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Intermountain Railway HO scale SP AC-12 Cab Forward
I’ve seen the locomotive at Tony’s and it looks terrific, thats the positive. See http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/2009/121009.htm
for another review of this poorly executed engine. Too bad as it looks exceptional. From all reports IM did a hacker’s job with this project.
Hello fellow Cab Forward Fans , In my original review I touched on known problems that I had experianced with the new released AC-12 from IMRR, in talking with several other operators , many feel the DSD is at fault and causing the poor running quality , I had 6 guests bring their Locomotives over for some track testing , that gave us 7 total AC-12’s , one being mine. As stated previously I have two first run AC-12’s that all problems have been worked out and run extremely well . My guests AC-!2’s were tested to confirm they did have a problem . We took each Loco , after testing and put a known good tender behind it from one of my first run units , the running quality was better at first but as the loco warmed up under a small load of 40 foot refers, it did begin to slow to a crawl. It is possible a problem exists with the Decoder but our tests did not prove this . I still believe ,as my guests do now, that the problem is with the engine part of set and mainly with the drive motor. I’ll be remotoring the new run next week , if it proves out to be good , I’ll include that information along with a new motor number and details of the repair ,if you want to overhaul a brand new Locomotive . I’m not giving up on this Locomotive , I will make it perform the way it should. “Oil Burner” Jim
I bought a first production model of this engine for use on my analog layout. I got it to pull my 13 car 1946 SF Overland train. Although it did pull the train that includes one brass car, it runs too slowly for passenger operations. I thought it was a problem with the gear ratio. I now use it to pull very slow reefer trains or as an expensive scrap line engine. Hearing that it is under powered I may try to re power it someday. With my Intermountain Black Widow FP7s now pulling these trains at scale speeds that my never happen.
This is in reference to the 2nd run of the AC12. My first run is a display model only.
The motor seems to be the problem when the model slows down. My AC12 will slow down on a roller set after a few minutes of running and the drive has been lubed. They are nice looking and the steam dome can be lowered with a little work, but it is only good for display unless some work is done on it.
I am very much interested in purchasing a cab forward but am certainly concerned when I read these reports. I appreciate everyones respond and it helps to read ahead to may a smart decission on what to buy.
I notices that “Historic Rail” sells a Cab forward but is this Intermountains also?
Thanks
Having returned Intermountain’s first run and receiving their second edition, now wish I had kept the first run. Why? At least it ran great as long as the track was straight. (But kept derailing on a 30" radii.)
Up to the first of February two second run Cab-Forwards have been returned to Intermountain. Both had the same problems as described by many in this column as well as Tony from Tony’s Train Exchange in Vt. Now on my third and this one runs OK. Well, at least it is still running. But the biggest “bug-a-boo” still exists. The motor has to go. As someone stated, “it is dinky”.
Like many other I purchased the first run back in 2008 and it didn’t even make it around my 14’ x 35’ layout once. The wheels/rods locked up because the axles were slipping. I returned it and the next one they sent me had the same problem. After waiting 2 years I got the new 2nd run, and like many other have said, the motor is too small and after about one minute of running it overheats and basically comes to a stop. I spoke to Intermountain at the Springfield, Mass. train show and they didn’t have any real fix for this at this time so my $390 loco sits in a siding making nice sounds but thats about it. I would caution anyone about buying steam locos from Intermountain. I only hope they can fix this problem and soon.
I had two cabforwards on order, but after reading the reports of fellow modelers, I cancelled my order. I don’t believe that we should have to remotor an expensive new locomotive.
i have a first run cab forward and purchased a second run from Intermountain. They were very co operative and the second engine did run pretty well with the exception that it sometimes wobbled so I called Richard at Intermountain Railway and he told me to send it back,and he sent me a replacement. It runs very well,although I wished it would pull a few more cars. It is very well detailed and the sound is very good. I think they are trying to rectify the bugs. I like my new AC-12.
I too bought a first run model. When I first put it on the rail, it ran opposite of my other DCC engines. There seems to be to speed settings for this model, off and slow, nothing in between. I sent it back to the company to get the wiring fixed and told them that the sound, sounded like a snare drum. When I got it back, it ran the right direction but the sound was still the same, even after they said they reprogrammed it. It is a nice looking model for display, but I didn’t buy it for that. This will probably be the first and the last engine I buy from Intermountain.
I am a SP Cab forward fan and over the years acquired several. My 2 first run AC 12s from Intermountain (purchased in 2008) impressed and frustrated me at the same time. The Tsunami sound system is top notch, the detail of the model is impressive but the locomotive tracks poorly and derailed frequently. The top speed is too low. Tractive effort is mediocre. It took a lot of patience (time) and modifications to improve tracking. I inserted a handmade coil spring around the pivot of the second set of drivers to alter the weight distribution. Now more weight is on the first set of drivers which improved tracking. On the other hand the price is moderate. My rating is a 1.5 / 5.
I recently bought a second run locomotive, and on the initial test run also observed that past about speed step 8 or 10 (up to 28) the physical speed of the locomotive remains constant as the chuff rate increases. I had been hoping that a modification of the speed table was going to rectify this problem but after reading the comments on this page I guess I’m going to have to buy a bigger motor and overhaul a brand new locomotive instead. This sure takes the shine off of my enjoyment of my new model. That is a real shame because this is otherwise a beautiful model of my favorite steam prototype.
Thank you Jimmy and the rest of you men for all of your input. I was just getting ready to purchase one and came across this thread. All of you have saved me $380. Thanks you again.
i can only say mth is making a ac6 with modern cab an is all dicast an should pull good bli is suposed to be releasing there brass ac12 perhaps this is the way to go my intermount ac12 is a fireplace model ,i will put a new can moter in it from my motor spear parts soon.
I wish that I read the comments before buying an expensive Display Unit. I caught comments that Intermountain had put out a web site for those of us who would like to fix their unit. I haven’t found that site, another pipeline dream statement…
I too have a second run of the cabforward and have a problem keeping it going. Either the decoder gets too warm and shuts down or there is a loose connection in the tender. I can lightly push down or rock it to one side or the other and power is restored.
At least this one stays on the track and the top speed isn’t too bad. Better than the crawl speed that was typical of the first run.
Purchased second run Intermountain DCC AC-12 and found it unable to pull many cars and slow…am looking to having motor replaced. Why hasn’t Intermountain come forward and offered a more powerful motor which would take care of majority of problems?
they are probabley making a third run there are other sites about the small motor problem one one broadway imports web site fourm i hope the mfg reads these ,there are maney adavance modlers out there that fixed this modle manely secound run buy putting larger motors in them from nrth west short line is one after market co. also you have to readjust the wheel wipers on drivers to much drag on them an a heat sink might be needed on the decoder or more holes in tender floor should be added tis will cool down the decoder
intermountain is making a 3rd run of this engine with larger motor an mew tooling hope this gets it right hope they got rid of the wheel wipers an went to journal axeles for pick up as this is what broadway ltd uses an most brass locoes are this way ,as for my 2nd run of this engine larger motor was installwed an although it runs better i don’t like the track power pickup it is also a week link an it is a large project to replace all of the journels to the frame maybe impractable. as per mth ac 6 it pulls at least 50 cars . ther sustem of track powere uses spring like bullet tips that go into the side of frames simaler to riverisse steam although better they will burn out if you have a bad enough short an some are not that easy to replace overall the best they should make a ac 8 to12.