Today while watching a New York Central Video there was a scene with four different locomatives puuling a freight train. If I remember correctly they had a F7, Fairbanks Morse, Geep and I forget the last one. Motley looking but it got the job done.
Question, when running a series of locomatives do you lash up what ever is available or do you try to stick to locomatives of like kind ?
YGW
Very much depends on what RR and when. Some of the early units could MU, but only with units with similar MU arrangements. The RRs generally either disposed of the incompatable units fairly early or converted them so they'd run with everything else. Still on my first cup of coffee or I could maybe remember which were the MU oddballs, but I think F-M was one of them.
This pretty much sorted itself out on Class Ones by 1960-ish IIRC.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Mixing diesels from various manufacturers was regular practice, but there are a few cautions. Most Baldwin diesels had a very different MU control system which was not compatible so they would only run with like. A very few BLWs did get a standard MU system.
Era is also important, since in the early 1950s the other manufacturers had not completely standardized the MU connections. If you wanted an option such as dynamic brakes to work on all the units, loco "A" might be able to control it on loco "B", but not necessarily the other way round. In other words, "A" had to be placed in the lead. It was not long before the rails made the necessary retrofits to the MU connections so most models could be mixed freely. There could still be some problems with much older diesels that had manual transition, quite typical in the 1940s.
A handful of yard switchers were equipped with MU capability, but in most cases that was a simplified version incompatible with road units.
Mixing units of significantly different horsepower or gear ratios was best avoided if possible. An E-8 geared for 100mph would probably be hauled dead when mixed with SD40s, U30Cs and C636s geared for 65-70mph. Four axle freight units in the 2,000hp range matched well with 6 axle freight units in the 3,000hp range since the power and weight was much the same on each axle.
In addition to MU type and compatibility, individual locos are also rated for tonnage they can pull. Locos are usually assigned to a train to be able to pull its tonnage.
As stated above, the Baldwins used a unique throttle controlled by air, which is why sharks and other units stayed together long after F-units and FAs had been split up. A unique read if you can find info.http://baldwindiesels.railfan.net/throttle/index.html
Modeling whatever I can make out of that stash of kits that takes up half my apartment's spare bedroom.
I wondered about this to. It seems like teh different gear ratios and such would rip the train apart.cx500 Wrote
" Mixing units of significantly different horsepower or gear ratios was best avoided if possible. An E-8 geared for 100mph would probably be hauled dead when mixed with SD40s, U30Cs and C636s geared for 65-70mph. Four axle freight units in the 2,000hp range matched well with 6 axle freight units in the 3,000hp range since the power and weight was much the same on each axle."
I have a similar thread "Diesel B-Unit Helpers for Steam Locomotives" also how did steam and diesel coordinate on any train?(i.e. an A-B-B-A lash-up with a steam locomotive helper)
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
yougottawantaQuestion, when running a series of locomatives do you lash up what ever is available or do you try to stick to locomatives of like kind ?
First as any holster will tell you I don't lash up anything but,build a locomotive consist by the consist numbers given to me by the power desk. Like 6133(lead) 4855,3030 and 3038 for train 397A at 0445. If there is already 4 unit consist the power desk will assign them.
For train 411 at 0530 I need to consist 1455/1450(two RS-3s) and 1257 (GP7) as per the power desk. To self that leaves me 6 units plus two standby emergency replacement units.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Real railroads sometimes keep "like" engines together, other times not. Depends on what the railroad's consider "like" engines. Obviously the engines with different control systems (Baldwin air vs. electrical MU or iirc 21 vs 27 pin MU cables). Early on railroads tended to keep like models together and then in the late 50's early 60's started to mix and match.
Railroads may also keep sets of engines together because of an attribute of the engine. GP50's or GP60's were bought for high speed service (auto parts or intermodal) so would tend to stay in that service. C40-8's had a higher tractive effort than SD60's, but SD60's were more fuel efficient at higher speeds, so the UP put C40-8's together on coal and grain and SD60's together on manifest and premium trains. Because AC engines have a much, much, much lower continuous speed than conventional engines, adding the wrong DC engine to an AC consist can actually lower the effective tractive effort of the consist. There may be other attributes (cab signals, low speed controls, hump controls, remote control, high speed gearing) that cause engines to be kept together. When the UP leased AMTK F40's for freight service they had to operate together becuase if you mixed them with a regular engine they would overload the traction motors due to the high speed gearing and would run out of fuel because they had ittty bitty fuel tanks.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
"Mixed train":
The locomotive is SP&S #156. And the photo was taken on the Goldendale branch. Said branch actually preceding the SP&S by several years.
How often do you think the branch was built before the railroad it connected to?
Ed
I believe "Mixed" train refers to a consist including both freight and passenger cars and presumably carrying both. Just a thought! Mixed motive power is interesting though!
I believe NYC rebuilt some F-M units with new prime movers from EMD (or maybe Alco?), with little or no external evidence that anything had changed inside. Rebuildings of this kind can make incompatible locos compatible.
There are other nuances. Differences in gearing and MU systems have been mentioned. In addition, many units were built with no MU capability, or MU only on one end. Many of these were later modified for improved flexibility. It pays to do the research on the practices of your prototype railroad.
Cascadenorthern is right about the terminology. The thread actually refers to mixed loco consists. A mixed train has both freight and passenger cars. I have heard the term "mixed freight" used to describe a freight train that has different types of cars for various consignees (as opposed to a unit train). Regardless, it's an interesting topic.
Tom
cascadenorthernrr wrote - "Mixed" train refers to a consist including both freight and passenger cars and presumably carrying both. Just a thought! Mixed motive power is interesting though"-
You are correct. I stand corrected. Thanks
ACY A mixed train has both freight and passenger cars. I have heard the term "mixed freight" used to describe a freight train that has different types of cars for various consignees (as opposed to a unit train). Regardless, it's an interesting topic.
A mixed train has both freight and passenger cars. I have heard the term "mixed freight" used to describe a freight train that has different types of cars for various consignees (as opposed to a unit train). Regardless, it's an interesting topic.
I had an "Ask MR" question on that topic recently. While the term "mixed freight" is in common parlance among model railroaders, the proper term for a freight train of varying types of cars and cargos is a "manifest freight."
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Steven,A mixed train is a scheduled local passenger train that stops at every town and does switching along its route and a manifest is a regular freight train with a consist of mixed freight cars.These trains was/are allowed to do no more then three pickups/setouts and this is done at outlaying yards and where two or three divisions converge..