I once pulled 9 passenger and 22 freight cars all at once.. with only 1 Lionel engine... it was a GP7 with front truck drive ONLY.... it had a vertical worm drive pullmor motor with 2 axle magne traction and 2 tires. ONLY 1 motor and it pulled 31 cars including passenger and postwar cars... I was impressed, I'm sure a quality 2 can motor Williams Diesel engine could pull that, but a 1can motor Williams, not a chance. I'm pretty sure Williams makes all there diesels with 2 motors, but a 1 motor Lionel Geep pulled a line of cars that was to heavy for a 2 motor K-line switcher to pull and those things are powerful. I pulled it on 0-60 curves, so there was no stringlining problem, I have an MTH engine that could out pull any Williams diesel ever made, the Premier SD90MAC, I know it can pull well over 100 cars on 0-72 curves. 2 RS-385 brass flywheel motors with 12 wheel drive and 4 tires... the engine weighs over 8lbs and is 20.5 inches long. it cost much more though than a williams. I know Williams have some really good pulling conventional engines for a low price, that's the good thing about them but I'm a MTH/Lionel guy, so I don't purchase there products.
I'd like to defer, the MTH Horn and bell conventional diesel engines have 2 RS385 flywheel can motors and weigh around the same as a conventional Williams, and Lionel's Conventional Classics engines have more weight and power but not as smooth because of there original motors.
Good thread. I have a Williams Geep. Great runner. Tempted to buy more!
Thank you Roger for the tip about parts for the Williams.
Depending on WHAT parts you need, you can get them from Charlie Phillips. He bought out the parts when Williams was sold to Bachman.
Roger
I couldn't agree with you more Williams/Williams by Bachmann are absolutely the best conventional trains there are. Indeed they are like patato chips and pistachio nuts you can't just have one and especially when it cokes to cost, you can get two AA sets for the price of one set of Railkings that could stop running at the drop of a hat. I am addicted to their F-3's, F-7's, and the rest aren't too shabby either. The only drawback is they won't sell you parts when you need them.
Can't stop working on the railroad!
Thanks for letting me post. My new MRC 270 watt transformer will arrive today. Can't wait to hook it up! I will be using it with my Williams and Lionel. Can I expect any glitchs ? Later COOL WALDO
Williams locomotives are pretty much bullet proof. Good strong runners.
Bill T.
cool waldo- Welcome to Trains.com!
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
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Brad : I agree. Just bought Williams Locomotives. I enjoy them more than my new Lionel Canadian Maple Leaf set. The Lionel lasted 2 weeks before the sound effects took a dump. Nothing but Williams for me now!
027_Daniel so now I have two powered F-7's with an unpowered B unit. Does this mean you are running two powered units on the same train? Does this mean their pulling power is additive even though one would be in reverse?
so now I have two powered F-7's with an unpowered B unit.
Does this mean you are running two powered units on the same train? Does this mean their pulling power is additive even though one would be in reverse?
Yes, I am running two powered F-7's on the same train, one in forward and one in reverse. I took out the circuit boards on my F-7's and installed bridge rectifiers(need something in there, a bridge rectifier or diode bridge, because Williams uses D.C. can motors), so they can start in the same position every time. Their pulling power is additive but not double a single engine because of friction. For my Williams train I am using a 275 watt post war transformer.
Lee F.
My MTH Railking Santa Fe streamliners look great with my Williams Santa Fe F3s and also operate flawlessly on my Lionel FasTrack layout. You can see them in the above pictures. My track consists of 036, 048 and 060 curve tracks and I have never had any problem with my Williams locomotives either.
Cobrabob.
Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !
Tower49 The Williams stuff is tops. The only drawback is, their trains are like potato chips,...You can't have just one.
The Williams stuff is tops. The only drawback is, their trains are like potato chips,...You can't have just one.
I have the older F-7 ABA set of Santa Fe diesels with the El Capitan passenger cars by Williams. So far I have no complaints with my Williams trains, other than having to add power to one of my F-7 engines, so now I have two powered F-7's with an unpowered B unit.
On another forum some of the guys talk about putting the motors in series, electrically. I can do that, but why would I want to have an engine that is slower than a turtle is a mystery to me. My other Williams engines(SD-45's, and GP-9) run slow enough for me and have good speed performance, so I am leaving the motors alone!!
Bob,
I think that I have seen you mention the modifications to allow use on O27. I'm just not willing to alter the cars for use. I'll go ahead and buy those designed for 027.
I do appreciate such creativity though.
I have done two kinds of modifications to 60-foot cars to get them through Lionel O27 turnouts:
1. Cut off the skirts, so that the floor of the car can ride over the switch machine. I have done this with a Lionel 19100 Amtrak baggage car, which now looks more like a prototype heritage car.
2. If you can't or don't want to cut the skirts, move the truck center bearings toward the middle of the car. This involves a bit of work to create a cantilever on the truck for the bearing, so that the truck can stay where it belongs. I have done this with all my Rail King Superliners.
Bob Nelson
trainrat Williams does have some 027 passenger cars for 027. The F3's are the exact same size as post war F3's. Roger
Williams does have some 027 passenger cars for 027. The F3's are the exact same size as post war F3's.
They make a nice set (#43264) for O27 but I wish the Aluminum (#43098 and 43048) sets could work on O27 switches.
Garfield...Once Jerry hit on the 2 horizontal motors with flywheels design...
Vertical motors.
Rob
Mine came with a bell and whistle function so I guess it came with bells and whistles....
I too Love my Williams Locomotives and one was not enough!! Wish I had discovered them before I bought some of my Lionel engines. They are smooth and quiet! Plus who can beat the price. If bells and whistles are not your thing go with Williams!!
Brad in Iowa
Daniel,
You have 'Work Horse' Power & Ability with your Williams goodies, which are full 1/4" Scale, check the print on the boxes, for the scale size.
Enjoy and have fun with them, they're great!
Ralph
I love Williams trains to.
One thing to watch for Is some of the older engines do not have flywheels. Once Jerry hit on the 2 horizontal motors with flywheels design, they had a winner. The engine I have with out a flywheels still preforms better than my engines with vertical mounted motors in the trucks.
I wish the Aluminum bodied Williams passengers cars would navigate 027...That would be my next purchase for ceratin.
027 Daniel,
I agree with theother posters out there. Williams/Williams By Bachmann are the best conventional locos out there! My wife bought me the Santa Fe F3 ABAs a few years ago and I bought a set of 7 MTH Railking streamliners to go with them. Looks great together.
I've been guilty with putting a real hurt on their catalog over the years, I've bought a several F3's and matching passenger consists, frieght cars, steam engines, E7's, Alco PA's. Golden Memories, Traditional Line...ITS ALL GOOD!
I dare to say that they are more "rugged" and forgiving than MTH, which I also own and enjoy.
Be prepared...your new Santa Fe F3 will not be your last Williams piece you buy.
ENJOY!
The first Williams products I bought were in the late seventies. I have a FM Trainmaster from 1979. Jerry Williams improved his products very much since then. I have sevral of his latter day products and like them all. My thing has been GP-9's
I guess I didn't realize that the actual diesels were that large. Impressive.
If this is typical Williams and modern train quality....my wife is not going to be happy....and my table is way too small.
That rabbit hole just got a lot deeper.
Daniel you have a winner in your purchase. IMO, Williams manufactures the best modern conventional locomotives available. Their performance and variety is second to none.
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