Running In??

Hi Kevin,

Welcome to the wonderful world of DCC. If it's a DC or DCC ready locomotive with a blanking plug then check how it runs on DC. If it's a bad runner then DCC will not really help. If it's DCC equipped it should be OK. As Max said, some of the pickup/wiring arrangements can often be improved. I don't buy DCC equipped as the decoders are often basic, and I normally bin whatever passes for a circuit board and hard wire in an eight pin socket that conforms to NMRA standards. Voids any warranty of course.

Get a decent basic DC controller, it's useful to have, especially if at some point you get a used locomotive that is DC. No advice regarding brand, I leave that to the UK members.

Nigel

Hi Nigel             The Secretary of my local railway club has given/loaned me?? a basic Bachmann, to either borrow to test, or keep.I said that I would like to add a "Roundy-Roundy test track (not part of my original plan, to give my loco's a proper run in, Okay said he.                                                       all the best  Kevin

Hi Kevin, 
All set then
Nigel 

Hi Nigel             But, I have some more work to do, before I can go round "in circles" so to speak. So for now it will be "Back and Forth".                                                         all the best  Kevin

Hi Kevin,

If you are going around in circles don't forget to switch the engine around every now and again. Personally I'm not that convinced about "running in", especially with plastic gears and modern motors. A good lube before, and getting rid of that red grease in the gears for some new fresh Labelle, is probably all that is required. If the tolerances are poor then no amount of running in will make it better. Lapping compound maybe if it's tight and brass gears. A rolling roads is a good investment, and only takes 12"-18" of track.

Nigel

Hi Nigel

Remember the days when we used to run them in by filling the gearbox with toothpaste?

A must on early Athearn diesels.

Cheers

I bought an old Hornby trainset DC controller for next to nothing and an oval of track - all from a swap meet. I set it up on the dining room table and run the loco each way as required. The whole lot goes in a box and I dig it out just for DC testing.

Bob

MaxSouthOz wrote:

Hi Nigel

Remember the days when we used to run them in by filling the gearbox with toothpaste?

A must on early Athearn diesels.

Cheers

And they were still as bad as before but at least the gears were nice and shiny, and smelled good. I use fine lapping compound, but no amount of work will convert a poor running gearset into a smooth-as-silk one. GIGO applies here.

The use of delrin/acetal gears should mean no running in. The only two areas that could perhaps benefit from an hour's worth of running in are the pick-up contacts and the motor brushes/commentator, best done on a rolling road IMO. I haven't seen any difference in noise (using a decibel meter), motor current draw (using DC) or pulling capacity before and after running in. As I said, a good lube with decent oil and gear grease is probably all that is required. Plus some fine tuning of motor control with DCC.  Delrin gears last forever without grease and even longer with grease.


I test ran a new old stock Proto2000 GP-9 straight out of the box this morning, smooth and silent except for the "click-click" from the split axles, a known and common problem. And that after sitting in its box for 8 years. Same goes for the drop-in axle/gear replacements I use in EM conversions. Well designed and manufactured brass gears should need no running in. GIGO again.

If a new locomotive has a noisy gear train exchange it immediately, it's NFFIP. Don't be robbed off with "oh, it just needs running in". 

Nigel

Hi Nigel                         The Units in question are all Bachman, the "4 C E P" came New from the London Transport Museum Shop, the 2 car E P B and the M L V came from Hattons both new. so one would not expect any problems?? fingers crossed, Which reminds me I must pull my finger out, and work on the Viaducts.                all the best  Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Always test them. Especially if they are DCC ready and require work to get the decoders in. Anything amiss, send them back with a note detailing why. Expect the best, plan on the worst.

Nigel

To each their own but I have not run a loco in as such for yrs.

I test non DCC fitted locos on DC on short piece of test track just to make sure it works.

I then fit decoder and put it into service.

 Have had no problems for many yrs.

Re DC op on NCE, Sol is right, DC does not op on NCE.

 To my knowledge the only DCC systems that will op DC (one loco at a time) is Lenz, Digitrax and the early Bachman system.
 
Ian

Nor does the Prodigy set up but my Digitrax Zephyr does!

Cheers
Ron

[user=265]Iansa[/user] wrote:

To each their own but I have not run a loco in as such for yrs.

I test non DCC fitted locos on DC on short piece of test track just to make sure it works.

I then fit decoder and put it into service.

 Have had no problems for many yrs.

Re DC op on NCE, Sol is right, DC does not op on NCE.

 To my knowledge the only DCC systems that will op DC (one loco at a time) is Lenz, Digitrax and the early Bachman system.
 
Ian

I use the rolling road, same principle, if it goes forwards, backwards, is smooth and quiet on DC, that's it. 5 minutes. It's also easier to pick-up on less than perfect quartering in a steam locomotive on the rolling road. Install the decoder, test again on DCC. No running in. The only exceptions are the old brass locomotives I get that have never been run, but there it's more a question of grinding in, not running in.

If you have DCC, why run DC? Negates the whole idea. I've yet to come across a locomotive that could not have a decoder installed somewhere. Whether you should is another matter.

NCE. It's apparently Company policy not to support DC operation. My understanding is that Digitrax and Lenz use address 0 (normally reserved for emergency stop in DCC) and use a modified current for DC. Hence only one DC locomotive. Mark Gurries discusses this in detail. I'd spend the time installing a decoder, not running it in DC mode.

Nigel

Hi Nigel              On the subject of "Rolling Roads" I have heard/read various comments on the usefulness or not :???:of them.No Names No Pack Drill, and they are not necessary, in other words, use the track??  all the best  Kevin

"Rolling roads" are perfect for those without a continuous run layout.

Hi Ron                       Thank you, you are probably correct, but . there are some doubters out there (including on this forum).I think that someone with years of continuous model railway experience, like yourself, would be able to sort the "Wheat from the Chaff"But I on the other hand, we'll say no more, so I have to just think about it.                Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Essential piece of gear and a worthwhile investment. Especially when tweaking the quartering on a steam locomotive. Or looking for the split gear axle on a split chassis diesel. Or getting the different sound volumes balanced with a sound decoder. Or even…running in.

My "layout" is 5 feet long, not enough to run the locomotives through their paces.

IMO of course. Others may disagree.:roll:

Nigel

a rolling road is a good tool for any railway modeller,I made my own and would not be without it
Rolling Road in forum index
:thumbs;-):cool:

Hi Silver Fox                Maybe Rolling Roads aren't that bad after all,:???: but we do hear all sorts of opinions on all aspects of model railways, take colour light signals??  On the other hand it has been a long day and I will study this info on Friday.                                                 thank you for your advice                         Kevin