Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Maybe it's because of my Aviation background, but am I the only one that is keeping log books for their locs?
I keep track of the number of hours I use them, and also the oiling intervals as well as the change of rubber and pickup ski.. After all, aren't these things supposed to last for 1000's of hours?? What is the life of a typical Maerklin 5-pole or C-sine anyway?
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Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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 Joined: 14/08/2003(UTC) Posts: 432 Location: Midtjylland
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Wouldnt it be possible having the computer keeping track of "running hours" if ones layouyt is fully digital ?!
(Sam: sorry if this is a little bit of topic ) |
Steen
Digital | C-Track | Epoche II-IV | Railroad & Co. 7.0 Gold | IB 1 | LocoNet |
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 Joined: 22/04/2004(UTC) Posts: 12,139 Location: New York, NY
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Sam
<br />... am I the only one that is keeping log ?
Sam, after returning to MRR I log my investment ... [xx(] John |
I hope no one visits a poor Southener's layout in Brooklyn. Intruders beware of Gators.
AT&SF, D&RGW, T&P, SP, WP, UP, BN, NYC, ARR, epI-III - analog & digital Marklin Classics only.
CU#6021 FX-MOTOROLA DIGITAL SYSTEM. Fast as lightning and no trouble. What else ...
Outlaw Member of BIG JUHAN's OUTSIDER CLUB. With the most members, worldwide
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 Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC) Posts: 1,288
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Eisenhower
<br />Wouldnt it be possible having the computer keeping track of "running hours" if ones layouyt is fully digital ?! Using e.g. Railroad & Co http://www.railroadandco.com it is possible to monitor the time the engine has been in operation since the last maintenance. The time is increased appropriately when an engine is running.  Funck |
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 Joined: 17/04/2003(UTC) Posts: 997 Location: Netherlands
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Hi Sam,
I keep a log for the major activities, like rewiring or digital conversion. My layout has not been built yet, so I don't run my trains enough for a maintenance schedule, so I apply oil when I don't like the sound, and the tires, pick-up shoes and pantographs I run to destruction, then I change.
And my expenses are logged. In a secret file...
Best regards,
Gregor
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 Joined: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,593 Location: Australia
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WindigiPet also tracks the hours as long as it is the only way that the trains are run. There is a notes field to track parts replacements, but none of my locos have even done 10 hours yet... |
Adrian Australia flag by abFlags.com |
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Joined: 13/10/2004(UTC) Posts: 2,616
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:[i]originally posted by Sam:[/i
..but am I the only one that is keeping log books for their locs? I,ve just started to do that with my new locs.I didn't have the faintest idea how many hours my old locos had run. BTW,one of the new locs a S3/6 has been sitting on dealers shelves for some time and could use some maintenance as well [:0].It ran nice and sweet again after some drops of oil  . Don't know about the pickup shoes though.I guess the wear and tear is dependant on the speed of the loco and the sparks  it produces. Best Regards Guus |
Kind regards,
Guus |
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Joined: 12/01/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,528
Location: Groton, Connecticut
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I perform my Loc maintenance on a calender basis. With my wife and grandson playing with the trains while I'm not around I have no idea how long any locomotive has run, so a calander schedule makes more sense for me.
Ira |
Building German Era I-II layout(Mk IIIc).  |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by xxup
<br />WindigiPet also tracks the hours as long as it is the only way that the trains are run. There is a notes field to track parts replacements, but none of my locos have even done 10 hours yet...
you can't be serious, 10 hours is what I put on one of mine in 5 days! How do you manage that? BTW... Glad to see that I'm not the only "dork" on this forum...  I just figured it's a machine, and there should be a log of any work, or maintenance done on it.. |
Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,593 Location: Australia
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Sam
<br />...you can't be serious, 10 hours is what I put on one of mine in 5 days! How do you manage that?... Ah well.. It helps when you have a small layout, too many locos and a really hot summer.. Cheers |
AdrianAustralia flag by abFlags.com |
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 Joined: 18/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 726 Location: Cape Town
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Wow you guys are organised[:0][:0] My maintenance strategy is entirely reactive.[:I]with no record keeping[:I] When the loco's performance visibly or audibly deteriorates, then I maintain the thing. If I purchase a second hand loco I would fully maintain it. I find generally with the new locos, apart from an occasional re-oil and clean/dust there is very little that you need to do to them. they can run for hours and hours. (unless of course if the damn thing dies - then its breakdown maintenance ) |
Regards Tony |
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Joined: 22/04/2004(UTC) Posts: 12,139 Location: New York, NY
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Tony
<br />My maintenance strategy is entirely reactive with no record keeping [:I] - when the loco's performance visibly or audibly deteriorates, then I maintain the thing
Tony, that's precisely what I do - I treat them same way as my car ... John |
I hope no one visits a poor Southener's layout in Brooklyn. Intruders beware of Gators.
AT&SF, D&RGW, T&P, SP, WP, UP, BN, NYC, ARR, epI-III - analog & digital Marklin Classics only.
CU#6021 FX-MOTOROLA DIGITAL SYSTEM. Fast as lightning and no trouble. What else ...
Outlaw Member of BIG JUHAN's OUTSIDER CLUB. With the most members, worldwide
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Joined: 25/08/2004(UTC)
Posts: 152
Location: Eindhoven,
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The Dutch freeware program for running digital trains called Koploper logs the cumulative distance run in scale kilometers. This is interesting information, but I too do maintenance on a reactive basis only... It usually does mean that other loks are serviced too, while I am at it.
Bernhard |
IB since 2000. Latest loc aquisition: 37554 BR 55 a long time ago... |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote: Originally posted by xxup<br /> Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Sam
<br />...you can't be serious, 10 hours is what I put on one of mine in 5 days! How do you manage that?... Ah well.. It helps when you have a small layout, too many locos and a really hot summer.. Cheers The key words in that is "too many" - I have but 4, and only one more on order... I've spent too much on C-track and Digital crap to have too many locs.. (yet!)[}:)] |
Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by dudok12
<br />The Dutch freeware program for running digital trains called Koploper logs the cumulative distance run in scale kilometers. This is interesting information, but I too do maintenance on a reactive basis only... It usually does mean that other loks are serviced too, while I am at it.
Bernhard
It's amazing to me how Europeans in general do better in software for model RR.. I've never heard of American software that does that, PC or Mac! Pretty cool.. |
Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 03/12/2003(UTC)
Posts: 25
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Hi Sam,
I have been keeping a locomotive log book
since 1985 and do find it quite helpful. I might
also consider writing in Lok operating hours as
others have mentioned so as to avoid over-oiling
of Loks. I include along with oiling, tire changes,
brushes, light bulbs, and armature cleaning. I do
not operate digitally even though I have some digital
Loks but do include their maintenance of course.I too
have an aviation background (27 years airline/travel).
Regards! Peter-Nicholas
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Peter Nicholas Fragasso |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Quote:[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by petenick
<br />Hi Sam,
I have been keeping a locomotive log book
since 1985 and do find it quite helpful. I might
also consider writing in Lok operating hours as
others have mentioned so as to avoid over-oiling
of Loks. I include along with oiling, tire changes,
brushes, light bulbs, and armature cleaning. I do
not operate digitally even though I have some digital
Loks but do include their maintenance of course.I too
have an aviation background (27 years airline/travel).
Regards! Peter-Nicholas
Wow! I'll bet some of the 1985 locs have a few hours in the logbook! BTW.. Just curious, what's keeping you out of Digital? I just recently made the jump, and I'll admit it's a bit of a complicated and component intensive jump.. |
Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 03/12/2003(UTC)
Posts: 25
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Hi Sam,
Yes, I'm sure some of my older Loks have gone
through many running hours since my start with
Maerklin at 10 years old in 1963. I have 23 Loks
and only 3 are digital and to tell you the truth I
really don't want to go through the expense of
all of their conversions. Anyway, I enjoy the
analog operation on my layout with 4x Trafos
(2 catenary/2 track) circuits. The set-up of
digital by no means scares me but I also have
always enjoyed the wiring! A friend is supposed
to show me how to work a digital camera and
when she can finally teach this old dog a new trick
I'll post some of my layout photos on this site.
Enjoy this great hobby! That's the main thing!
Regards, Peter-Nicholas
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Peter Nicholas Fragasso |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC)
Posts: 799
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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 Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC) Posts: 31,692 Location: United Kingdom
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Have you lost logbook over 30 years old locos? Over 30 years there are 70% lose logbook,30% not lost it. |
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy. |
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Joined: 03/12/2003(UTC)
Posts: 25
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Hi Steven,
Presently I still have kept log-sheets
from only the mid 1990's. I moved to Virginia
then and scaled down for moving. Last summer
I had many Loks repaired by Helmut at Curthel
in Wyoming and he did a great job. Minor repairs
I have always handled myself.
Regards, Peter Nicholas
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Peter Nicholas Fragasso |
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