What is the point of dummy engines ? [:(!]
no moter !!! [:(!]
I HATE THEM !!! [:(!]
I HATE THEM !!! [:(!]
no moter !!! [:(!]
Easy way to make it look like you have more power.
No need to speed match motors, will match speed with anything they are hitched to.
Good for children that like to be the power of the train.
They may have a few other redeaming features, but they sure aren’t very good pullers.
Have fun,
Richard
(edited)
At least now you know what a “dummy engine” is - it is an engine without a motor (BTW - note the correct spelling of the word “motor”).
Dummy engines are quite a bit cheaper than engines with a motor, and they are used purely mainly for appearance - e.g. to make it look like you have two engines at the head of your train, even though only one of them is actually pulling, or to allow you to have more engines parked at an engine terminal, even though several of them are not runnable.
Stein
Don’t use them then. I have only two on my layout. Two F7B’s on behind a powered F3A and a powered F3B and F7B. Five F units looks like a lot of head-end power though only three are pulling.
Prototype Dummies:
Also called a “Steam Dummy” it is a steam engine dressed as a street car used to pull street cars without having to look like a steam engine.
Railroads also have “B” units which are full size locomotives sans the cab position.This is different from a SLUG which has no motor but draws its power from the locomotives that it is attached to. It is usually filled with weights of some sort to provide better traction.
Railroads also run remote units, which look like any other unit but are either operated from the ground, or may be attached elsewhere in the consist, providing distributed power. The old helpers were not really distributed power since they had their own engine crews.
Finally we get to my favorite: the New York City Subway. In the old days of the BMT and the IRT trains had both “Powered Cars” and “Trailer Cars”. They looked the same to the passengers (other than rail fans of course) but some cars were not powered, instead they struggled up the grades. Since the R-1s on the IND all cars were all powered. Some had only one motor per truck, but now all axles are powered.
Later they were set up in pairs with drawbars between them. Only the outside cabs were outfitted with operating controls. The inside cabs had the door controls only. While both cars are powered the share certain equipment, ie. the air compressor was only aboard the odd numbered cars. (or vice verssa, the LION cannot remember such details–detail being at de other end of de cat.) Now the cars are delivered in four and five car sets, permanently coupled, and generally run in consists of eight or ten cars depending on the line upon which they are being used.
LION used to use two powered locomotives with one dummy B unit in the middle, all coupled by draw bars, and all three units wired for power pickup.
Another good use for dummies on a model layout is for static display, perhaps in a shop or on a scrap line, or maybe just to be show off in the engine yard to make it
Rather odd way to start a thread that promotes good, helpful discussions don’t you think?
Anyway, for those of us that model diesels, dummy engines or “non-powered” scale locomotives offer a very nice option in the DCC-sound realm, since there is plenty of room for speakers.
I have a pair of Proto 2000 E7B locomotives that I plan on installing sound in using the new QSI Titan decoder and the new, popular “Low-Bass” speakers. I hope to replicate the sound of twin 567 diesels under the carbody.
Dummy engines also can provide:
- extra electrical pickup, improving reliability for the powered units
- space for electronics, sound equipment, etc.
They have their place…
Knowing that DUMMY engines are missing a MOTOR , I thought that you could use one of these.
Truck.
That’s cheating.[:-^]
I love them! Do not have to buy and install decoders for them! Far less expensive.
RMax
I like them because when I’m playing in my room the wheels don’t drag on the carpet.[:|]
I like them because when I’m playing in my room the wheels don’t drag on the carpet.[:|]
I have an old Proto 2000, Alco PA that I had installed a sound unit and put the speaker under the large fan. It also has a oscillating light package. The motor had died in the unit and and would be more expensive to replaced than buying another PA.
Here is a YouTube video of my sound PA heading a passenger train.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=UueRH2q3cuw
Prototype railroads frequently run double-headed consists, even when the power requirements don’t call for that much power. It provides the ability to turn the engines without the need of a turntable, wye or reverse loop. So, it’s a way of giving our model railroads a prototype look for less cost.
I’ve got 3 dummy engines on my layout, an F7A, an F7B and a GP9. They are all old Athearns, neutered rubber-band-drive models. I added sound-only decoders to all of them. The F7A uses a decoder with function outputs, so it’s got a headlight, too.
A F7 A-B-A consist looks sharp pulling a string of streamlined passenger cars. That’s the bottom line for me.
You know I felt the same way up to a few months ago. But I have changed my mind some what. Engines I have are pretty good pullers, my longer trains are between 30 to 45 cars can be pulled by just two engines.
So I have added a few dummy’s to my line up. They are cheaper inmost case. I have use one that the motor had failed and have not re-powered yet. There is no speed matching, no decoder to buy and do not draw any power so you can run more trains.
There are a few reasons.
Cuda Ken
Dummy engines is a waste of hobby dollars since most cost a tad less then a powered locomotive which is ten times ten better then a dummy since you can consist them or run 'em solo.A dummy needs to be pulled like a freight car.IMHO they’re fit for one thing-locomotives in a scrap line.