Is the new Arnold U25C the best N scale engine ever?

[peteski]

Wowza!  I don't know what to say except "wouldn't it be nice if yet another N scale manufacturer simply copied the Kato's low-friction electrical pickup system in the trucks?"

That dead throttle should be fixable.  It probably is the circuit breaker. Some simple voltage and continuity measurements should pinpoint where the problem is.

[nkalanaga]

I'll second "copying the Kato", as the design obviously works for Atlas, IM, FVM, etc, etc, etc.  All of the design and testing is already done, so it would also have been CHEAPER to do it that way! 

Spookshow has a listing for the Arnold FA, and since mine was a "Revell/Rapido" it had to have been made in or before 1972.  Mine is even the UP version he shows.  My original, $6.99 from a mail-order house in Model Railroader, was the PC, so I've owned both roadnames they made.  He says the model was introduced in 1969, so that pretty well narrows it down, with mine being the "improved" version, with extra cast weights inside, and about 45 years old.  I didn't realize they kept making them until Rivarossi went bankrupt.  I thought they disappeared in the mid 70s. 

With the FA's oversized wheels I've often wondered if anyone tried making a PRR E2b electric out of one.  It would actually sound right for a big electric.  Hornby should be embarrassed that that antique outruns their "state of the art" model. 

[peteski]

Hornby should be embarrassed that that antique outruns their "state of the art" model.

The "state of the art statement" about this Arnold/Hornby model was made by another forum member in the "loco of 2014 thread", after I described it as "old-school" (comparing it to Kato's FEF-3 innovative design), where I was also accused by the same member of Arnold bashing!!  I didn't think that calling this design "old-school" was bashing at all. I thought that I was just being realistic.

[basementcalling]

So the two models being bandied about for loco of the year, best model all time, both have issues?

One has pickup issues just like a lot of single people. Inconsistent contact isn't just a dating problem I guess.

The other can have a screw loose or throw a pin?

Which is the male and which the female?

[CBQ Fan]

I am hoping to see a Burlington U28C offering sometime soon since it is the same car body.

[nkalanaga]

I don't know about the Burlington units, but if they were like the NP, a set of MicroScale decals could give you one, by changing the numbers.   Whether they have the unique(?) Q model designation labels I don't know.  I still have some of those from Walthers, and haven't painted a Q unit in years.

Peteski:  In this case "state of the art" was my own somewhat sarcastic appraisal, and I didn't intend to attribute it to Hornby, or anyone else.  I agree with your "old school" description.  The comparison with my FA seems to show that, if anything, "old school" may be somewhat generous in some respects.

I wonder how many of today's models, even the best, could sit in a box, under who-knows-what conditions, for 40+ years, then run perfectly straight from the box?

[mcjaco]

As for the Vlk coupler, I believe that Charlie is still "working" on it.  At least the last time I saw him at Trainfest in November.

[spookshow]

As for the Vlk coupler, I believe that Charlie is still "working" on it.  At least the last time I saw him at Trainfest in November.

I contacted Charlie and he informed me that he and Hornby are still working on the new coupler design. His hope is to have it ready for the next Arnold/Hornby locomotive project (soon to be announced).

Cheers,
-Mark

[Chris1274]

I contacted Charlie and he informed me that he and Hornby are still working on the new coupler design. His hope is to have it ready for the next Arnold/Hornby locomotive project (soon to be announced).

Cheers,
-Mark

The rumor's out that it'll be an SW1.

[Chris333]

Is the new Arnold SW-1 the best N scale engine ever?

 

[garethashenden]

Is the new Arnold SW-1 the best N scale engine ever?

 

Yes!

[nkalanaga]

Only if it runs well right out of the box.  My U25Cs can be fixed, and it isn't that hard, but they shouldn't need it.