Lionel PW Diesel slave engine mid Train

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I understand how to run to diesels coupled together at the head of the train by wiring the Eunits together.

But how do you run one Mid Train since that is more efficient and less likely to have derailing problems in curves…

Short of long wires.

Can you run the slave in the middle (and the lead, I suppose) with the E unit locked out and the engines in the direction you want? Thus only running the train in one direction?

This assumes that the two engines are paired for speed and pulling power closely.

Can this be successful without damaging the engines?

2

This would be the easiest method short of advanced radio control synchronization.

There will be no damage in this configuration.

3

Locking the E-units in one direction (forward obivously) is going to be the easiest way to do it, any other way is going to be a nightmare.

I can’t see how it might damage the engines. The only mishap you might have is the mid-consist “DPU” running faster than the lead engine and derailing the cars ahead of it. BUT, you’ll never know unless you try.

4

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I will try that when I get to my big layout in the spring.

5

May I suggest simply adding a non-powered “dummy” diesel unit to achieve the effect. Lionel made a slew of them in the late 80’s in different roadnames, and you could pick them up on the “cheap” while waiting to begin the layout.

6

Thanks for the idea. I have quite a few PW dummies that I can use.