CMStPnP EMDSD40 I have responded to several other posts concerning troubles with Walther’s products. I am finding issues as well as reported in another thread. Their Hiawatha Cars are not uniform in clearences or quality. I had one where I took it out of the box and the screw for the coupler box fell out. I have two coaches (same number and type). On one the trucks clear the underframe just fine, on another it seems like the trucks need washers (bought some at Home Depot), to ride at the correct level without binding on the underframe. I also come from the school of thought that all passenger cars should operate on a min 22 inch radius curve, out of the box and without modification. Well low and behold the Hiawatha Cars do not and require you to remove at least one diaphram between cars or they will bind at that point. Now it seems to me that Walthers could have cut back on the diaphrams just a little bit so they would not touch on a 22 inch curve or have the option KATO passenger cars do as to changing the underframe components to make 22 inch radius operation OK? No such luck. THe other option I have is I can glue the diaphrams in vs letting them flex which would make the removal of one less noticeable.
EMDSD40 I have responded to several other posts concerning troubles with Walther’s products.
I am finding issues as well as reported in another thread. Their Hiawatha Cars are not uniform in clearences or quality. I had one where I took it out of the box and the screw for the coupler box fell out. I have two coaches (same number and type). On one the trucks clear the underframe just fine, on another it seems like the trucks need washers (bought some at Home Depot), to ride at the correct level without binding on the underframe.
I also come from the school of thought that all passenger cars should operate on a min 22 inch radius curve, out of the box and without modification. Well low and behold the Hiawatha Cars do not and require you to remove at least one diaphram between cars or they will bind at that point. Now it seems to me that Walthers could have cut back on the diaphrams just a little bit so they would not touch on a 22 inch curve or have the option KATO passenger cars do as to changing the underframe components to make 22 inch radius operation OK? No such luck. THe other option I have is I can glue the diaphrams in vs letting them flex which would make the removal of one less noticeable.
Walthers clearly stated R24 minimum. To be I've tried this, and your track work has to be absolutely perfect and you can't run at a high speed (> 30smph). R28 is more realistic. R32+ is ideal.There's a thread of making walthers cars run better. It involves some filing. The contacts on the trucks have a tendency to snag near the bolster supports on the underside causing them to derail. I personally hard wire magnet wire to the trucks and run it up through the brass center pin. Solved a lot of issues for me.Bachmann's heavyweights will do 18" day in and day out. And they are nicely detailed and lit. A great buy for the money.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Maybe on Loksound. On most decoders, if 2/6/5 are all 0, it means no modifications to the speeds, not 0 speed at start, mid, and max. Digitrax and TCS all default to all 3 set to 0. Loksound is the only one I've loooked at that uses a default set of values to provide a straight line curve, with the setting at 2, 88, and 255.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
wjstixESU decoders have a thing - forget what they call it now - where you set the engine on the track and input a certain code or something and the engine runs quickly forward and then slows down and stops...it's supposed to set up the engine to have optimal speed control or something
It's called adjusting Back EMF. You set CV 54 = 0 then put it on the track and hit F1. It better have room in front of it.
I agree with Mark's comment that setting CV's 4-6 to 0 should result in no movement at all.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
wjstix .... If you set those all to zero (and makes sure there are no speed curves selected), it should allow the engine to run as fast as it can.
.... If you set those all to zero (and makes sure there are no speed curves selected), it should allow the engine to run as fast as it can.
If you set them to all zero, the engine shouldn't move at all. In order for it to run as fast as possible, CV5 should be set to 255. CV6 should be set halfway between the values in CV2 and CV5.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
ESU decoders have a thing - forget what they call it now - where you set the engine on the track and input a certain code or something and the engine runs quickly forward and then slows down and stops...it's supposed to set up the engine to have optimal speed control or something. I've done it with my engines that came with ESU decoders, and the result was an engine that ran at about half it's normal max speed. If you (the OP) haven't done that, it could be Walthers has that done themselves when the decoder is installed?
Anyway, as noted, there should be no speed curve as it comes out of the box, it should just respond to CV 2, 5 and 6. If you set those all to zero (and makes sure there are no speed curves selected), it should allow the engine to run as fast as it can.
CMStPnP I also come from the school of thought that all passenger cars should operate on a min 22 inch radius curve, out of the box and without modification.
I also come from the school of thought that all passenger cars should operate on a min 22 inch radius curve, out of the box and without modification.
"all"
I think it's just fine to have SOME passenger cars fit around 22". That is what makes "tinplate" modeling so much fun. I recall my original Lionel trains. I had "O" gauge, with the "much broader" curves--15 1/2". I've still got Lionel passenger cars that'll take those turns!!!
But some of us are into scale model railroading. And the modifications to a scale model to get it to fit 22" make it less of a scale model.
That's MY school of thought.
Ed
rrinker Good point. 85 foot cars on 22" radius curves? Not a reasonable expectation, at least for a properly detailed car with underbody details and end details that limit truck movement. Rivarossi/IHC cars with truck mounted coulers? Well, sure, they run on 22" radius curves. Heck most of them run on 18" radius curves. Look a little goofy, but they work. --Randy
Good point.
85 foot cars on 22" radius curves? Not a reasonable expectation, at least for a properly detailed car with underbody details and end details that limit truck movement. Rivarossi/IHC cars with truck mounted coulers? Well, sure, they run on 22" radius curves. Heck most of them run on 18" radius curves. Look a little goofy, but they work.
I would buy that if the KATO, BLI and Rapido Cars didn't look better and perform better out of the box.
Amost a decde ago bought a Mantua loco with a MRC decoder that burned up (MRC was notorius for this and I did not know this). Walthers paid return postage and credited me the full purchase price including shipping no questions asked.
They just sent me a return authorization for the SD70ACe and will refund me the posatage to send it to them. They will either repair or replace the loco and send a (tested) loco back to me.
So far, I have been treated very well by Walthers. I have 3 other Walther locos which have performed well with no problems.
Sorry to hear about problems some of you have had - best to call Walthers within the warranty period if there is a problem. They have been very friendly to me.
Bob
No....I did not go through hassle of return. I am able to repair most problems. Got them as Christmas 2016 gifts,but never opened them until fall 2017. I purchased the first version of the 130’ TT, two Roundhouse structures,track,roadbed and lumber. Long story short......TT was a dog.....spent two years trying to get this to work correctly all to no avail. Ripped everything out Dec. 2016 never to return. Now resides in original container under benchwork along with two roundhouse kits. One day I’ll get tired of looking at them and get rid of the stuff. I did voice my displeasure to Walthers twice........delivery time on ES44AC and the 130’TT. Since TT was long out of warranty, no effort was made towards customer satisfaction. After reading many reviews, that TT is a know problem child. What really bothered me.......hundreds of dollars wasted. Chalk it up to experience and move on, Going forward, Walthers products will not be considered for future purchases. Best of luck .
Another thing to check for is if you have switching mode on. F7 looks to be the default toggle on ESU decoders.
I had a GP60 running at about 1/2 speed for a while, turned out that I'd toggled on switching mode by accident.
EMDSD40I have responded to several other posts concerning troubles with Walther’s products.
Default settings would never use a speed table, the default for CV29 turns ooff speed tables. If you are using a speed table, is it even set properly? Disable speed tables, and make sure CV2, 6, and 5 are all at defaults. Especially CV5 which sets the top speed. The default setting allows the loco to go as fast as it can. Setting values here reduces top speed.
Are you using 28 or 128 speed steps? What DCC system?
Walthers has started using ESU decoders exclusively. The GEVO I just bought was Soundtraxx. Even though ESU OEM decoder has more sounds - I find it more difficult to program.
You sure it's an ESU decoder ? Thought Walthers was still using Soundtraxx decoders. (?)
One other item is that the SD70ACe does run smoothly - just half as fast as it should. (Not good.) I do not know why - it does have the new ESU OEM decoder for which there is no manual or description of what it is.
Thanks for your input. Did you send any of these locos back to Walthers under warranty? What was your experience? 6 or so years ago I returned a Mantua loco with a fried MRC decoder - Walthers did pay return postage and refunded the whole price. This is different since the loco works and is in good shape, however it's speed is a little over half of what MRR measured and about half of the prototype.
I got a Walthers GEVO recently and am happy with it - I hope that it stays that way.
thanks
Experience with SD70ace locomotives.......Given seven for Christmas gifts in 2016. Out of the box all required some type of repair, from broken snowplows, lighting to complete disassembly for intermittent electrical problems. I have responded to several other posts concerning troubles with Walther’s products. Makes me wonder how many others are having difficulties. My SD70ACE experience led me to cancel the ES44AC unit’s that finally came in after being on back order for over two years. Went with Scale Trains, on the porch within 72 hours and I am very pleased with detail and performance. If you feel disassembly is in order to troubleshoot, be very patient and careful as the wiring, connections,routing through chassis and electrical pickup are very flimsy and easily broken. Best of luck on finding the problem.
I received the new Walthers Mainline SD70ACe with ESU decoder. With the factory default settings and with the user defined speed table the loco has a top speed of 38 smph. The current MRR review found a top speed of 60 smph and a MRR review 2 years ago found a top speed of 50 smph.
I was able to speed match it to a new Walthers Mainline GEVO which has a top speed of 60 smph. The SD70 runs smoothly and has a straight line speed curve - seems to run well but too slowly.
The SD70ACe runs smoothly and was easy to speed match to the GEVO.
Can anyone shed light on the SD&0ACe very low top speed?
Does anyone have this new SD70ACe or the 2016 SD70ACe and what was your experience?
Bob W.