Original Six NHL HO train set - heavy caboose?

[ctunited]

Hi - I received a Hawthorne Village "Original Six" NHL train set some time ago and have just set it up on a track mounted near the ceiling in my den.  I love how it works.  My question is about the "Original Six" caboose (at least I think it is).  It is much heavier than all of the other cars, except the engine, which is just as heavy.  Is that powered as well and I should be using it as the last car?  I'm afraid it will be too heavy and slow everything down.  After writing this I guess I will just try it, but wanted to get some opinions from the experts.

Thanks so much

Mike

[jbrock27]

Mike, perhaps you received the bonus of a commemorative Original Six Hockey puck and it is hidden in your caboose! Just kidding

I do not hold myself out to be an expert, but what happens if you put just the caboose on the track and try to power it up and run it, like it was the engine(locomotive)?

[ctunited]

I did open up the caboose, broke it in half but there was no puck.  Hmmmm.

Just kidding.  I did try putting it on the track with nothing else, but it didn't budge.  Was just curious on why it was so much heavier than all of the others.  Oh well.  If anyone has any other ideas/thoughts I will welcome them.

Thanks

[jbrock27]

Hmm.  I was hoping to see if the caboose would run as a loco would.  Bc it does not, either means that it does not have a motor, or the motor in there is not getting "juice".  Can you tell, now that you have opened it, if it has a motor?

PS-I am an ISLANDER fan myself

[jward]

in looking up this train set I could find no caboose. it is a passenger train, pulled by an two unit diesel locomotive. what you called the caboose is, I suspect, a b unit. this is a cables diesel, which in real life was remotely controlled from the leader. if this is in fact a b unit, it should have several round windows on the side.

assuming this is a b unit, this would explain its weight, as well as the fact the wheels don't freewheel. there should be a couple of small screws, either under the fuel tank (which pops off) or in the chassis on either side of the tank, which holds the body on.

[jbrock27]

I am glad it has now been established it is B unit you are talking about Mike and not a caboose and we now know what to refer to it exactly.
That said, the B unit should run just as the A unit loco would as per my above suggestion.  As it does not run, you should do as Jeff suggests and take the screws out so you can get the shell off to see what you can see.  Perhaps a disconnected wire is the cause for the B unit not running as power would not be able to travel  thru the motor from the wheels.
Can you take and post pictures if need be?

[Jerrys HO]

If it is a B unit I would think it is a dummy unit. The weight is not a problem as it is better to have it than not.
If this unit was powered, you would probably see the wheels not turning and it being dragged around which is not good for the A unit.

This is my AB unit. If yours are similar then Jeff is correct (as usual).



If the B units wheel spin and are not dragging you are OK the added weight is from the frame which is identical to the A unit less motor.

Jerry

[jbrock27]

Good to hear from you Jerry!
You lost me though on the thought that the B unit is necessarily a dummy as many B units are powered and to my knowledge, many Bachmann B units are powered or meant to be anyway.  Mike did say the weight of his caboose/B unit is the same as his running loco, one would think a dummy unit would be lighter for absence of the motor.
The wheels on the B unit may not be turning, bc the motor in there (if indeed in there) is not getting power.
I am not sure what you said here means:  "If this unit was powered, you would probably see the wheels not turning and it being dragged around..." 
Yes indeed, Jeff is often correct, but not all the time.  No one is of course.

[jbrock27]

BTW Jerry, I sent you a PM at the end of July, did you see it?

-jb

[Jerrys HO]

jb

Glad to see you are still LOST on my answers...

There are many B units that are dummy's, I have one. I can not be certain if Bachmann's Hawthorne Village sets  a B unit dummy or not as I do not own any collective sets like that.
Now it''s not to say the set was used and someone turned the powered B unit into a dummy.
Mike stated the caboose was heavier than the other rolling stock which without putting it on a scale do not know how much heavier he is referring to.
I don't think the motor missing would make it that much lighter as I have a powered AB and a dummy AB and find by holding them in my hand you can not determine if the motor is there are not.

I am not sure what you said here means:  "If this unit was powered, you would probably see the wheels not turning and it being dragged around..."  

I was stating if it was powered and the motor was there you would see the wheels locked up and being dragged around. Although I would think it would not go far or fast being dragged.
Hope this help's you understand what I was getting at.

Jerry

[Jerrys HO]

I got your PM. I thought I replied back. Maybe not, it's been a hectic summer for me keeping up with the children. She did enjoy herself up there though. To bad you couldn't meet her one day while you were at work.

Jerry

[jbrock27]

You did not reply, but no problem, I understand busy.   But I sent a later PM than the one you are referring to.  Did you not get that one?

I am sorry I don't always follow what you are saying.  What you said here confused me bc, if the unit was powered, put on the track like I had suggested with the controller on and the wheels were not turning, it would mean a problem with the motor.  If set up as a dummy, then there should be no reason for the wheels not to turn when pushed on the track or hooked up to the running loco.
Yes, Mike did state his caboose/B unit was heavier than the rolling stock, but he also stated is just as heavy as the engine.  To me that means weighing the same.  I am able to detect the weight difference when a motor is absent.  Perhaps I have a finer touch and sensitivity.
I hope Mike gets back to us about what he finds when he takes the shell off.  I did not realize when he said he broke it in half and said he was kidding, that it was more than just kidding about finding a hockey puck.

I would have liked that, but it would have meant missing work, bc like I had told you, I used to work down there and would have to take a long drive.

[jbrock27]

And Jerry since you posted these pics, I have to ask you, have you gotten these units all squared away with decoders and getting them set up the way you wanted?

[ctunited]

Whew - step away for a couple hours and look what happens.  Thanks to all who have responded - some great conversation.  Thought it was time to post some pictures.  I did end up opening it up, and there was nothing.  I've got it as the last unit and it actually pulls around quite nice.  I may try putting it second and see how that looks too.

*** seems to be some issue with uploading an image.  It is only 3kb, but saying the folder is full.  Oh well.  The inside of the B unit is steel, but with nothing in the middle, sort of hollowed out.***

Thanks again for everyone's responses and time.  Much appreciated.

PS for jbrock27 - Go Wings!!   Should be interesting in the Eastern Conf this year.

[ctunited]

So I wanted to show the images anyways, so I uploaded them to photobucket.  The first link shows the unit taken apart.  Not sure if it is a dummy, or just  waiting for something to be put in it.

http://s806.photobucket.com/user/ctunited/media/B_Unit_2_zpsaac51787.jpg.html

http://s806.photobucket.com/user/ctunited/media/B_Unit_1_zpsd83589d5.jpg.html

Thanks again

Mike