I run two to three diesels on DC all the time.If they run the same speed or close you are all right.
Somewhere along the line, we have started equating something you CAN do with somethign you HAVE to do. Not sure who or where this started. Yes, with DCC you can fine tune the exact speed a given locos runs on every individual speed step. But this is absolutely NOT required to be able to successfully MU locos. With variable DC to the rails, we never did this - there was the occasional article on adding some diodes to slow down a particularly fast loco, but for the most part you put them on the track and they just ran. Unless you used all-metal couplers and they were a pair of Athearns back to back - which is still an issue with DCC. It is absolutely NOT true that two or more locos must run EXACTLY in lockstep to work well in a consist - DC or DCC. Close is good enough.
–Randy
rockislandnut,
Nothing is regeared, only a rare few are rewired. As Randy pointed out, locos need not run at exactly the same speed to successfully double head or “MU” them. Most of my diesels are sets of “matched units” because of the era I model and what was common practice at that time - examples - EMD F3 ABBA set, ALCO FA1 - ABBA set, or 3-4 EMD GP7’s, etc. In those early days sets of diesels like that stayed coupled and were treated as a single “locomotive”, especially since it took about 3 F3’s to equal a Mikado or four to equal a Berkshire.
BUT, as you will see explained below, I even double or triple head steam locos of mixed brands and wheel arrangements.
As long as they are close in speed and starting voltage, it usually works fine. I don’t want to start a DCC vs DC debate any more than this thread has already become, but it is a myth that you NEED DCC to run multiple powered units.
Sure some combinations simply will not run together, but in many cases those are combinations that likely would have never been done in real life anyway. And yes, some brands of diesels have wildly different gear ratios from others making those combinations not a good idea. But it seems like common sense to me, DCC or DC, to buy all the same brand where possible for diesel locos that will be run in se
Sheldon, thank you for that last post as a lot of that I did not know and I used to be a DC modeler for over 30 years until 12 years ago when I changed to DCC. My DCC layout is very small compared to yours as since it was a new layout and I did not have any more DC of anything left ( 6 year gap ) I started it out with DCC.
You people have a lot of good advice DC or DCC ( even If I get grumpy and disagree sometimes [:D] ) so this old 75 year old says keep up the good work. [Y]
I don’t know that anyone thinks DCC is required to run multiple units. The big myth is that they must run in lockstep perfectly matched at each and every speed to be MUed. Or that you need to do that for DCC whereas with DC it didn;t matter. Truth being, close is good enough for DC or DCC.
–Randy