So I know you can have a lead diesel and a dummy…but can you have 2 diesels like on a real train? I now have 2, but something tells me you cant do this…I have not tried it … thank you in advance for this newbie question.
Yes, you can. Your power supply and current draw of the locomotives are the only limiting factors. The MRC Tech 4 260 DC power packs have enough amperage to run 7 locomotives.
I personally run 2 and 3 powered locomotive consists without any difficulty. Just make sure the engines are speed-matched.
I think that is what I was worried about…how do you match their speed?
Ifyou are using a conventional DC setup you just put them both on the lead of your train & crank up the trottle and go for it. I have a Digitrax system myself. I use the % throttle output on the throtttle as an approxiamation of the scale miles per hour.to speed match locos from different manufacturers. That is another great advantage of DCC over DC. Tweet.
I try to place the faster unit in the lead, as it keeps the couplers streched, up or downhill. When I place the slower one in front they uncouple caused by the slack in the couplers during a change in grade… John
Vulcan,
Please tell us what set up you have. Brand of powerpack, brand of locomotives, layout size, how many cars do you typically pull, do you have brass track or nickel silver, etc. This way we may be able to help you with some additonal information.
By the way, are you staying with DC or are you interested in DCC?
Powerpack is a Tech 3 model 9500. Main loco is a Broadway Limited Southern Pacific bli alco rsd-15. The second is …I believe, an Athern…I do not have the box for it…I thought maybe it would have a make/model on it… the receipt says HO RTR GP38-2 SP #4803. The loco says Houston on the cab.
I would like to do dcc at some point but im so new to this, I am just now doing the styrofoam, hydrocal, plaster cloth …and a few trees…track is down and ballast…turnouts are wired to switches… so its pretty early. The second loco I listed really goes fast it seems compared to the first one…the first one has sound so im sure that is why?
oh code 100 nickle silver track, atlas, just the basic stuff as this is my first layout since an American Flyer. layout is a dogleg… 4x8 then connecting to 2x4, then to 4x4. Amount of cars? well now im doing 12 or so…I would like to do maybe 4 more… tops…I think that would be plenty.
Instead of getting ready for work, I tried this out…is that dedication to trains or what??? well I put the 4803 (the fast one) in the lead, and it tried to peal out… spinning the wheels while the one with sound reved up and started up…but even when the sound one got to full speed, the 4803 still was spinning its wheels… so I probably need to of the same make/model? or like you say, same speed? it sure looked cool though having 3 locos in a row…(I have one dummy).
If the BLI RSD-15 has a decoder and sound and the second is a straight DC loco with no internal decoder or sound; the operating characteristics of these 2 locos are too far apart for them to run together. A BLI with sound needs about 4 or 6 volts to turn on the decoder on a DC layout while a straight DC loco with a good quality motor will start at 1 volt or less. The speed curves (volts vs. speed) are very different. That explains why your Athern GP-38-2 was spinning wheels wlile the BLI RSD-15 was just sitting there, and why the Athern kept spinning even when the BLI started up. If you have some back issues of MR, look up a Product Review of any BLI or other loco with a QSI decoder. Find the speed curve figure, they show the speed curve against a ‘typical’ locomotive; it’s obvious why a QSI decoder equipped will not run with a non-decoder loco in DC.
When others were talking about running 2 or more locos together, they were assuming ones with similar operating characteristics. For example, running 2 Atherns together would usually work if they were built at a similar timeframe. Same for 2 locos with can motors. The best test is to put them on the track near each other but uncoupled. If one takes off and leaves the other, they probably will not play together well. If there is a small speed difference, you probably could work with this with the faster loco in front. In the test, be sure to run them facing the same way you would have them if they were coupled, and test them in both directions. One direction may be better then the other.
Well said G Paine. I still have a fleet of 9 C44-9W’s and 3 C40-8W’s that are mainly Athearn but some Bachmann that are DC. I prefer to run them together in twos or threes but if I have to mix the brands they’re fairly closely matched. I have run up to 6 locos together in a very long train but I have access to a layout with ~300’+ long mainlines and a huge yard.
If you go full DCC you can do things to make your locos work with each other so long as you have the time and patience.
Plain DC the simple solution is to run maker - of model - with maker… As in Kato with Kato and Athearn with Athearn. Broadly this will work. Experience will teach you that sometimes two GP40s from the same builder won’t like each other or will run better with one leading.
If you are aquiring older 2nd hand locos one thing to watch for is that some older Stewart and some older Atlas locos have either a non-descript chassis/frame or a Kato one. The Kato ones are usually better. They will also run with other Kato frames ( at least of the same era)[still talking model build NOT real loco]. The Kato frames have the same Kato logo moulded on both the trucks as straight kato locos have. If someone tries to tell you that scratch marks are where this has been scratched off smile sweatly and walk away with your cash. The Non-Kato frames aren’t usually bad but they won’t necessarily work with each other and they won’t work freely with Kato frames.
If you like to mix things up and wind up the cognosente you can sometimes switch a Kato frame from an older Atlas under a more recent Atlas and put the loco into a string of modern Katos. A chant of “That won’t work” will go up…
Not that I would dream of winding anyone up [}:)]
I have found that most Atlas-Kato-Athearn will run faily well with each other. Some will jump a little bit when starting, but 1:1 scale engines do that as well. Pulling along they should be just fine. The load should keep the slack stretched out. P2K runs a bit slower, due to the constant lighting circuits. These circuits take the first 2 volts or so and run the lights, then the motor gets juice.
The sound equipped units need to run with other sound equipped units on DC. On DCC, you can put them together with non-sound units.
Fantastic info gang, I do appreciate all the help. I have a lot to learn, but I am still having fun!