# Dash 9 "Dummy" unit



## daveroesler (Jul 25, 2009)

Has anyone converted an Aristo Dash 9 to an unpowered "dummy" unit by modifying the power trucks and taking some weight out?


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a Dash 9 that I've added a sound, Revo and battery. I don't have one gutted. 

But why do you want to gut your Dash 9 and make it a dummy unit that you have to drag around with another loco?


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## daveroesler (Jul 25, 2009)

I run a 30 car coal train with 2 powered Dash 9's up front and one powered Dash 9 pushing in the rear. I have an extra Dash 9 and rather than messing with all the electronics and stuff to include it in the 3-engine MU, I had a thought to maybe just let the 4th one run along at the back with the other one. Crazy sounding I know but right now I'm just wondering. Don't know that I would actually do it anyway but didn't know if anyone had ever tried this. It would be just for looks I guess. I just got back from a tour of the Powder River Basin and saw a number of trains with 2 Dash 9's pushing.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I have never "gutted" a Dash 9, but I did a similar thing some time back with a U25B locomotive. Two free up the wheels I went in the motorblocks (only 2 axles on mine) and took out one of the gears inside of each little cube, which is the gearbox. This worked fine for me. I would think you could do the same thing with the Dash 9 as it has the same little gearboxed in it.

Ed


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, with all the motive power I see why you're thinking of gutting one. 

As for freeing up the wheels, the trucks have three axles with a motor between each axle. You'll have to split the gear boxes, remove the motos and then either remove the gears on the motor shafts or leave the motors out completely.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Geeeeeeee Z ..mmm I mean kind of over kill in the loco dept. Isn't it? 
4 locos for 30 cars.....7.5 cars per loco, or so! 

I do 70 cars with 1 loco.... 
Come on stretch it out some here.....!!!!!! 

OK...Have FUN with your extra power assigment.  

Dirk


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Well..in the prototype world, three or four units on a mainline train is quite common.. 
So why wouldnt we want to model that? 
But few people are going to be able to run 200 cars behind those four units..so it makes sense, in the model train world, to have three or four diesels, 
but only 30 cars behind them.. 

In model railroading, for all scales, its much easier to model a prototypically accurate 
multiple-unit diesel lashup, than it is to model a prototypically accurate length train. 

I am also planning to create dummy units.. 
I have four quite old Aristocraft Alco FAs in the LV paintscheme, an ABBA lashup. 
They all have the "old style" aristo power bricks.. 
I was given two new "2nd generation" Aristo bricks, im going look for two more, completely gut all four units, 
do the surgery to lower the shells (the old style FA's sit too high), install new bricks in only two of the four units, 
and run an ABBA set with only two units powered.. 
and im going to battery power them, so powering only two units will be much easier and cheaper than four.. 
and I wont *need* four powered units! because two powered units will still pull as long of a train as I am ever likely to want to, 
or be able to run.. 

I wish dummy diesels were available in large scale! I would gladly pay less for some un-powered units.. 
(but the manufacturers say they cant do it, because the power bricks are just a small part of the overall cost of a locomotive, 
so it doesn't make economic sense for them to offer unpowered units, which makes some sense I suppose..) 

But there are a lot of benefits to having some dummy units in a multiple unit lashup.. 
we dont always need the power..and less motors can be a definite plus. 
Scot


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been running unpowered units for a long time. Most of my 3rd units in lash ups are non-powered. Simply remove worm gear in truck and turn motor off.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

You say it so much more succinctly than I do, Marty. That is what I was trying to say, but you said it with about 1/4 of the words!!!

Ed


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

I use dummy engines as battery cars with no problems 

This aba set only the front engine has powered trucks, the b unit has the battery in it


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice D&H FA's! 
I dont know if you know this, but there was once one FA in that scheme! 
actually a Canadian FPA..it was painted in the "D&H PA" scheme by the Ontario Midland shortline in NY state,
operated there for a few years in the early 1990's, then was sold to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, where it also
operated for a few years in that scheme:

Ontario Midland MLW FPA 

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad MLW FPA 

(those two photos show the same unit, on two different railroads)
As far as I know, there was only the one unit painted that way..but it just goes to show "there is a prototype for everything!" 

Today the unit is still with the CVSR, but no longer in the D&H scheme.

Scot


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

With all of the ALCOs that the D&H had, it's surprising that they never officially owned an FA


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By D-n-H - Kirkville Branch on 18 Oct 2013 09:53 AM 
With all of the ALCOs that the D&H had, it's surprising that they never officially owned an FA 




yes it is..
Actually, I think the D&H is probably the only Class-1 railroad that transitioned from steam to diesel with *no* cab units whatsoever!
No EMD F or E-units, No ALCO FA's or PA's, No cab units of any kind..pretty amazing really.
They dieselized with all road switchers..Alco RS2's and RS3's, and Alco switchers..

They did eventually own the four Alco PA's, but that was long after the steam to diesel transition era..
(they bought them in 1968)

Scot


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

That's about right, even the Sharks were second hand later purchases, Road switchers proved to be very efficient for their needs at the time.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Just saw a UP train today at our crossing. 4 engines in front, then about 3/4 of the way back 4 more engines. Train was a good mile and a quarter or mile and a half long. Ethanol tank cars and grain cars.


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## daveroesler (Jul 25, 2009)

Thanks for all the answers everyone. Ironically, since I asked the question I have heard (as everyone has I suspect) that Aristo is going out of business. So I've decided to keep my 2 spare Dash9's I now have as backups if something ever goes terribly wrong with the 3 I run. I'm still learning a lot about this hobby being in it for only 3 years and the wisdom of you older members is greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

I kept all my motors when I made my dummes, so I will have back up motors for a long time..


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