New Here... Wanted To Introduce Myself

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone, I am new here and have been collecting trains for while now. (Mainly Lionel with a few K-Line trains in my collection)

I have ventured on to Williams recently and was wondering how they perform and add up to the likes of Lionel, Weaver, MTH, K Line, etc.

Currently I have on order a Nickel Plate Road #BERK115. I am also trying to find a Southern Pacific Daylight #GS4-100 and a Norfolk & Western J-CLASS #J-100.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the Forum.
If you like postwar train you will like Williams both motive power and rolling stock. Mechanically Williams engines performances are not as good as the others,they are better. They do not have the electronic gagetry or detail that the other makes have.

Having said that,a good alternative and comparable price wise are MTH Proto1 engines. They sell on Ebay often new or near new for half MSRP or less. I have been buying these lately and with the installation of a BCR they perform well for the most part.

Dale Hz

[Anonymous]

Welcome!
Most of my Williams is scale brass steamers from the late 1980s. The only modern Williams engine is a new Southern E-7 which is now receiving a TM/RS installation at a regional shop.
Nevertheless the E-7 looks good in comparison to my Southern Ry Lionel E-6s and Weaver E-8s or MTH PAs.
Right after I first got it and lubed it, she ran well for about 20 laps forward and 10 backwards on my conventional track. No glitchs that I could see or hear.

[ChiefEagles]

[#welcome][#welcome] Glad to have you. Williams are great engines for conventional use. Join the Williams Club for $25, get a free car and one year's membership that gets you the fliers and special prices. If you become interested in command, they can be converted to command. Enjoy. BTW: should put more in your profile so we can know more about you.

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

The Doctor Is In !!! As a First time buyer of a williams loco(SPBlack Widow Trainmaster)
Altho it's a used one, I am pleased with it. It pulls very well and execpt for a bad sound unit that I have to replace, I think I did good in my buying it. Buy what you like. I don't like the GS-4 that williams makes because it looks too much like the N&W J(same boiler)otherwise they make good stuff.
Till My Next Missive I Remain The Humble Yet Strangly Evil Doctor !!![}:)]

[Cthetrains]

welcome to the forum, Indy

[Buckeye Riveter]

[#welcome] to the forum.

Is Indy like Indianapolis? You have one of the best trains stores at your beck and call, Train Express and just up the road at Zionsville, Watts is one great G Scale store.

The Williams are not as detailed but from what I have seen inside my unit the motors and operating parts are going to last for years. They can pull long and heavy trains up grades.[8D]

[laz 57]

[#welcome][#welcome][#welcome] INDY,
The Williams trains are almost indestructable. In CTT they reveiwed one for a Christmas layout and was said to fall of a few times and just like the eveready bunny it keeps going and goingand......
I have 4 and let the neice and nephew run them all the time.
Great prices too.
Enjoy your stay.
And don't be swayed by GRITS[;)]
laz57

[dwiemer]

Indy,
Welcome, you will find a lot of knowledge passed around here along with a few nuts who actually don't eat grits. (I doubt they ever had any). Anyway, I have not actually had any Williams, but I do have a few on order. From what I have read, most seem impressed with them. This is a quirky bunch and everyone has his opinions, so I think you will get a few with minor issues, but I think you will be happy with the Williams product. Be active, ask questions, and I am sure you will find this group to be a good one.
Dennis

[Anonymous]

Hey, Dale HZ, Just FYI--You mentioned that the Williams trains run well due to the lack of "all that gadgetry" but you have been buying PS1 engines, and they run well. I hate to break it to ya, but a PS2 and PS1 engine have every bit of the same "gadgetry" as a matter of fact, the only diff. is the boards, and the PS2 board actually have much more smaller, more reliable micro switching, as opposed to the Beer can sized capacitors and VHS tape size rectifiers that were on the PS1 boards. Also, BOTH boards are even manufactured by the same company, QSI, Inc. Just for FYI.

[spankybird]

HI Phough1974

Also welcome to the CTT forum

QUOTE: Also, BOTH boards are even manufactured by the same company, QSI, Inc. Just for FYI

I don’t believe this is true. PS1 boards were manufactured by QSI but PS2 boards are made by MTH. MTH and QSI parted company back in 2000 when MTH introduced PS2 and informed QSI that they were going to make the boards themselves.

[Anonymous]

WOW I kind of expected a response but you guys are on top of it!! I appreciate all the feedback guys and this seems like a really great place to hang out and learn some things.

I am still trying to learn my way around this forum and read a bunch of back posts so I dont tend to ask the same questions twice or even one hundred times. So far I am loving this forum, it is jam packed with good information and good people.

Buckeye Riveter: Yes I am from Indianapolis, located on the Northside. Train Express is a very good store, and always very helpful. As a matter of fact, I was just in there the other day looking for some Nickel Plate Road things (mainly a caboose), while I was standing there staring off at K-Line boxes, a K-Line rep that was there asked me if I needed any help or was looking for anything special. I told him that I was looking for a Nickel Plate Road caboose. Off the top of his head he told me where I could find two of them at another train store. Ofcourse I had to rush back home and order them.

Besides just being curious about Williams, I have been looking at MTH and Weaver a lot lately. I have found plenty I want buy from both of them. The questions about Williams is because I am not familiar with them at all, and wanted some strong opinions from both sides of the track (the ones who like and even the ones who dislike)

Weaver wise: I have a Nickel Plate Road Hudson - Limited Edition on reserve.

Mth wise: I have quite a few different rolling stock cars (A few NPR 2 Bay Offset Hoppers, a NPR Operrating Crane, and a few NPR Single Door Box Cars) but no trains by them yet. I am thinking about picking up their Nickel Plate Road Steam Switcher #30-1212-1. a Nickel Plate Road Alco PA A-B-A Diesel Set #20-2192-1, and a few passenger cars.

Well, I can sit here all day and write a book about what I am looking to buy and what I am interested in. I do appreciate all of your feedback and opinions, and I thank you guys so much for taking the time to help out a fellow collector. I hope to stick around here for a long time and helps others as much as I can aswell.

Thanks again!!

[jonadel]

Indy--[#welcome][#welcome][#welcome] to the board. This is an excellent forum, normally all of the ego's are checked at the door which really makes it fun[:)]

The real key to this forum IMO is that we learn from each other and the CTT staff has given us great freedom to even go off topic occasionally.......[:D]

Again, welcome aboard.

Jon

[Anonymous]

I said I buy PS1 engines because of their value in the market place. I never mentioned PS2 at all. They are manufactured by different companies. However QSI has a lawsuit pending against MTH alleging patent violations.

Some of the PS1 units had design flaws allowing chips to scramble due to a low or reverse polarity battery. This can largely be corrected by installing a BCR at $23 per unit. I have over 30 PS1 engines I purchased new. Out of box failure rate was around 15 percent. Most of these failures were faults in the electrical system. After taking considerable time troubleshooting I have been able to fix a percentage of them. The ones not practicle to fix I converted to Railsounds. If you take a Proto1 engine and discard the electronics you basically have a Williams engine but with more detail less an electronic E unit. These units going new at half MSRP or less I consider bargains and competitive with Williams for cheap motive power.

Being a retired electronic technician with over 35 years experience I have seen the old and the new and I can tell you that large cans and electronics are much more reliable than most micro circuitry. That is because it can dissapate heat more efficiently. I have rebuilt many vintage juke box and coin op items and can tell you they are still working in the field some 10 to 20 years later.The only advantage of micro circuitry is that it is small and can be manufactured cheaply..Often it can only be replaced on the board component level and cannot be practically fixed. In the trade this is refered to as "junk electronics". PS2 electronics fall in this catagory . If you purchase a RK GP 9 for $250 for example and a 50 cent triac or component burns out in the board you need to replace the whole board at a cost approaching $200 parts and labor.The board is not designed with repair in mind. This to me makes the engine itself a disposable item. I dont think of my first engine a Lionel 2055 in the same manner. With proper care it will outlast me.

As far as Williams yes it has similar circuitry but it is simpler and more reliable. I never had to fix a Williams engine other than reglue some windows that fell out. Buy what you like and enjoy but keep in mind exactly what you are buying. Its your money.

Dale Hz

[wrmcclellan]

Hello Indy and [#welcome]

Don't worry about asking the same old questions. We are happy to help you in any way that we can.

Always good to have another member on the forum. Hope you enjoy the group. Drop in on the coffee pot every once in a while and join in the fun and conversation or to just let us know how the weather is in your part of the world. Sometimes you get a response there and sometimes you don't, but you are always welcome.

I have had excellent luck with Weaver and Williams scale and traditional and they both have personal and excellent customer service. An example, both have sent me new traction tires years after the purchase at no charge. Obviously sometimes they charge for stuff. Just depends on what the issue is.

Regards,
Roy

[csxt30]

[#welcome] INDY & PLOUGH !! Don't forget Sunday Photo Fun, & as Roy mentioned, The Coffee Pot !! [:D]
Thanks, John

[1688torpedo]

Hello Indy & [#welcome] If you want some dependable Trains; Don't overlook prewar Lionel. Many of them are also dependable and run very well. I'm very partial to 1688s myself as they are very good looking and running engines.Also, They are very reasonable in price and a great addition to any collection.If you want one,let me know and I'll find one for you.Take Care. P.S. I've two 1688Es & Three 1688s and am very happy with everyone of them.Plus,my Brother has my father's 1688 set as well.

[cheapclassics]

Welcome IndyTrainNut,

It is always good to see a fellow Hoosier posting on the forum. This is a nice, knowledgeable, and friendly bunch of people on this website. I have frequented Train Express many times in the past, and the staff there is good. I dabble in standard gauge and modern era O-27. As you will learn from the "coffee pot", I live in SE Indiana, but I work in downtown Indy.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Anonymous]

Hi Indy and welcome to the forum, I guess you could call me an Indy Train nut too. I try to buy as much as I can from Larry at Train Express, great place.

Merry Christmas To All!