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The individual axles can be isolated from the generator. There are controls in the engine to do this. I meant to get my engine manuals out last night and give you a better answer but I got tied up on something else and forgot. I'll try to remember tonight.Kevin Arceneaux gdapia
>There are controls in the engine to do this.Well I hope I would know that. You can isolate traction motors from the generator in pairs on older EMD's and they can be individually isolated on newer AC units by EMD and GE but that only stops the current flow between the generator and the traction motor. If you were towing a locomotive as was asked by the original poster then you wouldn't need to isolate the traction motors since that unit would be DIC (dead in consist) anyway. The above question asked "is a there a way to disengage the drive wheels from the motors" and the answer would be no, other than what is stated in post #2.PatchCrew UP Engineer
Also in MSTS, you can open the.eng file and edit MaxForce ( 271kN ) MaxContinuousForce ( 196kN ) to read: MaxForce ( 0kN ) MaxContinuousForce ( 0kN ) The parentheses may contain other values besides kN depending on the loco, but zero out whatever value is given You'll find the lines about two-thirds of the way down the .eng file, just after the lighting instructions, as you go into the operation descriptions. (Oh! back up the original .eng file, or copy, then rename and edit the new file, so you can still also use the engine under power)Added during edit: Kevin, isn't there a switch in the control cabinet of a real loc that isolates the reversing drum from the M.U. line, so the loc stays in neutral when the engine is Dead-In-Train? I agree with another writer that the only way to physically disconnect the Traction Motor from the axle is by pulling the pinion gear, but one only needs to do that if, as the writer states, the motor is fried. (I'd rather, if at all possible, set out and let the engine shop worry about it)
JOhn Oldrailfan Railfan means anything on rails! Trains Trolleys Rollercoasters - you name it.
(Won't let me edit so:)Addendum: M.U. Line? I think I was trying to say "M.U. Bus." Patch, I didn't notice you were in on this - maybe you can answer about how to set DIC in real life.
JOhn Oldrailfan Railfan means anything on rails! Trains Trolleys Rollercoasters - you name it.
From an Engineer's stand point there is nothing to do in regards to a dead in consist locomotive. If you get on a train where one or more units are DIC then you just carry on with what you have. If you lose a unit enroute you do nothing but place the isolation switch in the Isolate position. You do not cutout traction motors because the unit is already isolated and there are no special rules regarding units DIC other than SW1500/MP15 locos must be the second unit in the consist (working or not) due to not having alignment couplers.Now once I did have a unit blow a traction motor. The solution was your quote:set out and let the engine shop worry about itWe are not mechanics nor are we taught how to repair locomotives. It isn't our job to setup locomotives for DIC transit so if there is something special done then that would be the job of the Locomotive Maintenance people. Actually we wouldn't leave a major terminal with non working locomotives not unless they are being transfered to a shop for repair.PatchCrew UP Engineer
Normally, no. The motor and axle gears are mounted in permanent mesh, and the motor turns whenever the wheels turn. Sometimes it is necessary to tow the locomotive and not let the motor turn - for example, if the traction motor has self-destructed an armature into a wad of copper wire and locked up. In that case, then the small gear on the motor, called the 'pinion gear', has to be removed by hand. A dirty, cramped job where you have to crawl underneath the locomotive. Dan
