After posting the grade & train length video, the need to explore factors that influence the gtl results. The favorites are clean, tune & adjust & add weight. Motor upgrade and electronics are considered more remote possibilities.
To provide some data on these recommendations, a test series on three engines will be performed:
- The P2K NP SW1200 will be rerun after an extensive clean, tune & adjustment. This engine will be run with the base weight and three additional weight increments. For these tests the weights will be Added to the roof of the engine. This may be a problem at grade, but the data will tell us that. A third variation will include removing the P2K electronics installing a DCC plug & LED lighting.
- A Scaletrains BNSF SD40-2 will be added to the data base. This engine is being run as received. It will then be cleaned, tuned & adjusted and with the four weight increments. Any additional with on this engine will depend on the results.
- A third new engine will be added to the data base. This is a BLI Milwaukee Chippewa 4-6-2 Pacific steam engine with DCC & sound. The tests will include as received, cleaned etc and the four weight increments(if possible)
- A second engine from the original 12 engines, tentatively the Atlas Kato NP RS-11, will be run after cleaning & with weight increments.
- an Atlas China RS-3 will be run to add to the data base.
- select two engines from the motor test series. Rerun the best draw bar motor. Then clean and weight as before.
following this plan five “new” engines will be added to the data base. Seben engines will have been tested with the clean and weight process. It should be interesting.
Stay tuned.
