Dcc & sound for Stewart Muti unit diesel

[martinb]

I have 2 bowser-Stewart FT AB diesels to make a 4 unit engine. I plan to add decoders to the A units & sound to the B units. My questions are1:if I want to pull 20-25 cars are the 2 A units enough or should I also add motorized B units ( if so: 1or2)? And 2: is one sound unit enough or should I have 2. I do recognize the complications of multiple sound units, e.g. Bells and whistles from multiple sites. Thanks. Marty Cooper

[richg1998]

I have pulled that many cars with a A and B BLI F7. Both had motors and decoders.

 I have a PCM, made by BLI, F3 that does the same. One decoder for both and a motor in each.

I have about 28 40 foot boxcars and a brass caboose.

 A lot will depend on curves and grades.

 Rich

[ba&prr]

What type of cars? Freight or passenger? 2 powered A units might work. You could put a sound only decoder in the B units and a sound/motor decoder in the A units. If you plan on running these as 1 unit, you can program all 4 units to the same address. As far as the bell and whistle, each decoder has a CV for changing the volume of these sounds. Just set the volume to zero on the B units. Or program 1A and B unit to the same address and the other A and B unit to the same adress IE unit 1 address 300 unit 2 address 301. Then you can run them as 2 A/B units or consist them as an ABBA unit. When speed matching the 2 powered units get them as close as possible.   Joe

[rrinker]

 Never tried to see how many cars any of mine would pull, but I can;t imagine it would be musch less than 20-25, they are rather heavy. Nice thing about the non-powered dummies, they still have metal wheels and all, you just have to solder wires tot he truck sides to get power in them. And that big open space in there lets you install a VERY large speaker and enclosure. I have an F7 A powered, motor only decoder, and an F7 B dummy with a sound decoder and BIG speaker in it, I can hook it in mixed consists with other locos, or run the AB together. I also have an FT set where both are powered, A unit has a motor decoder, B unit has sound. The two of those together will definitely pull a lot of cars - I'll have to take it to the next club show and see how manu I can pull. My proto GP7 will pull my 30 car train by itself, even somewhat drag another stalled loco, and it's about the same heft as the Stewart F.

                   --Randy

 

[Texas Zepher]

martinb

I have 2 bowser-Stewart FT AB diesels to make a 4 unit engine. I plan to add decoders to the A units & sound to the B units. My questions are1:if I want to pull 20-25 cars are the 2 A units enough

Yes.  One would probably do that.   As I recall way back in 2004, I rated my two Stewart F3As at 55 NMRA weighted cars up a 2% grade around a 36" curve.