It already shipped out, so I was just wondering. I would love to hear your input on the new engine if you have it, a video would be great, if possible. Thanks.
Jake, is there a Paragon II Y6-b coming or should I said came out? If there is, it will be hard pressed to live up to the PCM version!
I have the PCM version and have yet seen anything that will out pull it, I put up against Tom W Brass and Darth Santa Fe Browsers!
With no traction tires at K-10 Model Train Christmas party of 2007 it pulled 60 coal cars up a 1.5 percent grade with no slowing down. Far as the sound, it has a Loksound decoder and makes Tsunami sound like it uses a tin can for speakers. Slow, it will craw on speed step 1.
If you have need a Y6-b, see if you can find a PCM on E-bay. Best engine I have, makes the PCM Big Boy seem like a lite weight.
You all so might ask Crandell about his PCM Y6-b. He may not give it as a glowing review as I since his is not broken in yet. Crandell, do you still only have 1 hour run time?[:-^] I have well over 300 hours on mine now.
If you need traction tires, it not a ture Y6-b IMHO.
PCM Y6-b Ken
Ken, I am up to about two hours by now…I must be…[(-D]
Much to my dismay, I dropped the engine a couple of weeks ago, so it is broken and on its way to BLI for repairs. The front engine got mangled and detached from the internal mounting.
[
] [:(]
It is/was my best puller by a long shot. It is as smooth as silk, too.
-Crandell
Hey Ken, yes the Paragon II Y6b has shipped, its also now on sale at Factory Direct. I’m tempted to buy one because I’m curious to hear the new sound system, but more so, i want to see if they improved on the smoke and quality control compared to the Paragon II hudsons, which to many turned out to be a great disappointent (happy for those that got working ones though).
I know what you mean by PCM usually being better. There is a PCM READING T1 at my LHS and I want it sooo bad, but I’m deciding if I should wait out for the Paragon II version with puffing smoke and perhaps more prototypical sounds, come to think of it, I am not sure what the factory installed soundsystem in the PCM version even sounds like.
I love the Reading rai
I received mine today. I haven’t had a chance to run it yet (there are many things going on… xmas eve and all), but it looks absolutley fantastic.
Well when you get a chance to take some photos or video we’d all love to see them (and hear the new sound effects).
Jake, is it Jake by the way? Here is a poor quality video of my Y6-b, but you can hear the sound and it pretty good. http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j284/cudaken/?action=view¤t=IM000057-2.flv
Slower it goes the better it sounds, if you like I will make a new poor quality video at slow speed.
PCM Y6-b’s did not come with smoke, but there Big Boys did. I have never tried to fire it up in mine, I had to smokers and they made a mess. It is set up so you can added a fan driven smoke unit if you are so inclined.
I added few a pictures of mine, great looking engine.
Far as the other bells and whistles the Paragon II come with, well labored chuff’s would neat and I do like the fact you can program a run pattern. (stop, blow whistle, start etc)
If I could only keep one engine, it would be the Y6-b.
I have no idea what the new ones are selling for, but if you could find a new PCM for $400.00 jump on it! I would go $300.00 for a used one. I ran the heck out of mine (200 hours plus) before I had a problem.
Crandell, sorry to hear you dropped yours.You should have sent it to me! I would haven been faster than BLI! [:D]
Cuda Ken
Thanks for the pics and video, yes, its Jake. [:)]
I like your ballasting job, did you use medium or fine size, looking at that last picture did you go with light grey?
Also, I see you put a layer of foam over your plywood, do you feel that there is a strong benefit to this, is it easier to cut out rivers and gorges this way? I’m tempted to maybe add a layer of foam to my benchwork (I ripped up my last table and am in the process of constructing a new one), the reason being, I don’t want any grades on my layout with wood, because steamers hate sharp grades…
There is currently a debate about using foam or not in the layout building section of the forum. How did you fasten your cork to the foam, glue or track nails? Thanks.
Boy Jake, you are high jacking your own posting! [:D]
The ballast is fine, and I did mix in some iron ore color you cannot see. It is in the center.
Far as the foam, I will never do another bench with out it! Easy to cut and work with. The rock faces is all foam as well and can be lifted off the bench. Here is a tip if you do uses foam, if you can find a damaged section at Home Depot, the department head can give you 75% off! My last 4 X 8 that is 2" inch thick cost me like $8.00, normally in the $24.00 range.
Cuda Ken
Nice photos and thanks for the vid (low quality or not) Cuda Ken. Now we just need to wait and see how the new version measures up.
I have the PCM and it is a rockin engine already, ordering the P2 today…maybe it will be here in a week or so. There is room in the PCM for a smoke unit. So if someone is brave or desire it enough… I don’t know how much upgraded the P2s will be other than the p2 decoder and sync chuff smoke, we shall see and compare them side by side. Plan to buy a 2nd one to have 3 Y6bs. you think I should order the whole fleet? -eyes the guy with all them big boys…- thats what something like 100 engines or more…
There’s a new Y6b??? I’m still waiting for the old Y6b. My internet distributor keeps promising me that it’s on its way and should be here next week. Anyway I am, of course, waiting for unworthy people to stop winning the Powerball and a worthy individual winning . . . . . . . . . . ME!!!