MU engines

Is there a limit on how many engines that can be MU'ed together.
And are those MU cables send electric signals to the other engines or is puffs of air or somethingdoes anyone know a good link that explains it
ThanksRyan

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MU engines [View All], ryanreeves, 10:04 AM, Jun-04-03, (0) RE: MU engines, shoskins, Jun-04-03, 04:05 PM, (1) RE: MU engines, ryanreeves, Jun-04-03, 04:11 PM, (2) RE: MU engines, derekmorton, Jun-04-03, 05:39 PM, (3) RE: MU engines, calr, Jun-04-03, 06:01 PM, (4) RE: MU engines, smp11512, Jun-04-03, 06:16 PM, (5) RE: MU engines, Chessie SD50 8563, Jun-05-03, 11:31 AM, (6) RE: MU engines, Jonatan, Jun-05-03, 12:20 PM, (7) RE: MU engines, Chessie SD50 8563, Jun-05-03, 03:56 PM, (8) RE: MU engines, smp11512, Jun-05-03, 03:59 PM, (9) RE: MU engines, derekmorton, Jun-05-03, 05:36 PM, (10) RE: MU engines, Claude350, Jun-05-03, 08:13 PM, (11)

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I thought I heard somewhere that 10 or 12 was maximum....I did see a string of 12 engines the other day, running light on BNSF Cajon Pass, westbound. Only the first three units were working, the others were very quiet. All 12 were Dash 9's.

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-04-03 AT 04:30 PM (EDT)

I wonder if some over the other engines in that lash up may not have been running, but the ones that are not running i wonder if the could be used as slugs?That would be a neating idea if you could use an engine to produce power or leave it dead and use it as a slugtell me what you think of that ideaRyantry this link out
I have not read through it all yet
but it seemed neat
http://www.trainweb.org/railwaytechnical/tr-ops.html#MultipleUnitOperation

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They could not be used as slugs as there is now way to get power to them.Derek

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The communication between modern diesel units is electrical or radio if the extra units are farther back in the consist. If you look at the end of a diesel locomotive you can usually see the "MU stands", little electrical boxes with a flip up cover. One of them is usually blue and the other red. They may be located just above the platform or several inches above the platform.Cal Rasmussen
Beaverton, OR
cal.rasmussen@verizon.netColumbia Gorge Route (Phase 1 track completed, 60% scenery, learning 3D Canvas)

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A string came through here a few months ago with 13 all on and opperational UP Dash 8's and 9's I am so glad I keep a video camera in the car My website for MSTS Pic's www.msnusers.com/shanestrainsShane Palus
smp1151@sbcglobal.net

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12 is the max that will reconize, any more will sit and play dumb.

Maumee pronounced Ma-me
Cuyahoga pronounced kI-ya-ho-ga

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I have a book called "Atlas of the Worlds Railways." and I saw a pic with the description "A delivery of 44 new diesel engines to Conrail which were in an order of 217 engines worth $113 million which was placed in 1978." In the pic it looks like it's a batch of GP38's but I could be wrong.Judging by that pic it seems that you can couple 44 engines if not even more./JonatanSteam rules!

My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com

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>I have a book called "Atlas of the Worlds Railways." and I
>saw a pic with the description "A delivery of 44 new diesel
>engines to Conrail which were in an order of 217 engines
>worth $113 million which was placed in 1978." In the pic it
>looks like it's a batch of GP38's but I could be wrong.
>
>Judging by that pic it seems that you can couple 44 engines
>if not even more.
>
>/Jonatan Of course you can couple that many locomotives together, but you can have only 12 respond to the MU, the rest will be isolated or dead.

Maumee pronounced Ma-me
Cuyahoga pronounced kI-ya-ho-ga

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Oh ok I will remember thatMy website for MSTS Pic's www.msnusers.com/shanestrainsShane Palus
smp1151@sbcglobal.net

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>Of course you can couple that many locomotives together, but
>you can have only 12 respond to the MU, the rest will be
>isolated or dead. Where does this information come from?
There are no unit numbers on MU.Derek

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-03 AT 08:15 PM (EDT)

Now according to my NS locomotive engineer training handbook there is nothing in there that says that 12 units is the limit.As long as there is an MU cable running between them there is no limit.The problem would be with the air connections.Since electric signals travel faster than air you'd have a serious problem with the engine brakes applying and releasing.There'd be a big delay between the first and last unit.usually if there are alot of unit coupled together the first three are mu'd and the rest are coupled the the train air line and isolated if not shut down all together.

Claude350 Piedmont Division Raleigh East
cdebnam@bellsouth.net

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