The clean, tune & adjust activity is underway on the five diesels. Three of them, the RS-11, the RS-3 and the SW1200 were straight forward, examples are shown below:
These three were successfully completed on all aspects except for the wheel cleaning. This will be done using the motor power.
The fourth engine, the Rapido RS-18 was started through the process. It is clear that they do not intend the engine to be disassembled. They actually say so in the instructions. This is extremely short sighted. Engines always need to be tuned over their life time. The shell is made up of three pieces, each presents its own problem to remove. In the process, other small parts come off. The last of the three require the hand rails be removed as well. Not sure it will be the same when it goes back together. The irony here is that this will need to be repeated when digital modules are examined. Maybe it will be easier the second & third times.
The ScaleTrains BNSF SD40-2 shell is the traditional one piece held on to the chassis with the coupler screws. It was much easier to remove and the clean lube and adjust activities were completed with less hassle.
All but the wheel cleaning has been accomplished on all five of these engines.
With the virus shutting down activities here in the Villages, the new tests on these engines will start 3/18/20.
This activity consists of 20 total engine tests. With a maximum of two tests in a session, the earliest that the data will be available is two weeks. It should be fun, stay tuned.
