UP big boy road test;
Problem right out of the yard and right inside a tunnel!
The tunnel is inside a closet. Had to do some 'crawling' and bring a spot light.
The lead truck on the centipede tender kept derailing: only engine that does it, so far.
The gauge was just a little too wide and one rail was not spiked down all the way.
Crossing over to the other track to pick up some cars left from a previous test.
This siding is about 35' long with a cross over in the middle so it can handle a 3 train meet.
Picking up the other cars totaled 55 cars and, save for maybe 2-3 more, that's about max for the outside interchange/staging track loop with the trains caboose in the background.
I hear some binding at slow speeds. When assembling the chassis to the boiler, I had to push a skosh to put the back screws in and I think the motor is pressing against some wires. Will have to disassemble to fix.
New delivery.
The overset, long shank, both plastic/metal, couplers arrived for the steam pilot couplers. Got some plastic in case the two cause a short between engines, although the electrics have plastic coupler pockets so all should be 'good'. The overset has the coupler mounted lower on the shaft to compensate for the high coupler pockets on steam engine pilots. The back ends of the shaft will have to be clipped off to fit inside the steam engines front coupler pocket.
Strange: no mail today but my USPS package arrived!
