It has been two months since my last post. There has been the usual production test support. The total unique tests are approaching 250. The graphite and previous motor test series have added a number of tests to this number.
What has happened is what would have to be considered a “perfect storm” if you will. In this case the number of motor variations is as many as six, the total number of engines to test has risen to 23.
In addition, because of another discussion in the Atlas rescue forum, the desire to better understand the impact of putting a decoder in the system is also important. The purpose is not to do a full examination of the decoder impact, but to demonstrate the impact the impact to the DC performance with the decoder in the system. The benefits of a decoder can be easily found. The cost of having the decoder is harder to identify.
For this activity decoders from NCE, Lenz, TCS and Digitrax will be tested. The objective is to see what this impact is and if it varies by motor, application or by decoder.
The extent of this test series is such that it likely will not be finished until February of 2016. Because of the breath of the study incremental results will be posted along the way.
An example is an Athearn BB Amtrak F7A tested with a stock BB rectangular motor, a P1K can motor and drive including trucks, And two variations of NCE decoders. This data is available and will be posted soon. This is one of many examples. Some engines will have six or seven variations.
The plan is to have the engines that have finished testing be available for purchase through the eBay store. Included will be the data on that engine. It will be offered in it latest option.
