Why no more dummies?


weekendrailroader said:
I don't think we've necessarily seen the last of the Blue Box kits. It seems, at least from recent threads on this forum, that there is a growing number of modelers who want the kits back. Maybe they'll reappear as a "re-issue" sometime. I imagine someone still has the molds for the equipment. Currently, it seems that a lot of old Mantua equipment is being re-issued currently. If there's enough of a market, couldn't the same happen for Blue Box Athearn?
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Athearn still has the molds for the BB car and locomotives since they are being produce as RTR except the older wide body locomotives of course.

Sooner or later the RTR price balloon will surely pop and we just might see the return of kits of all types instead of RTR.

BTW.Athearn still makes the F7B as a dummy-its sold with a powered A unit as a A/B set.

A historical fact Athearns A/Bs has been in production for at least 60 years!
 
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CbarM said:
The above post should be moved...no mention of dummies at all...
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Depends on if one wants to include dummies as a car :confused: and IMHO a dummy is nothing more then a locomotive car since they're just along for the ride like any freight car..;)
 
Brakie said:
Its easy to speculate and accuse but,the cold truth is the hobby grew up and left the BB and MDC car kits behind..
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I know what your trying to say, Brakie! However, I don't like the inference that going to RTR is somehow the more mature choice for the hobbyist to take.

As far as the Lack of Dummy engines is concerned, somebody has already said: if the old Blue Box locos and UN-powered dummies are selling for the basic same price on Ebay, and you want a dummy, by all means, remove the the motor, gearing and there you have a Dummy, with metal wheels, a far better choice, anyway!!
 
I'm tempted to actually try this with the 8-40CW I joked about earlier. I can't imagine anyone in their right mind paying full price for a dummy but it could be a nice experiment.
 
A have a pair of Stewart/Bowser FT's and an F7AB that have the B units as dummies.
That may be the only way to get unpowered units, buy F units, with the B as a dummy.
 
I was looking for a Bachmann Plus F-7b dummy to match with my 'a' but Bachmann doesn't make them unpowered. So I bought a powered one to strip the motor and gears out and make it into a dummy. However many powered engines today have very substantial frames that weight 5-10 times a freight car so making them in to a dummy and then trying to drag them around on a layout behind a powered unit isn't pratical. (I've noticed The Proto cab units are like this too)
I ended up taking the 'b' body and slipping it over an athearn f-7 frame ( fits almost perfectly) and saving the powered chassis for another project.
 
NP2626 said:
I know what your trying to say, Brakie! However, I don't like the inference that going to RTR is somehow the more mature choice for the hobbyist to take.
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Well,the hobby has grown up in many areas we now have more road specific locomotives,highly detailed cars etc.

I have mixed feelings over the demise of the simple BB and MRC kits but,they don't compare with their RTR brethren as far as paint and crisp lettering..

There are some spin offs from RTR that can be used in some old fashion modeling...

How about adding cab interior in a BB SW1500?

002-34.jpg




The cab interior cab be ordered from Athearn.I am told buy adding 2 ABS plastic in either the L shape or the solid square shapes (cut to size) the SW1500 interior will fit the old SW7(aka the misnamed SW1500 aka SW7 Cow)
 
NP2626 said:
I know what your trying to say, Brakie! However, I don't like the inference that going to RTR is somehow the more mature choice for the hobbyist to take.
Click to expand...

Well,the hobby has grown up in many areas we now have more road specific locomotives,highly detailed cars etc.

I have mixed feelings over the demise of the simple BB and MDC kits but,they don't compare with their RTR brethren as far as paint and crisp lettering..

There are some spin offs from RTR that can be used in some old fashion modeling...

How about adding cab interior in a BB SW1500?

002-34.jpg




The cab interior can be ordered from Athearn.I am told buy adding 2 pieces of ABS plastic in either the L shape or the solid square shapes cut to size as a base the SW1500 interior will fit the old SW7(aka the misnamed SW1500 aka SW7 Cow)
 
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bnsf971 said:
A have a pair of Stewart/Bowser FT's and an F7AB that have the B units as dummies.
That may be the only way to get unpowered units, buy F units, with the B as a dummy.
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That's a good point actually. My brother recently bought an InterCity 125 set and the 2nd engine is a dummy. The set only comes with a few passenger cars so he's going to buy another set to make it longer, add the 2nd powered car to the end of the train and then sell the dummies.
 
CNR Glen said:
I was looking for a Bachmann Plus F-7b dummy to match with my 'a' but Bachmann doesn't make them unpowered. So I bought a powered one to strip the motor and gears out and make it into a dummy. However many powered engines today have very substantial frames that weight 5-10 times a freight car so making them in to a dummy and then trying to drag them around on a layout behind a powered unit isn't pratical. (I've noticed The Proto cab units are like this too)
I ended up taking the 'b' body and slipping it over an athearn f-7 frame ( fits almost perfectly) and saving the powered chassis for another project.
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I have a BLI E6B dummy that has the 2.5 POUND frame. It doesn't see much service, since I can either pull a train with the A unit, or I can pull the B unit...

TrinityJayOne said:
That's a good point actually. My brother recently bought an InterCity 125 set and the 2nd engine is a dummy. The set only comes with a few passenger cars so he's going to buy another set to make it longer, add the 2nd powered car to the end of the train and then sell the dummies.
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You could also buy the pair, and probably sell the powered A unit for almost what the set cost, netting a very inexpensive B unit or dummy.
 
Terry,I gotta ask..Do you happen to know the reason why a 2.5 pound frame was used on a dummy locomotive?
 
Brakie said:
Terry,I gotta ask..Do you happen to know the reason why a 2.5 pound frame was used on a dummy locomotive?
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It is the powered frame, with no motor. I certainly don't have trouble with the other engine pulling it off the track, though... And yes, it came from BLI that way. Our club has its identical twin, same frame, same issue.
 
bnsf971 said:
It is the powered frame, with no motor. I certainly don't have trouble with the other engine pulling it off the track, though... And yes, it came from BLI that way. Our club has its identical twin, same frame, same issue.
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Ok..Very interesting..

Thanks!
 
Well, my “GP35” arrived. Turns out it’s actually a GP40. I didn’t figure it out until after I’d paid and I looked the road number up. No big deal, in this case. It’s one of the newer BB locos where the shell is held in place with the little clips in the fuel tank. I put it on a small test track and found it to be a very smooth and (for an Athearn) quite runner. I coupled it to my GP35 and found that they ran pretty well together, so I won’t be converting it to a dummy. At slower speeds the GP35 tended to pull a little on the GP40, and then at higher power levels, the GP40 pushed a little on the GP35, but it wasn’t very significant (not like the GP35 with the GP9, where it’s very noticeable).

Now all I need to do is paint the side frames, fuel tank, and handrails and then add the appropriate plow from Details West (any suggestions on the plow? PL-140, PL-206, PL-233…).

ATTACH]
 
Another advantage of dummy locomotive is that they use no or little power (lights / sound chip if fitted). This could be a consideration if you intend to run with, say, three or more locos at the head with a multiple-unit helper set.
 
I think the model magazines are pushing DCC and being paid for it. I started collecting my RR stuff long ago so when I retire I'll have everything I need. I have about 100 locomotives and every one is DC. I can't afford to try and go DCC, thats a ton of decoders, and some are not DCC compatable. I have no intention of going DCC, and I sure as heck am not doing myself a disfavor. My RR is mine, MINE, and as such the decisions are mine, whether others like it or not. I'm tired of the sentiment that it's DCC, or nothing. I can build my own power units, my own hand held throttles, and still have a blast. I own a couple of dummies I got years ago, but most are powered and I run up to four powered on a train, and by dang, I love it this way. DC lives on my RR and always will.
 
railnut49 said:
I think the model magazines are pushing DCC and being paid for it.
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Of course, it's called advertising!:D
I started collecting my RR stuff long ago so when I retire I'll have everything I need. I have about 100 locomotives and every one is DC. I can't afford to try and go DCC, thats a ton of decoders, and some are not DCC compatable. I have no intention of going DCC, and I sure as heck am not doing myself a disfavor. My RR is mine, MINE, and as such the decisions are mine, whether others like it or not. I'm tired of the sentiment that it's DCC, or nothing. I can build my own power units, my own hand held throttles, and still have a blast. I own a couple of dummies I got years ago, but most are powered and I run up to four powered on a train, and by dang, I love it this way. DC lives on my RR and always will.
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It's your layout, even if its hand powered, enjoy it!:D
 
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