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Reply to "Real Life Steam Double Heading"

Colorado, you have to grasp the concept that the throttle is nothing more than a POWER control, and has nothing to do with speed. Nothing has to be “synchronized” when two steam locomotives doublehead. Each engine will pull with whatever POWER level is set by the throttle. One locomotive might be pulling a bit harder on the train than the other, but they are not “synchronized” in any way.

Back in 1984, we doubleheaded the 765 with the 611. The 611 was in the lead. The reason for the doubleheader was just to move both locomotives from Bellevue, Ohio to Cincinnati on the same train, thus saving a crew and a few dollars. The train was light and the route was level, so there was no need for the doubleheader from an operations point of view. 611 did all the work and we just drifted the 765, working only enough steam to keep the cylinders lubed.

There was no slack running in and out, no “crack the whip” action anywhere, and no couplers banging. It was a nice, smooth ride.

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