I’m very dissapointed with Life Like’s Heritage series. They make brass level detailed engines that fall apart. I have one of their N&W 2-8-8-2’s and its about three months old and is falling apart. The cheap plastic parts break with the slightlest touch and part of my valve mechanism has broken off from simple running! Its unfortunite because these engines would be absolutely fabulous if they would hold together. Has anyone had similar problems?
Not with the Steam trains but i have lost a fan grille off my P2K SD60, one minuet it was there and next minuet it was gone, can i find it, no, i hope nothing expensive falls off. You have a very good point, i think there was a thread about the same thing a while back, you wouldn’t get anything falling off an old BB Athearn (as long as it’s put together correctley)
I always heard Heritiage was the bomb, aside from being so expensive and a little lacking in the tractive effort department.
Did you lube it properly before major running? The only problem mine has is the electric board in the boiler has burnt out resistors. And this is after hours and hours of operation. No rod failure yet.
Mabey you just got a fluke POS.
I’ve got two Hertiage steam locos, and I can’t say that I’m crazy about them. My USRA 0-8-0 switcher is VERY light in the pulling department, so light that I’ve replaced it with a Bachmann Shay and my old Roundhouse 0-6-0 for yard work. And the only way I can pull a decent load with my Heritage USRA 2-8-8-2 is to double-head it with a Spectrum USRA 2-6-6-2, which outpulls it in every way. Given my 'druthers, I don’t think I’d have bought the Heritage locos in the first place. On my Yuba River sub, I need locos that can PULL, and in this respect at least, Heritage comes up very short.
Tom [xx(]
I am sorry to hear this. I really like my Heritage 0-6-0, although it is way too light a puller, I agree. Everything works very well on it; even had decoders and sound put in a month ago.
On another very recent thread, (was is Randy Rinker?) stated that he had good results with their service department. Why not call them and explain your circumstances. You may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome, if not the loco.
You haven’t heard from the best yet.
I am sorry that your engine had problems.
I own a 0-6-0 that is also a little light in the pulling dept but it is a jewel. I also own a QSI 2-8-8-2 that has yet to show any major issues. I have serviced it and it is ready to run a session later this month.
I also own a FA Set (ABBA) that will pull the house down (all powered)
Life Like has made models within the last few years that are way beyond the trainset stuff of the early days. It is my hope that they will continue to improve the pulling power.
Now if my BLI engine broke… hoo boy! I would be sad also.
I really wi***hey pulled more, the 0-8-0 is okay if you keep it in light service, its not fit to shift a yard although the club I belong too has a 0-8-0 stationed in union station as the coach yard shifter, it handles about five heavyweight cars at a time.
Although I am gonna buy the 0-8-0 with QSI later this year, on my home layout it wont see more then five or six cars at a time so it’d be right at home.
I have a C&O 2-8-4 Kanawha. It’s not a great puller but… I love the detail and the mechanism. It is a very smooth runner with great slow speed ability. One of my best lookers. With any fine detailed and to scale engine it will be fragile. We’re not talking brick outhouses here!!
Fergie
I have a 2-8-8-2 and I consider it to be one of my best locos. It is extremely smooth and even. It runs better than any other plastic steam I have (Bachman 2-8-0, Bli cab forwards) the only thing that matches its smoothnes is the Bachmann shay. It isn’t the best puller, but very adequate for my needs. The detail is excellent and the prcie is right. I have had mine for about four years and have run it sporadically during that time.
I have several of the Proto Heritage steamers, up to three years old, and I love them all, and the only thing that has broken or fallen off was one tender rear step when I dropped it right on it.
Life Like has terrific parts service if you haven’t heard. This is good because I doubt those exquisite little plastic parts would be anything close to cheap if you had to buy them.
Little model trains are delicate. The more detailing on them, the more delicate they become. Perhaps YOU are the reason the engines are “falling apart”? I too own several P2K steamers (5x0-8-0, 3x0-6-0, 1x2-6-6-2, 8x2-8-4), and I haven’t had a single detailing or mechanism failure that wasn’t directly my own stupid fault.
The P2K line of plastic steam engines are the best on the market, rivalling and even surpassing brass engines in all ways but pulling power. Given that 95% of modelers do not have the mainlines or grades to operate 65 car trains, the pulling performance of modern plastic steam is just fine.
Amen, to that.[tup]
Ahem. BLI IMHO satisfys my need for engines in steam that can handle 15 cars up a 3%, There is no room to run 60 cars anyhow.
Concur on that for my reinstated, (not for sale) Heritage Berks. I suspect there are many more separate applied/delicate parts that can pop out or break off on the NW.
I have an 0-8-0 and I’ve been disappointed with its pulling power (or lack thereof). It struggles just to pull 4 Spectrum heavyweights on my layout.
By and large it goes unused, which is a shame because the detailing is incredible.
Overall pulling power (and 4 heavyweights is NOT an unreasonable expectation) is extremely disappointing given the price point.
Kevin
I too model the NKP and the detail on the P2K is good, no doubt, but it does not surpass either my PSC or Division Point brass NKP Berkshires. They are simply the best models that have been made in detail and fidelity to the real engines. I would guess the P2K might actually run better than most brass from reports I have read, but you should look at a Divsion Point engine if you want see detail.
I have several Proto 0-8-0 and thay aren’t as strong a puller as the brass ones are but they work very well around my small yards and industrial areas. My 2-8-8-2 pulls all the trains that my layout is big enought to handle. On my 12 X 12 a good train length is 9 to 14 cars as the stations are not to far apart. One time I decided to just pile on cars and you’re right the 2-8-8-2 was weak but I don’t put 62 cars in a train.
Bob
I first bought the two NP 0-8-0’s and was so impressed that I purchased more and now have a fleet of them. My only complaint was electrical pick up. I fixed that by using tender wheels from the 0-6-0. I have two 2-8-8-2s and have not experienced the mechanical issues you mention, nor the pulling problems the others have indicated. I did have a hard time disassembling one of the 0-8-0’s for repainting, and in the process broke off several of the small pipes. I have an 0-6-0 but haven’t had it out of the box yet.
Well, if I may piggyback on this discussion, since the ubiquitous LL 0-6-0 is often converted to DCC, does any of you have the Soundtrax 100LC installed, and if so, how do you get it programmed to quit growling? I know how to access which CV, but it only seems to make a difference in pitch, not amplitude.