New to Z Has Question.

I am new to Z so i am sorry for this basic question. But here it is. Can i run two engines on the same loop at the same time. Will the power pack handle the power demands of the two engines. I tried and one engine was faster. Any help will be greatly appreicated. BillZ

Answer: I'll take a quick hit at this. Yes you can run two engines on same loop. They both will operate slower as there are TWO. Speed varies from engine to engine- even the exact same engines. as you progress there are blocks and other stuff to wiring the track. I'll hand off to others more knowlegeable-welcome to Z! Fred

Answer: Billz, you can run two engine in the same loop if you double head them, otherwise the faster one will eventually catch up withe the slow one. Shamoo737

I have one more solution, and that is to run dcc. With dcc, you control the engine, but theres a small learning curve. I run two engines on one loop all the time. When the faster engine start catching up to the slow engine, I just slow the faster engine until they are the same speed. The only downside of dcc its the cost of the system and the installation of decoders into the engine.

Havng one loco run slower than the other when you've got two on the same loop can actually be an advantage if you've got analogue signalling. If they ran at the same speed one would never catch the other and your expensive signalling system would be of no use!

To summarize - yes, but you must electrically isolate various parts of the loop so that you can stop one while the other goes to keep them from catching each other.
Or couple them together (doublehead) like Fred said.

But if you going to block them, then you really need two powerpacks. Its no fun having a engine stop on that is not powered. Having two power pack lets you control the speed of the engine on that block so theres no racing.

Thanks for the information. I didn't think one could use dcc on Z scale given the engine size etc. Where can i get more information on this.

Go to to dcc forum and read some of the treads. Then come back and ask questions.

www.zcentralstation.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=57&func=showcat&catid=20

BillZ, in general, to run DCC, you will need a starter system from NCE, MRC (not even close to NCE even tho they look the same), Digitrax, Lenz, etc. Expect to pay >$150 for everything you need, except the loco decoders.

Digtrax and TCS (www.tcsdcc.com) make "drop-in" decoders for MTL GP's and SD40. TCS makes wire in decoders for the AZL GP7 and SD70/75. It is very easy to do. MTL F7 and Märklin locos will require some work.

Once you run DCC, you'll never go back to DC. Locos will crawl, any number can be on the same track, any speed and any direction. Turn lights, etc, on and off. Even throw turnouts if they are decoder equipped. The great thing about DCC on a layout with crossovers and spurs is you can have your main line running a train while a switcher goes on and off the main as he pleases.

As pointed out in prior posts, most locos, even the same model can run different speeds. On DCC, you can simply set one or the other for a few more or less speed steps. On DC, you can often find different model or manufacturers that run mayeb 2x as fast/slow as the other. DCC will solve that.

Jeff
SF Bay Area Z