Below is a picture of E&P #21 in Thorny Point after a test run to White Hall and back.
To get this engine to run smoothly was no small task. The steps taken were:
1. Replace the Mantua tender with an Atlas Genesis tender from a light Mikado.
2. Replace the Digitrax decoder with a Soundtrax Tsunami decoder.
3. Add tender truck pickups to the right rail to replace the pickups in the original Mantua tender.
The test run was terrible. It stalled frequently but the start voltage setting went from 70 to 0. What a difference a decoder makes!
4. Add tender truck pickups to the left rail to improve electrical contact.
The test run was good until it got to the RF&P diamond. It was here that all four of the tender wheel sets lined up perfectly with the four dead spots in the track. (And I mean perfectly!) This resulted in a complete stall.
5. Tried adding some Neolube to the non conductive surfaces on the diamond.
The test run gave the same results.
6. Tried adding some wire glue (a conductive adhesive) to the non conductive surfaces on the diamond.
The test run gave the same results.
7. Added pickups to the left drivers.
The test run was very smooth even through the RF&P diamond. This engine now has six pickup wheels on each side.
However during the last test run the pilot truck decided to derail at the east end switch in Hood. So some work will be needed to get that to behave.
I will also add a cam but will wait until it has gone through as least one operating session to make sure it will be worth the effort.
To see all of the under carriage work go to www.easton-and-potomac.com.
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