Intermountain say in it`s list “Upcoming InterMountain HO Scale Product Releases” Cab Forward AC-12 “Expected Release” Early 2008 www.imrcmodels.com/newshocomingsoon.html
They are in stock at many of the stores and my AC-12 is on its way according to the notice I received yesterday. It was shipped yesterday and I should be able to listen to it on Friday.
It has a Tsunami and that should say something. I did read the motor electrical noise can be heard with the sound, but they still liked it. Maybe it needs some Capacitance added to kill the motor noise.
The following web site has a review of the AC-12 with sound.
This is a quote from the Atlas Review. Runningwise, it’s a little slippery. I have 3 percent grades and there’s one spot on a grade on a curve where it will sit and spin - even light. I’ve got a ton of locomotives of all shapes and makes and that’s the first time I ever saw that. LOL It’s not like the tracks are dirty - before I put the new
Just what we need, one more example of a AC12!!! Ok I feel better now, seriously my only regret is that we don’t such fantastic locomotives RTR in S scale!!! Personally if a MC version is ever produced in RTR I might be tempted to return to Ho.
In all seriousness, I heard that the IM cab forwards had problems with the paint flaking off. It may have been someone here that posted that complaint.
(snort),…well, that would account for the difference in sound, wouldn’t it…the paint not providing the same texture to the whistle? I’d send it back, toowhooo oooo whooo.
I only care about two things. First, and most important, does it have the ‘talking pumps’, and second, will it haul more than its tender–say about 50 cars worth?
If the answer to the two questions is an unqualified YES, then I’m saving my sheckles right now. If not, I’m sticking with my 2 old Akanes and continuing to imagine the sound. I’ve already got the pulling power.
This particular model is not going to be around long from what I have heard. I have one in the mail sight unseen and it should be here by Monday.
Don’t wait too long if you want one.
I don’t think it will pull half as much as the older Akanes or KTM’s, but they do look good for sure. Word is the pumps are included, but we will see how they whistle. The problem with the model is the drivers are not sprung and do not equalize well on anything but great trackwork.
I believe PCM is the one who let us down, not Intermountain. Intermountain announced this model about the same time as PCM announced their AC-12 back a year of two ago.
Intermountain might have got cold feet so to speak since the PCM die cast metal model would have been better in operation, but not the Loksound toy train recording sound. The Loksound on the Big Boy was listed as prototypical, but what toy train museum did they use to get the bell and whistle??? I was under the impression the Loksound for the AC-12 would be just as bad. Many of us might have purchased the die cast model over the plastic one since the plastic one is light in tractive effort and does not have sprung drivers or traction tires. The detail on the Intermountain is excellent and my copies will probably be for show only, but they do not disappoint me.
PCM has failed us on this one for sure and has no real date scheduled for their fishing expedition on the AC-12 and BLI is planning on running the AC-4/ AC-5 again in the Blue Line. PCM still does not have a scheduled date for the GS-4 and has slipped the Daylight train schedule back a few months more also. That is the reason I give
CAZEPHYR. I do not want to give any thanks to Intermountain. I preordered my AC-12 nearly a year ago and now it looks lika I dont going to have any. Tony tell`s:
"Intermountain has told Tony’s for several months now that the first run of SP Cab Forwards with Soundtraxx Tsunamis would be shipping this summer and that all our reservations were covered. Yesterday we were told that we will be shipped only a handful of the number originally promised by Intermountain. It seems their entire 1st run was sold out long before they informed anyone and then announced the second run.
They continued to take orders on the first run part numbers with the knowledge that they were sold out. Like over-booking in the airline industry."
It have nothing to do how well they doing there model or anything. Just plane honesty with there coustomers and dealers. If PCM also is doing bad things it don`t make Intermountain any better.
I read Tony’s memo and as an Intermountain dealer, he was messed over also.
It is disappointing for sure and a lot of customers not too happy with Intermountain. It seems like most of the companies are not able to bring in large numbers of the models we really want. The second order should cover the immediate demand for the model and I hope you get one of those if you still want one. Sorry about your reservation not being honored and how you got left out of the first order. When you have the reservation for one year in advance, that should not happen.
Intermountain will have to do some public relations work now to get all of the modelers that wanted this model back on their side.
I did notice several on Ebay. Have you checked Ebay???
I’ve read a lot of complaints of the model, particularly with drivers out of gauge and low (25 mph) maximum speed. Some modelers are canceling their orders or returning the models. So, maybe if you keep checking the suppliers, a model may become available even if they are “sold out.” There are scores of messages on this model at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Espee/
The drivers being out of gauge is problem that probably will not be easy to fix. This is a problem that I had not heard tod ate, but the fact the drivers are not sprung and it does not track well makes it a shelve item for me. I am going to use it for display since it will not pull a large train anyway.
They are in stock at many of the stores and my AC-12 is on its way according to the notice I received yesterday. It was shipped yesterday and I should be able to listen to it on Friday.
It has a Tsunami and that should say something. I did read the motor electrical noise can be heard with the sound, but they still liked it. Maybe it needs some Capacitance added to kill the motor noise.
The following web site has a review of the AC-12 with sound.
This is a quote from the Atlas Review. Runningwise, it’s a little slippery. I have 3 percent grades and there’s one spot on a grade on a curve where it will sit and spin - even light. I’ve got a ton of locomotives of all shapes and makes and that’s the first time I ever saw that. LOL It’s not like the tracks are dirty
