Group,
I recently converted one of my two powered A.M. FA-2 units to using the
"low" gear. The interior of my truck looks identical to Matt's S12. The
high/low gears are also identical. You can see it on this page:
http://pmrr.org/Equipment/FA2/index_LVL2_6.htm
However, when I ran my converted A-unit, it sounded like a tin can with
a couple of nuts in it. It was horrible. It did run slower. My other
A-unit already ran slower. I was trying to get them both to run at about
the same speed so that they could both be used in a MU'd DCC consist. I
pondered the noise issue for a while and finally punted on the idea. I
took out all the gears in the converted A-unit's trucks and made it an
unpowered one. My consist is now an A-B-A, with only the lead unit
powered. Considering the power of these engines and the relatively short
trains I run, that's sufficient for my needs.
What I had observed before I converted the one unit, was that at slow
speeds the two engines were wildly different. The slow one ran what I
would consider halfway normal (not SHS slow, but still usable). The
other one took off like a rabbit as soon as it got any power. Both had
Digitrax non-sound decoders in them, and programmed to be as closely
speed-matched as was possible considering the mechanical differences.
Now, on our Houston S Gaugers club layout, where I can run my equipment
at speed, they seemed to even out, speed-wise. However, when I had to
slow down, the rear unit (with the high gear) was pushing the other
engine like crazy. Eventually it became really hot and it was just
spinning its wheels. Unless I could run at speed, I had to remove the
second A unit.
So, I don't think the gears make that big of a difference at train-show
speeds, but at slow, switching, speeds they are incompatible.
Just my observations.
- Peter.
On 03/20/2013 7:26 am, North Stratford wrote:
Group,
I received a new American Models Baldwin S12 diesel loco and created a new File
Folder (AM Baldwin S12) that I will update with photos and info.
Attached is a photo of the regular and low speed worms.
Matt Hogan
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Peter Vanvliet ([email protected])
Houston, Texas
My Model Railroad Site <http://pmrr.org/> (RSS feed
<http://pmrr.org/rss.xml>)
Fourth Ray Software <http://fourthray.com/>
Houston S Gaugers <http://houstonsgaugers.org/>
N.A.S.G. <http://nasg.org/>
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