I've built a 16'x3' surface to build up a railroad on for my brand new N scale steam locomotive but haven't gotten anything else (controller, track, train cars).
Today I'm hoping to get a box of track from a coworker which may or may not include a DC controller I can use until my DCC controller arrives. I figured I'd finally get to watch the locomotive roll around even though I won't be able to hear the sounds until the DCC controller shows up.
Recently I've watched quite a few videos about model trains and one of them mentioned breaking in a new locomotive by letting it run for about 20 minutes in each direction on a basic circle or oval before loading it with cars or anything else. Is this really a thing?
If so, what's the purpose, and what are the risks in not doing it?
I know on an internal combustion engine you should drive very conservative for the first few hundred miles (brand new car off the lot) in order to break in the engine and make sure the pistons and seals all are operating okay before you open it up. I can't imagine what a small electric motor would get from doing this. Help me understand please.
Today I'm hoping to get a box of track from a coworker which may or may not include a DC controller I can use until my DCC controller arrives. I figured I'd finally get to watch the locomotive roll around even though I won't be able to hear the sounds until the DCC controller shows up.
Recently I've watched quite a few videos about model trains and one of them mentioned breaking in a new locomotive by letting it run for about 20 minutes in each direction on a basic circle or oval before loading it with cars or anything else. Is this really a thing?
If so, what's the purpose, and what are the risks in not doing it?
I know on an internal combustion engine you should drive very conservative for the first few hundred miles (brand new car off the lot) in order to break in the engine and make sure the pistons and seals all are operating okay before you open it up. I can't imagine what a small electric motor would get from doing this. Help me understand please.