GP-40 dummy improvments, decoupling?, weight, UP

[Mogul2-6-0]

Hi I just got 2 sets of UP GP-40 loco dummy caboose sets. (New old stock)
I love them!!!, running them under the xmas tree.
Plastic hand rails are kid friendly.
However if I run the 2 powered units and one dummy consist the two powered units eventually run away and rear end the caboose and the rest of the train LOL
I think it usually happens right where I run the power wires under the EZ track.
I'll try and grade the whole thing properly tonight.
Are there beter couplers I can get?
Also it seems the dummies are really really light. the caboose seems to be weighted and weighs much more than the dummies.
This seems to contribute to the problem.
Should I weight the dummies and if so whats the best way.. I saw someone put modeling clay inside and said that worked.  I was thinking some of my kids playdough and some led crossman pellets?
Of course a sound system would be nice some day in the future.
Maybe add some lighting later too.
Thanks in advance you guys have been awesome for this newb.

[Jim Banner]

The easiest weights to use are lead ones with pre applied double sided tape, available from many hobby shops.  What I use for car weights are pennies.  (They don't seem to be useful for much else.)  I use Pliobond or sometimes Silicone Caulking to apply them.  Walthers Goo will do in a pinch but tends to let go after 5 to 10 years.  Epoxy is excellent if you clean the pennies and car first with a bit of rubbing alcohol.

When adding weight, it is best to put it as low down as possible.  Sometimes sticking weights up under the roof seems like a good idea, but weight that high up may lead to more derailments than it cures.

The NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) suggest that cars in H0 should weigh 1/2 ounces for ever inch of length plus one more ounce.  If your GP-40 is 7 inches long (just a guess) then it should weigh 7 x 1/2 ounces plus 1 more ounce which is 4-1/2 ounces.

If you have a postal scale or a diet scale available, you can put the locomotive on it and add pennies, lead pellets, nuts, bolts, small rocks, or whatever until the scale shows the total weight you want (about 4-1/2 ounces in the example above.)  You may want to take out a bit of weight to allow for the weight of the glue - you can always put it back later if needed.

Some people use less than NMRA weight, claiming that today's cars track so well that they don't have to be as heavy.  I don't disagree - I keep using the NMRA formula because I have a large fleet of cars weighted to that standard and experience has shown that mixing weighting standards within a train can itself lead to problems.  Bottom line for someone starting out - develop your own weight standards if you like, but stick to them for all your cars.

Jim

p.s.  A dummy locomotive is just a car with a different body style, at least in my books.  Similarly a powered boxcar operating as a hidden booster, is a locomotive.

[Mogul2-6-0]

Awesome sounds great.
I'll work on it tonight/this weekend.
I had a scale somewhere?
Thanks a million.
Maybe with inflation I'll have to use the new gold dollar coins instead of pennies.
Oops forgot to ask how to get the shell off on the dummy?
Is it glued?
are there 2 or 4 tabs?
where are they?
Do you have to get those tank looking things off first?
No screws right? Use toothpicks or knife??
Figured it out. remove botom plastic tank like piece, 2 screws, remove one coupler, comes apart.
I adjusted all my couplers and removed the grade and no more decoupling issues. 
UP Sunset Route GP-40 Consist runs awesome! Thanks