# Night Operations: San Juan Double Header



## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

This last Sunday saw the KC&CRR running it's version of the "San Juan Express" at night. The engines are a modifed Bachmann Annie and Connie pulling a consist of AMS cars that have been modified with Rio Grande UK kits. The engines have r/c battery with Sierra Digital Sound and are controlled through two RCS Elite TX-24 controllers. I found that "double heading" this way is intensely interesting! This was the first time I had run the new section of the layout with the full passenger consist and with one small exception (a turnout that the Annie's tender want's to derail on...don't worry, I'll figure it out) it ran flawlessly. I thought I'd share so photos of the run:










The lighting of the cars is through a battery in the boxcar:










The Annie and the Connie really complement each other nicely:










Here's the only shot I was able to get of the entire train before the batteries in the camera failed:


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Neat!! Very neat.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Very, very nice Steve! THX for posting. You need to bring that train out to the Fairplex Layout.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Very cool Steve....nice night run. 

Chris


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

That looks awsome Steve









The lighted cars look cool at night

Engines look sweet

Isnt there a way you could add an extra Battery and run smoke ?

That would be totally off the hook, for picture purposes only Maybe...........


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

OOOOOOOOOO Yaaaaaaaaaa...were are all the diesels ??????????????? LOL


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

It looks like it was a great tun, Steve.
JimC.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, You are an idio......................syncratic observer.


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## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve, 
Nice photos! It reminds me that I don't get to use the lights in my trains often enough! Looks like you have a very nicely manicured railroad!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the kind comments. The consist can be run with either the Connie or the K-27 by itself (I figured using the K-27 with the Connie as a helper was just a teeny bit of "overkill" considering I only had seven cars running behind the engines!) The Annie can pull five of these cars up the grades before I get significant wheel slippage (these AMS cars are_ heavy_ even with BB wheel sets compared to an LGB or Bachmann 1:22.5 version!) I am planning on adding an RPO car and an Observation car to the "Express" for next year and I wanted to get some experience with running a double-header.
The way I do it, I have one controller in each hand and I get to be the engineer for both. Since the engines are completely different they tend to be more like their prototypes with each having it's own "personality." This is the way narrow gauge steaming was in the early 20th century. Each engine was "alive" and had it's own idiosyncracies. By doing it this way I really get a "hands on" feel for running the locomotives even though my layout is just an overglorified over/ under double loop (no hitting the "go" button and forgetting about it with this particular train!)
The night run was also to get the layout ready for our annual Halloween Train which we run during the Trick or Treating hours. I will need the trains to be running "glitch free" for the 3-4 hours that the trains will be running as I also get to give out the candy to the kiddies so I will be running two different trains on independent loops with only one engine each so I can hit "go" and just sit back and enjoy! This is the fourth year we've done it and it is becoming quite the Halloween tradition in our neighborhood! Fun fun fun!!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 25 Oct 2010 07:47 PM 
Nick, You are an idio......................syncratic observer.


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## reeveha (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve, pretty cool on the double-heading. Are you going to be down to setup for Illuminations the weekend before Thanksgiving?


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