It seems that they gave the triplex a thumbs up. I am a little disappointed about something though. WHY isn’t the Tender wheels powered?
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Sorry, Mike. The scan of the MR article violates the copyright portion of the forum policy.
Tom
That’s Ok. I thought about that after I posted it. I didn’t know.
Mike, the answer to that is, probably, no room, and this is coming from someone who has stuffed a lot of sound decoders and speakers into steam loco’s. I finally got my Triplex on 2-29-08. And while I haven’t torn the body and mechanism apart to see what makes it tick (I wish MTH had included an exploded view.) I can tell by looking from the outside that the gearbox towers are very tall and a driveline to the rear engine would have to run from the backhead to the bunker-doors of the tender at, at least the height of the cab deckplate. The speakers are installed behind where the gearbox would stick up into the tender (3rd driver set back) but I’m pretty sure that, the bottom of the bunker space is filled near the tender floor, with the PC board of the DCS “decoder”. Meanwhile the top of the bunker space contains a very large (1000uf, .45" x .80") can capacitor, a potentiometer for volume control and an on/off switch for the smoke generator. So no room for what would likely be a 4" long drive-train system from the middle engine to the rear. Unless they had spent a lot more money and time (which would have to be passed on to us) developing a second drive system from the rear driver axle of the middle engine, to the front driver axle of the rear engine. THAT would have involved a lot of engineering and may not be practical due to potential frictional problems and binding.
Overall I’m very impressed with the loco’s performance and quality of construction. Also the DCS system is far more DCC friendly than I had any right to expect. I do contract, decoder-installations and programming for Litchfield Station and, so, have my home layout (Digitrax DCS-100 and NCE boosters powered and controlled) tied into my PC thru a RR-Cir-Kits “Loco Buffer” to take advantage of JMRI’s “Decoder Pro” for programming and troubleshooting. This set-up allowed me to set up a “false-file” for the address I assigned m
Considering you can purchase powered trucks for passenger cars from Coach Yard to help the smaller loco’s pull the train without helpers, I would have expected the tender drivers to be powered on the Triplex also. It is on the brass version if I remember correctly.
The manufacturer could have had a shaft (with universal joints) connecting the 2nd and 3rd sets of drivers if there was insufficient room for both motor, gearing, decoder, and speaker in the tender. It would be worth the extra cost to me if I desired to acquire the Triplex. The connecting shaft would be less expensive compared to another motor and gearing, and one would be less inclined to be tempted to use the traction tires. But nobody listens to me.
Mark
blah, I dont even want the MTH now. Even if they make a true Virginian. I’ll save for a really good brass one. Enjoy your Erie versions.
Yeah! The Pennsy K4 doesn’t have that plastic thing you have put back in the slot! Also the K4 is cheeper! Enjoy your slow, non powered tender drive wheel set, & expensive Triplexes!
Odd that they made a model of this thing…wasnt it, more or less, a failure? And as far as Virginian goes…cmon, someone make a 2-10-10-2. And make it PULL like a 2-10-10-2.[}:)]