Converting a dummy F unit to a "slave" unit

Probably the gauge of the wires in the tether are not large enough to pass power to the motors.  It can be done, but you would need to use heavier gauge wires for the motor power.

The tether wires are gauged the same for motors, but that is not the issue.  Frankly I am confused about what your are doing.  PS-3 is not anywhere like PS-1.

Running 4 motors off the PS-1 board will not work with out significant mod to the motor section of the bottom board.

PS-1 Dummy engines do not have trucks with gears and motors.

PS-1 slave use DCRU that is controlled via three wires from the tether for motor direction control. The DCRU powers the motor, and the slave has it's own track power pickup.   The 4th wire is used for coupler control from the PS-1 board in the lead unit.

Directional lighting is controlled by a special CV board that is triggered off the reverse motor diodes for directional lighting.

So making this up is a lot harder if you want a powered slave.  Otherwise the dummy already have coupler and light control via the tether.  G

@GGG posted:

The tether wires are gauged the same for motors, but that is not the issue.  Frankly I am confused about what your are doing.  PS-3 is not anywhere like PS-1.

I'll try to explain my situation a little better.

I have 4 F Units:

-One PS-3 A unit

-One PS-1 A unit

-One Dummy B unit

-One Dummy A unit

I am wondering if it is possible to remove the electronics from the PS-1 A unit (but leave the motors and gears) and hook it up to the PS-3 A unit to use as extra pulling power when connected through the 4 pin tethers, which are already in place for the rear coupler on the dummy A unit. This new 'slave' unit would only move when receiving power from the PS-3 A unit.

The end result would be an ABA consist where the lead A unit (with 2 motors) is powered by the PS-3 electronics, a dummy B unit in the middle which only serves as a conduit for the connecting tethers, and a trailing A unit that has no electronics but still has 2 motors that are being controlled by the lead A unit.

No.  PS-1, 2, and 3 only drive 2 motors in the diesel.  You risk damage to the motor drive section with more.  That is why slave board are used for all 3 types.  But design wise they are all different.    You could make changes in the dummy so you could control coupler and one light via the 4 pin.  But not drive motors.  G

@GGG posted:

No.  PS-1, 2, and 3 only drive 2 motors in the diesel.  You risk damage to the motor drive section with more.  That is why slave board are used for all 3 types.  But design wise they are all different.    You could make changes in the dummy so you could control coupler and one light via the 4 pin.  But not drive motors.  G

Ah, I see. Thanks for the info!

Out of curiosity, what is the part number for the slave boards if I wanted to install one of those as an alternative?

You'll have to get the slave board through an ASC, I don't believe they're sold to end users.  You would also have to do some custom wiring with very tiny 1mm connectors to use it.

PS-3 slave requires full PS-3 harness, tach reader and the slave board.  Then a 10 pin link between Lead A and Trail A.  So it is an involved upgrade.

PS-2 slave requires PS-2 harness and the board, and again a 10 pin link between units

PS-1 is a DCRU, I have them, and a simpler 4 pin link between units.

If your not familiar with the wiring, this is a difficult task.

Your better off having or doing yourself a PS-3 upgrade to the PS-1 and run as a MU/lashup.  I can do the upgrade if you want to go that route.  E-mail inprofile. G

What he said.