Has any one had the experiance of having had a Williams Berkshire steam engine # 125 O gauge? Are they smooth running? even at slow speeds? I am a thinking of buying one (on back cover of October Classic Toy Trains mag.).
But to me, the important question is, are they scale size like Lionel scale size. I have all Lionel scale size engines. Thanks, you guys for any info you might have.
Reuben
The Williams steam engines as pictured on the back of the Oct CTT are O27, not scale. They are reproductions of Lionel’s post war trains. I have several, and all are very smooth running locomotives. Jim
Williams are not true to scale like the post war Lionel stuff. Great running and long life but a little undersize. I have the Williams 671 steam locomotive and it is more 027 sized than anything else, almost oversized S Gauge looking. The 671 pulls alot of frieght cars and has smoke and I have had no problems as yet, over two years.
Lee
“Williams are not true to scale like the post war Lionel stuff.”
None of Lionel’s postwar steamers are scale. The 773 is probably the closest, but even it’s a little bit small. The most undersized is probably the Turbine. Lionel actually made a scale turbine back around 1990, and it was huge; there’s no way it would even begin to look good on most peoples layouts.
Before the scale revolution of the '90s, the only scale steamer Lionel made was the 700E.
Diesels are another matter. The F3s, GP-9s, and Trainmasters are all fairly close, although they all ride a bit too high on the trucks.
The Williams berkshire is a reproduction of the Lionel berkshire. They are basiclly the same engine on the outside. I think that is what you are asking.
I have a Williams berk. and like it. It is fairly smooth running, but the slow speed performance is not all that good compared to a postwar 675 and a modern Lionel docksider. This probably has more to do with my trackwork than anything else.
My Williams berk is also somewhat rough at low speeds.
I like my William’s Berkshire. The only problem I have had is the engine took an unscheduled trip from the tabletop to a carpeted floor. The engine had no visual damage but the amps required to operate the train increased by about 2 amps. I removed the motor and pushed the engine to see if anything was bent. Found nothing. I operated the motor while removed to see if it had a bent shaft. The shaft was fine. Other than the increased amps from the accident, the engine has operated fine.
Earl
Our Williams 671 turbine runs very well at slow speeds. Whisper quiet as well. Jim