Question about the LCCA Great Locomotive Chase set

You could put weights in the one that is too fast, or remove the traction tires or add additional cars (I don't think there were cars in the chase). 

You could set up track blocks and use a relay to turn a block off (or set a lower voltage) behind the General.  

Most conventional engines can be converted to ERR boards. 

Bill

I would look for binding on the slower loco. Maybe a drive wheel pushed too far on the axle, or could be a bad motor, even if it is new.

While the engines won't have the precision of speed control, they should run somewhat at the same speed.

Dennis, unless a change has been made, those locomotives come with the standard Mabuchi can motor used in starter set kinds of locos.

I have a good many locos with this motor. While it is a reliable motor, it is hardly a high-spec motor. I have encountered speed differences with these motors, even on the same loco with dual motor trucks. In that case, I have switched motor trucks to pair up them up with another that runs at a similar speed.

I have bought these motors as extras from parts suppliers. Just looking them up to DC current and watching the gear turn, you can visually see some speed difference between some random motors and others. I have several Lionel Industrial Switcher engines, and just one of them runs much slower than the other ones do. I just run that particular loco separately from the others.

Without making electronic changes to the locomotive, using insulated blocks is one solution and most likely the best. Even with making alterations to your faster engine, sooner or later when running, it is likely one engine will catch up to the other. I have found doing the "chase" scenario with a hand car and a train, that an insulated block works well. Not much room inside a hand car for any added electronics.

Removing the traction tire would be another potential help. Putting a couple heavier train cars behind the faster loco might also help. GunrunnerJohn would know this one, but you could also add a resistor between the circuit board and the motor on the faster running engine.

Adding some weight to the faster locomotive may also help. I'm not too familiar with the General locomotive... it's one model I do not have. There may not be much space inside for added weight. But the same motor used in the General is also used in heavier die cast steam locos, so the motor can handle some added weight.

brianel027

 I am intrigued by the resistor idea. I may have to give that a try. I have many sizes of resistors and I may experiment with some to see if that will work. Thanks for the suggestion!