Well I have one, thanks to wife
This is what I have found in 2.5 hours of fussing and running.
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It is well built and detailed
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Ran clean out of the box as the QUICK START said it would
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The detail is well above most of the other 's I have and approaches the Brass.
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The DCC operation is not great since it is DCS per MTH which means that DCC is SOL.
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The ops mode program up to 4 digit was a snap changed CV 29 and POOF it was the cab number.
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I used a Kadee #5 on the tender, nothing on the pilot yet.
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Did NOT put on traction tires, do not like them.
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Smoke effect is GREAT but a LOT. When at idle the smoke just barley comes out of the stack. put on the power and it is in sync with the chuff and the 3rd set of drivers under the tender. In case you do not know this is a 2-8-8-8-2 with the 3rd set under the tender.
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You can kill the smoke by hitting F8.
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The SMELL of the MTH smoke fluid will GAG A MAGGET!!
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Sound effects and sounds are BETTER than my Tsunami and QSI units. Like teh ability to change the volume on the fly using F7.
Pulling power:
The worst grade on mine is 62 ft at 2.2% of straight and 38ft at 2.3% up the no-lix.
Pull one was (20) 80 ft passenger cars (AHM STOCK FROM THE BOX just changed couplers and weighted to NMRA) No problem amp draw was .86 up the 62ft and .91 up the 38ft, NO SLIP at all.
Pull TWO (40) metal wheel freight cars all NMRA weighted. Amp draw was .72 up the 62ft and .69 up the 38ft.
I use ramp meters on all my booster outputs (5) of them. Track was not cleaned in 2 months but the trains are run weekly for at least 3 hours.
Would I buy another Triplex, YES 100% better offering than the MRC Challenger was.
I would NOT buy another MTH untill they get in step with the world of DCC. Even though I said yes to another Triplex and NO to more MTH the TRiplex is that nice and runs that good.