Hi gang. I was talking to a friend of mine today that recently bought an Inter-Mountain SP cab forward. He said he paid over $300.00 for it and that when he got home with it and put it on the tracks it kept derailing. He said that the pilot would jump off the rails every time it made a curve, so he removed it just to see what would happen only to find that the drivers also derailed before the engine could make a full round of his layout. He said even the trailing wheels kept coming off the tracks. So he boxed it back up and took it back where he got it for a refund, but the store has an “all sales final policy”… He said the clerk there did take it out of the box and tried it on the store’s tracks and that it ran a little better there, but derailed several times. He said he then brough it back home, made a few adjustments to the pilot and trailing wheels and put it on his Bachmann E-Z snap track test track and the stupid thing ran fine… This is really odd because he doesn’t have this problem with any of his other engines like his Big Boy, Challenger, etc. So, for those of you that might be considering buying one of these engines, this is a warning as to what you’re possibly in for if you do. Apparently the majority of them have this problem according to the clerk at the train shop where it was purchased. I personally would never do business with a store that has an “all sales final policy” - especially when it involves expensive locos…
You don’t mention the minimum radius of the track that was involved. This is critical, because the Intermountain AC is articulated just like the prototype.
Some expectations may have been spoiled by the fact that some of the other recent articulated models from other manufacturers have both sets of drivers pivoted, like a diesel. Sure they go around sharp curves, but they sure aren’t prototypical. The Intermountain AC will require significantly larger curves than these other articulateds. I have not heard an actual minimum radius specified, but I have seen sveral posts from people who say its min. radius is likely in the 30" range.
Unfortunately, InterMountain’s web site provides no details at all about this locomotive’s required minimum radius, or anything other than a picture and MSRP. IinterMountain does not advertise in Model Railroader or Railroad Model Craftsman, and neither magazine has written a review, so details about the model are seriously lacking.
Well that’s a shame. I understand that a big locomotive doesnt look good on a smaller curve, but alot of folks dont have the option of haveing a layout with the larger radius turns. Even though they may have to compromise some appearance, at least they can still see there favorite engine work.
Hopefully they will publish that enough as I think it is a pretty important for possible buyers. If it truly is 30 "and up, that is going to elminate the engine from ALOT of layouts
I have a Broadway Limited Cab Forward and it can turn tight. On my old layout I had a ore car siding that had a 16.5" radius to it. Well, I left my CF creeping while I fixed some cars and got side tracked. It crawled down and took the switcth that I had left open and went through with no problems. I was stunned. But yes, it swung out like it was trying to hit a homerun.
I’m not sure of the curve radius on this guys layout, but it’s “big”!. I’ll put it like this, it can handle any loco you put on it. I think what happened was he just simply got a lemon… Lucky for him he was able to modify it and make it work. He says as long as he only runs it on the Bachmann E-Z snap track it does fine, so he’s going to pull all of his Atlas track up on the main line of his layout and go with the E-Z snap track just so he can run this one loco without problems… I personally hate the snap track, but if it works it works.
I talked to the guy just a little while ago, and he said the Atlas track checked out okay. However, he said that the E-Z track is a hair wider than the Atlas. I guess that makes all the difference in the world with that particular loco.
As for Inter-Mountain products. I’m not impressed with their locos. No joke, I’ve seen the clerk pick them up at the train shop right out of he box and have the guts fall out of them onto the counter top while he was still holding the shell… Those that want to support and defend them can have them, but I’m not buying anything with their label on it!.
‘All sales final’ generally means no refunds, not ‘As Is’. The fact that it ran “better” on the Dealers track suggests something - like maybe somebody’s trackwork is a problem. Note I said “maybe”.
Combined with using “Bachmann EZ snap track” is a ‘double whammy’ (Higher probability).
He wouldn’t be the first to purchase an engine that required better switches. I bought a Brass 2-6-6-2 engine for $1400 that wouln’t take my #6 turnouts. I’ll bet his InterMountain ran fine on straights. My 2-6-6-2 did.
A REAL Cab Forward would derail on curves as sharp as Bachmann’s and manufactures cheat on dimensions and design to take our ‘pretend’ curves - some more than others - so it’s highly probable your buddy has a mismatch. and hs purse was bigger than his layout.
your friend should check out is engine on a bigger layout, and
he should know that if the engine IS defective, InterMountain will replace it - even if the dealer won’t.
You should get all the facts before posting a ‘tattle-tale’ type report on an international forum. In any case, I wouldn’t patronize that dealer, either, based on your report…
Why don’t you go and tell the owner that? and do everyone a favor - and report back.
First of all Mr. Gibson, I don’t appreciate you telling me how I should post topics. I would NEVER talk to you or anyone else on this forum like that. Secondly, I gave all the facts as they were. Thirdly, like I said, the guy had to modify the loco to get it to operate properly which it didn’t even do on the store track and ended up having to run it on Bachmann E-Z track. I say again from my own personal experiences that Inter-Mount
Not to be mean, but I would have to say based on my personal experience, I have more faith in Intermountain than you. They have a pretty good reputation. Maybe your shop has some inveterate, less than highly skilled, tinkerers. I believe anyone who plunks down the change for any BIG steam engine ought to have more than just a clue what they are about. It appears sometimes we are in the age of more ready cash than brainpower.
If they do not plainly state the minimum radius, I would call them. Especially since the articulation mechanism of this particular engine has been discussed. You said he “modified” the lead and or trailing trucks an got improved performance. I would be interested in what he did. There is no way I would rip up in gauge Atlas track and replace it with wide gauge ready to run Bachmann snap track so one loco, that will still probably have more overhang than an aircraft carrier in the Panama Canal, will run semi-good on it. If I screwed up, I would not screw up the engine, I would try to recoup as much of my money as possible by re-selling it, hopefully to someone with a layout that can utilize it.
When I first began, I knew big N&W and VGN articulated were a must to satisfy my desires, and they were only available in brass back then. So, with a brass 2-6-6-4 and a 2-8-8-2 in hand, and what I hoped was a generous enough track plan, I began laying and testing track as I went. I only had to redo three major curves and decide which yard tracks the big guys would NOT be able to access thru the #4 switches.
He said that he cut a small piece out of the assembly from under the loco at the rear so as to give the trailing trucks more freedom to swing left to right. He then replaced the short screw that held the lead truck on with a longer one, used a needle file to make the slot wider and longer on the lead truck where it rides on
Tracklayer–Bachmann EZ track comes in radii as big as 35-1/2" (I know, I’ve got some on the Yuba River Sub), so if his radius is that size, then he should be having no trouble at all with the Intermountain AC-12. My minimum radius is 34", and I have a lot of brass articulateds that are prototypical, instead of the double-articulated like BLI, Genesis and Heritage–and since they’re brass, have MUCH closer tolerances. Actually, since the loco IS an articulated, he shouldn’t be having much trouble at all, even down to a 26" radius (all my brass will take that in a pinch). Usually it’s long-wheel based NON articulateds that can be a nightmare on tight radii.
I’ve heard some good reports about the Intermountain loco–my LHS is getting the sound version in next month, and I’ve got one on reserve to take a look at. Let’s see if it’s the lemon that you describe. Not to start an argument, but based upon my experiences with other Intermountain locos, somehow I’d be really surprised.
I have one coming with sound also since the Tsunami is loaded with sounds for the proper air pumps, horn and whistle sound for the AC12.
I don’t really run them anyplace but I just wanted that model for the looks and sounds. I read the drivers are not mounted with springs so they cannot ride up and down like brass models so it might be a little more picky with curves and uneven track.
CAZEPHYR; You said the Tsunami has the accurate pump sound, so that’s enough to get me drooling (“Talking” pumps). Actually, though I know the Intermountain is un-sprung, I’m still kind of curious. Two of my largest brass articulateds (Akane 2-8-8-4’s) have unsprung drivers (plus