Question about steam/diesel excursions.

smash

Whos on First?
Firstly I am talking about the excursions that are a Steam loco paired with a diesel loco. Most notably the UP 3985 with the 6936.
I know that they pair a steam engine with the diesel in case the steam loco breaks down.
So my question. When it comes to breaking(slowing and stopping) , How is it done?
Does the diesel do most of the breaking with the steam only breaking itself?
Or do they share the duty?

Kenny
I was just in trainz driving a double header with a steam/diesel combo when I though of this.
 
Last edited:
...good question...quick response...

8) Using DCC, both locomotives will respond accordingly.

The catch is, in Cab Mode, you'll have to frequently water and fuel the steam locomotive...

Let's see what others say...
 
Umm, guess I should have specified. I am talking about in real life.

But thanks for the quick response. Also Let me rephrase a little. I was not driving, The AI was.
When done in DCC mode both are controlled as one.(I have only done this in DCC mode. I cannot drive a steam loco in cab mode to well:))
If I remember correctly in cab mode you have to switch back and forth between the two. I think.

Kenny
 
Hi Kenny

When two or more locos are coupled together, it is usually the leading loco that controls the brakes only.

The second loco does have the ability to apply brakes in an emergency though.

If both locos had brake control you could end up with a situation where one driver is applying the brake when the other may be trying to release them. Not very safe.

Dennis
 
Hi all

Note that the reason that most steam excursions have diesels in the US is not in case the steam loco breaks down, but more usually to either supply train heat and/or dynamic braking, and most often it is the latter. In some cases the diesels just get tacked on where needed for dynamic braking, but the UP likes to drag them around as on other occasions, they provide some extra power to minimise the work that the steam loco has to do and therefore the reduces the water and fuel consumption so they can go further between servicing stops.

As for controls, 844, 3985, 4449 and lots of other mainline locos have separate remote diesel control stands that look like miniature versions of an EMD controller, with both power and dynamic brake controls.

Cheers
Tony
 
Hi,

Diesel locomotives coupled with steam locomotives are a mismatch. It may however be a necessity for two reasons:
1. To preserve or extend the range of the steam locomotive, a valuable historic artifact, whose repair and maintenance are expensive.
2. Being historic artifacts steam locomotives may not be fitted with modern safety features like automatic braking, train radio etc. which are mandatory on many lines. In that case a modern locomotive, which has these features may be needed to control the train.
In trains equipped with air brakes, each traincar contributes to the braking effort. This would also go for the steam locomotive. The diesel cab and its equipment are needed thus for the initiation of the brake effort, no matter to what extend the diesel contributes to the tractive effort.

Cheers,

Konni
 
I learned this lately, while the diesels are there for back-up and braking, UP sometimes does photo run-byes. On these run-byes, they sometimes put the diesel in Dynamic braking, so 844 will work harder, producing better pictures.
 
I know when I went to the Great Smokey Mountain Ry. they used the diesel to power the passenger cars. I'm sure there are other reasons but that was mainly what I saw it being used for.

Cheers,
John
 
...I know that they pair a steam engine with the diesel in case the steam loco breaks down...
Actually, it's in case the diesel breaks down.:hehe:
There was an actual case where a freight train stalled on Sherman Hill when one of the engines failed. They called in for help, but recieved an immediate response from the 844, which was less than a half hour behind them on its way home from an excursion trip.
Before a crew could be assembled to go out and tow the freight train in to the yard, the big steamer had already come up from behind, coupled up and pushed the train to the crest.
Moral: You can't run a modern railroad without at least one good steam engine to rescue the diesels.:D

:cool: Claude
 
Since we are talking about steam & diesel excursions does anybody know when at least the 611 & 1218 of the N&W railroad will be back to run again? it has been a few years since they were last ran.:cool:
 
From what I have been told the diesel provides several services to the consist but like Zapper said, it provides electrical power to the passenger wagons.

Cheers

AJ
 
Back
Top