Does anyone have an opinion on the Stewart VO-660 or VO-1000 Balwin switcher? I’m looking for comments on detailing, quality, true to the prototype, how it runs, things you don’t like, etc. They say it’s DDC-ready. Has anyone had problems or issues installing a decoder into one?
I already have a P2K Alco S1 switcher - motor isolated, DCC decoder installed - which I’ve been VERY pleased with. The detailiing is very nice and the S1 absolutely “crawls” at low speed. I would eventually like to add another switcher to my yard. I’m debating between getting a steamer (like a P2K 0-6-0 or 0-8-0), or another early diesel (like the VO-660, Phase I).
Any help or comments are greatly appreciated. [:)] Many thanks to you all ahead of time…
I have a VO 1000 and have been pleased with it. It runs smoothly and has good low end speed control. I have not convereted it yet to DCC, so have not been running it for a while. Detail is not bad and you get to choose the location of the exhaust stacks according to your prototype.
Correct. The handrails, grab irons and smoke stacks all come on sprues or parts bags for owner installation. I have not opened mine up, but the instructions say that the loco is equipped with an 8 pin DCC socket for decoder installation.
I’m not familiar with the switcher that you are interested in but as far as Stewart, I’m pretty happy with their FT A/B unit. Runs smooth and good at low speeds. It seems to be a little more sensitive to a less than clean track than my other engines.
As far as customer service goes, this set was missing a few small detail parts. I emailed Stewart, they responded in a quick positive manner.
I picked up two VO-660 Phase-1s a couple months ago and I love em. They’re my favourite switchers and really show my line’s freelance paint well.
The ones I got have the yellow headlights, which is something I really like. Also, the full cab detail is great, I added a trainman at the controls and a switchman leaning against the wall in the cab. It really looks great.
I detailed mine to show that it was repowered by Montréal Locomotive Works (freelanced prototype) replacing the Baldwin stack with an Alco S4 stack and adding a set of vents on the hood.
I have a DRS4-4-1000, that thing is SWEET. I’d buy more in a heartbeat. Decoder install was simple, I put a TCS T-1 in mine, although to cheap out I cut the shortsont he dummy plug and used that to make an 8-pin plug. Normal people would have just picked up the proper TCS harness for it and been done.
The DRS4-4-1000 is actually made for Stewart by Samhongsa, or some other brass company - and the detail shows it! The motor is a Canon can motor, NOTHING I have is more silent and smooth. I feel it runs BETTER than my P2K S-1.
As for Stewart service - absolutely EXCEPTIONAL. I bought an F-7 AB set on eBay, it was new in the box, still wrapped in the plastic inside. However, the one of the ladders ont he B unit shell was broken off, and the piece was not inside the box. i called up Stewart and explained the situation, even told them I bought it on eBay. No proble, the friendly fellow who took my call said. They took my address and in a couple of days I had a brand new decorated B unit shell! I have since found a couple of old Tyco F unit shells that I could lop a ladder off of to repair the Stewart shell, although I have no chassis to mount it on. Maybe I’ll create a shop building and have the shell hanging from an overhead crane inside.
Did you replace the headlight on your DRS4-4-1000 with an LED? If so, was it pretty straight forward? Did you go with the goldern-white?
I found a fairly decent price on the VO-660 from Greenway Products. Regularly, $120 MSRP, they’re asking $79 for the NYC #501, Phase I. For an additional $16, they’ll include a TCS T1 decoder. (See link below)
(I highly doubt that implies that they’ll install it also. I’ll assume that they mean “We’ll toss the decoder into the box before we ship it out.”)
Still, it sounds like a fairly reasonable deal to me. The cheapest I’ve been able to find the VO-660 so far is from ModelTrainStuff.com for $74.99. Unfortunately, they don’t have the NYC #501, Phase I. [:(]
It comes with LEDs. Although the Stewart LEDs in my DRS and F-7 both are yellow not golden white, so I may replace them at some point - except the reverse light on the DRS is a real pain to get at, you have to remove the cab interior, and then the glass falls out. Getting it back in is NOT much fun.
$16 for a T1 is a decent price. For $16 I doubt they are including the harness - if so, you can make a plug like I did.
Well if you want to brag about low prices… LOL [:D]
My DRS4-4-1000 was $36.51 from MB Klein (ModelTrainStuff), I won it on eBay.
[:0]
I’ve made up my mind, I wont pay more than $60 for a loco. Highest so far was $56 for a Stewart F7 AB set. My P2K GP7’s were all $40 or less. It’s why I’ve ignored the Athearn Genesis F’s in Reading paint - they sure are nice, for $180 for the pair - YIKES!
Haha, alright if you guys want to split hairs on it, I only paid $24 for mine, but the conditions were rather special:
The LHS, which is Walthers Terminal Hobby Shop here in Milwaukee, had the Wabash and Western Maryland VO-660s on sale for $74, and I had a $50 gift certificate from a friend that I had gotten for the holidays, so I picked up quite an expensive locomotive for quite a small amount of cash. The moral is always be on the lookout for a good deal, and good friends, they really pay off haha!
P.S. I eventually am going to repaint my VO in my commuter road’s colours and use it as a coachyard switcher. While I haven’t gotten it under the brush yet, I’ve finished the design study (using scale drawings from http://paintshop.railfan.net/ which is something I’d suggest for any freelance modeler with a custom paint scheme) and installed all of the detail parts for my “VO-Montréal.”