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Several of the older model diesel locomotives were available as "A" units with a cab and "B" units without a cab. These included EMD's E and F units and Alco's PAs along with several more.
Normally on a train, the "B" unit must be with an "A" unit, but how about just driving around the yard? When they first get the locomotives out and are hooking them up to get ready to go, it seems that there must be a way to drive the "B" units around slowly. How do they do this, or are they always required to be hooked up to an "A" unit in order to go anywhere at all?
Thank you
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
posted
It seems that the "B" would have to be connected to an "A" in order to operate in a yard or on the main. The "B" unit doesn't have cab controls (unless it has a hostler stand?), so starting and stopping it would be difficult to regulate. It runs much like other cabless units: a "slug" or a "cow & calf" combination, where the calf must be connected to the cab locomotive (cow) in order to run under control.
Posts: 553 | From: Flagstaff, AZ USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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Alot of B units have hostler controls for operating them around the yard, especially in & around the diesel shops.
Posts: 249 | From: Downey CA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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Most, if not all, 'B' units had hostler controls added by the railroads, and were a feature on new units after the builders got complaints about the lack of controls on them.
Posts: 3 | From: Atlanta, GA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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Thank you for the replies. I figured that there must be some way of moving them around by themselves.
I recently bought an N-scale set of an Alco "A" and "B" unit. Up until now, I have just had "A" units and typically ran them alone or back to back. This is my first time using a "B" unit. Fortunately my models turned out to be very good running locomotives.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
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