Tonight I am running all none sound engines, sometimes it just as fun with out the racket. I have a few steamers with sound sitting on power spurs with there sound on for back ground sound. Is this bad for the engines?
Cuda Ken
Probably not, Thats why they have all the random idling sounds, right?
Its not bad for them to just idle, I do it all the time.
Any time power is applied to an electronic component it is under stress and slowly wearing down. Does that mean it is bad, probably not. I have electronics from the 1960s and 70s that are still working, others have started failing, but these are stereos and TVs that are on for much longer periods of time than a locomotive. I would guess that a modern digital circuit could run non-stop for 2-3 years before it failed. What is worse for electronics is constantly having power turned on and off. That initial surge of electricity through the circuits is really hard on them.
Bottom line. I let mine sitting idle in the locomotive facilities all the time, for hours on end and don’t worry about it.
Thanks for all the answers, I did not think it would hurt them but wanted to double check.
Cuda Ken