It depends. I usually use three 4 axle units on trains longer than 35 cars. If I am running P2K SD60's then up to 50-55 cars will get 2 of them. Above 55 then 3. My Athearn GE dash 9's can't pull as much as the SD60's so anything above 45-50 rates 3. Phil
help decieding on ho diesel engine
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It depends. I usually use three 4 axle units on trains longer than 35 cars. If I am running P2K SD60's then up to 50-55 cars will get 2 of them. Above 55 then 3. My Athearn GE dash 9's can't pull as much as the SD60's so anything above 45-50 rates 3. Phil
I have a lot of Athearn blue box units (old), that I've added weight and several got re-motored. I also added weight to my Genesis SD70M's, which improved their tracking and tractive effort. It is difficult to add weight to the newer engines due to the elctronics. Phil
I've installed Ernst regear sets in Athearn blue box engines, and added weight. The lower gearing relieves the strain on the electric motor from the added weight. The down side to this is they are noisier, and their top end is about 40 scale mph. They work great as dedicated helpers.
Is the diesel locomotive for freight service? Is it for a heavy main-line type freight or lighter branch line. What time period are we talking about here? Did you want it to match the time period of the passenger engine?
There is a big difference between the diesels of the 1940s and the diesels of te 1980s and now.
no we just think its cool looking + if you blow it up its an excuse to upgrade the motor 
Well I actually need to run 4 'big GE's' on my layout when I run my 60 car double stack train. 2 8-40CW's on the head end, a robotized 8-40CW in the middle, and an 8-40CW for a tail end remote...
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It depends. I usually use three 4 axle units on trains longer than 35 cars. If I am running P2K SD60's then up to 50-55 cars will get 2 of them. Above 55 then 3. My Athearn GE dash 9's can't pull as much as the SD60's so anything above 45-50 rates 3. Phil
I have a lot of Athearn blue box units (old), that I've added weight and several got re-motored. I also added weight to my Genesis SD70M's, which improved their tracking and tractive effort. It is difficult to add weight to the newer engines due to the elctronics. Phil
I've installed Ernst regear sets in Athearn blue box engines, and added weight. The lower gearing relieves the strain on the electric motor from the added weight. The down side to this is they are noisier, and their top end is about 40 scale mph. They work great as dedicated helpers.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
I regularly added weight to my Athearn blue box engines which I still use 25+ years later to reduce wheel slip. I didn't add weight to my Kato or P2K units because they don't have room and they are heavier to begin with. I always use 2 or more engines because it's more prototypical. For me it's not a stress factor; I have no grades. I match like units because they generally have the same characteristics; 2 Athearn GP50's or 2 Kato SD40-2's for example. All of my engines negotiated 18" curves and #4 turnouts on my old layout, although a few Kato's had to have KD long shank couplers on them, 36 or 38's if I recall correctly. My newest layout has minimum 28" radius curves so I don't have that problem any more. I have never had to re-motor or re-gear any of my older Athearns that I added weight to. Lately, the only Athearn units that I have had to add weight to are CF7's. I limit train lengths to 20-22 cars + 2-3 engines anyway since that's the length of my staging tracks.
willie
willie
trailrider
Well-Known Member
I previously posted my liking for Proto2000 E-units. I have to retract that! My initial experience was with an F7A/B, DCC + sound, and with several E6's. All run great, even with the E's m.u.'d. No complaints there.
One of my E6's I kitbashed into a Burlington E5, by simply adding corregated siding below the windows and a few other details. I didn't modify the engine room windows, which are smaller on the E5 than on the E6's, but only a true "Q" officianato will notice.
I wanted a second powered unit to run with the E5, and the Proto2000 units available were E7A/A's with a different paint scheme. But I bought them, and another one. For awhile one ran okay with the E5. But then one of the E8/9 or E7's (I forget which), burned out the decoder. Cause? Another did the same thing. Ran fine for awhile and then simply shorted out somewhere and that was that. The third ran fine for awhile and then began to derail at turnouts, and even on straight track! I checked the gage on the wheels and found one totally out of gage. I disassembled the bottom of the truck and found that the half-axle was wobbling in an enlarged hole in the gear. Temporarily fixed that, but it still keeps derailsing!!!
Caboose Hobbies in Denver can't fix the electrical problems, so I'm contacting Walthers, but in the meantime I'm having to pull my Zephyrs with the F7's. That would be fine, but the paint scheme is for freight units. (I know, there were times when that was done. I could repaint them, but they don't have steam generators. Fortunately, I have a kitbashed combine that I fixed up long ago with the steam generator section from a dummy Athearn F as a HEP car. If it weren't for wanting sound, I'd just run my Blue Box Athearn PA's chassis with the Burlington Bachman shells I fixed up long ago!
One of my E6's I kitbashed into a Burlington E5, by simply adding corregated siding below the windows and a few other details. I didn't modify the engine room windows, which are smaller on the E5 than on the E6's, but only a true "Q" officianato will notice.
I wanted a second powered unit to run with the E5, and the Proto2000 units available were E7A/A's with a different paint scheme. But I bought them, and another one. For awhile one ran okay with the E5. But then one of the E8/9 or E7's (I forget which), burned out the decoder. Cause? Another did the same thing. Ran fine for awhile and then simply shorted out somewhere and that was that. The third ran fine for awhile and then began to derail at turnouts, and even on straight track! I checked the gage on the wheels and found one totally out of gage. I disassembled the bottom of the truck and found that the half-axle was wobbling in an enlarged hole in the gear. Temporarily fixed that, but it still keeps derailsing!!!
Caboose Hobbies in Denver can't fix the electrical problems, so I'm contacting Walthers, but in the meantime I'm having to pull my Zephyrs with the F7's. That would be fine, but the paint scheme is for freight units. (I know, there were times when that was done. I could repaint them, but they don't have steam generators. Fortunately, I have a kitbashed combine that I fixed up long ago with the steam generator section from a dummy Athearn F as a HEP car. If it weren't for wanting sound, I'd just run my Blue Box Athearn PA's chassis with the Burlington Bachman shells I fixed up long ago!
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
I just read through the whole thread and never saw it stated what sort of service the locomotive is for. I see a passenger engine mentioned, but not what type.
Is the diesel locomotive for freight service? Is it for a heavy main-line type freight or lighter branch line. What time period are we talking about here? Did you want it to match the time period of the passenger engine?
There is a big difference between the diesels of the 1940s and the diesels of te 1980s and now.
hamltnblue
Active Member
Not everyone does. In many cases a single loco might pull the train you have but 2 simply looks better.
A great Diesel Loco would be the GP38, or GP40/ GP40-2.
They are decent pullers, are 4 axle and look good consisted.
I frequently run 3 mu'd at the club pulling a 30 car train.
A great Diesel Loco would be the GP38, or GP40/ GP40-2.
They are decent pullers, are 4 axle and look good consisted.
I frequently run 3 mu'd at the club pulling a 30 car train.
trailrider
Well-Known Member
I am really upset with those Proto2000 POS's! I've had them short out going through Shinohara turnouts, gears that have the axle holes out of line, resulting in wheel wobble, fried this and buggered that! The only ones that work okay (for the moment) are the F7A/B unit, as I stated before. I e-mailed Walthers, but their customer service dept isn't open on weekends, so I will try to call them and see if they will fix them. Meanwhile, I have one E6 that still works, and have put the kitbashed E5 shell on that. Sound it great, but it doesn't seem worth the trouble compared to my old reliable DC steamers and diesels.
Red over yellow ahead!
Red over yellow ahead!
aviserated
Member
Just received my Athearn HO SD70M-2 (dcc with sound) in the modern Norfolk Southern Black paint. My MTH HO SD70M-2 (dcc with sound) will pull more weight than the Athearn. I like both the Athearn and the MTH equally well.
Last edited by a moderator:
aviserated
Member
Edit above post #29
After spending more time with my Athearn I am starting to like it just as well as the MTH. The Athearns DCC sound (engine revs) better matches its throttle input. With the MTH the sound lags behind the actuall throttle input and movement of locomotive.
After spending more time with my Athearn I am starting to like it just as well as the MTH. The Athearns DCC sound (engine revs) better matches its throttle input. With the MTH the sound lags behind the actuall throttle input and movement of locomotive.
I'm just starting layout #10!
I've not bought any of the new RTR stuff - yet...
On my temporary loop, I just cleaned up a 20 year old Kato GP35. Could not believe how smooth and strong it is!! So quiet, I decided to install DCC/sound! Worked out well!
If you can find them, old Kato's are really good value, and great performers!
I found one on eBay for $40.00.
(NOTE: NOTHING on eBay that wasn't hand-built, is rare!!! Just the more ignorant people feeding on the gullible!)
Carmine, modeling the HO Scale Pacific Belt RR since 1975!
I've not bought any of the new RTR stuff - yet...
On my temporary loop, I just cleaned up a 20 year old Kato GP35. Could not believe how smooth and strong it is!! So quiet, I decided to install DCC/sound! Worked out well!
If you can find them, old Kato's are really good value, and great performers!
I found one on eBay for $40.00.
(NOTE: NOTHING on eBay that wasn't hand-built, is rare!!! Just the more ignorant people feeding on the gullible!)
Carmine, modeling the HO Scale Pacific Belt RR since 1975!
blackz28
Well-Known Member
stress on the locos?/lol
no we just think its cool looking + if you blow it up its an excuse to upgrade the motor trailrider
Well-Known Member
Well, I finally got an email from Walthers, and will package and ship my P2k's for repair. Not sure if I can find the receipts, so I'll probably have to pay for the repairs, but they aren't doing me any good in the drawer!
Today I double-headed C.B.&Q. M2 #6200 and C&S E5 #910 (my two stretched Mantua 2-10-2's) with 13 cars plus the waycar (caboose), up the 3 percent grade with curves at each end. Can't run many more boxcars on my layout or the train will stretch from Illinois to Denver!. I can do just about the same with my "Q" M4 (2-10-4). If it looks like slipping, I can tack one of the M2 on as a helper, but usually not necessary. In actual fact the only mechanical difference between the 2-10-2's and the 2-10-4's is the trailing truck and the super details characteristic of the class of locomotive. Center drivers are all blind, and shimmed up off the rail tops about .010-.015" to prevent catching when coming out of a curve. But two hogs look great pulling up that grade! For diesels, I seldom run fewer than two powered units and sometimes two powered and a dummy (for looks). OTOH, with those P2K's in the shop and only one E5 to pull the Denver Zephyr, I picked up an Intermountain FP7 with DCC/sound to boost the E5 with those aluminum passenger cars up the hill. The FP is a Northern Pacific passenger, but the Q sometimes ran them that way.
Today I double-headed C.B.&Q. M2 #6200 and C&S E5 #910 (my two stretched Mantua 2-10-2's) with 13 cars plus the waycar (caboose), up the 3 percent grade with curves at each end. Can't run many more boxcars on my layout or the train will stretch from Illinois to Denver!
. I can do just about the same with my "Q" M4 (2-10-4). If it looks like slipping, I can tack one of the M2 on as a helper, but usually not necessary. In actual fact the only mechanical difference between the 2-10-2's and the 2-10-4's is the trailing truck and the super details characteristic of the class of locomotive. Center drivers are all blind, and shimmed up off the rail tops about .010-.015" to prevent catching when coming out of a curve. But two hogs look great pulling up that grade! For diesels, I seldom run fewer than two powered units and sometimes two powered and a dummy (for looks). OTOH, with those P2K's in the shop and only one E5 to pull the Denver Zephyr, I picked up an Intermountain FP7 with DCC/sound to boost the E5 with those aluminum passenger cars up the hill. The FP is a Northern Pacific passenger, but the Q sometimes ran them that way.
CbarM
HO all the way!
stress on the locos?/lol
Well I actually need to run 4 'big GE's' on my layout when I run my 60 car double stack train. 2 8-40CW's on the head end, a robotized 8-40CW in the middle, and an 8-40CW for a tail end remote...
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