Running in locos

[bluebar2]

Hi all from Australia,
I'm a newbie who is soon about to start running trains on my new layout.  I understand that locos need to be run in but could you please tell me the correct way to do just that. Should they be run flat out, at varying speeds and forwards and reverse? Also for what time period (roughly)? I have a number of DCC equipped Bachmann diesel locos which have only been test run a couple of feet.  Is it preferable to do this in DC rather than DCC.
Thank you in anticipation

[Yampa Bob]

Bluebar

I break in all my locos, DC or DCC on a DC powered track. I never put a DCC loco on DCC power until it is limbered up and running smoothly. A loco that is sluggish, has any binding or roughness, can cause the decoder to overheat.

Turn the throttle to about 1/3 and run once around the track, listen and observe.  The loco may run a bit jerky or may even stall.  Advance throttle to 1/2 and run a lap or two, then reverse direction and repeat.  Then run at full throttle a few laps, reverse direction and repeat.  Run at varied speeds for a few minutes. Once you feel it is running smoothly, reduce throttle as low as possible, to the point where the loco barely crawls.  It should move smoothly with no hesitations.

At this point I generally do a full throttle speed test.  For HO scale, this is very simple, because the formula can be simplified to:  "Feet per minute traveled very closely equals scale miles per hour".  Determine the distance in feet around the track and write it down.  Run the loco at full throttle, count the laps made for one minute.  Multiply the laps by the length of the oval.  This gives you the number of feet traveled in one minute, which closely equals "Scale miles per hour".

For an HO loco, you will be surprised that the loco may be moving at 150 scale miles per hour or more.

Now you can hook up 3 or 4 cars and run the loco for a few more minutes. If all goes well, by this point you will be smiling and enjoying the experience. 

Next I do a pull test.  Hook up about 10 cars and do a high speed test. With a Bachmann diesel, you should be able to pull at least 20 cars, and maintain a speed of about 75 to 80 scale miles per hour.

Place 2 well broken in locos on the track, about halfway around the track from each other run both at full throttle, the speeds should be fairly well matched.  If it takes 8 or 10 laps for one loco to catch the other, they are matched close enough.

Now turn one of the locos around and couple the two together, either nose to nose or tail to tail and turn up the throttle.  Due to the "right rail rule", both locos will move in the same direction, and you now have a "consist", which will pull lots of cars.

To make an "opposed orientation" consist on DCC power, you have to reverse the direction of one loco,  since with DCC forward is always forward, or backward is always backward, regardless of orientation.

Report back and let us know your progress.

Good luck

[bluebar2]

Thank you YampaBob for your thorough explanation - it is very much appreciated!  :-)

[Yampa Bob]

You're welcome Bluebar.  Good luck, I know you'll have lots of fun with your layout.