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Question about DPU's
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 2:27 pm
by David Collins
I shot a photo in Fort Madison, Iowa over spring break of a Santa Fe Warbonnet serving as a DPU alongside a BNSF ES44C4M, AFAIK BNSF hasn't equipped the older Dash 8/9's with DPU technology.
I'm going to try to word this as easily as I can, but if there is a locomotive that isn't DPU equipped, can it be paired with an engine that is DPU equipped and serve as a mid/end train DPU and have the engine that is equipped with DPU control the inputs (throttle, brakes, etc)? or it can't be a DPU regardless if it has an engine equipped with it?
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 3:56 pm
by DaveO
that's what multiple unit is about(MUed). Up front, in the middle, at the end.
the locomotive can't tell if there is a human on board the controlling unit.
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 7:19 pm
by SD80MAC
Yes, any locomotive can be operated as a DPU as long as its MU'd to a locomotive with DPU.
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 1:24 pm
by David Collins
Bumping this thread, I've noticed on the majority of the mid train dpu's that I've seen that the headlights on both sides of the engine are left on, is that a thing done by the locomotive or the crew? It seems kinda impractical to leave them on if they're mid train units.
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 3:55 pm
by ~Z~
David Collins wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 1:24 pm
seems kinda impractical to leave them on
Impractical? It should be a rule to leave the headlight and ditchlights on when in DPU mode. They'd save me time when editing photos of having to clone the headlight into the ditchlight positions.
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/414368/
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Wed May 17, 2023 8:12 pm
by Saturnalia
David Collins wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 1:24 pm
Bumping this thread, I've noticed on the majority of the mid train dpu's that I've seen that the headlights on both sides of the engine are left on, is that a thing done by the locomotive or the crew? It seems kinda impractical to leave them on if they're mid train units.
Probably setup during the day and the person who did either didn't notice, or noticed once they left the cab and didn't feel motivated enough to return to the cab to shut them off.
Re: Question about DPU's
Posted: Thu May 18, 2023 9:22 am
by SD80MAC
David Collins wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 1:24 pm
Bumping this thread, I've noticed on the majority of the mid train dpu's that I've seen that the headlights on both sides of the engine are left on, is that a thing done by the locomotive or the crew? It seems kinda impractical to leave them on if they're mid train units.
Many Class 1 engineers seem to always have a lapse in memory when setting up the MU headlight switches.