Just wording why only Athearn makes dummy locomotives? Is there a market for them? I would love to fill out my fleet with some Atlas and/or Proto loco’s.
Burro Crane
Just wording why only Athearn makes dummy locomotives? Is there a market for them? I would love to fill out my fleet with some Atlas and/or Proto loco’s.
Burro Crane
I can’t speak of athearn but I have purchased several Atlas O scale dummies and installed a drive unit myself. The Atlas drives are garbage (IMO) and their truck detail is off (made wider for the 3-rail locos) so it is worth it to me to my the dummies and convert.
Many people want highly detailed dummies, but they would be expensive. Intermountain offers unpowered F units:
http://www.imrcmodels.com/ho/loco/holocrtr.htm
http://www.imrcmodels.com/ho/loco/holocf7.htm
For about $30- less than the powered ones. At that difference, they probably are making less profit percentage on the unpowered units.
For an HO locomotive, the manufacturer is paying around $5- for the high quality motor, around $5- for a DCC ready circuit board with LED lights, and around $5- for all the drivetrain parts (gears, flywheels, shafts, etc).
In the past, Athearn for example, had one piece shells, added horn, and customer installed hand rails. Percentage wise, they had a large amount in the motor and drivetrain parts, so unpowered models made sense. Today, all those seperate details cost a great deal.
In an older MR issue, there was a cartoon; a hobbiest at the cash register in train store; the caption read something like: ‘okay that will $19.95 for the locomotive, and $367.24 for the detail parts, decals and paint’ And then the hobbiest had to do the assembly work. Today, w
Some people want multiple-unit lash-ups, but don’t want the additional current draw. Or, they’re using the dummies to hide sound units. Others, are using them…to add additional power pickups to short-wheelbase units. For example, on my railroad, I had an old Athearn S12 that had some power issues. It was permanently coupled to a dummy SW1500 that I’d fitted with metal wheels, and wired into the S12’s power circuit…to create an 8-axle “locomotive.” Worked fairly well…until the S12’s motor finally went.
I myself being in HO scale use Athearn Dummy locos as extra power without the current draw and i also use them as extra units for looks in the yard since there half the price of a reg Athearn. They are also easier and fun to weather and if you want it powered just swich shells with a powered unit. Saves money that way at least it works for me anyway.
Stewart used to make some dummies. I think all the original FTBs were dummies.
Certainly not an answer to the question, but I will also add that when faced with the 4-wheel pickup of Hobbytown locos of the old days; I added Athearn “dummied” rubber band drive units with a drawbar so that I could have 12 wheel pickup. I was able to add all the lead I wanted in the Hobbytown unit.
Nowadays, I’m happy to buy the all-wheel pickup locos that are pretty much the standard because it’s nice to be able to mix-n-match units. However, I suppose that I could drawbar a couple of the present locos just to get 16 (or 24) wheel pickup just for absolutely wonderful pickup. I’d probably never have to clean the wheels on those locos again. If I did it, it’d probably be with an AB set (or two) of F’s–in particular, maybe my Walthers 4-unit GN passenger set–it’s not like they’re ever going to be run any other way than by themselves.
Ed
I wish they made “dummy locos” that were as simple as cars, but as detailed as “real locos”, simply because. As a home hobbyist. The modern locos can pull trains as long as I can place in a room by themselves. I have 52’ of track in one room. And 117’ of track in another. I use .modern diesels, most locos will pull 50 cars or more. I want my trains to look “real” with .ore than one loco. But I am sick of consisting issues. Walthers Mainline uses a speedmatching system that doesnt allow simple (cv2,6,and 5) consisting to work. On my new layout I used Broadway Unlimeted Ac 6000’s, 3 of them. And am having issues with BEMF allowing consists. If I turn it off. Speed step 1 is @scale 20mph. This train will be 30-40 cars. Which could be pulled by one loco, easily. $$$$, that is why. And it is $$$ that is going to…China! I just want my son to have a nice train. He loves the trains that run through my town. With 2-3 cool looking locos pulling them. That, combined cost @$750. And will take me a year, of internet searches, talking to you good people, on the forums, to figure out how to make them run together. Also, if I may vent. Why do I pay good money for Peco turnouts. That I have to rely on you good people, through YouTube videos, and forums. To tell me how to fix?