Another one to consider is the K-line Trainmaster, which I'm sure you can still find new in box if you look hard enough.
The detail is pretty good, with brass-etched vent screens and spinning fans(although not powered). It's not quite as good as the newer Lionel ones, but a definite step up from the Postwar-styled Lionel and Williams ones, as well as the early MTH premier ones(I haven't seen the more recent MTHs). Unlike the Lionel ones, all the wheels are powered and the center sets on each trucks are flangeless.
I have the Lackawanna one that was sold as a club model with TMCC, RS, and smoke. It was originally $225, which, at the time(and still is) a bargain.
It uses one of the Lionel generic sound sets, which don't really sound that bad. Everything is perfectly audible, too.
The Williams FMs I had from the early 80s all had FNR. And GEEZ they would FLY around the tracks!!! Was really weird to see that big beast whipping around so fast. They also had magnetraction, so they stuck pretty well.
I just won an MTH FM Jersey Central off E-Bay a few days ago. It has the Proto 1 sounds. Am REAL curious about what they sound like. Engine was tested before selling and has a new battery. I plan on a conversion to Proto 2 as soon as I get some cashola.
Dep
Virginian Railroad
Very early. I actually miscounted... I have 8 early Williams w/o any reverse from the factory - 3 GG-1's, 3 SD-45's, & 2 F-7 A-A units. The GG-1's are the TCA 25th Anniversary sets, from 1979.
Rob
jaabat wrote:...SOME Williams cannot be locked in a direction without re-wiring. Jim
...SOME Williams cannot be locked in a direction without re-wiring.
Jim
My first 5 Williams engines were hard wired for forward only until I put e-units in them.
Nah. Just giving you the business.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
Ok, Philly.
Don't get your thong in a bunch! I thought if it had a switch, it was a male train, and no switch meant it was a female train. My mistake.
Pennvalley wrote: Deputy wrote: John: Just recently ordered if from Brasseur Trains. Got a super good deal on it (paid $449 instead of the list of $599). It's a 1999 release.Here's the info on it:http://www.kenstrains.com/lionel/postwar/newjersey.shtmlCheck this in the ad:"Realistic, Full-Bodied RailSounds With TowerCom and CrewTalk"I gotta tell ya...my MTH GP-9 with Proto 2 cost a lot less and I understand EVERY word spoken. I just don't understand Lionel's probelms with their sound system.DepIf it's a 99', it probably is an older railsounds package. The new RS5 has clear sounding speech.PS2 wasn't around in 99' either.
Deputy wrote: John: Just recently ordered if from Brasseur Trains. Got a super good deal on it (paid $449 instead of the list of $599). It's a 1999 release.Here's the info on it:http://www.kenstrains.com/lionel/postwar/newjersey.shtmlCheck this in the ad:"Realistic, Full-Bodied RailSounds With TowerCom and CrewTalk"I gotta tell ya...my MTH GP-9 with Proto 2 cost a lot less and I understand EVERY word spoken. I just don't understand Lionel's probelms with their sound system.Dep
John: Just recently ordered if from Brasseur Trains. Got a super good deal on it (paid $449 instead of the list of $599). It's a 1999 release.
Here's the info on it:
http://www.kenstrains.com/lionel/postwar/newjersey.shtml
Check this in the ad:
"Realistic, Full-Bodied RailSounds With TowerCom and CrewTalk"
I gotta tell ya...my MTH GP-9 with Proto 2 cost a lot less and I understand EVERY word spoken. I just don't understand Lionel's probelms with their sound system.
If it's a 99', it probably is an older railsounds package. The new RS5 has clear sounding speech.
PS2 wasn't around in 99' either.
Thanks Paul. I don't really know WHY Lionel put the gobbledy goop Railsounds, Crewtalk and TowerCom in if they were unintelligible. Seems like an awful waste of technology. I didn't check, but do you know if this FM from '99 needs a battery in it? With 18 volts of power in neutral, I would have thought the power was more than adequate to be able to power these things. It was for my Mikado. I know PS2 wasn't around back then. Unfortunately, MTH doesn't make a Jersey Central Trainmaster in PS2 or I would have bought it. I may end up buying a PS1 MTH Jersey Central and just send it out right away for a PS2 update. I think it would still be LESS than what I paid for this Lionel loco. The Lionel FM is also a pretty poor performer at low speeds. I had a Williams FM back in the 80s and it ran better with the can motors than this one does with Pullmor...especially at low speeds. This is actually the first loco I've bought that I am suffering "buyer's remorse" with. Even for the price I paid, it wasn't that good a deal.
jaabat wrote:Philly, I hate it when you disagree with me as well. So if we both hate it, why do you keep doing it? Maybe you could lend me your magnifying glass - when you're quite through with it, of course. SOME Williams cannot be locked in a direction without re-wiring. Jim
Philly, I hate it when you disagree with me as well. So if we both hate it, why do you keep doing it?
Maybe you could lend me your magnifying glass - when you're quite through with it, of course.
SOME Williams cannot be locked in a direction without re-wiring.
Paul
Folks:
A couple of thoughts here from someone who has tried to re-create a mixed lash-up using a Williams RF-16 Shark and a Lionel GP-7 with a pullmor motor, electronic reverse and magne-traction (nice idea, but it didn't work too well):
(1) John, I think you explained Jerry's point very well. Putting the Williams unit in front works better, but you put a lot of wear and tear on the traction tires. If someone really wants to do this, a number of folks have worked out "slowdown" circuits for Williams engines to make their performance closer to pullmor equipped engines. I think that one of the fixes involved wiring the two can motors in series. Not wanting to do that, I just bought a Williams NYC GP to run with the Shark.
(2) Clark, when you say that the engines won't run together, what exactly happens? Are the units both dark? Do you have a short indication? Are you running in conventional mode or TMCC (not a good idea with a Williams engine unless you want it to race through a wall)? The engines should run together in conventional mode - one thing to remember is that a Williams engine will always start in forward, so depending on how you have the units oriented (such as both short hoods forward) they may be working against each other.
Get us a little more info and we may be able to come up with some suggestions.
Have a great Holiday all.
Mike
You can't lock the Williams in any direction without re-wiring it.
Wiring Williams Reverse Boards for Locking
I have a cheapie Lionel 4-4-2 with Railsounds and a cheapie Lionel FT deisel with Trainsounds, and both have crystal clear tower and cab communications. We can hear and understand every word perfectly.
The one that wants to go faster will take more of the load; but I don't see how it could matter which one is in front, as Jerry seemed to be saying. As for sharing the load, if the universal-motored locomotive is pulling hard enough, it can actually take all of the load and then some, wasting power by trying to drive the can motor back through its worm gear. On the other hand, if it is the can motor that is pulling harder, the universal motor will, within reason, speed up to accommodate its reduced load in a way that the can motor will not.
Bob Nelson
lionelsoni wrote:Jerry's comment about "equalizing the 'amperage'" doesn't make any sense to me. Nor do I believe that "locking them both in one direction" will make any difference.
Bob, What I believe he is saying is that since the can motored unit is actually trying to pull the other engine it will draw more current and since the following unit is not working much if at all it will draw less current. While this may be true, I don't see much benfit to it and it will indeed put a lot of wear on the lead unit. Make any sense to you?
jefelectric wrote:A few questions. Is the Lionel Trainmaster an older one with pullmor motor? If so it will be a problem pairing it up with a can motored Williams. BTW Trainmasters are one of my favorite engines. I've got 5 of them.
HA! My Lionel 6-18321 Jersey Central FM Trainmaster arrived today. Couldn't wait to get it on the track. Geez she's a beauty. It ran fine, but I had the same problem I had with my Mikado. Can't understand the dang speech on it!!!!! I ran it under DCS and had plenty of juice on the tracks. But it still sounded garbled. It comes with TowerComm and CrewTalk. Do I need a battery for THIS too??????
Pullmors are usually geared for power, thus slower. The new cans are geared slower also, but the cans usually run faster than a traditional field motor. I have seen the Williams FM run, its a jackrabbit for its size, much faster than the PW one, which I have seen and worked on too.
From experience with double heading different speed engines, one thing you could do is put the williams in front, which will pull the PW one faster, lessening the load on the PW one, which would "equalize" the amperage on both locomotives.
Locking them both in one direction will help too!
Hope this helps!
Lock both in forward & try agian.
What "will not run" when paired together? Do you have a big enough transformer?
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