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Dummy Locomotives

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  • Member since
    December 2008
  • 25 posts
Dummy Locomotives
Posted by Busahill on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 6:16 PM

Hello Railfans,

Im just getting back into my HO gauge trains, got a new nephew I want to put somthing

together for. Where do I find Dummy Engines? or where can I find the Parts to make Dummy Engines.

I just purchased an Athearn GP38-2 Norfolk Southern and I would love to find matching dummies

to go with it. Ive been all over the internet and I must not be looking in the right places, because im not

finding what Im looking for ...... Any Help?

  • Member since
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  • From: west central Illinois
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Posted by Rodney Beck on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 7:08 PM

You need model railroader forums for this.

 

Rodney

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  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
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Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 8:41 PM

I don't know how many new models come with dummies these days, new power packs and other systems kinda made them obsolete.   But you might want to check some sites for local hobby stores by you and see if there are any listed, maybe the manufacturers themselves offer them still.

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  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
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Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 9:34 AM

Dummy engines came along at a time when it was very difficult to get two engines (even models of the same engine from the same model manufacturer) to run together. Now particularly since the advent of DCC it's much easier to get engines to run together so dummies are pretty rare. A few of the older Athearn dummies can still turn up at Hobby Shops and Flea Markets, but I'm not sure if Athearn even produces any dummies anymore.

Stix
  • Member since
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Posted by Busahill on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 3:35 PM

Thanks for the help, when i was a kid playing with the trains DCC wasnt around,but the more ive been reading on the internet about DCC i now understand why dummy locos arent neccessary anymore.

Now im going get me  some DCC Locos and a DCC controller and im gonna play trains again ....hehehe

Thanks again for the help guys

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    December 2006
  • From: Michigan City, In.
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Posted by spikejones52002 on Thursday, January 8, 2009 2:59 PM

Dummy engines are much easer to find today.

They are called "diesels"

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Posted by trainfan1221 on Thursday, January 8, 2009 6:24 PM

I have some friends who are huge steam fans.  They would  love the way you replied there.

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  • From: Rhode Island
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Posted by carnej1 on Friday, January 9, 2009 11:55 AM

spikejones52002

Dummy engines are much easer to find today.

They are called "diesels"

 Back during the age of steam there actually were locomotives known as "dummies"...these were smaller steam engines (often geared steam such as Climax) with shrouding to make them resemble interurban/trolley type box motors. They were employed (rarely) in street trackage and industrial switching situations. The given reason for the "disguise" was that it made the engines less spooky to horses! The New Haven railroad used some in it's Union Freight RR operations which served the Boston waterfront via street trackage....

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

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Posted by ndbprr on Friday, January 9, 2009 1:59 PM

And here I thought this was going to be a discussion about slugs.

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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, January 9, 2009 10:40 PM

Engines aren't dumb, ...as for some of the folks found frequenting the cab......and the ones that tell them where to go.....Mischief

 

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west

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