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How "Old Sparky" got it's name

KerriganKerriganOGR Forum Member

One of Kyrian's favorite locomotives is the MTH BiPolar.

 

It's been problematic from time to time, getting it's self lost from the DCS system any time it wandered far from the Electric Shop.

 

Finally that problem settled down and it mostly knows how to stay connected to the data in the system.

 

We noticed, as it wheeled around the layout, that any time it passed over turnouts, some parts of it are so low to the rail that it would arc and spark as it made it's way around.  Doesn't seem to impact operations at all, but it sure tried to impress everyone with it's fireworks display.

 

Kyrian commented one evening during running, "Old Sparky is at it again!" and the name stuck.

 

 

Last edited by Kerrigan
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chipsetchipsetOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Kerrigan:

One of Kyrian's favorite locomotives is the MTH BiPolar.

 

It's been problematic from time to time, getting it's self lost from the DCS system any time it wandered far from the Electric Shop.

 

Finally that problem settled down and it mostly knows how to stay connected to the data in the system.

 

We noticed, as it wheeled around the layout, that any time it passed over turnouts, some parts of it are so low to the rail that it would arc and spark as it made it's way around.  Doesn't seem to impact operations at all, but it sure tried to impress everyone with it's fireworks display.

 

Kyrian commented one evening during running, "Old Sparky is at it again!" and the name stuck.

 

 

Were those MTH REalTrax turnouts?

KerriganKerriganOGR Forum Member

Ross switches.

 

Makes me wonder ... "turnouts?  switches?" Electrical switches and rail turnouts?  Or is it interchangeable.  Sometimes my CTC operator gets confused when I relay a "throw the siding switch" request.  I sometimes get back "switch or turnout?" meaning the on/off power switch for the siding or the switch that one takes to enter it ...

 

The sparking from the BiPolar doesn't appear to do any damage or reset anything in the locomotive, yellowish sparks like brushing common, rather than a blue flash indicating something hotter ... it was getting lost to DCS due to a what-track-TIU-channel was seeing it when it was added.  Which has gone away (for now) since hooking those tracks up to TIU 1, Fixed 1.

 

"Locomotive or engine?"  Locomotives have engines, but then engines would have to be able to contain a locomotive if those were interchangeable?

 

Last edited by Kerrigan
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