Bruce set the standard for workmanship at Litchfield Station! He continues it on his own:
NO
STICKY, GOOEY TAPES are used in the final install. That means:
- NO weak transparent desk tape
- NO “Magic” tape
- NO messy black tape
- NO masking tape
Sometimes
blue masking tape is used in the course of the install to hold things in
place. Blue is preferred over regular masking tape, as it is cleaner and
leaves no residue.
Only
MIL-SPEC quality Kapton tape is used in the product as returned to the customer. This
VERY EXPENSIVE tape withstands very high temperatures. It leaves NO RESIDUE when removed or heated, unlike
other tapes.
Shrink
tubing is used to secure and insulate soldered joints wherever
possible. Bruce would be willing to run his own locos with the
mechanical joint and shrink tubing only, he believes so strongly
in this combined approach.
Every
joint is soldered with quality solder, using MIL-SPEC techniques
Every
light gets a dropping resistor if recommended by the decoder manufacturer
or needed for correct operation.
Wiring
is routed and constrained so that it won’t interfere with moving parts.
In many cases, wiring will be run in a flat bundle and held down with glue
or Kapton tape in such a location that the decoder and / or NMRA plug may
still be removed.
If
glue is used to secure wiring and decoders, it is caulk, Aleens 7800, Goop or some
similar product.
If
the decoder is mounted to the motor, it is insulated from the heat of the
motor.
Every
loco is test run before and after installation.
Every
loco is provided with a programming sheet showing what values have been
set in the various Configuration Variable (CV) locations.
Every
loco is checked for lubrication and has its wheels cleaned and has an
application of conductivity enhancer prior to shipment. We use Aero-Car
Hobby Lubricants.