Just picked up the Con-Cor “Pioneer Zephyr” at my LHS. The first diesel ever to run on the Yuba River Sub since I started construction five years ago, and it’s a winner! VERY smooth, very sweet. Came with a little bag of super-detail parts (that I haven’t installed yet), and good exploded drawings of how the thing is put together. If I have any beefs about it, it’s only that the LED on the observation car is white instead of red, and only works in reverse, but that can be easily fixed, I think. Otherwise, it’s a beauty. Remember, this model represents the Zephyr as originally delivered, so the loco doesn’t have the high Mars light that was installed later on. Hopefully, Con-Cor will come out with the extra coach that was added when the train was put into regular service. But is’t just a honey, and I might even be tempted to get some other early diseasels (but don’t tell my Yellowstones, LOL!)
Here’s a couple of shots of it on Yuba Pass.
That is one fine lookin’ model, I want one so bad but cannot afford one at the moment. Maybe that would make a nice christmas present from my parents to me.
WOW!!! just checked the price that would be all I get but it is worth it!!!
I wanted one so bad I could almost taste it. It was an opportunity to have a piece of the Chgo MSI
but I lacked the confidence in a new release and Con-Cor doesn’t have high ratings. The written
warranty lacks the langauge spelling out the time frame for repair/replacement and there has been two isolated reports concerning motor failure. Jim Conway, CC’s President wants to retire and he’s the only one that knows what’s going on, so?
Add this all up and I couldn’t justify the $389.00 so I cancelled my pre-order. I now see a few e-bay cheaper listings and when I ask about the warranty terms, the sellers tells me to contact Con-Cor.
There is a good report from the second operating model over at the Chgo MSI and that it sucessfully completed 11 running hours.
Is this going to be a revenue run or are you going to dead head it?
I’ve been thinking about saving up for the N scale version. But, I have plenty of diesel, but then again, it’s the Zephyr, but it’s too expensive for me, but if I save up for a few more months, but…
THAT IS EXPENSIVE!!!
still, that looks like a lot of fun
when i saw it in the MR product reviews i wasnt very impressed but seeing it run on your layout has given a different perspective!
well i guess if you have to run a diesel it might as well be a really nice looking one . if your yellowstones start running poorly you’ll know they’re mad at you [:)]
Ahh your first diesel. I used to be all steam too. Mind you I still run and love my steam to death, but there’s just something about a diesel, you know? The lack of moving parts on the outside makes it look like it glides over the rails.
Thanks, guys. I’ll try and answer the questions that were posted about it. First of all, it’s HO scale, I bought it at Railroad Hobbies in Roseville, and it was nowhere NEAR list price (they are selling it for $299). If any of you are interested, I don’t have a website for them, but their phone# is (916)782-6067. I think they had about four in stock. As to the running qualities, the salesman said it ran more like a Kato than a Con-Cor, and that the motor and drive mechanism was really well put together (both trucks of the motor unit are powered, the motor is center-mounted with two long flexible drive shafts, a-la the typical diesel). Each car is connected electrically to the motor unit via plugs, which lights up the entire train. The car interiors are well detailed, and it really looks cool running in dim light or dark. Response to my throttle pack was instantaneous, the model has a BEAUTIFULLY controlled speed range–I’ve read that the top speed is a little under the prototype (about 95 smph), but I could never open it up on my layout, anyway, too many curves and grades. Mine is lettered for Burlington (there is also an undecorated model), and I’ll keep it that way. Actually, the Rio Grande had a similar, but not exact unit that was their first Salt Lake-Denver “Prospector”, but it wasn’t too successful at those high Colorado elevations (not a lot of early diesels could ‘breathe’ at those heights). Mine will go into regular revenue service as soon as I install the super-detail parts, but I’m keeping the Burlington logos on the train. It’ll be my answer to the “Prospector”, a day train between Oakland and Reno. Hey, it’s MY railroad, right, LOL?
As to future diesels, I’m really not sure, guys–I’m so dyed-in-the-wool about steam and all of those reciprocating parts that I still can’t quite picture a 4-unit FT or F-3 set hauling my freight, yet. But that’s just ME, understand. But I have to admit that watching this little honey ‘glide’ along the rails is pretty fascinating.
Anyway
I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one I want one really bad but I can’t afford one. Got to try one out at my local hobby shop and it was smoooooottthhh. It was also quieter than my Kato SD80. I saw the box while I was there and it was big enough to hold an average train set.
Another nice layout ruined by the appearance of a smelly Diseasel!! [V]
I even searched the web; hoping to find information that the Pioneer Zephyr ran on gasoline or distillate or finger nail polish or … anything to be able to prove that it wasn’t a true Diseasel. Alas; I found incontrovertible proof that it was, indeed, a Diesel-Electric. Maybe you could rationalize a bit by thinking of it as more like a gas-electric or a doodlebug in that the locomotive and train were inseparable.
But seriously, my search of the web turned up the Chicago MSI’s Pioneer Zephyr site (http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/zephyr/). WOW !!! The folks at MSI outdid themselves on this one. Anyone with any interest in the Pioneer Zephyr should study this site. And don’t miss the virtual tour. It requires Apple’s QuickTime viewer. (I don’t like to download software like that but I made an exception this time on the basis of MSI’s reputation. The download and installation in Windows/XP went very smoothly and quickly.) I don’t understand the nuts and bolts of how that tour was put together but it is terrific! You can stand in any of several places in the train and look in all directions (including studying the floor and ceiling) with full zoom capability.
But back to my grumpy persona: Nice TRAIN, Tom. And when you decide to replace your Yellowstones with FTs, I know where they can find a home. [:D]
Funny thing, Chuck, when I was at the hobby shop, two of the salespeople there got into an argument as to whether the Winton engine that powered the Zephyr was true diesel-electric or distillate. When I left, they were STILL arguing. If it makes you feel better, I’m kind of secretly thinking that this is a kind of Super-Power Doodlebug with a lot of class, LOL!
As to the Yellowstones being replaced by FT’S–not in MY lifetime, LOL!
Tom
I think the "Doodlebugs " were distilate and resulting fires on board pushed Winton to the diesels on the streamliners and conversion of the gasoline powered “Doodlebugs” to diesel, and the rest as they say was history!
Enjoy! Tell the Yellowstones that we are picking out a nice park for them and not to worry!
Will
