Newbie Question - Multiple Locomotives
Rob Asbury
I'm new to model railroading and I'm currently collecting pieces for a small
N-scale layout (I have the Kato K-1 track set, Kato SD80MAC locomotive in
Norfolk Southern markings, and a few cars). My question is how do you model
trains with a locomotive in the front and one or more behind the lead
locomotive that are "backwards." I've heard of dummy locomotives - is that
how you do it (use an unpowered version)? If so, I haven't seen any for
sale. My theme is N-scale modern Norfolk Southern.
Also, why do they run some locomotives in reverse in the first place? Your
help is kindly appreciated.
Best regards,
Rob
South Carolina
Joe Ellis
<EAS...@sc.rr.com> wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I'm new to model railroading and I'm currently collecting pieces for a small
>N-scale layout (I have the Kato K-1 track set, Kato SD80MAC locomotive in
>Norfolk Southern markings, and a few cars). My question is how do you model
>trains with a locomotive in the front and one or more behind the lead
>locomotive that are "backwards."
Well, all you have to do is turn the locomotive around and put it on the
track. Conventional DC locomotives will go the same direction on the track
no matter which direction they are facing when DC power is applied.
I've heard of dummy locomotives - is that
>how you do it (use an unpowered version)? If so, I haven't seen any for
>sale. My theme is N-scale modern Norfolk Southern.
Nope. There are a _few_ dummy units available in N scale, but 99% of them
are powered. That's one of the reasons N scalers run long trains...
because we _can_. <grin>
>
>Also, why do they run some locomotives in reverse in the first place? Your
>help is kindly appreciated.
So that they don't have to turn them around at the end of the run. You
walk from one cab to the other, put your MU'd units on the new train, and
go. <<grin>>
--
"What it all comes to is that the whole structure of space flight as it stands
now is creaking, obsolecent, over-elaborate, decaying. The field is static; no,
worse than that, it's losing ground. By this time, our ships ought to be
sleeker and faster, and able to carry bigger payloads. We ought to have done
away with this dichotomy between ships that can land on a planet, and ships
that can fly from one planet to another." - Senator Bliss Wagoner
James Blish - _They Shall Have Stars_ http://home.mindspring.com/~filker/
Andy Harman
wrote:
>locomotive that are "backwards." I've heard of dummy locomotives - is that
>how you do it (use an unpowered version)? If so, I haven't seen any for
>sale. My theme is N-scale modern Norfolk Southern.
>
>Also, why do they run some locomotives in reverse in the first place? Your
>help is kindly appreciated.
Any modern diesel locomotive pulls just as well in "reverse" as it
does forward. And the good news is, there is no trick to doing it
with a model. If you are running a regular DC setup, just put the
locos on the track facing whichever way you want them to. They will
run in the direction of the current flow, regardless which way they
are facing. Try it. If you use DCC, then you need to set them up as
a consist, and in doing so part of the process is to tell the system
which way each loco faces so they will all run together.
Many times a railroad will assembled a loco consist back to back, or
if more than two, the ones at the ends will face opposite directions.
This is so the consist can be run back in the opposite direction
without turning, since most facilities don't have turnarounds of any
kind. Or, if you are the N&W or NS, you run whatever you got,
whatever way it's facing - even the lead unit.
Andy
----------------------------------------------------
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Visit the RPM Web Page at http://www.rpmrail.org
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----------------------------------------------------
Gavin Miller
At least you have started well! A Kato SD80MAC - GREAT choice, great
runner.
I have a couple of SD90MACs - LOVE 'EM.
If you only have one loco at the moment you can test what Joe and Andy have
said about putting models on the rails "back-to-back" by running your Kato
along the track(say) "westbound". Stop. Lift it off the rails and rerail
it in the opposite direction. Turn the throttle up. It still runs
"westbound". The only way it will reverse direction and run "eastbound" is
if you flip the reversing switch on your throttle. EVERY loco you put on
the track together will run in the same direction.
Kind regards
Gavin Miller
in Perth, Western Australia
http://users.bigpond.net.au/miller_site/Gavin_index.html
"Rob Asbury" <EAS...@sc.rr.com> wrote in message
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