Running in locos

[1936ace]

Hi all
Sorry if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but I'm running in a very rough and noisey dapol hymek that came in the milk train set that arrived the other week from hat tons
Now I know garish and dapol say run the locos in for an hour each direction. But is this on a rolling road or is it for an hour on a layout. If it's on a layout what's the suggestion for run time.
If I do an hour each way the poor little loco has travelled just under a 1000 meters as with the combi set at 40 the loco takes 1 minute to do a lap which is 16 meters
The hymek has done heaps of laps already but it still sounds and runs like an egg beater
Thanks in advance
Bart

[MJKERR]

If you have rolling road, then that's perfect
Otherwise purchase a cheap oval of track, that's what I use

10 minutes at 1/3 speed in one direction
10 minutes at 1/3 speed in opposite direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in any direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in opposite direction

That's all you need

[JasonBz]

Thats pretty much what I do too

For some reason I think a circle of track is better for running in, at least initially to test it out - I think it rpelicates the "layout reality" better than a rolling road

[D1042 Western Princess]

Hi all

The hymek has done heaps of laps already but it still sounds and runs like an egg beater
Thanks in advance
Bart

Hi Bart - a stupid question, but did you oil it as per instructions? My Hymek that came with the milk tanker set settled down after running only a few feet and now runs perfectly.

[austinbob]

Thats pretty much what I do too

For some reason I think a circle of track is better for running in, at least initially to test it out - I think it rpelicates the "layout reality" better than a rolling road

Its also nice to see your new toy running on track!!! Don't you think?

[guest311]

If you have rolling road, then that's perfect
Otherwise purchase a cheap oval of track, that's what I use

10 minutes at 1/3 speed in one direction
10 minutes at 1/3 speed in opposite direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in any direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in opposite direction

That's all you need

that's pretty well what I do as well, though I then turn the loco and repeat, so the first section is on a left hand curve, then the second on a right hand curve, if that makes sense.

I'm a present building a 4 x 2 up and over figure 8 running in track to combine the two, and also practice building the landscape.

alan

[Chris Morris]

I usually run locos as suggested. Some locos are wonderfully smooth out of the box and some are rough. Identical models can be run very differently. The rough ones sometimes get better with running in and sometimes don't - I guess it all depends on the motor. I have not yet had a diesel that is anything but smooth out of the box.
From my own experience and word of mouth from others the GF Ivatt 2-6-0 needs about 12 hours running in each direction to become a smooth runner. I think this is due to the valve gear rather than the motor.

[Sprintex]

If you have rolling road, then that's perfect
Otherwise purchase a cheap oval of track, that's what I use

10 minutes at 1/3 speed in one direction
10 minutes at 1/3 speed in opposite direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in any direction
10 minutes at 2/3 speed in opposite direction

That's all you need

that's pretty well what I do as well, though I then turn the loco and repeat, so the first section is on a left hand curve, then the second on a right hand curve, if that makes sense.

I'm a present building a 4 x 2 up and over figure 8 running in track to combine the two, and also practice building the landscape.

alan

I too think it makes sense that the loco runs in on both left and right curves, so rather than have to turn the loco simply affix pieces of Setrack to some spare plywood in a figure-8 with a short crossing




Paul

[Rabbitaway]

Hi

Have you tried pulling the bogies off and oiling worms and bearings they run in

Did this with my Hymek and it is a lot quieter

[Kris]

I have found that different locos need different amounts of running in to get good running. Of the 2 Farish n classes that I have one required 3 hours of running in to get acceptable running, the other needed less than an hour.