I want to buy some passenger cars for my kids and see this set for $48. Anyone think this is a good buy. Features: This set of passenger cars includes two service vans (one type TG6z, the other type TG6), three second-class coaches (type TB6) and one first-class coach (type TA6). The 6 car set is equipped with Rapido couplers.
I don't know about the running qualities, but I've seen a few of them at train shows and they look pretty nice. I saw the sale Walthers was running on them and thought more than twice about placing an order but I decided against it due to finances. Not sure what power normally pulls these but I think it's probably F59PHI's like Athearn offers. However, there are at least two photos in my BNSF annuals showing BN/BNSF power pulling them when the normal power had problems. One was a LMX B39-8 and I think the other was a BN unit (GP50?) but I'd have to check. I'd say go for it.
I have a 12 unit set and i can tell you it runs great. It's very nice this train sneaking around the layout. One bad thing about it : It's not so easy to convert the train to MT couplers... but you can always add a rapido coupler at the rear of you P42. ( It is what i did).
I have a 14 car set and mounted 1015's on the end cars. There's some shimming required, but the car does come apart fairly easy to mount the couplers. Now I need to finish my NPCU for the Talgo.. I love the train! The cars look great and roll well. They also show every bad spot, dip and wiggle on the track! Kel
Electrotren from Spain. Walthers had them on sale, so I'd check there.. The length is correct for the Amtrak Cascades. Kel
Doug, That particular series of Talgo's were pulled by F40's. I believe that the F59's didn't arrive until the newer Talgo cars were placed in service in 1999. Having ridden both types, the "Spanish" sets were more interesting...especially the restroom signs in Spanish. Model-wise, the sets do have deep flanges but I've run my 12 car set successfully on Ntrak layouts. The end cars do come with the dreaded Rapido couplers and converting them to MT's (most have used 1016's, I used 1015's) is NOT a easy conversion and NOT for the faint of heart...once you start, there's NO going back. Good Luck!