We got the Erie units in today and they look beautiful. When I get done taking everything else into inventory I will test run one and give a report. The motor does stick into the cab a bit, too be expected. It has a 6 wire plug between tender and loco so the decoder will install in the tender. It also (Att: BarstowRick!!) comes with a non-traction tire driver for those that don't want traction tires on their loco. Pictures and running report to follow.
Skipgear/Tony, ALL RIGHT!!!!!!! I likes what I read. NO Traction Tires. And, I'l bet it's a puller. Got to check this out. Thanks for the heads up
Just to clarify my statement, it comes with the traction tire driver installed. The non tire driver is in the box as an option. Now who out there is going to send me all those extra drivers that they don't use so I can build some other loco out of them?
Walthers 0-8-0 I also likes what I read as I'm firmly with Mr Rick on the issues of traction tyres! Interested to see how far the motor protrudes into the cab. Paul
Thanks for the report. What I am most interested in is whether the decoder goes in easily or if it is some total hassle. Also, does anyone actually make the decoder, and, if so, are they readily available? I am refraining from purchasing any more Walthers/Proto/LL locos until I can hold the decoder in one hand and the loco in the other and see that they both exist and that they are compatible. I don't mind some hardwiring, but I just don't want to have to disassemble anything completely, mill out a notch, and then hardwire a decoder into anything billed as "DCC Ready."
Appears to be a standard decoder socket. Runs very good, slow starting is ok, could probably use some break in time to get even slower start up. It is geared very low, perfect for a switcher. The wiring socket inserts with very little force and doesn't appear to hamper flexability. The only knock I can see is that you have to screw the drawbar to the loco. It appears that they initially had designed the drawbar to use spring wipers like the Kato and Bachmann tenders but adding easy DCC install meant going to the wiring harness. The only other thing is even though it is an all wheels live tender, it is not needle point. It is similar to the other LL/Walthers pickups with the wiper riding just inside the wheel. All and all it looks like a hit. Time will tell how they hold up. Oh yes, working tender backup light also.
In a few months, I'll be off my "semi-retirement" budget, and will spring for a few of these beauties. Waiting to hear how they perform. If they don't perform well, then it's more Bachmann Connies for me.
I'd also like to say thanks for the shot with the tender shell removed, this is what we need to see but very rarely do, manufacturers seem to think we're only interested on what a new loco looks like on the outside. Looks like Walthers/LL might be finally getting their act together with DCC. I'm waiting with even more anticipation for the Y3 now.
Super! Hopefully my local hobby shop will have my pre-order in soon. I'll be happy to give a report once I've got mine home.
NO NO NO NO!!!! This is a BAD thing! I want to Unread this thread right now. GHAAAAA!!!!!! Walthers is EVIL. Must not look at beautiful loco shots. Back to the basement quickly. Must not go without eating for a week so as to buy new loco.
OK, I'm back... Err... How many wheel electrical pickup is it? Not that I really care. Back to my hole in the ground. TO THE TRAIN BUNKER TO WAIT OUT THIS FIT OF WANT!
DROOOOOOL. Can't wait to see some preformance numbers for the traction tire v. non-traction tire. Geek. Know how you feel. Perhaps I can con the wife into not eating too. Then I can get one faster. Eric
It is all wheels live, tender and loco. Also all drivers are geared. The last driver does not have a crank pin to make it easier to swap from the traction to the non traction driver.
NOOOOOO!!!!!! BLAAARRGGHHH!!!!! I didn't want to hear that. It's the perfect loco so far. Decoder plug Traction tire or no traction tire All wheel pick up Slow geared just like the HO lifelike 0-8-0 Loki I have Way too nice. It would look awkward on my layout. Yeah, that's it!
Just to temper everyone's buying frenzy, I picked mine up today at the local hobby shop. After spending 15 mins. getting a rediculously small washer and screw finally installed that connect the tender to the loco, the moment of truth came.....nothing. The engine wouldn't run forward. I tried reverse and it ran in reverse (poorly). Tried forward again, and nothing. I pulled it off the track and onto the work bench. Two small parts fell off in the process (a pipe and the step between the tender and engine. I checked the gauge of the drivers and all were too tight, the third set being particularly tight. Back on the track it now ran in reverse very well, but in forward--nothing. Back to the shop we went. My local guy got out his test track and indeed the engine was malfunctioning. Diagnosis was probably a bad wire or a bad card in the tender. Fortunately he had ordered two Erie's so I left with the other one, after we gave it a quick check. Interestingly, the same piece of piping fell off the second one too! I'm off to a meeting now, so I won't get a chance to test the new one for several hours. Needless to say, I'm underwhelmed with my first shot at this engine (which indeed is exquisitely detailed). Hopefully the replacement unit will perform well when I get a chance to put it through it's paces, and the first unit was a rare exception.
