Turning off Back-EMF in BlueRail and EZ App

Category : Articles

(This Article applies to EZ App trains and old Blue Horse boards – NOT BlueRailDCC boards). The new BlueRailDCC boards instead control decoders that may have similar back-emf control features.

Back-EMF is a method using in model train circuitry to help your locomotive maintain speed and compensate for load differences from resistance encountered as it travels up and down inclines and pulls cars about your layout. For the most part, back-EMF is a valuable and essential part of smooth train operation. It helps your train manage its speed to match your throttle level. But there are times when you may want to turn back-EMF off.

Some people use BlueRail boards to power the rails of a conventional DC train set. If you plan on using multiple BlueRail boards to control different blocks on your layout, you will need to turn off back-EMF in each board. This is accomplished by going into the “Settings” screen in the app for each board, and toggling on the “Advanced Tuning” panel. Then, using the “Tuning Fork” button (now accessible in the Train Control screen) set the following three settings to a value of “0”: Proportional, Integral, and Differential. With all 3 PID values set to “0” back-EMF will be turned off. If you do not turn back-EMF off, you may find that your locos slow down briefly as they enter each new block.