Frisco GP-7's 504,571 back to back

[Frisco Brakeman]

thanks for your input

[Frisco Brakeman]

thanks for the info

[Prairietype]

I run double headed power units all the time. At first I was nervous thinking this violated some absolute rule about stress on the locomotives or the transformer or "something". However, when I considered that some locomotives have dual motors I thought I thought why not dual engines. 

My next concern was about what if one ran faster than the other. Well some of them do, and I make it the lead engine, usually. It really doesn't have to be in my opinion.  If the faster engine is in the lead then the second engine gets an assist with the weight of the train it is dragging, and the lead engine benefits from all of the work the slower engine is already doing (sort of picking up the slack.)  But the reverse is also true, kind of....,  The faster locomotive in the second position wont be quite as fast with a load of cars behind it slowing it down, and then the slower locomotive is more free to help pull; but more in line with its limit.  I still think the faster locomotive in the lead works better however.

One thing that does not work so well is to try to run two locomotives with their reversing unit active.  I have tried this and you can run forwards and backwards with two power units, but eventually one of the locomotives will go into neutral and reverse and the whole operation comes to an abrupt halt, and then you have to get one to cycle back to the desired direction.  So it is best to set each locomotive in forward only and then, enjoy the ride.

[TrainLarry]

Put them both on the track apart from each other and bring up the power. Try at various speeds. If they run at the same speed, then you may be able to doublehead them. If they run at different speeds, as I suppose they will, then they cannot be run together. To run them together, you would need to pull the can motor out completely, as that would be the easiest thing to do .

Larry

[Frisco Brakeman]

I would like to know if it is posible to run 2 engines on the same track. 1 engine has a pull-more motor and the other has a can style motor. There is only ZW no fancy controles. I would like to run back to back.I know I could go in side and disable 1,clip a wire on 1 motor maybe pull a gear so it dosen'thave drag on it.This is my take.really would like to run these together.These are Lionel (Frisco 504 ,571 GP-7)