I agree that the lateral play is sketchy. When I tweaked the linkage it improved quite a bit, although it runs much less janky in reverse so maybe there is a slight problem with the forward worm somehow.
I was able to run it back and forth over a couple feet of straight track over an over (using an external 5V wall wart and some clips) and it seems to run smoothly over straight track. But I might do what you said and just throw a rectifier on there and give it some AC from track voltage to be able to try different speeds. However, I don't have access to 072 loops anywhere...even the layout we're doing at Dad's is 063 max. I bought it more as a project than a runner, although we do plan to run it back and forth over the approximately 22 feet of straight track we will have in our yard just for kicks.
I'll measure amps with my fluke, but I'll have to do it at my dad's place to be able to run the loco under its own load long enough for me to get a reading.
Also, noted on the dogbones, although I was reading a different thread where someone was complaining about the nylon dogbones getting eaten up and everyone was telling him they should have some grease on them. Anyway, the mess was already made and any grease left is thin enough to not bother me.
Thanks for the input!
Dad is considering listing it for sale if we get it all working, and maybe using the proceeds to fund another Premier steam project that can run on our layout! It's funny, because I posted in my other thread (layout build) that we would never own an engine large enough to require 072 curves...yet here we are only 6 months after I wrote that!
