I’ve read some reviews that the new Walthers/Life-Like 0-8-0 has a great sound system. However, my LHS “thinks” that sound system may use so much voltage, even with DCC, that they will only pull a car or two. So they won’t carry them. Can folks who have bought this engine provide some insight on how they like the engine and whether it has reasonable pulling power (I know it has an optional traction tire). Thanks!
I hope that he doesn’t get paid to “think”; he would be vastly overpaid. [:)]
I have two of the 0-6-0 's and both operate great and pull well even without the traction tires. I model early steam with short trains; so I can’t tell what the limits of these engines are. However I know they will handle ten boxcars on the level and four boxcars plus caboose up a 2.5 % grade without the traction tires (all of this without any wheel slippage, even starting from a stop on grade). They work well at low speeds and the sound is great (DCC operation).
The 0-8-0 should handle even larger loads with the extra drive wheels.
This picture is of one of the 0-6-0 ‘s after 60’ of curved 2.25% average grade with a short load (debugging track work).
I have 2 of the 0-8-0’s and 2 of the 0-6-0’s. Only 1 of my 0-6-0’s is from the new release from Walthers.
I like these little engines. They have amazing details. They pull fairly well. I think you have to keep things in perspective when it comes to these little switchers. If you are running an 0-6-0 or 0-8-0, you won’t be able to pull 20 cars around your layout at 75 scale MPH. That wasn’t what these little engines were made for. They were mainly used in freight yards to build up, and tear down trains.
These little engines have been discussed here several times, and some people don’t like them because of the cost vs the number of cars they can move. I love mine though. I have installed a Tsunami decoder in the tenders of my original P2K models (they didn’t come with sound like the newer Walthers models did)
I’ve got pictures of my 0-6-0’s and 0-8-0’s pulling between 6-8 cars around our clubs layout.
Fully agree. I wish my lone 0-6-0 pulled a bit more, but I would not be without that jewel. The detail is second to none, even a lot of brass, and with a Tsunami, it comes that much more alive. When I reduced the grades on my newest layout, it pulled more, and now is a great performer. It can pull three BLI coal hoppers with load up my 3% grades, and it came with no traction tire. Somehow, I don’t think the real thing would pull three loaded hoppers up a 3% grade, but if it did, mine is therefore prototypical.
My strong recommendation to you is to get one, at the best price that you can, and enjoy it.
-Crandell
Little these engines may be in HO scale but the prototypes were big haulers, albeit at low speeds, particularly the 0-8-0. The USRA 0-8-0 that the Proto 2000 is based on, was used in hump yard and transfer service betwen yards as well as general switching. Over 1300 were produced. The 0-8-0’s were not small, a Southern 0-8-0 built by Alco in 1924 weighing in at 215,000 lbs for the engine and 152,000 lbs for the tender, with a maximum tractive effort of 51,000 lbs and an overall length of 53 ft 01/2 inches.
One of our club members is breathlessly waiting delivery of his sound equipped 0-8-0. We’ll be comparing its pulling performance with the Grizzly Northern’s original release Proto 2000 0-8-0. Undoubtedly sound performance of the new release will be more realistic. [:)]
Thanks to all who replied. I think I’m going to buy one and I’ll report my impressions in the forum.
As long as you keep your performance expectations reasonable in terms of pulling power, you’ll be pretty impressed. The level of detail on the locomotive will speak for itself…
got three of the older ones, they do great