Thanks, Mike.
GRFD59,
Glad I could help. I like to post work items as it may help others from making the same mistakes I make plus it's a good reference for me when, 2 years 'down the road', I forgot how I did something!
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Tested the UP 8500 turbine.
Videos: Pulling vintage metal Athearn and Varney freight cars.
At Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayPmZUfgpB0
At Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5ggJhJoTdg
At Chumstick Canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LonGVvsANa0
This is by scaletrains. A truly impressive engine. Tons of detail. The three unit set has a decoder in each unit: yes, even one in the tender just for the tender light (there are no decoder wires between units). The first unit has the diesel engine noise and is used for moving around the yard. The second unit has the turbine. It is loud, just like the full size engine. And it operates like the full size: if you don't start up the turbine and try to pull a train, it will not move due to not enough power with just using the diesel engine in the first unit.
Functioning doors with interior detail. Very nice ladder work.
Interior. Nicely detailed trucks.
Working fan blades. See through walk way.
Three color marker lights (clear, green, red), lighted headlight and number boards. Ladder way is lighted over the trucks.
Fine see through screen.
Amazing what they can do for details.
Operating doors. Interior cab detail.
Lighted walkway and a ton of hoses between units.
Contacts on bottom detects when going through turnouts so the decoder makes the respective noises for that.
Plenty of weight. The units easily pull the 45 cars and would, probably, handle 100 cars, upgrade!
