.
I hope this gets you started, and I’m here for further questions and dialog.
Hi Darrell,
I have an article that I wrote for my club magazine about how I converted a Lionel Thomas G Scale locomotive to battery power using the ProMiniAir. The theme of the article was pretty much “how to convert Thomas to battery as cheaply as possible” and “how to fit all of this stuff into Thomas.” If you would like a copy and could use it, please let me know.
Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for making contact here. You can contact me by email at darrelllamm0@gmail.com.
Can you point me to a URL for the Article? That way I can point to it under my “Satisfied Customers” page. If that’s not possible, then if you point me to a pdf, or provide it to me via email, I can store it onstie and point to it on my pages.
Thanks for taking the time to reach out.
Hi Darell,
On todays O Scale Central I asked about Battery sources and the Rail Pro. I didn’t mean to step on any toes, so if I did I appoligize. Just surprised that it isn’t acknowledge in most deadrail groups.
Carl Sorensen
Payette, Idaho
Hi Carl,
Sorry to cut things short, I have a tendency to get too enthusiastic, and I wanted to reign myself in. Here is a list of battery sources:
1. CVP: http://tinyurl.com/CVP-Document-Center. CVP is an excellent documentation source for many Dead Rail topics, including batteries and battery wiring.
2. Reindeer Pass: https://www.reindeerpass.com/. I’ve had excellent luck purchasing various Dead Rail components from them, including battery packs.
3. RLD Hobbies: https://www.rldhobbies.com/. Same comments as Reindeer Pass.
4. MTO Batteries: https://www.mtobattery.com/collections/train-batteries. They offer batteries for numerous categories, including “Trains,” making it easy to find Li-ion batteries for Dead Rail.
5. Tenergy: http://tinyurl.com/Tenergy-LiIon. A good source of Li-ion batteries for Dead Rail. The site is somewhat challenging to navigate, so diving into its “Li-ion/14.8 V” battery packs category is an excellent place to find relevant battery packs.
6. AA Portable Power Corp: https://www.batteryspace.com/AA. It is my only “go-to” source for LiFePO4 batteries. Please do not try Chinese websites that offer unknown quality and often ignore you if your order size is small.
Selection of a transmitter/receiver technology is a very personal choice, and smart folks make different choices. I tend to systems that have some compatibility with as many other products as possible, so that led me to develop the ProMiniAir transmitters/receivers (on eBay, search for “ProMiniAir”) at low cost. It’s highly compatible with the biggest seller in the Dead Rail market, Airwire, and several others. Airwire has a huge presence in G scale, where Dead Rail is very frequently used. My product is completely open, all source and eCad files are on GitHub. And you can plug my transmitter into Track Right/Left of any DCC command station, so you can use any throttle you want.
However, folks swear by Rail Pro. It works for them, and they are happy. But, it’s not interoperable with any other product lines. It’s all according to your own research and predilection.
Thanks for taking the time to “drop by.”
After bottom feeding on Ebay for 45 years I’m attempting to to undertake my “opus Magnum” and fill a 45 X 55 space with an O scale layout. Dead rail looks perfect. But my approach to power isn’t quite “stock”. Going with A units powered with car seat motors and B units with controls and stuffed with Lithium C cells. Have ordered one Fly-Sky receiver with 6 functions that will handle a 10 Amp load. The real question is “sound”. Tiring to see if I can find a simple sound card that will match volume to the motors’ amperage. Seems like my head will explode wading into all of the information on the subject. And I’m not just running EMDs. Also have 8 sharks, 8 C-Liners, a Mohawk, light Mikado, and a SuperJ. Any suggestions?
Hi John,
Congratulations on starting your Magnum Opus! I joined the Railroad Model Club of Atlanta to help them work on a big, new Club layout to do the same thing.
I strongly urge you to reconsider your Dead Rail approach. You can buy on eBay (item #144861071035) a full up transmitter for a whopping $49.99 where you can use your smartphone with a throttle app for Dead Rail control your locomotives. Then each receiver will set you back just $39.99 (eBay item # 144861044809) that will provide 13 Amps. Yes, you will need a decoder, which range in cost from $52.00 (NCE D408SR, no sound) to about $200.00 (LokSound 5XL, 6A, great sound). You might be able to get away with a LokSound 5 L for about $150 (about 4 A, same great sound). On the very inexpensive side of batteries, you can get suitable 14.8V Li-Ion batteries for $15.00 from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPM9ZY9K?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3. You can see some of my recent work at the Railroad Model Club of Atlanta Facebook Group on converting a Mohawk. I’ll post that conversion here in a couple of days, too.
Hi Darrell,
I’ve been looking at your solution for my planned Garden Railway. Wondering if is possible to connect the Prominiair transmitter and receiver with a standard DCC EX unit with their firmware instead of your modified version? So to connect to the DCC track input terminals instead?
Thanks,
Keith
Hello Keith,
Yes is is absolutely possible to tap off the DCC of any DCC command station with the ProMiniAir Tx/CNV and retransmit the DCC to compatible onboard receivers, including the ProMiniAir Rx. This transmitter is eBay item # 144861071035. You can see all of the products I sell on eBay by using the search term “ProMiniAir”. Please have a look and don’t hesitate to ask any further questions.
Hello Darrell,
Your dead rail system is an elegant solution. And your documentation is exceptional.
One of the features I like about EX-DCC is the ability to add sensors and servo motors to control train movement.
Your ProMiniAir transmitter uses an ESP32 as an EX-DCC command station. If I understand your documentation correctly, it is possible to directly connect a second EX-DCC command station at the throttle DCC track input and use it to control engines and automation. Is this correct?
And still use your primary ESP32 EX-DCC to control engines?
Thank you,
Hi James,
Thanks for “dropping by.” The short answer to your question regarding using two EX-CommandStations one of which is “feeding” DCC to the other for wireless transmission is yes. However, you must be careful not to access the same locomotive on both command stations. By the way it’s also possible to wirelessly control DCC accessories as explained in these two posts: https://oscaledeadrail.com/using-the-prominiair-with-dcc-accessories/ and https://oscaledeadrail.com/an-inexpensive-servo-controller-with-dead-rail-control/. I hope this helps. Please feel free to follow up with further questions or thoughts.
As discussed, I need a compact ProMiniAir with the Pololu G2 amplifier instead of the physically larger 13A board you normally use. Let how to order this. Thanks
I have emailed you some information. Please review and respond in email.
Thanks,
Darrell
I’m looking for a ProMiniAir with a Pololu G2 amplifier as I don’t have room for the standard 13A amplifier you use.
Hi David,
Thanks for reaching out! I will contact you via email to make arrangements. Your item has been assembled and tested, and is now ready for mailing.
Best,
Darrell
Hey Darrell, can you provide the easyEDA files for the CC1101 board?
Darrell;
Let us talk “S” scale.
I’ve looked at your eBay site and wonder if a 1.2 ampm or 0.5 amp amplifier would be any smaller? If not, o well. I ask as “S” doesn’t really need that much. In some of my Sn2 locos I need about 0.5 amp.
What is the cc1101 boards on you website? How are they used?
With much anticipation
TC Carr
Ferroequinologist
PS: I own TC Trains and have done a few DR installs but not in some time. Thinking of becoming a reseller for your products.
Thanks for visiting.
I make a ProMiniAir that integrates a DRV8874 H-bridge. The total package size is 1.1″ x 0.8″ x 0.4″. It provides 4.4A, more than you need. Batteries are a challenge, but feasible. You can use small batteries with a Pololu step up converter. See https://oscaledeadrail.com/integrating-an-small-ex-commandstation-with-the-prominiair-receiver/ for an example of an HO scale installation. I have installed dead-rail in N scale by using a battery/receiver car. Also, take a look at http://oscaledeadrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Dead_Rail_Clinic_V1.2.3.pdf. There is a great S-scale dead-rail site: https://www.nasg.org/HowTo/Battery/index.php. Take a look!
The CC1101 boards are for anyone who wants a general-purpose interface to the Texas Instruments CC1101 transceiver. There are a lot of bad CC1101 boards out there claiming operation in 433MHz, 869MHz, and 915MHz. This is impossible since the passive components change when you move from 433MHz to 896-915MHz. Also, they are not FCC certified. I paid Ebyte to obtain FCC/EC certification, which is right on the metal case.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Some questions on your receiver. An acquaintance, Richard Ward was having trouble with your receiver and a QSI Revolution.
It’s hard to get straight answers from him, but he finally got it working by “using the white wire”….
your documentation here shows the white wire is optional and has to do with the lcd screen option.
so can you clarify this? I’d be happy to update my site so the information is good, otherwise it’s really something I cannot recommend after all the trouble it was to get working
I discovered the Revolution required BOTH DCC+ (Rx+) and DCC- (Rx-) from a Gwire receiver. Other big QSI receivers, such as the FX-DO, require only one of these inputs. If you look at your webpage https://elmassian.com/index.php/dcc/specific-manufacturers/qsi-equipment/qsi-airwire-gwire-cab?highlight=WyJnd2lyZSJd, you indicate below one Gwire picture “2 RX+ (not really used)”, but in fact the Revolution does use it.
I sent him a “dual input” receiver, which provides both polarities of low-voltage DCC output, that solves the problem (i.e., works with the Revolution, FX-DO, etc.), and in the mean time, he added the missing wire from DCC- to the unused input on the flex cable, and his Revolution is now working. The design I offer now supplies both DCC polarities, as does the original Gwire receiver, so the problem is completely solved for all versions of QSI decoders with Gwire inputs.