I'll second Bikerdad's comments. I would rather see more generic loco's with the quality and features you are touting rather than a few superdetailed, road specific, equipment. There is so much out there for PRR already, although most of it is older or brass, it is still out there. Heck, do the 0-8-0 that everybody is asking for, and do it right. Those would sell 10 times what the M1 will do. I have an M1 on order, just because the idea of sound in N intrigues me and I have seen what Broadway can do with it in HO. But if future releases are also geared just toward Pennsy, as Broadway also seems to concentrate on, I will more than likely pass on them. My little wish list is for: C&O Allegheny B&O EM1 Yellowstone USRA 0-8-0 Switcher and maybe a B&O S1 2-10-2 Big Six
Bah! Sure these are good enough, but how about a Rio Grande L Series steamer? No one thought that the DRGW tunnel motors would sell, since they were too road specific, but the only thing they sold was out!
Couldn't have said it better myself. I think Atlas and Kato have the right strategy - they seldom (read "never") announce anything until they have something very close to being ready - while they still occasionally have "delays" they are seldom long and have plausible explanations. Generally "premature announcement" causes the models to be much more closely scrutinised and open themselves up to much more criticism than they might otherwise face. IM tunnel motors, MP steam are some recent examples of this. [ December 17, 2005, 08:25 PM: Message edited by: U25B ]
DRGW is a short line. I litterally crapped $160 out of my wallet for two espee snoots at a train show when a dealer showed up with them. They are just plain butt ugly beautiful. The DGRW's are high on my any day now wish list but no snoots and the fuel tanks are screwed up (by EMD). [ December 18, 2005, 08:23 AM: Message edited by: J Long ]
I also agree with Biker Dad. Make some generic USRA locos, since many roads had them. We need steam. Decent RTR steam.
Any steam as long as they GEAR ALL THE DRIVERS & A TRACTION TYRE OR 2!!!!!!! </font>[/QUOTE]Jason: That might not happen in US steam loco's for quite some time. I would opt for all geared drivers first. The LL 2-8-8-2 with its one geared driver in each set of drivers was a big mistake. Stay cool and run steam......
Any steam as long as they GEAR ALL THE DRIVERS & A TRACTION TYRE OR 2!!!!!!! </font>[/QUOTE]Jason: That might not happen in US steam loco's for quite some time. I would opt for all geared drivers first. The LL 2-8-8-2 with its one geared driver in each set of drivers was a big mistake. Stay cool and run steam...... </font>[/QUOTE]But it was a very ambitious design, and for that I give them credit.
Pete: If you look at the drawings of the LL 2-8-8-2 that are in the enclosed box, you'll find that the 2-8-8-2 shows two geared drivers for each set of four. So four geared drivers were originally planned for this loco and LL decided to change that to one geared driver per set of four drivers. Bob Woods and I often discussed this on the phone and that what prompted him to add so much weight to the loco that eventually blew out the rods. If there were two geared drivers in each set of four as was the original design, this loco would be a fantastic performer. But LL decided to take some shortcuts which eventually worked against the company with all the many complaints about the loco's lack of pulling capabilities. Now you've heard the rest of the story... Stay cool and run steam.....
I have two LL 2-8-8-2's. One is them is dead. Would it work to transplant the geared drivers from the dead loco to the working loco. That should give me 4 geared drivers. Has anyone tried this yet? Kevin
kevin: I haven't heard of anyone who tried that apporach. BTW, on the deceased loco, there is a lifetime warranty on the 2-8-8-2 so I'm sure it can be properly fixed by Walther's now since they took over LL. Stay cool and run steam.....
For those discouraged with N steam: I can't speak for bigger locomotives but I have the Atlast 2 - 6 - 0 and MP 4 - 4 - 0. Both run flawlessly with no extra weight pulling more than what the prototype did around 8" radious curvs on 2 percent grades, (Kato track). Works for me.
Steve: I never bought one of the Atlas 2-6-0's. Longtrain didn't have too much luck with that loco at all and suggested that I don't buy the loco. As for the MP 4-4-0 there are still problems with that loco. The drawbar is much too short and causes the tender to derail while in reverse. It runs much better with a slightly extended drawbar which you can make out of styrene.
I had completely forgotten that, Bob! Bob Woods and I talked about his experiment with Victor Miranda, and the siderods blowing out. Their monster also had traction tires. Over the Christmas break I'm going to put decoders in the four I have; I think one just became the guinea pig for some experiments. I haven't looked at them for a long while, but I seem to recall they weren't too hard to disassemble--at least compared to the Berkshires or MP Pacifics.
Pete: Yes Longtrain machined two sets of drivers for the added traction tires. If four drivers were geared according to LL's original design, he wouldn't have blown out the siderods. You unscrew the screw in the smokestack and then slide the shell off. Be careful with the detailing alongside the cab. Now to make this a good installation, you must REMOVE the lightboard and wire the front headlight to the decoder using a resistor. If you leave the lightboard wired as is, you're going to blow out decoders very quickly.. I found this out the hard way after blowing several decoders. Fortunately Lenz replaces decoders, no questions asked. I would use the new Lenz mini gold series decoder for this installation. I used the Lenz 521W's when I did the four that I have. Stay cool and run steam.....
Bob, I'm stating that under the conditions I have described the two engines are superb. Since both engines pulled as much as the prototype ever did pulling capcity should not be an issue. Since both are very atractive and work relyable in the forward direction they should please anyone looking for those features. Mine will be run on a tiny layout for Christmas and on the GandG for excursion. They will never have to back up. Works for me.
Steve: But 4-4-0's do actually back up. All the loco's on the JJJ&E have to have the capacity to back up. Stay cool and run steam......
