Lionel's new D&RGW SD40T-2

[statistician]

After preordering back in March of this year, my new scale SD40T-2 Powered and Dummy Tunnel Motors arrived today. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the level of detail for the relatively low price of 325 for the set. [:p]

Really sorry in advance for this rant [:)]

but:

I made the mistake of turning the powered unit upside down to check out the drive system. Only 4 of the 12 wheels are powered [:(!] Yes, only the center 2 wheels on each truck power this magnificient giant. Lionel did such a great job with the detail, why give it such a poor drive-train? I wi***hey would have stated in the catalog that only 4 wheels of the 12 are powered.

I know... I know... it's impossible to distribute weight equally across all 6 wheels per truck, so therefore powering them all would not necessarily make this a more powerful model. But I'd have settled for at least 4 of the 6 being powered and it would have kept me from ranting!!

Was anyone else surprised by this?[:)][:)]

[Anonymous]

The single axle drive was announced at York. It's supposed to be an improvement. It may not have made it into the catalog because of timing issues. If it works the way they say it's supposed to, it probably will be featured in the next one.

There have been issues over the years of how to make scale three axle trucks work well on locomotives that are going to be run run on tight radius curves. Blind center axles were tried but these did not allow for tight radius curves (wheel binding issues). Blind trailing axles were also tried and nobody liked the way these looked on tight radius curves.

[twaldie]

Just one question:
Have you ben able to try it yet? Just curious to see how well it pulls.

Tim

[statistician]

chuckn:
Thanks, I was unaware this new drive system was announced at York. My guess is that consumers pre-ordered the single axle D&RGW SD40T-2 and Chessie SD-40-2 not knowing this. There was an SD40T-2 offered a few years back in D&RGW with full-blown TMCC and RS, which featured the blind trailing truck. If people complained about that enough for Lionel to drop it, the single axle drive may not last long either.

twaldie:
Sorry, I returned it without testing. Even if it outperformed other drive systems(which it may very well do), my guess is that the stigma of only 2 drive axles on a 6 axle unit might push buyers away...

[3railguy]

A real Lionel tunnel motor would have 12 wheel drive, no rubber bands, and magnetraction.