If it wasn’t obvious, I’ve been in a funk since discovering that 622 will not run after painting. In my heart, I know the solution will ultimately involve a new set of drivers, as attempting to fix the ones that are there will surely destroy them, and it’s unknown if I could ever put them back together again as true as they are even now. Meanwhile, every assembly and disassembly of a model like 622 risks breaking it.
What I need is a training model – a robust one that I don’t mind wrecking. That’s what I should have done when #10 tied itself into a knot, rather than starting on another locomotive-building odyssey. So, I cast about and found Percy and Thomas neglected atop the toy cabinet. Both of these were inexpensive engines, but they are bullet proof. Even having survived two childhoods, they still run better than #622 or #10. Sure, their slow-speed operation leaves a little to be desired, but if two kids couldn’t destroy them, maybe they stand a chance with me.
As a further benefit, the two toys look nothing like anything on the Canada Atlantic. So, unlike one of the Bachmann 4-4-0s, there is absolutely no temptation to see if I can turn Percy or Thomas into something a little more prototypical. Nope, they’re OO scale, they have googly eyes, and they can stay that way.
I’ve chosen Percy as the guinea pig because it has two fewer drivers than Thomas, and that’s the same number of drivers as 622 and 10. Perhaps before I work on a mogul, I will try re-wheeling Thomas, but that’s an exercise for another year.
One thing’s for certain: this will be the first Percy converted to Proto:87!
Pembroke:87 
One might say he’s a really useful engine 🙂
Cue ear-worm
Beware of “naughty goods wagons” !!!!
Oh please, no troublesome trucks on my layout!