I'm going to be unpopular, I won't have dummies on my pike they must all earn their keep (no free loaders)
This is reminiscent of the old Ford vs.Chevy debates. I have removed the worm gear and had a lot of fun with a unpowered'slug'. On one hand, it's extra weight for the powered loco to tow around......on the other hand it eliminates synchronizing two locos, saves $'s for decoders and is quick way to put old engines back on the track for more FUN! Hawkdriver
Well, it's the same reason I use "running board" instead of "roofwalk" and "vertical brake staff" instead of "vertical brake wheel" in descriptions in the UMTRR... and "exterior post" instead of "ribside" when referring to modern boxcars. Just more exact, not politically correct. If you really want to bug a Freight Car Scholar, tell them that that car is "outside braced" and hear the teeth grind all the way down to the gums...
I will agree with there not being much dummies available other than some old non-realistic ones unless you are after some F units - Micro-Trains has a lot if I recall correctly...I have been thinking of converting some Trix (or some other european brand) 2-10-0s to be dummies for a Gustav Railgun layout...as I need 6 2-10-0s for 5 railcars...doesn't really make sense to me so instead of 6, I would only have two and it would look the same (in theory...)
Micro-Trains had unpowered F7 diesels in Z Scale, and yes, many of them. To my knowledge they've never run unpowered units in N Scale, at least not intentionally.
The only dummy I have is a BLI dummy B unit painted for Algoma Central to go with my Rapido FP7's. I was produced as a nonpowered unit and is very easy rolling. I wish I couid find a couple more for my Canadian...Rapido is not doing a N scale B unit and I don't what to mess around speed matching different brands....
My bad, I thought it was micro-trains, but I am mistaken, it probably was B-Mann back in the day or Atlas or somebody...I can't remember any more as I don't have any uses for F units on my T-TRAK modules yet...
I have hundreds of dummy locomotives, they were amongst the failed IM locomotives. I removed all the motors and drivelines for the ones that had not rotted or swelled. just can not trust them.
Definitely Bachmann, Aurora/Trix/Postage Stamp, Atlas First Generation (I have one), and Con-Cor are all on the list.
I hear ya'. On my plastic frame FA/B2's I bought two additional A units and promptly switched out the 'A' body for the 'B' body so the entire ABBA set is powered. It pulled a 143 car train with ease. That was probably overkill as two 'A' units are entirely sufficient for my train show needs.
Oh, and let's include Arnold too. I have a dummy FP-9 A-Unit (0218) and B-Unit (0219) in Santa Fe. FP-9 A-Unit dummies were available in NP, B&O, AT&SF and NP. FP-9 B-Unit dummies were available only in AT&SF. I think these were the only North American prototype dummies in Arnold's line.
Dummy suits me fine(!) If a 1:1 RR needs to move motive power, must it be running during the trip? I suppose there could be more than one definition of "running": Completely unpowered, vs prime mover off but electrical power from running locos provided to the "unpowered" locos' traction motors (e.g. like a slug).
All of my boxcars, tank cars, gondolas, hoppers, passenger cars, etc., are dummies. Of the A1G locomotives, only the FM C-Liner and SW1500 Calf were available as dummies. Doug
I seem to reacall that at one point, (for a few years), mabe about 10ish years ago it was a 'thing' to make powered boxcars to help smaller steam locomotives pull more or just because you could. Both were good reasons to some folks.
There are two types of folks on this forum (or any forum). Those who admit that they are dummies at times and liars. I have photos somewhere of two PA1 remains being shipped North from Mexico through Tucson for restoration somewhere. I'll try to find them.
Didn't LifeLike, at one time, issue an engine and caboose set featuring two engines (I think GP38's) one powered and one not along with a road matching caboose (also unpowered).
That actually brings up a good point... Dummies are always perfectly speed matched! They would be great for tail-end power too, in a more modern (post caboose) era.
I believe you are correct! That was more common in Horribly Oversized but I dimly recall a similar set in N Scale.
Yep, found an example on Trovestar, Life-Like 7628 in CSX, 7602 in Santa Fe. I wasn't aware of these.
LL also issued an FP-40 set in Amtrak: one powered, one dummy and a NE caboose. GF has one. She has several different AMTRAK cars she uses behind them. She found an orange SW-something (C-C?) in AMTRAK and some MofW cars, so she uses the silver NE caboose on the MofW train. Considering what they are, the FP-40s are not bad runners.
