My current layout is pretty much just an oval of track. When I need to break in a new engine I run laps with it, first in one direction and then in the other direction. Reading MR and the special editions make it clear that more layouts today are shelf layouts with no way to turn the engine at either end. So, how do you run in a new engine? The present layout will be replaced by a much larger layout that will go around the walls of the room but the final link is years off and until then it will be point to point so ideas on the best way to break in a new engine will be very helpful.
Finally, A question where I can contribute and provide an answer.
I do not have a “home layout” either. I am a member of a rather large H.O. scale model railroad club and bring my engines and rolling stock to the club to run.
To answer your question though, at home I have a 3 foot piece of Atlas flex track nailed to a 1x2 piece of wood, 3 ft long. I use this 3 ft piece of track to program my locomotives using Decoder Pro, a Digitrax DCS50 and a loco buffer USB. To break in my locomotives before going to the club, I have purchased something called E-Z Riders (Walthers stock # 160-42901). They just clip on to my flex track and I can run my locomotive all day long at different power settings in either direction. great way to break in your locomotives.
[^o)] And before anyone pops a gasket, remember, your mileage may vary,BUT,
I’ve taken engines straight out of the box, put a long train behind them, and run them for an hour or 2 on the club layout , then periodically at home. I’ve also have done the clean/inspect/lube/ run 1 hour forward/run 1 hour in reverse, then clean/inspect/lube thing again. In either case, I’ve never had a failure due to whether or not the engine was broken in properly.
My conclusion? Unless its an older piece which may be dry or have solidified grease, don’t worry about it. Doing the whole break in thing with a new loco is a waste of time. Just like changing the oil in a new car thats only got 15 hundred miles on it. It’s old school. Run it the way you need to.
Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t p-e-r-i-o-d-i-c-l-y clean and lube your engines, I’m just saying anything you bring home from your LHS that is new in the box should be good to go![:D]
Older stuff or brass, is a whole nuther ball game![:)]
today’s locomotives seem to run just fine right out of the box. it you have a performance or noise issue, surgical correction is most likely called for since no amount of running will repair a mechanical or electrical defect.
I sure hope nobody believes you. When your breaking in a new loco what your doing is breaking in the electric motor. The electric motor is a very sensitive piece and to get the best possible life and performance out of it it should be broken in slowly. It should not be heated up by pulling a long train right out of the box. Heat for a new motor is bad and only makes for a poor performing engine down the road.
I race slot cars as well. I remove the motors in my cars and run them in alcohol for a couple minutes and then in water with a couple drops of liquid soap added for a few more minutes. Then I can start adding volts and getting them to scream. Once thats done I lightly oil them and put them back in the car to break in the gears.
New cars today come with the motors already broken in from the factory. Still any new motor will have debris in it. Changing the oil after 1500 miles is beneficial because your removing all the crap in it. Every new car I’ve bought I’ve changed the oil in it after the first 500 KMs and then at 2000 and every 5000 after that. Your removing the dirt that accumulates in it. Dirt isn’t good. [:|]
It’s only personal experience,30 years working with cars and 3 manufacturers talking here. Even a longer time with model trains.
It’s “nice” to run them with no load, then to clean and relube them (even though I think your slot car method is a bit extreme) but it does’t HAVE to be done. The original OP was talking about new stuff on a shelf layout. I don’t believe heat is an issue for him .
Sorry, but I’ve been to some plants, generally, 15 minutes to get to temp and that’s it, from there, it gets shipped out. From there 3-5 miles is all that’s on the odometer when they get to the dealer. Hardly what I call broken in. But still, if you want to change the oil as you do, that’s nice. I’ll wait til 5,000 and save my money to buy more trains, and still keep the car 10 years or more!.[:-,]
This thought just occurred to me. If an electric motor is such a sensitive piece of equipment, why don’t replacement motors (Sagami, Mashima, even Athearn) come with break in instruction??[*-)][%-)]
Think of all the other electric motors we use, hair driers, CD ROM drives, Microwave oven turntables, garage door openers, power window motors, air conditioners, Dremel tools, etc, etc. I’ve never seen break in instructions on any of these! Could it be that performance issues are mostly drive line related, and as another poster stated, only repaired surgically?