The Prodigal AC 12 comes home to roost !

[Nato]

  I recieved my other AC 12 back from InterMountain. Package was probably delivered yesterday by Fed Ex not to my front door, but the model train room door so sat outside overnight in one of the last Spring snow storms ,box got soggy,but not the contents. The nice letter from Richard Frazier in their Service Department indicated like I suspected, that they just replaced the locomotive In Kind,did not repair. I will not be able to test it out till middle of next week as my layout electronics are down for upgrading (no not to DCC) but to replace the C Jones connectors on the N Quack (trak) modules that are incorporated into the layout with Power Poles, and changing some of the buss wireing. In other rail related item, the "You just gotta have it" category on the back cover of the latest "Historic Rail" catalog that came in todays mail is the Steam Verus Diesel "Santa Fe Chess Set". A board with interesting playing pieces Warbonnett F-7 A and B locos and 1950's/60's era freight cars and caboose on top of one set and a steam loco and tender with older freight cars and brown caboose on others. There also appears to be switch stand on one set and a signal head on other. Bases feature two different color schemes with old circle cross emblems. Don't you just want  one one ? Nate Goodman (Nato).Salt Lake,Utah.

[bobdobbs]

Well, after running one of my 2 AC12's for about 45 minutes or so, one was rounding a corner and suddenly stopped, the sound of a straining motor was the only thing happening, so I shut down the system, (DCC) and went over to the loco.  Well, the piston rod was jammed in the guide, and I took the loco to the bench.  After some investigation, the connecting pin fell out and the main rod was liberated from the piston rod, just hanging off one of the drivers.  Needless to say, not repairable by yours truly.  Called Richard at Intermountain and he said to send her back.  So we will see what transpires.  The other AC12 is still going strong.  Should always wait for the second run of any loco this new and complicated I reckon.... especially one that retails for 300 over bones....  Oh yeah, had to pull the decoder and replace all the Fox Valley wheels back to the original pizza cutters.  Word to the wise -let these puppies buzz around your Atlas code 55 till you are reasonably sure they are broken in and maybe even keep them DC too until they shakedown OK.

Dobbs

[bobdobbs]

Well an update to my AC12 issue, about 9 days after I sent my AC12 to Intermountain, I received a FED EX package with a brand new replacement. After a week of running on the layout, it is still going strong, Intermountain did me right and took care of business!

Dobbs