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I recently got the MTH ACL F3A-F3A set 20-2088-1 (2088-MT) from fellow modeler John Black.  They came with ProtoSounds but I have converted one of them, ACL #341, to BPRC.

The 2nd A unit ACL #342 is a dummy, nothing can be done to make it run except get a new chassis with trucks and motors.  I still want to use it, but in it's current state there's no lights at all.

How were headlights, number boards, etc used on a helper engine?  No need lighting things up if they weren't used but I can't recall seeing any photos of the second/helper engines with any lights on.

Here's what they look like:

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Here's the helper #342:

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And #341, also need to diffuse the LED on each number board so they can be read.  Any ideas?

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These are nice diesels.  Overall appearance is on par with the Atlas F3A I have, but I did notice the trucks are about 1/8" shorter than the Atlas trucks.  The carbodies appear to be scale size.

Only thing I did was to remove the Protosounds electronics, the center rollers, and add Kadee couplers.  Still have hi-rail wheels but they run fine on the 2-rail code 148 track.

Any help on what to do about the lighting is appreciated.

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Bob Delbridge posted:

I guess I should have said "Double-Heading" vice lashup.

I read on another forum that only the "lead" unit would have lights lit, but it sounds like it depends on the RR in question.

I've got some ACL and SAL rule books but none of them say anything about lighting like this.

Thanks so far, let's see if any other chime in.

No, you were good to go with lashup.  Double-heading means two crews are required, whereas lashup means locomotives with compatible multiple unit (MU) capability are cable-connected so that one control stand operates all locomotives simultaneously.

Bob Delbridge posted:

I guess I should have said "Double-Heading" vice lashup.

No, this is not a double-header. As Bill Chaplik said, a true doubleheader is two locomotives, each with its own crew.

You should have used the term "Multiple Unit Consist." That's what this is and that's the term used in real railroading any time multiple units are "M-U'd" together to work as one.

"Lashup" is a toy train thing. Whenever I hear that term, I picture tying two locomotives together with a bunch of rope.

Last edited by Rich Melvin

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