OK, I took my baby down to Altoona this weekend for the real 'ultimate test' on the big Ttrak layout, with my 'never before seen' Cole Bros. circus train.....
Saturday was SO disappointing, mostly because the WiThrottle ap on my Apple phone couldn't find the right server, couldn't get a slot, cut out every time I got a text, blocked me from taking photos without loosing control, and randomly lost contact either freezing the locomotive or letting it run away. Grumpy Randgust.... I couldn't even complete more than one lap with a caboose only.
Sunday early was even worse. I couldn't even get the wireless server to respond, and when I could, no slots. OK, that's it. I went looking for a throttle, it's vendor heaven here. Got the little single-throttle Digitrax duplex one from Yankee Dabbler.
OMG. That was the solution. Wonderful control. So put on the train and let's run this thing. I went on the 'yellow line' for several hours with the full 15-car circus train behind it. Other than multiple accusations that the proper PRR banshee whistle 'sounds like you stepped on a cat' (MK!), it was relatively flawless, although Those that Shall Not Be Named don't know how to properly file up a facing-point Kato 4 so that you can't pick the points. The pilot truck DID NOT derail this time, but the lead driver would climb on any facing-point Kato 4 turnout that wasn't properly set into the stock rail. Only had one of those on the yellow line, I could deal with that. Motor replacement worked just fine, no issues at all.
But success. How long has this thread been up? A good two years? Three as of November 30!!! And she's done, finished, proven, tested under fire, with a heavy train, with sound, screaming that whistle as it was intended to. Well, THAT was fun!
It was fun to have people do the double-take assuming it was a BLI or GHQ L1 and suddenly realize it wasn't.... and be told it was a Minitrix. That was fun too, some appropriate reactions.
