Double Heading a Big Hauler

[GlacierBill]

I have put together a rather long circus train for my Granddaughter and it is starting to have trouble pulling, is there a way to double head 2 of the Emmett Kelly 4-6-0's?

[altterrain]

No problem. Double heading is great fun. Run both at the same time to see if one is a bit faster. If one is put that one in front. You will need to replace the dummy coupler on the front of the back loco with a working one. That's about it!

-Brian

[GlacierBill]

I guess the big question is, how do I change the front coupler?

[Barry BBT]

Glacier Bill,

Check out my website, Circus locos double headed pulling 83 cars (video).

Remove the cowcatcher you'll find a post at the front of the deck which can be fitted with a longer arm and coupler.  It is the same post the dummy coupler is mounted.  Others have attached a flat bar to the pilot truck, forward under the cowcatcher the up, flatten out with a coupler mount.
All this car to help on tight curves.

Barry - BBT

[Barry BBT]

Website:

www.barrysbigtrains.com   also click on Gallery, then the videos.

Barry

[glennk28]

well--I suppose that the front coupler might work--has it ever been re-done right-side-up?? Works better that way!!!

[YellowHillsCentral]

hey barry,

if you don't ming, could you put some photos on your website? that would help me a ton. I'm a visual person and would like to see some of your items.

Thanks a Ton,
Shay

[Barry BBT]

Shay,

I lost control of the website a lomgtime ago.  There is one price which $20.00 short.

What would you liketo see?  I had a lot of pics, which I lost in two bad hard drives, but I am building back as fast as I can, but some products were rare and some current are also rare.

I will say that there is a new product in development, which will be the best ever (but not for the Big Hauler).  The best ever Big Hauler conversions are here now.

Shay send me an email and I will comply with your wishes.

[email protected]

Barry - BBT

[YellowHillsCentral]

the bear trap smoke stack, the caboose converstion, and some more pics of the 2-8-0 pictures.

[Howard]

Double heading
Big Haulers is easy with a coupler kit from Kadee.  Can't remember number, but check website.  The kit comes with a new front coupler for loco and another for the tender of the lead locomotive.  Same kit will also work with LGB moguls.

Howard

[Tom Lapointe]

I've installed the Kadee conversion on one of my "Annies" (haven't gotten around to doing the second one yet - it's one of the Christmas versions & still needs conversion to DCC first ).  It's not a difficult conversion to do, the install information is available on the Kadee website:
http://www.kadee.com/conv/b460bh.htm

I have 2 videos on "YouTube" showing Kadee operation in Large scale; "Part 2 in particular shows the converted "Annie" double-heading (as the trailing engine, using the pilot coupler) with a Bachmann "Centennial" Mogul on a passenger train.  (Either loco was capable of hauling the short passenger train alone, the double-header was just run for fun! ).

Here's the links to the two "YouTube" videos:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j4JCtZ_XM8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waYgHRMKdBU

Hope those help!                                        Tom

[GlacierBill]

Thanks, I will order the coupler, I am still trying to understand the instructions, but I am sure I can figure it out, By the way, what is the tightest radius the new double headed engines will make when coupled?

[Larry S.]

As wide as possible. I used 10' radius with body mounted Bachmann couplers with good success. When body mounted, the couplers are at the height of the Annie front coupler. I made a coupler height jig to check each coupler as it was installed.

Larry S.
Southern Ohio Narrow Gauge RR

[Tom Lapointe]

Glacierbill, my mainline curve min radius is 69" (Aristo 11.5 foot diameter).  I have 1 curve (part of a wye) which is 48" radius (8 foot diameter), but I didn't try running the double-header through that.  Main consideration is that the new pilot coupler will NOT swivel side-to-side as much as a rear coupler (especially if truck mounted); on the lead engine in the video, the "Centennial" Mogul, I had BODY-mounted the rear Kadee to the tender frame; at least on my curves, there wasn't any issue.   If the curve diameter is too tight, you risk having the tender of the lead engine, or the pilot of the trailing engine, derail (or maybe BOTH).  

                                                                                                              Tom