For anyone in the Ontario region, you’ve probably heard of the grocery chain Fortino’s and there President Choice series products…every year for the last 10 they have put out an incredibly nice train set…this year is no different
this years set is under the “min chefs” brand, featuring a 4-6-4 Hudson in the Canadian national green paint scheme…the engine looks very nice, comes with something like 4 or 5 pieces of rolling stock…although this years has annoying “mini chefs” painted all over them…
Reading the description of this found in their flyer reveals one main question
the description states that the power pack is 2 piece with wireless remote control, upon looking at the unit, a mysterious plug runs from the engine to the tender…it doesnt look like just a normal wire to connect the tender light up…it some kinda plug…in the box i looked at it wasnt connected which makes me wonder…
Does this system come with an el-cheapo DCC ?
a 2 piece power transformer and wireless remote scream DCC to me…and that plug would make sense also…connect to use DCC, disconnect for standard DC…although my knowlege on DCC isnt that great…this set is pointing towards a dcc starter set…
what makes me leary of it not being DCC is its price…99.99…its still an amazing looking HO set…
anyone have this set that could clarify on what the power pack is?..
A 2-piece transformer and wireless remote isn’t necessarily DCC - Hornby have a similar system that they offer on some Thomas sets and others. You get a “wall wart” transformer, a base unit (looks like a house on the Hornby one, with a rather large TV aerial!) and a little handheld remote. The plug on the loco could be for tender pickups as well as a light - some manufacturers like to add as many pickups as possible, which certainly helps with running over complicated trackwork!
i don’t have the set but i can’t imagine they’d include a DCC set with it . most current production steam loco models have a “DCC-ready” board in the tender and they use a multi-wire plug to connect it to the engine , that’s probably what you’re seeing .
i’m thinking that if i bought this set i’d be paying 99.99 for the loco . the mini-chefs cars would have to be repainted at best , or tossed at worst , the track is brass and would get tossed immediately , and the transformer/wireless setup is probably useless to anyone going DCC
the best thing about these sets is that they will go around the xmas tree and 10 years from now some kid will drag it out of the attic and really get into model railroading . the worst thing is that a lot of them will get bought up by speculators and end up on ebay or at train shows in a few years at $400 a set
The wire going to the tender is for the backup light. As mentioned, the two part power pack is the same as in their other recent offerings. They get around the requirement to have the pack CSA and UL approved by having the approved “wall wart” supply low voltage to the controller. Just a cheapo pack.
The engine comes also with a smoke generator, and some smoke fluid.
I’ve seen the set in a local store, but wasn’t interested in it this time.
I heard there was a shipping problem and none have been shipped yet to Ontario stores. I know for a fact that the Port Hope, Whitby and Bowmanville stores didn’t have any this morning.
Well I keep my small digital camera in my vehicle, and brought it with me into the store with the intention of taking the photos. It’s small and fits into my jacket pocket. Sometimes I do carry it around with me on my belt in its case - always be prepared!
thanks for the help guys…havent picked up one of their sets in awhile…i agree with the wheel flanges though…almost like n scale…lol…ive always thought PC made some nice stuff, with resonable price…who makes theres anyways?
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theres a train show in fenton?..hmmmm not sure where fenton is…i know theres TH&B FLea market near ancaster tommorow?..hmmm have to look it up
Santa is going to place a nice new BLI K-4 under the tree for me. Now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have asked him for a decent digital SLR. [B)] Twice the money, I know, but i would like to being using one.
good pics…thanks for uploading them for all to see…you can see that plug sticking out in the one photo…i read a description and the track is brass…but that engine aint that bad…would a low end set like this include a dcc plug in it?
not saying all PC sets are crap…there actually quite good i think…but your dealing with a grocery store…not walthers, or life like…they made a really nice camelback a couple years ago…they should do an N scale set next year…that would be sweeet
A few weeks ago there was a first year PC set, still in the box and wrapper on Ebay, asking $600 Canadian. Wow. This is the 10th year anniversary of the PC railroad sets.
i seen the IHC camelback engine today at trains on brandt, and it was identical to the one sold in the pc set several years ago, they wanted 79.99 for it…and i think i payed 50 for the set when i bought it