Can this be done without harming the motors I notice the W/B motors have a lower starting voltage.
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Not really practical on the same track due to the vastly different speeds they run at. The MTH PS2 engine has a much higher starting voltage due to the electronics. By the time the MTH engine is just starting, the WBB engine will be moving pretty fast.
Is there any kind of a electronic load that could be installed in the W/B to give them a higher starting voltage?
Is there any kind of a electronic load that could be installed in the W/B to give them a higher starting voltage?
One problem is, WBB starts in forward, MTH starts in neutral.
However, there is a rewire fix to start a WBB in Neutral, the details are posted on the Bachmann website in the service section I think.
You can give the WBB loco a slower starting speed by either wiring a string of diodes as per the Dale method or in a 2 motored unit wire the motors in series. This won't necessarily give you the same speed but it's worth trying.
You haven't said what MTH engine you have, but, if it is a PS-2, in addition to the direction problem, the drastically different starting voltages is due to the speed control circuitry. Even if you slow the WbB engine down, you would still have to turn the speed control off in the PS-2 every time to prevent problems. It's just not worth it IMO.
If it's a Proto-1, there's no speed control to worry about, but it would still be difficult to get the speeds adjusted. It's always better to just use similar engines when double-heading them.
Jim
This will slow down Williams or any conventional engine.
http://www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowThread?id=488&categoryId=426
A Ps2 starts at around 8 volts. To get the Williams to run with it about 6 pairs of diodes would be needed but you may have to add more or less to get it right. You would also have to lock the PS2 in forward and modify the Williams E unit to get the directional lock. You can also remove the williams E unit and half wave the motors each with a 6 amp diode in the opposite direction. This would make the Williams run at about half speed and start much slower. However you would not have a reverse unit this way.
Dale H
Some things just aren't meant to be.
This might be one of them . . .