Does Horizon Express X2 require more than one PF engine.

[gotoAndLego]

I have two sets I am going to build and combine into a single train; I’ll be using the PF rechargeable battery box. Does it struggle with a single PF engine?

[M_slug357]

@gotoAndLego the HE doesn't struggle with a single motor per-se, but it doesn't go very fast either. I'd recommend putting two motors in the lead engine, but you'd need to reverse the polarity of the second motor.

It's also possible to place another pair of motors in the rear engine, but that requires a 2nd battery box and receiver... as well as higher radius track to lessen the possibility of derailment...!

[gotoAndLego]

In theory what will deplete the battery quicker; one or two motors? One will have to work harder pulling all the weight while two will split the load.

[Paperballpark]

1 hour ago, gotoAndLego said:

In theory what will deplete the battery quicker; one or two motors? One will have to work harder pulling all the weight while two will split the load.

Two motors will, as they'll draw twice the current from the battery box.

A few years ago I extended my HE to have ten coaches and two cabs. I modified the front cab to be able to take two motors, two (rechargeable) battery boxes, two IR receivers and a polarity switch. I also built a duplicate cab, in order to be able to quickly switch it out when running at shows - one was on charge while the other was running. The two motors had no problems at all pulling twelve carriage (although I did have to use a 1x2 tile to clip the front magnets together).

Another thing I did was replace all the coach bogies with Jacob bogies, except for the very first and last bogies. I figured that having almost half the number of bogies would reduce the friction caused by the wheels on the track.

Here's a couple of photos of it:

[CDM]

I have two HE sets and powered both engines running off the same controller with some technic beams syncing both controller wheels. To be honest I don't recall how it performed as I got all the parts right before our move and I haven't had it out since. I tried it this way because I had two each of all the parts but no polarity switch.

[BurkusCircus]

2 hours ago, Paperballpark said:

Another thing I did was replace all the coach bogies with Jacob bogies, except for the very first and last bogies. I figured that having almost half the number of bogies would reduce the friction caused by the wheels on the track.

Here's a couple of photos of it:

Wow, that looks great! How do you transport the central car (cars?)

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Eleven wagon?! WOW!!!

That picture looks gorgeous!

[legotownlinz]

A single motor for two Horizon Express sets is not enough for a decent speed. Inclines do not work at all without a second motor. It is easier to put the second motor in the second engine than both motors in the first engine because the engine's bogies are not identical, the front one is too small to be replaced with a motor.

I've described here how I changed the polarity of the motor. This is necessary no matter if you put the motor in the second engine or the second bogie of the same engine.

Edited January 22, 2018 by legotownlinz

[Paperballpark]

2 hours ago, BurkusCircus said:

Wow, that looks great! How do you transport the central car (cars?)

You just disconnect the jacob bogie from one of them :)

2 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Eleven wagon?! WOW!!!

That picture looks gorgeous!

Thanks! Twelve wagons though, including the cabs ;)

42 minutes ago, legotownlinz said:

 the engine's bogies are not identical, the front one is too small to be replaced with a motor.

Nope, I did it! ;) I had to change the centre underbody section though, to enable the second motor to fit :)

[dr_spock]

You can also replace the Technic axle dummy bogie with one using the metal axle train wheels.  That'll reduce quite a bit of friction so that one motor would work better. 

[gotoAndLego]

53 minutes ago, dr_spock said:

You can also replace the Technic axle dummy bogie with one using the metal axle train wheels.  That'll reduce quite a bit of friction so that one motor would work better. 

I just looked at the instructions. Since the PF bogie replaces the one with the technic axles doesn't that happen normally?

[dr_spock]

1 hour ago, gotoAndLego said:

I just looked at the instructions. Since the PF bogie replaces the one with the technic axles doesn't that happen normally?

Yup, that is case unless you're only powering one of the two locomotives.  I ran one PF train motor in my double HE set.  It worked better after I replaced that technic axle bogie on the unpowered engine.

 

[gotoAndLego]

Thanks for the info.

[Paperballpark]

Technic axles are one of the biggest sources of friction on trains. Replace them if at all possible.

[gotoAndLego]

That means that if I have two sets and convert them to all Jacobs Bogeys, I should have enough parts to get rid of the technic axles. Right?

[Redimus]

I have 2 sets, powered by a motor in each powercar. I use only one battery box (rechargeable) and have some old 9v cables running between the lead and rear powercars to provide power to the second motor/rear lights.

On normal track it lasts for ever and goes *really* fast. In the yard (with multiple iterations of the standard Lego points), it's a bloody liability (the middle bogies were replaced with one jacobs bogie too, which I think is the biggest reason for it's hatred of fiddly point layouts.

Not entirely relevant here, but I have also learned that a longish train, that is very fast, with motors at both ends, that needs line of sight to start/stop, on a loop of track near the edge of it's table, and is *very* permanently coupled is a disaster waiting to happen if your cats are even slightly inquisitive. I've rebuilt it a *lot* of times, and when the collection of trains became too large for my space on the layout, it was the first train to be sacrificed static display.

[Carefree_Dude]

One motor is great, but it's better if you can do two. If you do two, try and buy the IR receiver V2.

Also, if you can replace the rubber O rings with automotive ones, you'll have much better traction on the motors. 

[Paperballpark]

4 hours ago, Redimus said:

In the yard (with multiple iterations of the standard Lego points), it's a bloody liability (the middle bogies were replaced with one jacobs bogie too, which I think is the biggest reason for it's hatred of fiddly point layouts.

When I used to use points on my show layout, I used to find that some trains didn't like going over them. After some investigation, I determined that it was only if the points were straight after a curve. If I put three or four straight sections between the curve and the points, I didn't have a problem. It seemed that the wheels on some of the trains didn't have time to go back to 'straight' after the curves, before they went into the points. Those wheels would then snag on the points (I can't remember exactly how) because they weren't yet pointing 'straight'.

[dr_spock]

8 hours ago, gotoAndLego said:

That means that if I have two sets and convert them to all Jacobs Bogeys, I should have enough parts to get rid of the technic axles. Right?

It has been a while since I've done it. I believe you should have enough parts to make the jacob bogie and replace the technic axle bogie on the unpowered engine.  There are 2 bogies with couplers on the end passenger car of each set.  That 4 sets of wheels.  2 for the jacob and 2 for the unpowered locomotive.   At least there are enough wheels.  You may need some additional pieces to make the jacob look like the other ones.

 

[gotoAndLego]

45 minutes ago, dr_spock said:

It has been a while since I've done it. I believe you should have enough parts to make the jacob bogie and replace the technic axle bogie on the unpowered engine.  There are 2 bogies with couplers on the end passenger car of each set.  That 4 sets of wheels.  2 for the jacob and 2 for the unpowered locomotive.   At least there are enough wheels.  You may need some additional pieces to make the jacob look like the other ones.

 

Right and I'll need to make the orange undercarriage parts which sit between the bogeys longer as well.