PlayStation Gp38-2 Double Locos

hello, how can you set that if you drive in multiple traction that all locomotives should work for the GP38-2? The most important thing I want to know is how to set it up for a double loco.

 

Hello, do the following:

In the trail locomotives:

1. Independent brake to Release, Automatic brake to Handle Off and Brake cut-out switch to Cut-Out
2. Ensure Reverser switch is removed and headlights/tail lights are off
3. Ensure the Control & Fuel Pump, Generator Field and Engine Run switches are all in the down position; this ensures you are able to use the trailing locomotives for power remotely from the lead locomotive
4. Ensure MU valve is in the Trail 24/26 position; this ensures you are able to control the independent brake of the trailing locomotives remotely from the lead locomotive

In the lead locomotive (the one you will be driving from):

1. Turn on (up position) the Control & Fuel Pump, Generator Field and Engine Run switches
2. Move MU valve to the Lead/Dead position
3. Move the Brake Cut-Out switch to the Freight position, insert reverser handle and turn on headlight

 

Thanks for this list, I'll try it!

 

I've been using trail 6 or 26 in the trail locomotives, does this make a difference, I can't say I've noticed any, aside from the train pushing and shoving after I've released the breaks...

 

Yes it does; as I said before, you’re able to remotely control the independent brake in the trail locomotives. You’re not really going to notice it much because you are going to normally be using the Automatic Air brake (train brake). It’s only if you were running light (I.e. no wagons/cargo) and were using the Independent brake would you notice the difference. Some time ago I tested it out myself and you can see my results below. Also, if you use the free camera to see the brake cylinder pressure in the trailing locomotives and change the MU valve position, you will see the brake cylinder pressure change accordingly when you use the independent brake.

3 Locomotives coupled together. Took it up to 20mph, put independent brake to full service and timed how long it took the consist to come to a complete stop. The lead locomotive had MU valve in Lead/dead position and the 2 trailing locomotives were varied as outlined in the scenarios below.
Scenario 1: Both trailing locomotives with MU valve in Lead/Dead position; in other words, 1 out of 3 locos providing braking when using independent brake: 9.7 seconds to stop

Scenario 2: 1 trailing locomotive with MU valve in Lead/Dead position and the other trailing locomotive with MU valve in trail 24/26 position; in other words, 2 out of 3 locos providing braking when using independent brake: 7.1 seconds to stop

Scenario 3: Both trailing locomotives with MU valve in trail 24/26 position; in other words, 3 out of 3 locos providing braking when using independent brake: 6.1 seconds to stop

And of course, if you had lead locomotive with MU valve in trail 24/26 position, you would never get any independent braking regardless of the position in the trailing locomotives. (Scary moment when nothing happens until you realise you still have the train brake)

You can see by my experiment that there is a clear difference by putting the MU valve in the correct positions when using the independent brake. Regardless of any of the above, it is a procedure that must be done in the trailing locomotives as per traction manual and company instructions unless there are exceptional circumstances like you’re hauling a loco dead. Hope this helps.

 

Super informative as always! Thank you.

 

Appreciate it, nice to know it helps.

Headlight control- you’re able to control the rear headlight so that the headlight will active light from the rearmost locomotive
Scenario 1: Single Locomotive
Put headlight control switch to Single/Intermediate

Scenario 2: 2 Locomotives
In the trailing locomotive, put headlight switch to Coupled at either end
In the lead locomotive, depending on whether the trailing locomotive is coupled on the long hood end or short hood end, put headlight switch to either Coupled at Long Hood End or Coupled at Short Hood End respectively. Remember, from the front cab looking out is the Short Hood end so most of the time the trailing locomotive will be coupled at the long hood end- in other words, the back.

Scenario 3: 3 or more Locomotives
In the rear most trailing locomotive, put headlight switch to a Coupled at either end
In the intermediate (middle) trailing locomotives, put headlight switch to Single/Intermediate
In the lead locomotive, just like in scenario 2, put headlight switch to either Coupled at Long Hood End or Coupled at Short Hood End depending on where the second trailing locomotive is coupled. Again, this will usually be at the back so the long hood end.

In the picture below, I’ve shown the short hood end and long hood end. So as you can see, the lead locomotive is coupled to the trailing locomotive from the long hood end (from the point of view of the trailing locomotive, it is coupled to the lead locomotive from the short hood end but this doesn’t matter as you put it into single/intermediate position in the middle trailing locomotives as explained in scenario 3)
The blue star is where the rear headlight would shine if you didn’t bother with headlight control because it just thinks that you are a single locomotive so shines rear headlight for that locomotive. As you can see, this would be incorrect as the light is not at the rearmost locomotive (assuming that there are no wagons as again, there would no point of a rear headlight). With headlight control as outlined in the scenarios above, you can control rear headlight so it actives the rear headlight of the rearmost locomotive.

 

Where is the MU Valve?

 

Top picture shows MU valve circled in red
Bottom picture shows Headlight control switch circled in green

 

Thank you for that!