Hi there guys, noobie nscaler here, though building my current layout, Southern RR in NC foothills, Asheville (complete with Spencer yard), & a Virginia coal mine is giving me grand experience & a lot of fun & relaxation.
Basically, I have several 3% grades which will likely host some fairly long trains, & I am anticipating needing 2 maybe 3 tandem engines to pull, plus I love the look as I glimpsed 4 & 5 tandems growing up in Marion NC.
Do the engines run in tandem need to be identical makes? Or can I mix & match?
I’m very inexperienced here & am worried an engine with more power pushing up against a weaker engine may lead to a burnout quick. For example, I have a beautiful highnose Atlas GP38-2 I’ve just finished weathering, do I need to invest in another identical? Or can I pick up that SD9 I’ve been eyeing?
Any help greatly appreciated
Just FYI, running DCC Zephyr Digitrax system, code 80 track
Thanks guys
Lee
The newer Atlas locomotives have, what they refer to as, prototypical speed motors. As a result, they run at a slower speed than their older models and those from other manufacturers.
In the pasts, I’ve run a GP7 as a helper for my Overland Models turbine. I bought a new SD24 and they won’t run together at all. the turbine pulls better with no helper than it does coupled to the SD24.
I use DCC as my operating system and can’t speed match the consist. Depending how old your GP38-2 is, you may have to find somthing of the same vintage to match it with.
I don’t want to rain on your parade, but it’s better to know what’s going on up front, than to find out the hard way like I did.
With the development of DCC this subject doesn’t get covered much anymore but in the olden days . . . . .!
Determine which of two locomotives is the faster - they do not have to be the same make. Place the faster of the two on the track behind the slower leaving a gap between the two. Couple a handful of cars behind the faster unit and apply power; keep adding cars behind this initially faster unit until the weight of the train causes it to begin running slower than the (formerly) slower unit. Add one more car, couple up the two locomotives, and away you go.
Wow, I wish I had thought of Poteet’s system. I used to put the faster one in front and let the slower one provide both an anchor (for the fast engine) and power ( when the faster one started slipping ).
If you are running the DCC system you metioned, you should be able to set different speed steps into each loco (individual fine tuning) to where they run pretty much at the same speeds, even though they are running at different DCC speed settings.
You might post a question in the DCC technical forum to see how you would do this, but I’ll bet you will get it solved one way or the other. Good luck!
I run in DC in N-scale and have successfully run up to four locos, but typically run three. The three are from same manufacturer (Atlas) - two of them SD35’s and one GP35. While the SD35’s are from the same manufacturing run, the GP35 is from the same manufacturing era and thus has the same motor. They all don’t run at the exact same speed, but are close enough. Even purchasing the same units won’t guarantee motors that will run exactly the same. There will always likely be a slight difference, but usually not enough to cause any issues.
I have some Life Like locos that are geared significantly slower than the Atlas units, so I can’t mix them together.
I place the fastest unit in the lead and work back (fast to slow). I speed tested them against each other in both directions (after break-in). Believe it or not, some units will run a little slower/faster in different directions.
You have to take into account that some older Atlas models have faster running motors than the newer “scale speed” motors they’ve used for the last 3 years.
I’ll throw the DCC grenade…
You can speed match any locomotive to any other using the speed CV’s if you’re running DCC.
If you’re not, you can try rubbing two sticks together…[:D]
Lee
Lee, since you are running DCC, the problem of running different units could be solved. Hopefully, all your locos will have the same starting speed & speed curve. This should solve the problem of the electric motors with different RPM & different speed gearing. In DC, I usually get 2-3 locos of the same type & make to run together. I make it standard practice to run 2-3+ units on a road train.
It appears with a 3% grade, you need some haulers. I’d suggest checking out some LL FA1’s or FA2’s. They have a great split frame motor & weight to pull any train. You could also check out MTL’s FT’s. You could try IM’s FT, F3, F7 models. Too bad the Kato F’s only come painted in Western roadnames. You could “lease” a set of CB&Q’s??