If you don’t have a continuous run layout, running in new models can be a challenge. However, a number of suppliers offer rolling roads to achieve this. MARK CHIVERS evaluates some of the more popular options.
Just like the full size railway, a period of commissioning or running in is recommended for new locomotives to settle the mechanism in and ensure it runs smoothly and fault free, which is particularly important if you are planning to install a Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder.
One option is to use a static rolling road, a useful tool comprising a set of roller bearing wheel cradles in which locomotive driving wheels can sit securely and operate through different speeds. Rolling roads are ideal for this purpose as they allow you to monitor the process on a workbench without the need for a layout, offering an uninterrupted period of running in each direction. It is also much easier to detect problems such as a tight spot or misaligned valve gear on a locomotive from close quarters.
