I have an older HO-scale duplex DC locomotive for a two-motored locomotive, imported by Westside in 1978 (2-8-2+2-8-0): one motor powers the drivers under the boiler, and the other motor powers the drivers under the tender. Are there any specific caveats and suggestions one can offer for a DCC conversion? Thanks.
Mark
Typically you can run 2 motors off of one decoder, but when you start using features like BEMF, the decoder gets confused…
David B
It may be better to fit two decoders, one for each motor.
I think I’m in luck. I checked the loco out and it has two Canon can motors LB2N435G insulated from the frames. Perhaps two decoders should be used (one for each motor)?
Mark
I used only one 1 Amp continuous, 2 Amp peak load decoder wired in parallel in an Athearn dual-motor DD40AX HO scale model and have had no problems with overloading.
If the drivers are of different diameters, two decoders might be the better choice - unless they both run at the same speed without slipping (or when the 2-8-2 is separated from the powered tender.) They should have been designed to do that.
This is definitely one where the only real answer is, “Try it, and see what works.”
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)