Talking about my find under a table at the TCA Marlborough show is irresistable with a forum like weekend tinplate. As I was deep in boxes of junk, this cute little engine 115041 said "Buy ME".
So I did. Then I tried runing it on the display layout I had set up at the meet. This engine is a speed demon and seemed to have some distance potential. But no way is it going to go around an O-31 curve. So couldn't show it off to TCA friends. Speed with full winding seems like about 200 scale mph ! So I had to wait to do the distance test at home.
My first thought was a test track from living room to the kitchen turning and returning through the back hall and bedroom . But even after running 40 feet, it was too fast for a curve, So while the wife was out :-) I laid 52 feet of straight track from most remote corner of the front room all the way to the back door.
We begin reaching behind the sofa holding the engine in an awkward position for starting. Here we are ready to go. 
Now let it go, jump up from the deep sofa and run through the house without stepping on the track. Here are some photos along the route. First from the sofa through living an dining rooms to the breakfast nook.
From that nook through the kitchen. 
Approaching the back door 
No turntable at the end of the line so needs an assist from the overhead crane.
On the way back, turntable in the distance.
Through the dining room, almost to the end. 
It was still not completely unwound on the return so had to turn it again for another eight feet of running. Total distance was 104 feet on one winding with only the last ten feet at less than full speed.
And to conclude, let's not forget that man on the other side of the cab who keeps the clock wound.
By happy coincidence last night I found an article in a 1992 toy train magazine by that other publisher. They made train sets and there is a photo showing the track being made - looks like about a 40 inch circle. How did that work with an engine that isn't slow enogh for the curves ? A heavy train to slow it down ?
I had several practice runs before the lady of the house returned for the show - she was highly amused - also happy that I'm playing with trains again after 80 years and not sitting around the house just getting old.
There's a health benefit also with windup trains They can provide some good cardiovascular exercise. Racing #115041 and reaching the far end in time to turn it is a challenge.
Now on to my next windup adventur which will be to try it on my O-72 test track and see if it can make the full loop.
F
No turntable at the end of the line so needs an assist from the overhead crane.
That was a big splurge. I could have bought a few MTH reefers for that. I'm still trying to justify it to myself.
