11-07-2010, 10:29 AM
jglfan Wrote:Just thought I'd mention this: While I understand this demo was to demonstrate you can speed match most any locos, in practice, at least on my layout, I only speed match diesels. When I doublehead steam, I run the two independently. Not sure about other DCC systems, but Digitrax gives you two independent and easily operated throttles on each controller. I reason that the real steamers couldn't be operated in multiple by one crew! It adds to the enjoyment of running for me, as you need to pay attention. Particularly if you have one loco in front and another pushing, and have grades, etc. You need to watch the slack.
Some time ago, in another thread (and perhaps in another forum) I commented on someone's statement that he used DCC to facilitate the use of pushers, matching the speed ranges of all locos via the CV settings, then "consisting" the pushers with the lead locos and running the whole shebang as a single loco. While this might work for a straightforward grade, an up-and-down grade profile could cause problems. It seems to me that DCC affords an excellent opportunity to truly doublehead steam locos or to use pushers, with all locos controlled independently by individual operators. The consensus by that person and subsequent posters was that it would be "too difficult". In my opinion, what a misuse of technology and what a wasted opportunity.
As for doubleheading or using pushers, I do both, although the former is more common due to the severity of my grades. With all locos having "tonnage ratings", trains are seldom dispatched with insufficient power. Most of my locos run very well with one another, so having them controlled by a single throttle, while not truly prototypical, works well. The main difficulty arises when one loco has a markedly different starting voltage than the other - this doesn't cause a great deal of problems when doubleheading, as long as they run reasonably well together at normal track speed. However, it can create utter havoc when trying to use such a combination when running a pusher, and it doesn't matter which loco is on which end of the train. As train length increases, so do the possibilities for disaster, too.
Wayne