Read the title.
They have DCC sound now but my model isnt. However, great looking model, throttles down to a creep, goes around my test 15 inch curves and looks great doing it. Wanna buy it? What are ya waiting for?
I would like to know if the quality of the sound is good.
The sound is OK, but just the generic QSI steam package.
One thing to look for when buying one is to make sure it has tender pickups. The first run of these locos didnt have tender pickups and the second run did. The pickups make this loco run very, very well. Without them, it has problems.
David B
Well there have been three runs of the 0-8-0. So are you considering the used market and want a review of one of the older ones? Are you thinking about purchasing one of the newest ones? There are many differences.
The 3rd run.
Luke,
I have two from the 2nd run and they are absolutely beautiful engines; both operationally and visually. A couple of problems worth noting:
- The tender is a bit light so it sometimes “chooses the frog” when backing through Atlas #4 turnouts. Some added weight inside the tender should rectify that problem.
- The 8-pin socket board isn’t wired correctly on a couple of tabs. (I can’t remember exactly which ones. I think the track power was attached to one of the light tabs.) Andhow, this is an easy fix by pulling the plastic cover off the tab(s) and switching the wires to the correct ones.
Other than that, they are terrific runners. Both of mine came DC w/o sound so I can’t really comment on the sound of them. I actually like the Loksound sound decoders over QSI.
Hope that helps…
Tom
I have the latest run, the sound I thought was just great!! The low speed operation was very controlled. I ran into one problem when I used this loco on my wife’s Dept 56 New England Christmas Village display…I had a rather tight <18" curve and she didn’t like it, she rode up off the rail on the outside, but I think it was caused by the short drawbar to the tender which caused the hood to hit the tender. Otherwise, very nice locomotive.
There’s a review of the latest run 0-8-0 in the new issue of the “other” magazine - RMC.[:)]
I’ve got 3 of the second run and love them. I didn’t have any wiring issues with mine, I plugged in a Digitrax DH165L0 decoder in them all and they were good to go. The only problem with them is the tender is very light and you MUST add weight to have it run backwards without any issues.
I’ve got the 0-6-0, and I’ve had it for about a year and a half. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the parts inside were basically the same as the 0-8-0. (Alternately, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of parts were changed, either.) Anyway, this has been a favorite engine since it first came home with me. The sound is great, the engine always runs well and it is beautifully detailed. I have no problems with derailments, even on Atlas snap-switches.
Although the engine came with traction tires in the box, I’ve never installed them. Consequently, pulling power is a bit limited. But, I’ve got a small layout which is essentially flat except for a couple of sidings and the subway lines, so I seldom pull more than a few cars anyway.
It was personal preference, but I did replace the couplers with Kadee #58’s. This was a straightforward job that took only a few minutes.
NH I-5,
I have one of the original issue P2K Heritage 0-8-0’s and was initially exasperated because engine didn’t have tender pickup. This omission was particularly irksome when Spectrum at a lesser price was providing tender pickup as normal practice. Omission kind of made me wonder where the design decision makers heads were at.
With my trackwork I need as much pickup as I can get; solution was to install Lenz decoder with the capacitor power storage unit. Installing the Lenz unit was obviously not the cheapest way to overcome the problem but it does work brilliantly. No more stalling and the engine runs uncannily smooth and can be set to crawl at a speed that is barely decernible. Fantastic engine except for that intial issue omission by P2K. Omission falls into the “go figure” [%-)] file.
Definitely a [tup] [tup] unit!
Jon
Yeh, if I had the no tender pickups I would ask LL (walthers) for replacement wheels, but I gots the good engine. Actually I own 2, bought off ebay, the owner dropped one straight to the floor but sold the 2 engines together and I got them practically at scrap dealer cost…er well… okay, a really nice deal. The damaged engine seems to really only suffer parts scatter, but test works. I would put it together instead I willl kitbash it to a Belt Railway of Chicago 0-8-0.
It has the wiring connects, both so a DCC installation can be done EZ.
Dunno about the 18 inch radius problem above, but mine sure likes 15 inch radius!