Dummy diesels and R/C for n-scale

[Scottl]

My fleet of Kato, Atlas and a few FVM locomotives are about half converted to DCC.  I'm in no rush to convert the remainder due to the cost, but in the mean time, I am considering taking out the transmission links and motor to leave them as dummies.  My layout is essentially without grades, and a single locomotive can pull the trains easily.  I figure I can always put the parts back in and add a decoder if and when I want to, and I pair up locomotives anyway so it poses no operational issues.  Will this work?  The gears seem free-moving enough.

Another reason I am contemplating this is that I want to experiment with battery/r-c control.  I plan to try to modify (cut back) a separate frame to make room for batteries and the R/C receiver in the dummy locomotive, and then link the power to the other locomotive in order to have a operational combined system.  The costs and viability of this approach are getting very reasonable and allow me to operate with my existing DCC system, and with my regular DCC locomotives.  The Tam Valley Tx and Rx DCC boards look ideal.  Has anyone done this?

[C855B]

A couple of things - the weight of "dummied" locos might be an issue, and even if you pull out all the idler gears in the trucks as well, the rolling friction is going to be significant relative to needle-bearing rolling stock, especially the starting friction. I'm in the middle of changing wheelsets in some older Katos, and am a bit surprised by how bad the rolling resistance is without a motor on top to push things along.

Since it's not a huge amount of work to gut a loco like this, try a couple of any brand and see for yourself.

[Scottl]

I've wondered about the resistance too, but I agree there is little to lose by trying it.  I have an Atlas SD50 fully apart for degreasing so I might start with that.  The shell is a cowl unit so there is lots of room for batteries, and Atlas locos have been the most finicky with track power amongst my fleet.

[babbo_enzo]

Another reason I am contemplating this is that I want to experiment with battery/r-c control.  The Tam Valley Tx and Rx DCC boards look ideal.  Has anyone done this?

Consider the dimensions , in particular of the battery pack....
I don't think any existing system can fit in any N scale model... today

[Scottl]

I think I have a suitable battery that I can get up to 12V with a converter.  Run time should be about 30-45 minutes, which is plenty for me.

[Missaberoad]

The latest MR has an article on "dead rail" and the editorial mentions having trouble fitting all the RC/power components in a HO FP45...
It would be interesting to see what you have in mind, I agree that pairing a cowl slave with a power unit would be your best bet in N...

[ryan_wilkerson]

I have a couple dummy units. One is an Intermountain SD45-2 that never worked well so I removed the motor and most of the driveline. I upgraded the wheels to the Kato wheels but I haven't run it on a layout yet. I plan to use it as the middle unit of three. I'm going to do the same with an Intermountain F7B between a pair of F7A units. That should have no problem with the amount of weight and pulling power they have. I do like the look of a 3 to 5 unit lashup so putting a dummy or two in the mix seems reasonable. But I haven't tried running yet!

[Scottl]

The battery is the kicker for size and fit, and it depends on what you want for run time.  If I get 30 minutes of operation, I consider that a session based on what I do.  That allows me to use a single cell Li-Po (3.7V) battery to save space, and a voltage booster to bring it up to 12V for the DCC decoder.  A 400 mAh battery will be about 100 mAh-12V equivalent, less some losses.  The dimensions of the batter will fit in an SD50 with the CN cowl shell on it, assuming I remove much of the frame.  The rest of the circuits are small and will fit as well.  It will require two fine gauge wires from the dummy unit to the powered unit, which will require some micro plugs to allow separation of the two.  Charging the battery will be easy as the shell comes off and the wheels won't be powered.  Just plug it in with a proper Li-Po charger. Better yet for safety, make the battery easy to remove and charge in a safe location as they have some risks.

I ordered a spare frame from Atlas to replace the one I am carving up.  That way if the experiment goes bust, I can return to the original state.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Scott sounds like a great plan. One of my mates took the guts out of a Bachmann Dash 8 and uses it as a pusher behind his coal train. Looks good and works a treat.
Good luck with the battery R/C program that is sure pushing the boundaries.
Rod.

[Scottl]

Thanks Rod, I'll test it as a dummy unit first to see how it affects operation, and then try the R/C approach.  Dead rail is kind of neat.

[craigolio1]

I'm very interested in both your dead rail and dummy experiments.

I have many locos and my road freights will be in lash ups of three usually. If I could dummy the lead units to accommodate lighting and massive speaker enclosures, I could then use middle units with just power, and this would greatly simplify decoder installs.  It would also improve the sound big time.

Craig.

[Scottl]

That is another good reason to think about this.  I'll report back very soon.

[trainforfun]

I made some dummy locos using parts from Atlas stock inventory sale . The reason was to put a 4 axles loco on the end of a 6 axles locos lash up that tend to push the first car of the train out of the curves .
They are very free rolling , if you leave them on a slope you will retrieve them at the bottom of the hill .
I did GP35 , 38 and 40 . The parts from Atlas are very affordable .

[Scottl]

Thanks, that is good to know.  When I get a moment I'll do some rolling tests this weekend with the SD50.

[Loren Perry]

I've been running an A-B-A set of Kato E-9's for several years with the B unit being converted into a dummy and its unused power transmission equipment stored in a baggage car. Zero problems. The consist pulls a twelve-car Kato U.P. streamliner around my layout beautifully.

On the other hand, I converted my older plain-bearing Kato ATSF F-7 A-B-B-A set into a consist with both B units as dummies and used it to pull my twelve-car imported brass Super Chief passenger train. No problems until the train encountered a long two percent grade at which time the engines started slipping. This was due to the heavy weight of the all-brass train. I've since re-powered the two B units and that solved the problem. But now I've replaced the brass train with a lightweight Kato version of the same train (with interior lighting.) I haven't reverted back to dummy B units but I think the consist with two dummy B units would now be able to drag the train upgrade without slipping.

As for brass passenger cars, they present some problems. I have some beautiful older Pecos River Brass ATSF heavyweights and my modified and ballasted Brass 4-8-4's really feel their weight on grades.