A Test Run

I put together a short video this morning for Lukey. Lukey enjoys watching train videos whenever he visits us and this video is definitely something he'd enjoy!

Another reason for video of a new locomotive is that watching a video playback of anything shows flaws you might have missed in real life. This is especially true with small models and old eyes... it is much easier to see the small details on a video if the video is done correctly. So, I pulled out a camera and attempted some video.

Between projects, medical appointments and periods of poor health, I'm putting together a long test track (among many other things) which will run along the wall like a shelf in the back room. This test track will allow me to work on locomotives every now and then when I have time and when I feel up to it. This test track will also provide me with a great way to program my locomotives as well. The track is 12 feet long so it is sufficiently long enough to run from end to end while still picking up some speed. This track will be able to run 3-rail O gauge locomotives, 2-rail O scale locomotives, O scale narrow gauge locomotives and HO scale locomotives. It will be a versatile test track!

I cut the lumber for the base of the test track the other day and then quickly assembled it. For now, I have a few sections of narrow gauge track on it so I could test out a new locomotive. 

This locomotive... a Baldwin Articulated 2-4-4-2 steam locomotive... arrived a couple of days ago so I wanted to test it as soon as possible. This particular locomotive arrived with no sound card so I wanted to install a sound card and then test my handiwork. I tested it right out of the box and it ran quietly and smoothly. I could tell it needed to be broken in and lubed but it was running great.

Then I moved it to a tabletop so I could disassemble it and install a sound card... installed the electronic circuit board... then assembled it... then programmed it (which involves binary-decimal conversion into configuration values which is tedious and more complicated than it needs to be in today's world... it is very 1980's)... then lubed it up... and now it seems to be running very nicely. 

This locomotive could still use some breaking in but it is running beautifully already!