MTH Lashup Issues

phil: unlike most here on the forum, I don't have much luck creating lashups.  What YOU may want to try is to put one engine behind the other separated by some inches.  Run them at the same SMPH and see how they run relative to each other.

I've had an engine overheat and "stall" trying to run it in a lashup - that was the first time that I even tried.  That's when I was given the tip to run them (without tow and not coupled) behind each other and compare.

Good Luck

- walt

I had somewhat better success at doing a lash-up with two PS-2 engines, not the most common, a Reading SD-45 and a Reading T-1 with the T-1 in the lead. Worked very well except that I had to watch my clearances with the T-1, uprooted a couple of trees and a telephone pole on the layout. There were no hills to go up, so I don't know about stalling or anything.

Lee F.

I lashed up two very dissimilar PS2 locomotives and they worked pretty well, I was somewhat surprised.   I did first run them separately and made sure they would run very closely to the same speed with the same scale MPH.

The easiest ones I've ever done have been the Legacy ones, they worked right out of the box with no fuss.

     I did a little experimenting today.  When the two engines are fun a few inches apart the distance between them does change  due to curvature but even more for grades.  So I could see how on grades, the engines do strain against each other.  I am disappointed in that grades are where I need extra power but do not want to shorten the life of my locos. Legacy seems to be a better choice for lash-ups pulling heavy trains on grades.  But I am running more MTH since the Rev L TIU's came out.  Has anyone with grades on his layout found two MTH steamers that do well together?   Phil  

I have a couple of sets of Legacy locomotives that I use in a lash-up, they've all worked great.  I have much less experience with DCS, but so far in my limited tests they did pretty well.

Sounds like you have something else going on. What kind of power supply are you using?

Lionel 180 watt bricks supply all power.  Phil

As I said earlier, I don't have much lashup luck.  BUT I agree with Chuck's premise.

When I run 2 engines to test for compatibility, even if they don't run exactly the same speed, it makes no difference if they are running on flat or on a grade.  Say, for example, that I run them on level for 3 minutes and the land up 3' apart.  It would still be 3' in 3 minutes if I used the route with a grade.

- walt

I believe I solved the problem and it has a simple solution.  The train I was trying to pull is a very heavy one but one that was handled ok by other engines both Lionel and MTH.  I learned that the lash-up I mentioned in my post works ok if I reduce the weight of the train.  Since the Premier Decapod could pull the train on its own but struggled here and there, I assumed that adding a second engine would make this an easy pull.  However, what was happening was that in the lash up there was wheel slip from time to time that caused the problems I mentioned.  So I need to consider train weight more carefully in future MTH lash up decisions.  Thanks everyone for input.  Phil       

Thanks for letting us know.  I guess someone has to get a long enough train to test if that's the case with Legacy as well.

Hi Phil,

Your first instincts were correct.  Double heading should inprove, not impead, performance on a grade.  We run DCS lash-ups pulling long trains on grades on the NWTL on a regular basis, as do the owners of the Woodshire RR outdoor layout.  I suspect by reducing the length of your train you or only masking a problem with one of your engines.  All PS2 and PS3 engine use the exact same speed map, and a properly functioning engine will be accurate within .1-1% depending on the number of stripes that should pass the tach reader per second.

I did a little experimenting today.  When the two engines are fun a few inches apart the distance between them does change  due to curvature but even more for grades.

Operation was ok on flat parts of the layout but they almost stalled on  grades.

Based on the two statesments above, I suspect the decapod has a problem, but both engines should be checked.  It should not be slowing down with a heavy train on a grade unless the wheels are sliping or it's hitting 100% duty cycle on the motor.  Start by running each engine with a third PS2 or PS3 engine.  You don't have to put them in a lash-up, just set them running the same speed a few feet apart on the same track without any cars in tow.  Even up and down grades the distance between the engines should not vary by more than a few inches over 30 or 40 feet if everything is working properly.  Check for the following items on whichever engine (decapod or camelback) fails to pace the third engine properly.

1. Traction tires in place

2. No mechanical binding in the side rods or valve gear

3. Labored chuff engages automatically on an uphill grade

4. Any difference with smoke on or off

Here are few other pieces of info that might help with diagnostics...

What are the item numbers of the engines in question?

Has either engine ever been apart?

What is the track voltage measured on the grade with engines running under load?

Try the items above and report back.

Here's a photo from an operating session on the Woodshire a few summers ago.  Two MTH Z-6 Challengers are pulling a long freight consist up the 2.2% grade of the Ivy Gorge Trestle.

Here's a video from another day when we ran a 5 unit lash-up with 3 on the head end and 2 mid train helpers on a 90+ car consist.  When PS2 and PS3 engines are running properly, runs like this one are easy.

Dave;  The Decapod is 20-03311-1 WM Russian Decapod and the Camelback is 30-14021 L&NE which was in the lead.  On the steapest part of the grade, the Decapod appeared to slow down while causing the Camelback to slip its wheels.  I removed several of the heavier cars from this train and now it runs ok.  I can live with this solution.  Phil

I have a dogbone style layout, instead of using switches the line descends to pass under itself.  tI can hook up a 10 car premier passenger train, or at least 15-20 freight cars .  I have two railking ps2 RS-3's and have lashed them up together, and with other MTH engines, all are PS2.  I have had the RS-3's both burn up motors while in a lash up.  same as stated above, the engines pull the train on its own easily, together with another engine, they have burned up motors.  I haven't tried it in a while, but I will be checking the tach strips to be sure they are the same.