First Mainline Train!

It's Alive! I have been making a big push over the past few weeks to get the layout operational, including installing the Tortoise machines, wiring them up, replacing the broken track switch, and inserting some track ties. As part of the track testing process, I used some Life Like passenger cars which aren't particularly good runners to check for bumps and bad joints. Years ago I also purchased a a cheap Life Like train set on Craigslist pulled by an F7 engine with one truck pick-up and the other truck powered. Between the engine and coaches I figured they would be an appropriate "worst case scenario" train to see how my main line performed.

So, with the Tortoise machines manually moved to the mainline direction, I turned the power pack. And my train ran! I guess I expected it to, but I didn't realize how cruddy the engine was. The frogs aren't fully powered yet so the speed had to be kept up, but the event still counted. My mainline is operational, and I imagine within a week or two I will have all the switch machines powered and the sidings can be activated. But, this was the first time I have been able to run an HO train on a continuous-loop layout in over a decade.

Huzzah!