Time for a new critter?

[rrinker]

 That new Walthers Plymouth switcher looks tempting. The blue unlettered one is even the perfect color for my cement plant - I have pictures of one of those 23 ton boxcabs they had in that same blue - with of course lots of grey splotches all over it.

 Looks like it comes DC or DCC motor only - pretty sure I'd get the DC and put a Loksound Micro in it. Can't wait to see one in the wild to see what sort of room there is in it.

                         --Randy

 

[wvg_ca]

Sure...why not?

Especially if you have a place for it, the justification is already there ..:)

[hon30critter]

Hi Randy:

Nice little beast! There looks to be lots of room for the Loksound Micro and a sugar cube speaker or two, and maybe even some extra weight. Ideally you might be able to get a Loksound Power Pack keep alive in there too if you are brave enough to remove a flywheel.

Here is the locomotive for those who want to have a look:

https://www.walthers.com/plymouth-ml-8-standard-dc-painted-unlettered-medium-blue

You have seen this before. It has a Loksound Micro, two sugar cube speakers, a Power Pack and a fair bit of lead sheet in the nooks and crannies:

I just noticed that it is dragging its bum. The shell is a friction fit so easily corrected.

Dave

 

[richhotrain]

Whew, I saw the title to your thread, Randy, and for a moment I thought that you were starting a drive to replace Dave (hon30critter).  

Isn't it fun to anticipate a new loco for the layout?  Keep us posted on your new little critter !

Rich

[hon30critter]

richhotrain

I thought that you were starting a drive to replace Dave (hon30critter).

OK, now I'm all embarrased and blushing. Please don't forget Darth Sante Fe. I got many of my inspirations from him. Also, the 23 ton switcher was originally done by the late Wolfgang Dudler. Credit where credit is due.

Dave

[rrinker]

 It'll be a while, I don't preorder anything, I'll wait a while until they start appearing on eBay for less than the $100 asking price (DC version) - seems a bit high as it's not a particualrly superdetailed model, it's a Mainline series.

If this works - here's the little boxcab. blue looks a little darker, but also white hand rails, and it looks like they painted the roof white, too.

http://sbiii.com/boxjfcpx/jcagei40/23ton_ge.jpg

                                      --Randy

[DigitalGriffin]

Randy 
They still run a ML-8 down at Stewartstown, not to far from you. (relatively speaking)

You are right, they are a tad pricey, but a nice lil critter for yard work.  Wish I could get one.

[hon30critter]

Randy:

Are you aware that Grandt Line makes an exact copy of the box cab? It comes as either a powered or unpowered kit. The drive system in the powered kit is a bit crude. I replaced the drive in mine with a Hollywood Foundaries Bull Ant drive and it works pretty well:

Same set up as the other critter, Loksound Select Micro, Power Pack keep alive, but only one sugar cube speaker. I decided to use the space for weight.

Dave

[7j43k]

rrinker

...it's not a particualrly superdetailed model, it's a Mainline series.

 

 

My thought, too, at first.  But what's missing?  Only thing I can see (and it's gonna be a pain to fix, I think) is the coupler cut lever/end hand grab.  Maybe a horn, though on an industrial switcher?????

On the plus side, there's the rest of the grabs being present, some quite thin looking corner steps, plus (REALLY NEAT!) a finely done see-thru frame.  And the cab is at least pretty empty looking, instead of being full of a motor.

In addition, the DCC version is only another $50 bucks INSTALLED, including "keep-alive".  And, from the Walthers video, it pulls like a little demon.

If I could have thought of an excuse, I would have bought more than one.  It's sorta like the Athearn Hustler--most everyone had ONE.  But who had a fleet?  As opposed to, say, SD40-2's.  Of which I have many.

Mine's coming in yellow, to match the other diesels of Klickitat Lumber and Navigation (2 GE 70 Ton (a FLEET!) and a BLI Plymouth).

 

Anyway, I can see this little guy coming out in a Proto version in a few years:  added cut levers, sound, and $100 more.

 

Ed

[rrinker]

 Yes, Dave, I know about the Grandt Line boxcab - I think I mentioned it before, I need to get me one of those. I think Wolfgang put sound in one of those, too. I may have to reallocate, if I get the boxcab and Plymouth, that makes 3 locos for the cement plant alone - I have a Bachmann 44 tonner I originally bought for the purpose. I may have to allocate one of them to the largest coal breaker I am able to fit, that's another operation that would have a small locomotive to shift cars around instead of having the railroad do it, though the one big one here use overhead electric boxcabs instead of gas or diesel. Which would be an excuse to try my hand at overhead wire.

                            --Randy

[fmilhaupt]

I've ordered the DCC/Keep-alive version of the ML-8. The demo they had at Trainfest, where the rails on the straightaways of their demonstation oval were covered with masking tape and it kept running quite nicely over them, was enough to convince me.

I like that I could just take it out of the box, program it with its number, then plunk it on the track and go, rather than spend scarce hobby time on fitting it with a keep-alive circuit.

When the Bachmann 45-ton switcher came out, it "bumped" the MDC model 40 at the quarry on our layout, but I think that the ML-8 is likely to find a home at our larger grain elevator.