Double heading

D

davecar

Registered
Hi,

I am new to G scale and I have just built an oval track about 45 metres in total length and it is an analogue system.

I have two lovely LGB Stainz locos bought from EBay. They are in good condition, one is a No2 and the other a No 3. The older one(3) without the sound is much faster. I would like to double head them on occasions but would this damage the locos if they normally go at different speeds? Have not really experienced double heading before so any tips and hints gratefully received. Also is it a problem to have one loco at the back pushing the rolling stock - same concern for me as double heading.

Kind regards,

Dave
 
I regularly double head trains Dave, always putting the slower loco in front if there is a discrepancy. It has never harmed the motors in my experiance. If you put one on the rear however it does need to be very close to the lead loco speed or it will shove the stock off the track....I would expect the Stainz locos will be OK though as mine are all very similar...except the early one which is noisey and slow.
On longer trains I occasionally have three locos on the front, but you do need a big enough power source to handle them.
No doubt someone will now tell me this is not a good idea, but it works for me

04e045f00f9345cfbf0ad5587b6c812b.jpg
 
It might be the one with sound has the delay start so you get the standing sounds.
It will add to wear and tear if you run them together so i personaly would not! however i am sure there are others here who would. sorry if its not the answer you wanted. If they are only slightly different then shouldbe Ok but if it is double speed the problems will arrise..
 
I frequently run LGB locos in pairs. I do this on an analogue track which means that they run at (markedly- I'd guess 10%) different speeds. Oddly this is the case with seemingly identical locos. I do not run differing locos in pairs.

I have had no trouble to date and here are some examples double heading:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0cyTW3TPy0

and top and tailing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC60LFUA8Ak

When running like this you need the fast loco on the rear or it will be like having a heavy weight at the back of the train which if long enough will pull the train off at any curves.

I find operating like this fun. These two pairs nearly always operate together and a good hour every weekend for a year! The yellow shunters are 0-4-0s so i bet similar/same gearbox to a Stainz.

And if you break one after a year or two of this "abuse".... well you've had your fun and paid for it!

(apologies for anyone who thinks I am a vandal)
 
I connect my double headed Stainz via MU cables, in a very similar fashion as the 2017 types, where the tender and loco are connected electrically. . It seems to be of great help in keeping the power to the motors constant.
 
Double heading with a rear end pusher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjXywKzhCeY

These are all USAT locos......they are fairly well matched......the pusher cannnot derail the train as
the hoppers are half full of pea shingle......very heavy :bigsmile:
 
Dave, The Stainz locos you have are usually quite happy double heading or on both ends of a train. I have a few of them and they can work in any combination, the only exception is the one with an early type motor which is too slow. It may sound obvious, but to check relative speeds place them on a circuit of track some distance apart and turn on the power. One will eventually catch the other up and so you know which should be lead loco and which to put on the rear etc.
Hope this helps, and many happy hours of double heading await you.

A weak excuse for totally irrelevant Stainz photo ! But it has to be done.
Syd

cd596104e63346458e49b20e5944753a.jpg
 
Idealy the locos should be of similar speed butt the Stainz is a tough blighter. I would say go ahead and enjoy yourself.
 
What i want to know is where is Mr Stainz Holt?
Come back paul!!!
:thumbup:
 
i double head regularly because the old line i had had significant grades, sap, and wet rails 


double head  and more also n scale

i follow two 'rules' from my experiences 

lighter engines go to the back-they can be dragged along by a faster engine 
slower engines go to the back as well unless very heavy-there cannot be a large difference in speed if there are traction tires 

for the most part tho, i run engines that will run at the same speed for my LGB as i now avoid undue strain due to parts concerns

a lighter engine can be pulled along on down grades-and as mentioned will not topple a long line of cars- 

the idea is to keep the overall train in draft -not buff-including the second engine-

i have a variety of LGB locos, some models with and without sound-and while the start up voltage is different-with the non sound versions fully running while the sound versions are standing-i have found that there is an equilibrium point where both engines will run at the same speed-at a given voltage-i run them on the same track uncoupled and raise voltage until they run without a gap-then i remember the setting and 'risk' the start up strains

i think the 'safest' double heading configuration is two engines coupled together at the front which eliminates issues of draft and buff and toppling or buckling

but a pusher which has the same running characteristics as the front loco will often perform better than two at the front when grades are involved-this is because the load shifts as the grade and apex grade changes-allowing the aspect of gravity to act as a helper as well 
 
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