I got the biggest laugh reading this....you don't know how good it is find out I'm not alone. Excellent post! err...sorry for your Proto woes...:tb-frown:
The curse has been lifted I know that it is not a major feat, but I managed to install Kadee %5 whisker couplers on my GN F7 A & B units. What a chore on the F7A rear coupler!! I got all excted first when I installed #5 couplers to both front and back of the A unit using the gear box from Kadee. Guess what, the Kadee gear box is too darn big to work on the rear of this loco. So, I had to use the Proto2K gear box on the rear of the loco (and the B unit). Well the walthers springs are too much fun to work with and long gone by now and the spring for the Kadee #5 couplers will not work with the Proto gear box....NOW WHAT?!! I did not purchase the Kadee Whisker couplers for this loco but it turns out this was what had to be done. Once I figured out the art of snaping the gear box togehter, and micro squeezing the thing into place and then playing pin the tail on the donkey trying to find the screw hole for the micro sized coupler screw, I got the darn thin together. I was not able to find the sweet spot using the whisker couplers between having the gear box screw too tight where the coupler did not evern move and too losse. End result is the coupler works pretty well but uncoupling does not work the greatest as the sring action is a little too weak due to using the whisker coupler with the proto gear box. But it does work and once the untis are coupled.....they work awesome. I pulled a heavy test train (only 20 cars but some of the cars from ebay weigh a ton and have nasty wheels with tons of drag) and the couplers performed well. Oh....and I did not break anything!!
Glad you liked the post That is why I post stuff like this...stress thepapy for myself and lets others know that there are others struggling with the learning curve as well
Those P2K's... I have roughly 15 P2K's roaming my pike. Just recently, I replicated the entire Empire Builder, complete with two E-7's (F units hadn't been substituted when I rode it from Seattle to Chicago) and took the whole train to a friend's house to run on his railroad. It looked absolutely great until I looked and, "oops!" One of the diesel's cab mounted horns was missing! It was there when we highballed... Now I do have a substitute E unit that can jump right in but in the meantime, I'm removing all of those frail horns from the roofs of those E units and I'm going to replace them with brass horns! I just pray that I don't lose any of the roof loops in the process!
I have a proto 2000 E6 and now an E8/9. Both are beautiful locos, both bought on ebay arriving in new condition with very little use if any, as far as I could tell. They were not new in the sense that they were both just produced though, I believe both are at least 15 years old. The E6 rumbles and growls around the track. Smooth power with no hesitation but it's not what I would call quiet by any means. My scenery even resonates with it at times. The E8 is much quieter, but slower at the same power setting on the transformer ( I run DC). It also seems to have a little play in the drivetrain - not noticeable to the casual observer but it's there. I love both of them and really have no complaint but it seems a little strange that two mechanically identical units be so different.
I have several P1K/P2K locos (F3, FA2, FPA2, 2 C-Liners) and mechanically, they're very nice. They are real brutes in the pulling power department, especially the C-Liners. One complaint I have is like Larry's - the details tend to disappear into the Twilight Zone at the drop of a hat. On every one of my Protos, I had to glue on at least one detail, be it grab rails, horns or other. The only other problem I've had is with an FA2 dummy's axle bearings floating about and getting out of the indent in the truck frame.
Well I have ran my F& ABBA consist a few times and thus far....no issues. I had these locos with my Empier Builder consist down at the club and ran it there a few times. So far, I have not broken anything further, but these locos are now back home awaiting the building of the home layout. These locos will not be venturing out of the homestead very often. My Proto 1000/2000 roster has expanded: 1. I have two GP20 and three GP30 that are in line for DCC/Sound and details Italation all for the TCW 2. I have an older P2K SD7 in GN that runs pretty good and looks great. This too is in line for DCC/Sound, Kadee Couplers (currently has ancient horn hooks) 3. I have an P2K FA1 and FAB combo in GN that needs new axels, and some cosmetic repair....and DCC/Sound, Kadee Couplers 4. I have four GP15-1 P1K locos awaiting DCC/Sound, Kadee Couplers for BNSF and UP 5. My newest and so far last P2K loco is the SW1200 for North American Ethanol with DCC / Sound but need Kadee couplers. So yep, I lke the Proto locos but I prefer MTH, Kato, and Genesis, BLI
