Centipedes Shipping?

[C855B]

For anyone who thinks they look silly on curves:
...
Edit: It was actually in watching that video some time ago that I realized why the back end of the locomotive is tapered.

Back and front are tapered. This design theory was carried forward to the U50 and C855. Since EMD did not use swing pilots on the DDs, it was (apparently) determined they did not need the tapers, although rivet counters might notice that the end sill and steps on the DD35s taper inward about a foot. They dropped the tapers altogether on the longer (98') DDA40X.

Speaking of extreme cab overhang - SP crews complained loudly about the cab swing on U50s, which is why you rarely saw them in the lead. They objected to the perception that, on sharp curves, the track was going in one direction and they were going in the other. I never heard similar complaints from UP head-end crews, who I guess must've been made of sterner stuff. 

[gkoproske]

One thing...however, like my PA set, the wheels are out of gauge. Every single one of them, but that's easy enough to fix.

Easy?  I don't have any idea how one would do that.  Especially with a locomotive that has a bazillion wheels.  If you have to disassemble a brand new locomotive, well, that is cause to send it back to BLI and let them fix it.

[Dave V]

Most locomotives have wheels that are press-fit on the axles which means gentle pressure is usually all that's needed to re-gauge.  It's especially easy to fix of the gauge is too wide.  Keep your NMRA standards gauge handy to check your work.

[Iain]

Looking forward to my three; two demonstrators and one Seaboard    I could feel the difference in weight in my bank account, for sure.

There was an article in the Seaboard Modeler a few years ago about detailing the HO version to match the Seaboard units.  I will be doing that.  I'm also on the hunt for a single FT B unit, as I have a photograph of a Centipede and FT B on the SAL.  I've also seen photographs of them MUed wth Alco RS 3s (note that Seaboard setup their Baldwins to MU with everything else).

[daniel_leavitt2000]

These are really pretty engines. I wish there was video of the prototype in tight curves! I can only imagine what the sound must be like with the BLI subwoofer added.

[Lemosteam]

These are really pretty engines. I wish there was video of the prototype in tight curves! I can only imagine what the sound must be like with the BLI subwoofer added.

[davefoxx]

Looking forward to my three; two demonstrators and one Seaboard    I could feel the difference in weight in my bank account, for sure.

There was an article in the Seaboard Modeler a few years ago about detailing the HO version to match the Seaboard units.  I will be doing that.  I'm also on the hunt for a single FT B unit, as I have a photograph of a Centipede and FT B on the SAL.  I've also seen photographs of them MUed wth Alco RS 3s (note that Seaboard setup their Baldwins to MU with everything else).

@Iain, you're exactly right.  While most photos that I've seen show the SAL Centipedes running solo, my sources also show shots of these units MUed with other manufacturers' locomotives.  One pic is two Centipedes sandwiching an RSC2 or 3, and another one shows a Centipede with a F3, two RS units, and an FB1!

DFF

[chicken45]

Easy?  I don't have any idea how one would do that.  Especially with a locomotive that has a bazillion wheels.  If you have to disassemble a brand new locomotive, well, that is cause to send it back to BLI and let them fix it.

Your see @gkoproske, you don't! I used needle nose pliers and an NMRA gauge. I did not have to disassemble anything. I just put my needle nose pliers between the wheels and spread the pliers till they were in gauge. Took me 10 min for both of them.

[eric220]

I probably ought to check the gauge of mine. No derailments, but quite a bit of bouncing over turnouts...

Unrelated note, I clocked mine at a max speed of 56 SMPH.

[dougnelson]

The Centipedes do look wacky on sharp curves - which are often a given in model railroads.  This is really no different for 85' passenger cars.  My interest in passenger trains led me to design a layout that hid the curves from view.  There are definitely pluses and minuses to this strategy, but it has worked for me.  By the way, the Centipedes seem to work fine on the curves - just don't watch.  BLI engineered these models well.

My layout:


I just think the Centipedes are really cool looking locos.  Here is my favorite photo of them (in freight service):

[Iain]

The Centipedes do look wacky on sharp curves - which are often a given in model railroads.  This is really no different for 85' passenger cars.  My interest in passenger trains led me to design a layout that hid the curves from view.  There are definitely pluses and minuses to this strategy, but it has worked for me.  By the way, the Centipedes seem to work fine on the curves - just don't watch.  BLI engineered these models well.

My layout:

What are the dimensions of your layout?  I rather like this idea.

[brokemoto]

On the box, the manufacturer states that it will go around a nine and three-quarter curve.  I tried it-it will(!).  Funny, it does not look much worse on a nine and three-quarter than it does on a seventeen.

I have not checked the gauge on mine, yet.   It is tolerant of my mediocre trackwork.   It has yet to derail anywhere that I have run it.

Mine gets warm to the touch after running it on DC for thirty, or so,  minutes.  Does this happen on DCC, as well?

I  listened to the video, but I can not be sure:  does anyone know if the sound in this is real Baldwin sound or is it generic?   Back when MRC offered its
under-the-layout speaker sound, you could choose diseasel sound of the various builders.  I wonder if BLI is programming appropriate builder sound into its models.

I must admit that I like mine.  I am not quite sure what I will do with mine.  It runs too well and the sound is too good for it to be a Yard Queen (not to mention the cost of the thing).  I bought only one unit.  I know that the Pennsylvania bought these in pairs connected by a drawbar.   Make it one of a pair separated for the service in which I might employ it?   Some roads that received FTs connected by a drawbar later separated the A-B pairs and installed couplers, so there is a prototype precedent for separating drawbar connected units. 

Big, road specific steam has sold well.  Could this be what inspired BLI to do a large diseasel operated only by three roads?  I would have preferred a babyface (only three roads had those, as well), as it had B-B trucks, thus better suited to the smaller home pikes.   Still, this is proving to be a very good locomotive.  Other than its looking silly even on #6 turnouts and seventeen inch curves, the only drawback, so far, is that when it hits a dead spot, it coasts to a stop, then starts the whole start up process again.

Still, I would recommend this thing to anyone.

[C855B]

... I  listened to the video, but I can not be sure:  does anyone know if the sound in this is real Baldwin sound or is it generic?   Back when MRC offered its
under-the-layout speaker sound, you could choose diseasel sound of the various builders.  I wonder if BLI is programming appropriate builder sound into its models. ...

Baldwin prime movers tended to sound like a clattering old tractor needing tappet adjustment, even at speed. (I have a cassette in a drawer somewhere from when I recorded Trona's Baldwins in 1972 or 3. Once you "hear through" the wind noise from the un-socked mic, the clatter is unmistakable.) The question with the "proper" Centipede sound is what four clattering PMs are going to sound like beyond a blurry mechanical cacophony. At least the BLI horn sounds about right for the period, so we can give them that.

[eric220]

I can attest that @dougnelson has a wonderfully executed layout in a reasonably compact space. If I ever move and lose my awesome basement, depending on what the new space looks like, I will probably use this concept as the basis for my next layout.

[nstars]

I can attest that @dougnelson has a wonderfully executed layout in a reasonably compact space. If I ever move and lose my awesome basement, depending on what the new space looks like, I will probably use this concept as the basis for my next layout.

+1,
Doug's layout is realy impressive.

Marc