I'm not sure how much break-in is needed, but I imagine this locomotive will never be truly put to the test. Especially on this particular run. It will always have a relatively light load behind it for the rest of it's existence and not run too particularly hard. I understand the reasoning behind it, but it would sure be nice to see it struggle at least once.
I've got just over a month to survey the route with Google maps and Streetview to find the ideal scenic spots to video it from for my channel. Of course I imagine there is gonna be a caravan of railfans of a level not ever seen before. I hope it's relatively orderly. Cuz I predict a certain level of frenzy and organized chaos when this train is followed. I figure the scene when it's in Ogden is gonna be crazy and crowded. The hotels and motels for miles around are selling quick I was told and the prices keep raising for those that are left.
I'm personally gonna camp in the back of my SUV like I did on my railfaning trips last year to save money on hotels and for it's more flexible logistical reasons. I just got a new Goal Zero Yeti 3000 Lithium Solar Generator a couple months ago to upgrade from my prior Yeti 1400. It's the biggest they sell at over twice the capacity as I had before and I also now have 650-watts in solar panels to keep it charged up even in the cloudiest of overcast conditions. It powers both a thermoelectric refrigerator and an electric blanket off it's 12-volt power port. I power and charge my laptop and video camera off it's 1500-watt inverter and also a small microwave oven. I also have a hanging LED light to see at night and a solar shower to bathe and keep myself squeaky clean. I jokingly call it the foamer-mobile when I have it all loaded up with this stuff for these trips.
I do plan on meeting up with a few railfans I know that are flying in and renting rooms and cars. So I won't be there all alone with no one to talk to. I'm pretty excited and pumped up for this trip!
