Thoughts on non powered engines

Spot-on. I have a RS-3. Older MTH Premier with electronics and motors removed. I'm planning to sell it at York. Contact me offline if you would like more detailed information.

The trick is finding a dead engine that is someone's shelf queen. OR a locomotive whose electronics have been harvested for a PS2 or PS3 upgrade.

I like running my diesels double headed with non powered units because it is cheaper than running two powered units. You can still find non powered scale units at reasonable prices online and even right here on ogr. 

Diesels just seem to look better when double headed. I'll be looking for some at York next week.

Dave

  Dummies are kinda heavy compared to cars; I'd guess 2:1-4:1 easy; plus I just plain like mu power for real.  But synchronized e-units for backing operations can be a pita; I've always had the MUs locked in fwd and switchers did all shunt manuvers.

But the only real difference in many dummies and regular engine is the motor and motor driver or regulator circuits. Unless those circuits need to be active for some reason, it sounds like a plan. A heavy watt restor where the motor is, matched to the motor leads ohms might fool it if need be. 

I run command control rather than conventional. Practically all of my diesels are double-headed or AB[B]A where the B units are available. Like said above, I think diesel units definitely look better in multiple sets.

Power in the trailing units is not that important to me but lights and smoke are. Recent MTH dummy units have lacked smoke, which I suppose is a cost cutting measure but IMHO looks odd when running and there's no easy upgrade path to add that feature that I am aware of. Lionel offers a lot of dummy units with lights and smoke but no sound. I am not too bothered about that but again there's no easy upgrade path with Legacy.

I know that K-Line used to make ABA diesel sets with two motors in each unit. I have one of those but I can't say that six motors is a great practical advantage.

I did the same thing with K-line Trainmasters, from the K-line collectors club. You see those for $100 or less. I pulled the motors, as they are mounted on special plate, put the plate back in.  Have smoke and lights.  

I like the non powered units but I wish they had smoke at least. Sound would be nice too. 

non powered engines don't pull very good!!

This is interesting.  I have a Lionel diesel that got fried when I let some of the neighborhood kids play with it, thankfully it was only a $100 one, so less expensive lesson learned.  I can look into pulling out all the guts and run it behind a good diesel.  Thanks!

I guess it depends on which non powered diesel engine looking for. Some of the non powered engines out there right now have lights. You're probably going to spend around a hundred dollars any way you look at it, gutting a PS1 or buy a non powered unit. 

Mayor Magoo posted:

This is interesting.  I have a Lionel diesel that got fried when I let some of the neighborhood kids play with it, thankfully it was only a $100 one, so less expensive lesson learned.  I can look into pulling out all the guts and run it behind a good diesel.  Thanks!

TVS the next time you are so brave and generous .

Cast postwar and see how it goes the until the kids could be trusted with anything nice was how things usually went here.

 You broke your own or offered a SATISFYING trade if you damaged someone elses. 

It might have just run it's last day by chance too. The carpet elves aren't guilty EVERY time; just mostly .

Hey, Ive considered powering dummies. If they have worm's gear already on an axle it makes it easy. 

I run Legacy but I like non powered engines because I can only run up to about a 25 car train on my layout and all my powered units are more than capable by themselves so dummies are a lot more affordable. I have the UP ES44 non powered version on order from the Lionel big book. 

I am not a huge fan of dummy units, but they have their place. I use dummy A and B units for my Lionel and MTH first generation diesels such as F3s, F7s, Sharknoses, etc., always with two powered units, either an AA or an AB. ABA and ABBA engine combinations look absolutely awesome pulling long consists on my layout.

I have two MTH NS Dash8s in an MU, one PS2, the other PS3. Neither has markers and I hate seeing that expensive powered unit run second with absolutely no lights at night, prototypical or not. I do get smoke, though.

Hokie,

Lights and smoke are nice, but to me there is no reason for smoke if there is no engine (sound).  Without sound it is just a dead engine in tow, so all my engines (steam, diesel A and B units) have sound.  However, unless you run a separate speaker from the powered unit to the dummy unit, to get sound you need a powered unit which also gives you the smoke and lights you want.  I think you should look for a good used powered unit with the features you want.

Love my non powered units, especially when equipped with a Bluetooth speaker!

I love my non-powered engines, I run one or more with each train.  Most of my non-powered engines have TMCC control and sound. Only the 2nd and 4th engines are powered with sound, the others are non-powered with sound and control (1st, 6th and 8th engine) or non-powered with TMCC no sound (yard slug) or just a non-powered engine( TMCC and sound in the future)

LoganUP1982 posted:

Love my non powered units, especially when equipped with a Bluetooth speaker!

That is terrific sound! What are you using for this setup?

Hancock52 posted:

LoganUP1982 posted:

Love my non powered units, especially when equipped with a Bluetooth speaker!

That is terrific sound! What are you using for this setup?

I bought the smaller speaker I could find and then I play a YouTube video of an engine idling