P2K HO engine performance

A project that has been on my work bench for the last month or so has to do with Life Like P2K engine performance. I have found in my tests that these engines have a fairly wide range of overall performance.  Reviewing the work of others online indicates that there are techniques that can improve the results.

Currently, I have several engines that have been part of the series of recent tests and several others that are poor runners or not running at all.  What I plan and am in the middle of  is a systematic step by step performance evaluation where the various tune up features are evaluated.  The engines that I will be testing are shown in the following picture: 

The results will be summarized in my blog.

several items:

1.  SW7 cow/calf project - split the 2 power units to form 2 pairs of cow/calf, renumber as needed, re-coupler the new pair from horn hook to Kadee and finally reprogram the 1 engine to reset the reverse switch back to forward.  Only remaining item is the reprogramming, and I would have done that last week, but the elevator to the club room was out of order....  hopefully, complete tonight as the elevator is reported back in service.

2.  Renumber the 3 MDT reefers with the new technique of decals and lacquering over them, then dull coating - complete

3. New station scratch built model.  Masked and sprayed outer walls base color, now have to go back and water base in the mortar for both bricks and stone with wash technique.  Started roof construction.  Flat roof with corrugated sides planned.  Base complete with stained wooden deck boards.

4. Based upon finishing #2 above, redo decals on 12 boxcars.

Electric Boxcabs

Installed pilots and Sargents couplers and working on building the pantographs.

Bernd

What I found with mine

I have a few of these that are slow or "no go" engines. I had to break down the loco to its gearing pieces and remove an enormous amount of grease most of which had congealed. Not to discourage anyone but just a heads up on what I found. After cleaning and relubing with small amount of grease locos ran well,

Two flatcars ...

One of them will be shortened and modified for An extraordinary load!

Barber's chair

Here's a barber's chair I just made for the barbershop on my 1/24th scale In-ko-pah RR:

NoCal...

...-Customs...

First ever Scratchbuilt Pantograph

I finished my first ever scratchbuilt pantograph. The easiest part was winding the spring. It's a bit to big, but functions OK. Next step is to try doing some etching to make the parts and some jigs and fixtures to hold all the tiny parts for soldering. My fingers are a bit fried form this first one. I don't think they could handle another three for the other three cabs. Thank God I've built my own RSU to do the job.

Bernd

Electronics

Switching out my PM42 for a  PSX-4. I am also hardwiring in a RRAmpmeter so I can check the volts/ Amps from the booster and the power going to all four powered blocks. Putting in a six position rotary so I can read each one individually. 

Thomas Gasior

power drill

new power drill I got and assembled yesterday.

Adding a custom built curved turnout to a Free-moN module

I spent last weekend building the turnout and this weekend installing it on the module.  It is only one spur, but it will be one more place for 3-4 carloads to be delivered.

Also a video of the install:

A little closer....

..."NoCal-Customs"

​

Wood Reefers

I am working on 3, actually 4, the first one is finished, wood reefers. You can just see the first one under the instruction sheet! These are old Juneco kits that I have picked up over the years and am finally getting around to building them. I have added\replaced some of the details with better quality ones. These kits turn out some nice cars afterwards.

It is much more efficient when you build 3 of the same at once. You figure out how to do something once, or take one measurement and then repeat it 3 times.

This is a picture from a few weeks ago, they are almost ready for paint today. Just need to finish adding cut levers and the brake wheels and then I can start painting. Don't mind the blood on the bottom car, just some DNA added so that the owner of these cars can be identified in the future. Its pretty close to the right colour of red too...

Ore Tipple

Getting close to to adding the roof:

Tracklaying continues

Not on the bench but on the bench work.   More ties... more rail... more spikes!

Brent, Bill ...

Wood models - I love this material and such work!

Would be lucky to see more of these models! Thanks! Compare my blog also to see some wood cars from my workbench.

3 Accurail C&NW boxcars

Sorry, no photos. I got a 3-pack at Greenfield (WI) News & Hobby back in January right after they announced their closing. There's not a lot of detail, so it looks like I'll be scratching out the brake levers rods, and piping. That should be fun.

Next up after that is a pair of RS-1325 locos from a Tyco GP20 cab and two Athearn switchers. I'll be making a GP20 casting if they look like they'll mate up nicely, otherwise I'll scratch-bash the cab end. I'm going to make the entire production run and paint and letter them for C&IM, all 2 locomotives.

FEC 610

I am working on an older Atlas (yellow box) GP7 that was undecorated. Modeling FEC 610 from about 1965. Need to replace the horn as it was broken in our move. First decal is on, then finish decals, final details and weathering.

FEC RR

Light test...

...on "NoCal-Customs"...

 ..

Light Test

Is that a custom light or commercially available?

Jappe, very realistic, take

Jappe, very realistic, take away the cutting mat and it would be very hard to tell from reality. That door looks so realistic in that light, it looks like someone should be coming out with the trash any minute.

Re light test...

 Custom made with an smd led...just some square styrene with a drilled hole to place the smd in with a filed away channel for the wiring, in fact it looks more like a ditchtlight now that I am thinking about it, lol

Thank you Rob for the comment. Here a picture on the layout...

Jappe, ...

... very great work!
You have built a very realistic lighting with your door lamp! I love such simple scenes.