QA&P tests ALCO 2-8-8-2 L-131

There has been a sort of time warp over here. The QA&P decided to test an ALCO L-131 after many years of double heading 2-10-0's.
Actually, I have had this "Mature" United, PFM L-131 for going on 20 years, research shows it is one of 8 built between 1958-1961. After 19 years of dis-assembly with 2 different builders, It finally came home a couple weeks ago. With much help and advise from Don Wirth, and a couple others, she is alive and pulling quite well, actually better than I would have ever thought.
Over the years people have brought model steam locomotives over here, and they generally would not stretched the drawbars out on trains, they should handle up the grades. But this old girl has changed my opinion on model steam, again with Don's help and advise, it handled 47 cars and a caboose up a ruling 1.6% grade, she struggled and slipped a bit, but she just would not give up or quit, just dug in, and went to work, no one here could hardly believed what she did. It would have easily taken 4 Geeps or 3 SD's to do what this old loco did. I did 4 trips around the MRR and she pulled them every time.
Now a paint job, and just maybe I can talk Keith into putting some sound in it, and really bring her to life.

Here we go;



P. S. Now I really wish I hadn't used concrete ties.

 

Tom, we won't put some sound in...we will put in Tsunami articulated sound!

 

Did you use the water brakes on the descent? It's a pulling fool isn't it?

 

Thanks Terry, I am having too much fun, cant wait till I can try this full time

Keith I called the Tsunami guys in Durango and they had some ideas I will get with you.

Dan, I am not completely converted, but I am finding a whole new interest for sure!

Murphy I would like to see some pics of your work, sounds interesting, thanks for the input and comments.

Don, man that thing really surprised everyone here. You were right about adding the weight. Those cars are all weighted as well.
That old engine has out performed probably every other single locomotive thats ever ran on this MRR, so far. I do have some concerns though, with this thing not having any quit in it, I dont want it to work itself to death.

 

There is a dense product called Temp-low that will melt around the boiling point of water and can be poured into boilers, etc to add weight; https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/949-525

 

You're confusing it with most Korean mechanisms. Until just recently with the models Ajin and Boo-Rim (basically the same builder) you could wear one out fairly quickly. These old PFM, KTM and Max Gray running gear were built to run forever. Keep them lubed and running freely and they will outlive us.
I had an old can motor from one of the OMI engines that's a 22mm and is long that I'm putting in the Rio Grande Challenger. It looks like a washing machine motor compared to the new small ones.
Email me with what you heard from Soundtraxx. I'm still learning everything I can about DCC conversions.

 

I had no idea Keith, that was even a possibility, is it a sort of epoxy?

 

Thanks Karl and Keith for the information.
Karl, is it machinable? Like will it hold a thread?
see ya

 

Be careful trying to drill and tap it. It will load up on both the drill and tap if you're not careful.