Is it possible to add a second B-unit to a stock ABA setup to make it an ABBA setup? Only the lead and trailing A units will be powered.
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Does the existing 'B' presently have a tether running through it to electrically connect one 'A' to the other 'A'?
A product number would help us figure this out.
Mike
Mike,
the original ABA is 20-2563-1 it is the Harley-Davidson FT ABA PS2.0. Yes, there is a tether running through it to connect to the second A unit.
Yes you can! I do it to the first run of MTH Proto 1 sets and have done with newer Proto 2 & 3 F-3 sets. Each engine, powered or dummy has a "tether" with a male & female connector on each end. When you hook up an early Proto 1 AA set (dummy B unit was extra purchase) each AA unit had a male female connector and the B unit add on has the male/female connector, as well as newer F-3/F-7, Alco PA ABA, EMD E-8/E-9 ABA units.
Here is an example of my first run early 90's MTH Premier ABBA lash-up. The AA unit came as one set (only one unit powered). An additional dummy B unit was included. So I started out with an ABA set with only one unit powered. As I wanted to pull 12 Aluminum Williams bi-level passenger cars, I knew I would need more power. Well thanks to Mike Wolf, who likes to give his customers what they want. MTH made a separate sale B unit powered units a few years later (in many road names). So I have a A (powered) BB (powered) A lash-up. They simply connect with female receptacle/male tether.
See here, running on the famous San Diego 3-Railer layout/museum on YouTube
Very nice train! this is great to know since I would like to run an FT-ABBA setup for my Harley-Davidson Passenger setup.
