DMUs - to pull, or to push.

[Potrail2378]

Hi, I have had a class 142 Pacer (that I have converted to DCC), with a motor in each unit. It's very happy travelling in both directions. I recently bought a class 156, which is pretty long!

My question, concerning the 156, is - Is the motor unit better at pulling the dummy unit (from the front), or is it better pushing the dummy unit from behind? I'm thinking about the pros and cons, eg derailing.

Thanks in advance.

[threelink]

Hi,Potrail. I would say power car to the front puling everything else behind it. Less risk of derailment.

[Britannia Builder]

I have a 3-car Hornby class 101 with the power car at one end, and it runs perfectly well in both directions, including pushing up a fairly steep gradient with a 90 degree curve at the top.

I converted it to DCC and installed lighting, with fine wires between the cars to drive the lights from the decoder. Waiting patiently for a TTS sound decoder for DMUs!

Regards, John

[Going Spare]

Unless you have a round-and-round layout or one with reverse loops at both ends so the unit can be run in the same direction all the time, the unit will have to reverse once it comes to a terminus so it really does not matter whether the motorised car is initially pulling or pushing - it will soon be going the other way.

[atom3624]

Must admit I've found some items have differing heights of couplings which can complicate things, but I'm 100% in agreement with Britannia builder - I've a 3-car 101 set as well - which runs both ways without any issue.

Al.

[Potrail2378]

Hi, I have decided to have the motor at the front. This is because I have converted the DMU to DCC. I have only used the one decoder, and have used a four pin JST connector to join the two units. I wanted to have a cab light and saloon light, as well as directional lights. Using a standard four socket connector only allowed me to supply the dummy unit with a blue, white, yellow, and green wire - no wire available for a cab light. That's why (with the decoder being fitted in the driving unit), the purple wire supplies the cab light, and therefore that is primarily the 'front' of the unit.

Thanks for your replies 👍