Dcc b units

[Vizzin72]

Do dcc B units just provide more pulling power if they are speed matched with an A unit ?  Such as in real life ?

[Len]

Pretty much. Unless you have steep grades, run fairly long trains, or both, you shouldn't really need the extra power though. Some folks use them because dummy 'B' units are getting hard to find, and they want to have a 'B' in their power mix.

Len

[brokenrail]

Yes.More traction of power can allow you to run much slower and steady up and down grades without having to messing with the throttle too much .Real fun with a couple with sound.
Johnny

[rogertra]

Yes.More traction of power can allow you to run much slower and steady up and down grades without having to messing with the throttle too much .Real fun with a couple with sound.
Johnny

But I like "messing with the throttle" going up and down grades, that's all part of the fun of operating in a realistic manner, rather than just playing trains.  


Cheers


Roger T.

[brokenrail]

Roger me too  . Nice to be able to have that minimum speed max traction to avoid a stall up a grade if one has to step away from the controls for that special moment .I think B- units make a statement with time period now since it has been a wile since they have been built or used makes them a unique part of railroad history.
Johnny

[rogertra]

Just checked by GER roster and it seems the GER purchased ten MLW FA-1, nos 180-189 and five MLW FB-1, nos 190-194.   So that tells me, packed away somewhere, is at least one dummy MLW 'B' unit. 

Where?   I'm not sure as I don't want to unpack my loco storage box, again.   

Cheers


Roger T.

[jward]

Roger me too  . Nice to be able to have that minimum speed max traction to avoid a stall up a grade if one has to step away from the controls for that special moment .I think B- units make a statement with time period now since it has been a wile since they have been built or used makes them a unique part of railroad history.
Johnny

b units are still in use. bnsf Norfolk southern and union pacific still run them.

[Trainman203]

What are you all talking about?  "Covered wagon" B units from 65 years ago?  Or modern cabless slugs?

[jward]

sLugs are not b units. a b unit is a complete, self contained locomotive without a cab. ns operates what u believe are the latest ones built, two genset types built in 2008, in addition to two f7b units for the executive train. bnsf has about 20 gp60 b units. union pacific has at least one e8 b unit for its executive train.

slugs on the other hand have no prime mover, thus they need to be coupled to a mother locomotive in order to power their traction motors.

put another way, b units add both horsepower and tractive effort to any consist they are in. slugs merely increase tractive effort by spreading the horsepower of the mother locomotive over more wheels. thus, a gp40 with a slug is the gp40s 3000 hp spread out over 16 wheels instead of just 8. a gp60 with a b unit has the same 16 wheels powered but the total horsepower is 7600 or twice the gp60's horsepower alone.

[Trainman203]

Jeffrey, do you mean  that NS and BNSF are still using actual covered wagon "B units " from F3 or F7  sets from the 50s?  I find that very difficult to belive, explain please, I must be missing a beat somewhere. Unless maybe you mean their E unit and FP business  train power.

[Len]

NS definately does, as part of their 'Heritage Fleet':



Len

[Trainman203]

That's their business train power.

[jward]

perhaps photos will better show you.....

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1491777

NS 2121, one of two on the roster.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=14741

one of 23 built for santa fe.

[Len]

That's their business train power.

Yup! It's also been used for PR excursions, and they've been pressed into revenue service more than once.

Len

[brokenrail]

Santa Fe had some cables boosters gp 60 sd40-2b.B units. They have prime movers in them and slugs do not and are just used for their traction motors.Mr Ward is correct.
Johnny