Dead rail components installation in the tender: battery, power switch, charger plug, antenna, ProMiniAir wireless receiver, and DCC amplifier
Sound Project Additions
I made the following additions to Daeppen’s superb sound project:
F3: Turn on/off maker lights
F4: Turn on/off the firebox light (a red LED with a random pulsing)
F5: Turn on/off the cabin light
F6: Turn on/off the fan-driven smoke unit
Photo Gallery of the Dead Rail Installation
Cut down flanges on front driversCut down flanges on rear driversCut down flanges on trailing truckCut down flanges on the leading truckCut down flanges on the tender’s trailing truckCut down flanges on the tender’s leading truck. The Hall sensor was NOT used for synchronizing the steam chuffs.Smoke unit and mount side view. The smoke unit is a Lionel 6108057200. Smoke unit and mount front viewSmoke unit and mount top viewSmoke unit and mount bottom view as installedSmoke unit and mount front view as installed. The bottom brace was later narrowed to fit the slot formed by the thick brass mounting plate.Kadee coupler mount side viewDead rail components tender installation bottom view: antenna, power switch, and charging plugDead rail components tender installation top view: antenna connector, power switch, and charging plugDead rail components tender full installation top view. Note the ProMiniAir receiver on the upper left of the tender shell and the DCC amplifier on the lower left.Dead rail components locomotive complete installation. Note the plastic cover over the transmission belt to prevent wiring from tangling with the drivetrain. A Zimo MX696KS DCC decoder with a coded Allegheny Sound file from Heinz Daeppen was installed.
Conclusion
As the photos above attest, this dead rail conversion was not too tricky, fostered by the large size of the locomotive and tender.
I earned my Doctorate in Physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1982, and before retiring in 2019 I worked for 37 years at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. My last position was Chief Scientist of the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory. Like many people, my love for model railroading began at an early age, and I rekindled that interest starting in 2017.
View all posts by Darrell Lamm