I tried, what is max number of locos in a consist?

[gregeusa]

First, is there an actual manual for the system that tells you things like my question:

What is the maximum number of locos in a consist?

So maybe I can get 2 questions answered ha ha!

Greg

[Alan]

Well, 24 is the max number of locos in operation from a single HC so I would guess 24 is also the max in a consist.

[gregeusa]

sure like to know, from developer or actual test

[William Brillinger]

Actual manuals can be found on the developers website.
Phone number for the actual developer is there too.

http://ringengineering.com/RailProProducts.htm

[gregeusa]

I see, on the site I needed to click on the picture again to do "deeper"

Found the manual, no specification of max number of locos in consist.

I'll wait a day or so until I contact the developer.

Greg

[William Brillinger]

How many locos do you want to have in a consist?

[gregeusa]

not playing, just want to know 

[Dean]

A while back I ran eight engines in a consist. The HC-2 that I was using wouldn't let me add a ninth engine.

[gregeusa]

Thank you Dean! Just out of curiosity, did the system indicate an error, or the loco was just not added?

8 is a good number, and for Bill, I regularly run a passenger train with 7 locos in a consist, and I'm not done yet...

I have to post my AAABBBA Santa Fe F3 consist on youtube.... it will pull a nice passenger car consist in G scale.  ;-)

Greg

[Dean]

That was a long time ago and I don't remember the message. Sorry.

[KPack]

I tried a few things last night and was able to get 9 locomotives MU'd.  There isn't really a "limit" on selecting locomotives that I found....it just kept saying "select locomotive #8, #9, #10" etc.  But I found that above 9 locomotives it would "hang" when you exited the MU screen.  The locomotive control screen would pull up but only half the buttons would be there, and nothing would work.  I had to press the main button to get back to the main screen.

So it doesn't seem like the software itself has limits on what you can add, but in practicality something is keeping the controller from being able to connect to what the software allows for.  I don't think Ring Engineering is aware of this discrepancy.

Why anyone would want to MU 9 locomotives together is another question entirely.

-Kevin

[Dean]

I did eight engines together just because I could. It was an interesting test. I had 10 heavily weighted cars in the consist. Three engines, five cars, three engines, five cars, and two pushers. I watched the couplers to see if there was any bunching or jerking. None.
I was amazed at how smooth the train ran, even up a hill with curves.

[JRad]

Hi Greg -

Are you actually considering switching to this product, or just researching for your website?  I remember that you are a big fan of DCC. If you get a chance to try consisting in RP, I'm sure you would be impressed with how easy it sets up and how smooth it runs. On an outdoor layout with grades and curves, I don't think DCC speed matching can ever come close to the real-time load sharing going on with RP.

My experience with 4 locos; 2 Bachmann C-19's leading and 2 Bachmann 45 Ton diesels pushing, running up my curving 4.5% grade with 12 Accucraft cars (Accucrafts come standard with 'brakes' dragging)  mimics what Dean reported.

Jon

[ON28]

I consisted seven diesels on my HO layout, a mix of Atlas, Intermountain, Stewart/Kato, original Proto, and a remotored Front Range Geep -- six LM3s and one LM2, four with PBMs and the rest with TCS KAs, three with speakers -- and ran a 30-car train up my 2.5% helix and back. No problems, except at the end when I was drilling cuts in the yard, I got a short for no apparent reason, cleared it, then found an Over Maximum Voltage alert for the Atlas GP38, Proto BL2, and Intermountain F3. My track power was an NCE 5 amp base station, so maybe exceeded available power?

I quite enjoyed running a long train with max power on my double-deck 21x15 railroad. Changes the playing field for future op sessions.

[KPack]

Quick note.  The locomotives in a consist are capped at 12, according to Ring.  The fact that I ran into the issue when I attempted it is a glitch that Ring is looking into.  It could be because I've tested multiple beta programs on my Railpro Assistant software and sometimes that code gets messy.

I'd be curious to see if anyone else runs into the same issue when trying to MU 12 locomotives together.

-Kevin