Hello,does anybody have an idea of what I can do with a dummy athrean SW 1200. sometimes I run it wth my powerd 35 ton locomotive to do switching. But usualy it ends up on the main line with my powerd U-28b. I also have a powerd F7 A and F9 A and a dummy F9 A unit. What powerd locomotivs should be paired with the Dummys?
Thank You for your Help!!!!!!
keep on railroading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shaun CN
Posted by Challenger (Member # 1298) on :
Hi Shuan,
The best thing to do with your SW12 is to power it and put it in yard service. Your hobby shop should have all the neccessary componets you need to do the job. If not, they can order them quite easily.
Generally in the power and dummy match up. Road power dummys get match with road power powereds, Passenger matched with passenger ect. However Yard service its my preferance to have all yard engines powered.
Just my preference. no law that says you have to.
James
Posted by Russ Bellinis (Member # 2377) on :
I haven't seen it very often, but I have seen U.P. go by the shop where I work with a sw in the consist with sd's. I don't know if they were transporting it to a shop for repairs, or perhaps relocating the sw to another part of the line.
Posted by emdman1959 (Member # 2687) on :
Challenger is right Shaun you should power that engine but be carefull it may cost more to power that engine than it is worth by the time you buy all the components. I have never been a big fan of dummy engines I like all powered units in my trains even though I do own a few dummys. I have taken old Athearn HI-F drive engines (rubberband drive) and have put a solid drawbar between that and another engine and used a very fine stranded wire and wired them together so that the dummy engine helps the powered engine get better electrical contact. works great. unfortunately with an actual dummy loco you will not be able to do that because of the plastic wheels. that is why the old HI-F's work so well for that. you do not even have to take the motor out, just unhook it and cut the rubberbands if it has them. that setup could even be used to install a soundsystem in the dummy. If you ever go to train shows keep an eye out for parts engines you may be able to come up with the parts you need to power your engine that way. good luck.