Handy Gizmos- The Test Track

[Eastern Roads]

I don't know about you, but one of the things I really wanted to have when I built the train room was a stand alone test track.
It comes in handy to run locomotives off the layout, and it's closer to my tools for repairs and adjustments.
It's a rather simple affair, where I set a piece of flex track on a strip of cork, hooked up to a cheapie power pack.
Having a power pack on the work area is helpful as well, in that you can test accessories and lighting equipment for the layout.
So here's some pics of a P1K Erie Built B Unit I cleaned the wheels and checked the coupler height on.

The Test Track:



Here's the B Unit getting one truck cleaned at a time. I put solvent on the paper towel and ran the unit , spinning the wheels on the solution. It left black "skid marks" just like at the drag strip!



And here's the Kadee Coupler Gauge sitting on the track. NOTE: DO NOT USE THE GAUGE WITH THE POWER ON!!!!!!!! (Did I use enough exclamation marks?)



Oh, and one more bonus- the test track doubles as a place to park your rolling stock and display them when not in use!

[Daryl]

Or when you move on up to DCC it can be used as a programing track so as not to program all your locos at the same time

[TrainNut]

Originally Posted by Daryl

Or when you move on up to DCC it can be used as a programing track so as not to program all your locos at the same time

You wouldn't happen to be speaking from experience, would you? OUCH!

[ThoroughBreed]

I took a piece of stiff wire, I believe .040 gauge, and put it down into my coupler height gauge and left enough of it sticking up to put a small flag on. That way I can find it when it's hiding from me among the mess, lol.

[Trainman1965]

Originally Posted by ThoroughBreed

That way I can find it when it's hiding from me among the mess, lol.

Yea boy if he would clean off the layout we could run some trains on it. have to watch out for parked cars all of the place.