The testing activities are continuing nicely. Most of the first cut at the weight impact is finished.
There are a few exceptions, one the MTH Bi Polar needs the weight draw bar pull variation and the standard test with the three weight increments. Because of the sound and motor programs in DC this engine is a little hard to test, but it will be completed soon.
The second is the Walthers Proto E7A. This engine has a cracked gear in one of its trucks. This engine is being held off until the end of the first phase. Some data was needed to establish the need to do these tests. A broken engine would get in the way of answering that question. Now that it has been established, this series will serve as an incentive to get the engine running properly.
The third is a recently acquired SD40-2 Kadachorme SF engine. This engine will add a BB engine to the series, A third C-C truck system.
Finally and likely most importantly is the second phase of the Genesis NP GP9 testing. The testing with the weight variation has been completed on the main test track. The goal of the second phase is to repeat these tests with the track treated with graphite. This allows the impact of the graphite on the test parameters measured in these tests.
The test track was actually set up with five sets of track. Initially, there are four complete nickle Silver test tracks and one alternate material. In this case, the alternate is brass track. The plan is to do the bulk of the engine on the base NS track. All testing up to this point has been done on this segment.
The other three NS segments are intended to be part of a series of endurance tests. One of these would be untreated and not cleaned. Another was intended to be treated with the No Ox treatment. The third of these was intended to be treated with graphite.
This activity has allowed the opportunity to run a standard test on each of these segments. For these tests, each segment was well cleaned and not treated. While not clear initially that thus test was needed, the results have made it clear that they were important.
The segments are side by side; measure the same grade, level and all have the same voltage relative to the power supply.
While similar, the results are not the same. The power supply is the same. The engine is the same, but there is are differences in starting voltage, velocity and current. The is also a six percent variation in draw bar force. This swings the first performance characteristic from 55 to 120.
Because of these variations, all segments are being tested. In addition, the base, clean NS and graphite test segments are being tested a second time.
These tests are being run the same way, the engine is “warm”. Prior to taking any data, the engine is run on rollers with the power supply set to 12 volts for a half hour before any data is taken. Only one test of this engine is run in a twenty-four hour period.
It is possible that the new engine is changing, but the progression is not in one direction.
The second tests are a few days away. These will be informative.
The problem with testing with a treatment like graphite is that once it has been used the track and likely the engine is contaminated. Can it be cleaned off the track? Will the engine show the graphite to impact more than the wheels?
To better understand these questions, after the clean track tests, the graphite segment will be treated as described on the MRH forum. The engine will the be run over the segment for an hour. Then the basic test will be performed on all four weight increments. The full test will be continued repeating the first three increments.
Then the engine will be run on the specified clean test segment. Running the full weight series.
The specified clear test segment will be thoroughly cleaned and the base weight engine will be tested again.
What additional testing is required for the graphite will be defined at this point. The clean segment may have to be replaced for the subsequent endurance testing. A lot of tests should be some insight.
