44 tonners

[sizemore]

Don't forget the hood is still way too wide, but yes they look good and I can't wait for mine.

Whiner. 

[sizemore]

I played with one today at MBK. Very smooth operation, there is a slight cog however zi beleive with a good break in and commutators seating and polishing it will be acceptable. If this is the same 28 step decoder used in the 4-8-2 (H) I cannot discern the diff between it and 128 speed step. As for the coupler, the dummy knuckle looks and feels like an accumate. As for the pocket it resembles a 1015 coupler pocket. The screw that holds the coupler to the body is directly in line with the sill itself it is not set back like other locos.

Honestly this little thing is a gem for $60. I can't wait for the unlettered yellow versions to come in (MBK only received B&O, NH and unlettered red) so I can strip them and paint them up in WM.

The S

[wm3798]

I'd bet you a dollar that WM will be coming from the factory at some point...  They did a very nice job of it in HO.
Lee

[up1950s]

The drive looks like the Bachmann trolley with some extra gearing . I hope we don't get split gears down the road .

[Walkercolt]

For under $50 street price, I'll live with the wide hoods if I like the way they run. To get a "scale width" hood, the motor alone would cost $50(if not more). People lived for 30 years with HO Athearn deisels with "wide carbodies". It's exactly Like the Atlas "Trainman" GP-15's in Frisco. They are wrong, but is it "wrong enough" to keep me from buying them? No. Someday, maybe Craig Martyn will offer a "correction kit", then I'll have to decide if I can handle that. Craig, if you see this, I'm seeing TONS of "multi-media" detail kits for aircraft, armour and ship kits. Have you considered this approach? How about multi layer photo-etch? (This idea is very popular with photo-etch on 1/350 ship models, although the sheets may only be .003" thick.)

[Denver Road Doug]

Did they lower the MSRP?  While I might expect them to eventually be found for under $50 street, I've only seen them in the $60 range based on the original MSRP.  Bachmann has been known to raise the final MSRP as much as 50% so I guess they could have lowered it?

Regardless, I think based on preliminary findings I'll be VERY happy with mine for the price. (although a little ticked that the undec yellows are delayed)   It will be interesting to see how QC plays out, and I kinda agree with one poster about "we never saw it start moving in the video"....plenty of switchers can pull 10 cars after a little nudge to get 'em going.

[sizemore]

I'd bet you a dollar that WM will be coming from the factory at some point...  They did a very nice job of it in HO.
Lee

One can only hope. I did some homework, they never made it out of fireball, and worse were sold before 1968...in 1964, to an outfiit in Ohio. This might be a candidate for the PPRY.

[Bob Bufkin]

Just remembered at one time they were going to do a Russian decapod but cancelled (something about motor size).  If they can fit a motor in the 44 tonner why not a dec?

[3rdrail]

Just remembered at one time they were going to do a Russian decapod but cancelled (something about motor size).  If they can fit a motor in the 44 tonner why not a dec?

Lee Riley told me the Russian Decapod and the chosen Ten-Wheeler had very small diameter boilers. Said could get a motor, but not at the price and the quantities desired. Suggested bigger prototypes, commented on dummy couplers, got a reply about royalties and he walked away. Guess I can be a pest, too.

[Robbman]

Lee Riley is so full of crap it's not funny...

[Bob Bufkin]

Maybe if Bachmann wasn't so cheap they could do better alround.  They seem to hit or miss with their locos. 

[up1950s]

Could be they wanted a more powerful motor to turn 10 coupled , and with the added friction of rods .

[Puddington]

Victor (over on A board) made a point about the motor size I had not considered previously and if that is a testiment to my shortsighteness, so be it. On a steam engine the motor almost always has to fit, atleast partially between the drivers. If n scale track is 9 mm between rails and you need at least .5 for flanges and movement that limited the width of the motor and shell to no more than about 8 mm On a diesel the wheels and trucks are below the motor so this limitation isn't nearly as important.....

I hadn't thought of this.... a wide motor isn't an option, and boilers are not all that wide on most loco's, thus limited the space; the cab too, has size limitations....

Food for thought; at least on this table.

[victor miranda]

a while ago when I was pushing Atlas to make a GE 44 ton loco...
I had said that they needed to make the investment to create
a true n-scale sized motor.  it would allow them to make
a lot more locos.

the main point I was aiming at was they need to build
a motor of similar proportion to their current diesel motor
and make it 7.5mm across. 

if Atlas made such a motor, believe me I knew that it would
pave the way for  many steamers and critters.

Kato has made a 12v 3 pole motor that is close.
it is a little longer than I'd like,  however  I think it will prove useful.

victor

[tomgschilling]

Does anyone know who's got these available?.  Seems like every on-line store I checked with is all sold out.   ...Tom