Non-powered engines

Vitto,

 

I have a number of William F Units, one A unit powered the other A unit unpowered ,a Weaver RS-11 powered and unpowered unit and MTH transfer diesel powered and unpowered units that I will kitbash to represent EJ&E Baldwin center cabs.

 

If you need additional powered units to pull a long heavy trains up grades multiple power units should be considered and with multiple power units you can always run them a single locomotive freight/passenger trains.

 

I am considering is to illuminate the headlights and number boards on the dummy A Williams units, for directional headlights, powered A and dummy A units, I will use the "E" unit in the powered A unit to control the headlight in both units, I plan on buying a matched pairs of male-female connectors with lead wires. The connector joint will be between the coupled joint of both locomotives, the number boards to be lite from center roller pickup on both units,at the present time I cam considering changing all lighting to LED's.  

 

If you can justify purchasing two power units I would buy them, powering up a dummy unit requires purchasing an E unit, motors and sound system,if required, is costly and requires installation time. Also the question of compatibly of E units and sequencing forward, neutral and reverse in units powered up with existing power units can be a major issue for running multiple locomotives in a train.

I have several non-powered units that I run. It just depends on how big your layout is, do you have any grades, and how many cars do you want to pull. Most average sized layouts/trains don't need the extra powered unit.

You might want to consider whether you would have a use for the motors and the PS2 or PS3 electronics to upgrade another loco.  The difference in price between a powered & an unpowered unit might be cheaper than buying those.  You can swap the trucks, and swap the side plates on the trucks, as well as the electronics.

I really like the look of a multi-unit consist despite the fact that my train lengths do not warrant it.   While I prefer having powered units I do have, and use, a dummy GP 38-2.  

 

The main reason for this is that I prefer having sound in all my locomotives as well as the added flexibility of using any locomotive as a single unit.

 

As for the cost, I can justify it because my layout is very small and I have limited myself to no more than four, 4-axel, locomotives from any of the following roads; Canadian Pacific, Canadian National or Ontario Northland.    To further reduce the urge to buy and keep costs down, I only run MTH locomotives.

my steepest grade is a 4 inch rise over about 12-13 feet, so whatever % that is, I don't know.  I usually never pull more than 15 cars but that is because I only own 22 cars right now plus 4 cabooses.  If I have this right, 2 powered engines can be put together in a lashup and probably pull my house down the street.  I am leaning towards buying the 2 powered engines since the price difference is only about $105 and then I can control both engines with my remote. 

Once you realize you're essentially buying an expensive box car when going the non-powered route, you can feel better that you moved forward with both eyes wide open.

 

In recent years the importers have really "dumbed down" the non-powered units.  With few exceptions, no sound... no smoke... no electro-couplers.  Next thing to go will be lights.  

 

But I suppose if you can get past all of this and you're still OK with them, they do admittedly serve an esthetic purpose if you don't really need the power.

 

David

Good analysis.  Years ago, when most dummy units had more features, they could more readily be included in a lashup.  However, nowadays with most dummies not having electro-couplers, that can't be done as easily if the dummy unit is the trailing unit.  

 

David

If you are running a dummy engine with an engine lash-up you might need more power to pull the dummy unit as it weighs almost what two or three boxcars weigh.

From my experience I would buy the extra powered unit and not the dummy.

 

Just some FYI; Williams by Bachmann has quit making dummy or unpowered engines, the claim is that it costs almost as much for them to make an unpowered unit as it does a powered unit. WBB says buy a second powered unit!

 

Lee Fritz

If there is a dummy produced with a powered unit I buy it.  If I ever decide not to use it there is always a market for these and with them producing less of these they are becoming harder to find but having a dummy is a great way to have a double heading look with a lot less expense.  These dummies that are lit look just like the power units and I double head every diesel I have.

Ive turned dummys into powered units, then If I want to run two trains I can because

Ive got two powered units, instead of dragging around a dummy

I don't know about Williams but a Lionel or MTH dummy cost about 170-220 bucks where powered units are 400-450 and even more if you buy Lionel so I don't see where you are only spending 105 bucks extra for another power unit.

I like the multiple powered units when I can have them.  However, if you have a un-powered dummy that you'd like to light and possibly have smoke as well, the Minatronics Micro Mini Connectors make a great way to connect them and they're small enough not to be as obnoxious as many standard tethers.  The four pin model would support directional lights and smoke if desired.

I can see possibly wanting smoke or sound in all your units, but trailing units don't run with the lights on anyway.

"Williams by Bachmann has quit making dummy or unpowered engines"

 

The new WBB 2014 catalog lists unpowered units.

They do on my RR.

 

Popi

 

I have done just the opposite where I turned Proto 1 power units into dummies so I don't have 3 numbers of Proto 1 engines I can't run together.  I can't justify upgrading all the Proto 1's I have so most of them are now dummy units so they can see the track.  Either way seems to work depending on the person

I run 3 powered PS-1 locomotives. I love the sound of all of them going at the same time, and when all three's horns blow or bells ring I really like the effect.  One is even wired to start off backwards just for MUs.  The best part is it also gives me 3 separate locomotives for 3 trains if I'm not doing a MU.  So I'm all for getting powered units over dummies.

Several have commented about the dummies coming with or without electrical parts. Has there been a 'norm' over the last 10 years or so?  We have a couple of dummies that are both ways - I much prefer the lighted ones and am sorely disappointed with a Lionel Legacy GP7 that listed for slightly less than $300 and it has NOTHING!

 

What is 'Legacy' about one like this????

I have purchased Williams powered and dummy units together. Rob a motor out of the powered unit. install it in the dummy, add a rectifier and run them together or run them seperatly as two trains.

I have several dummy diesel units.  I like to run them to simulate mid train helpers.  It is easy to put them into the middle or at the end of a freight train.

 

I think it all depends on how you intend to operate your railroad and the comparative cost of a dummy versus a powered unit.  I think that the it really doesn't make sense to buy a dummy unit if the cost is close to that of a powered unit.

 

Joe 

 

 

I like dummy units for the fact that I add detailed cab interiors in them... something you can't do with the powered units since most of them have the china drive syndrome and a motor seems to take up most of the cab.

The first time you get your two (or more) power units out of sync in an MU configuration, you'll know why sometimes dummies make sense.   You can peel off the traction tires (or worse) in a heartbeat when that happens.

 

 I just do a wrap-around and hide the motor and put the cab figures on the side with the cab lights.  Not as nice as a full cab, but better than seeing a motor through the windows.

Thanks for all of the replies.  After thinking about, I bought the two MTH Railking powered units item #30-20084-1.  The cost of the two powered units was $105 more than the cost of a powered and non-powered unit.

A pretty good deal for for two motors, a smoke unit, and a PS3 control system installed don't you think?

I use dummy engines and have no problems and also some of these engines thats powered won't run good together. 

I bought one powered RK SD70M-2 last year and purchased a dummy and another powered this month (both SD70M-2).  May be a lot more than my future layout can handle, but at least now I have two command controlled engines!