Doubleheaded steamers with a pusher - all with PS3.0

Unfortunately this is an issue I have had and I have not been willing to change the tach tape.  If you can decrease the number of stripes on the tape, I think  the engine should run faster.  Unfortunately non of my engines run at the same smph. When I ran multiple 4 train loops, I would put the fastest one in front and have the slowest at the end.  I would then adjust the slack between the trains and I would need to do that between 5 and 20 minutes depending upon the engines.  For that reason if I were in your position I would put your trailing helper on the front and run it as a triple header.

I thought MTH Proto-2 and Proto-3 locomotives all ran in scale MPH controlled by the tach sensors: dial up 15 mph on the handheld and they all run at 15 scale mph.  Is that not true?    

I would check the tail engine for any binding issues (thrown traction tire), or proper response from the tach.

 If your layout has poor signal areas and you change the consists speed while an engine does not get or respond to that speed change fast enough in those areas, that can also lead to problems like this.

 Whenever you build a large consist, always check the engines first for smooth operation and to make sure they run at the same speed. I just had this happen outside on my G scale layout. It ended up that both engine had issues. The rear engine has spun it's worm gear off of it's NWSL truck's motor. The front engine's tach is not reading correctly and is over twice as fast as it should be. I had not noticed that and kept adjusting the rear engine's speed to try and match it.

Bob posted:

I thought MTH Proto-2 and Proto-3 locomotives all ran in scale MPH controlled by the tach sensors: dial up 15 mph on the handheld and they all run at 15 scale mph.  Is that not true?    

Thats true !   However things can go wrong.  Personally all mine run well together Steam or diesel. 

Clem

I seem to recall that there was a thread a few years ago that discussed how MTH engines racing each other would not travel even with each other, even when set to the same speed. I think this difference had something to do with the sizes of the motors and the max power each locomotive could draw. That might account for the difference between the speeds of the Angus and the Triplexes. 

I can't seem to find the thread with my limited skill at utilizing the Forum's search feature. If someone could aid me in this endeavour, I think said thread would help. 

"I thought MTH Proto-2 and Proto-3 locomotives all ran in scale MPH controlled by the tach sensors: dial up 15 mph on the handheld and they all run at 15 scale mph.  Is that not true? " They all run (I had more than 60 at one time - reducing roster now) at about the same speed.  You can start them with the "all" command and they appear to run at the various speed selected (5, 10, 15 etc.) however, it is not exact. At 15 smph some will run just under 16 smph or just faster than 14 smph.  I only had one (Rdg V1000) that was more than 1 smph off the set speed.  I mu'ed it with my Rdg Alco S2 and the Alco needed repair twice before I sold the V1000.  While 80% or so of my engines are MTH, I believe that the Legacy system (at least before they changed the speed steps for yard switchers and subways) permits greater speed control granularity with at the speeds I normally run my trains (slower than 25 smph) I get 3 speed steps for each MTH smph.  This permits me to have two matched trains on the same loop.  I set the MTH train at a given smph and then adjust the speed of the Legacy trains to the steps necessary to maintain the slack between trains.  The other item is that I let my Legacy EM1 or BigBoy run with my UP FEF3 mu'ed with my UP SD40 at 61 speed steps and leave that loop alone while I adjust the slack between the MTH trains on my other loops. 

I have run into MTH engines that don't run the correct speed. Most of the time they do. In G scale, their engines can have the regular troubles as O scale. I have also run into 3 G scale engines that the Tach had to be moved closer to the flywheel to read correctly. Once corrected, they maintain the correct speed. I run mainly 2 rail in O scale so there's no traction tires. I still make sure they all run the same speed. I put them about an inch or two apart and make sure they run the same.

 I have to believe that some are just having signal issues with TMCC/Legacy equipment running or connected. I just don't see many MTH engines that are off from a standard speed out of the hundred that I've ran.

Guys, I've given up on this consist - it was awesome while it lasted.

Double-headed Triplex's are awesome enough. And, the Angus has the best chuffing and whistle of them all - and as a pusher I couldn't use the whistle.

It makes me appreciate how the real engine crews accomplished this back in the day. I've seen videos of Erie steam triple-headed and with engines in middle and at end of consist. I can only imagine they used coupler slack to their advantage - but it must have taken great skill to move freight up grades with 3+ steamers.

Paul,

I've given up on this consist

There are only a finite number of things that can make MTH PS2/PS3 engines run at different speeds at the same speed setting:

• Incorrect Engine Settings
• Physical Problems
• Engine Software Problems

Each of these are discussed in detail on pages 175-177 of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition and pages 191-192 of The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition. I suggest that you review the referenced material before throwing in the towel.

A call to MTH regarding a potential issue with the Angus' software (Chain or Sound files) might be a good first step.

This and a whole lot more about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

This and a whole lot more about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Paul... How far off are they ?  Try putting all three engines on the same track in the same direction, Not coupled, start them all moving  to track speed, using the ALL command, see what the difference is between each unit.

Clem 

Thanks Barry and Clem. I tried what you suggested, Clem - the Triplexes pull ahead and within 10 minutes there's a good 3 feet between them and the Angus with the Angus trailing behind.

Three feet in 10 minutes shouldn't cause a major issue, that could easily be accounted for by difference in wheels slip on curves between the different types of locomotives.  How far in scale miles are you running in that ten minutes?  You can adjust the speed with a custom tach tape, but it's in roughly 4% increments, and from the information provided, you're way closer than that.  Let's assume you're doing a scale 30 MPH, in ten minutes you would go five scale miles or around 550 feet.  Your scale MPH error is only around .5%, so I don't see you correcting that.

Try the Angus with a Triplex up front and the other Triplex in the rear.

I believe the real Triplex's ended up as pushers anyways? 

How close do the triplex's stay ?    Are all traction tires present ?  I'm not familiar with these locomotives, are the driving wheels about the same size ? this shouldn't matter I'm just curious. 

Before m-uing MTH engines, I always set them about a car length apart on a track, without cars, and m-u them.  Then I run them and see if any catch up to others.  Eventually, hopefully after several minutes of constant running, they will no longer be evenly spaced, but what I am looking for is locomotives that soon catch the engine ahead or fall back to ent engine to the rear.  So far, all of my Santa Fe MTH diesel and steam engines are okay to doublehead or build a consist of diesels.

I did it with a mth railking berkshire and a kline mike.It was very tricky at first starting out.This with an ps2  mountain in the lead.

Guys - I run these beasts around 20 to 24 scale mph. Wheel diameters are fairly uniform in size.

seaboardm2 posted:

I did it with a mth railking berkshire and a kline mike.It was very tricky at first starting out.This with an ps2  mountain in the lead.

Since you were running two locomotives separately, using two different control systems, you are entitled to claim an extra 100 miles' pay as a penalty.  It looked good in the video. 

Number 90 posted:

seaboardm2 posted:

I did it with a mth railking berkshire and a kline mike.It was very tricky at first starting out.This with an ps2  mountain in the lead.

Since you were running two locomotives separately, using two different control systems, you are entitled to claim an extra 100 miles' pay as a penalty.  It looked good in the video. 

Thanks.I was not sure it would work.But usng the z4000 helped a lot.

Let's see if this video works on this site: its a video I shot of the 3 engines in action. The consist works under DCS - with the Angus as a pusher - but as mentioned the Triplexes will go faster and over time the coupler tension increases dramatically. The couplers held very well - to the point of running the trains well over an hour and half - amazing how much tension there was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be

Here it is

I would try the Angus in the head end of the train.

banjoflyer posted:

Paul, your layout looks terrific!

Mark

Thanks, Mark. I shot that video in Feb. when train action was heavy on my layout. Once the tracks are ballasted it'll look a lot better.

Joe: I've since taken the Triplexes off the layout and replaced them with other engines.