1 e unit to run 2 engones

The postwar dual motor units had only a single e-unit. It should be fine. 

Oh, such as the f units had 2 motors. That makes sense. I'm running them now stock and it works most of the time until one unit doesn't cycle. Ill try it. I also thought of mounting a momentary switch in the smoke stack of one unit to make it easy to cycle the e unit. Thanks.

It should work fine, and you'll never get out of sync.

Thanks guys. Great advice.

You could go DC and run them all with a switch.  All modern train models have DC motors.  A DC system has one rectifier and one switch; an AC system must have a rectifier and complicated switch in each locomotive.

Ask Jim Barrett... I believe he did an article years ago about this very thing... It did evolve a tether between the units but it  worked really well... (fun project)  You locked out the trailing unit in neutral and the leading unit controlled both e-units. (something like that). This  left both units to operate  together or as a single unit.

OriginalMadman posted:

Has any body tried running 2 engines in tandom off of 1 e unit?

You can run up to 4 motors, generally(in good condition), from 1 E-unit.

I have down this with 2 2023's.  Make one e unit the working unit and put the other unit in neutral (non activated).   Then run a line from one coil on one engine to the other coil and run lines from each one of the brushes but reverse the connections.  

It runs like an aa setup with one forward and the other backwards.  I use connectors between the units and if I want to go back to the original setup all info is unsolder the 3 new connections on each engine.  The  rumors are in tact   Real easy  

bob2 posted:

You could go DC and run them all with a switch.  All modern train models have DC motors.  A DC system has one rectifier and one switch; an AC system must have a rectifier and complicated switch in each locomotive.

Uhh, if the original type is to be believed, I seriously doubt they have DC motors!

Would not a wire connection between the two engines' center rail pick up rollers be sufficient to keep them in sync?  Did this to two modern Williams engines with electronic e-units, but not sure this would work with the mechanical e-units.

A single wire from the pick up rollers of both engines would make sure you didn't loose power one or the other e unit but if one e unit didn't cycle properly it could still get out of sync. Ill try the tether and one in neutral idea.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR IDEAS

A few years back you could pick up MTH Rail King 2-8-0 locos for next to nothing, less than $50, that folks had removed the PS2 boards.  I bought two of them, repainted them, installed a Dallee DCRU in one tender and connected it to both locos. I wired it so  I can run just one loco or connect a plug and double head the locos without worrying about sync.....I run conventional only. 

I've done this with 3 of my PW Alco sets as well as 2 400RDC Budd Cars. Works great.

Roger

I have a friend who took four units and made them run as one off one e unit. I believe each unit had one motor in them. I saw them run..............Paul