[R H Steele]

http://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/hi.gif http://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/good2.gif Thank you Carlo. Thanks Jared for the correct information.

Jared, I've read all these terms in threads. MU'd, helpers, distributed power ... just what is the difference? I think I saw some remote control boxcars also in Canadian Consists...were those early efforts at Mu, or distributing power? Gerry

[jared2982]

To make it simple distributed power (DP) is really nothing more than an unmanned helper that is run by remote control from the lead unit. No longer a need to call an extra crew. MU’d (multiple units) are just engines connected together in a consist. They basically do whatever the head or lead unit does also without the need for another crew. As far remote box cars I cannot say but your guess is probably on the right track.

[espee]

Depending on the train type, Timetable and operating requirements; helper locomotives can be point, mid-train or rear-end. In steam days (it goes without saying) all helpers were manned.

In early Diesel days all helpers were manned until North Electric Company bought by Radiation Inc. later bought by Harris Corporation and later still bought by GE developed Locotrol I where 1 set of (mostly) mid-train helpers could at last be crewless and controlled by the crew in the lead unit of the train.

Initially due to testing and the size of the radio gear, a boxcar with the Locotrol equipment was MU'ed to the helper loco consist. In time the size Locotrol equipment was reduced and it could be fitted into a snoot nose diesel. Southern Pacific's 14 1974 built SD40T-2's were snoot nosed specifically to fit Locotrol, 7 as Masters and 7 as Slaves, only one and usually the lead loco of a consist needed to be Master or Slave as all other units were MU'ed...

Canadian Pacific was one early user of Locotrol, so likely did the Radio Boxcar thing.

Locotrol III could control up to 4 sets of helpers.

Distributed Power (DP) an "invention" of GE - and yet GE all ready manufactured and marketed Locotrol... can control up to 50 locos in 10 groups of 5.

[mozdonyos]

Hi!
This solution applies only to American traffic!
In Hungary, if there are more locomotives in a train, if the driver takes the locomotive brake on the first locomotive, the other locomotives will not lift the brakes.
In the OR, we also define the control wagons as locomotives.
So if I release the locomotive brakes, the control wagon at the end of the train does not brake, which can already be influenced strongly by the train at the designated location.
So please find some other solution to this, because the current version with the exception of US railways is incorrect.

Please do not be angry, I use a google translator.


Sincerely, a Hungarian enginedriver!

[ErickC]

CP is Canadian. They just happen to use locomotives fitted with the AAR MU system (as is common around the world).

Anyway, yes, the CP was an early user of Locotrol, and they did employ a number of robot cars to that end. Later on, SD40-2s with 103" noses were ordered for the purpose of DP. There's some great information on the robot cars here.