Roundhouse Critter

[Anonymous]

Has anyone of you fine people bought one of these little chaps yet?

I'm tempted to get one but the price over here in the UK seems a bit steep for such a small loco. That's why I'd be interested to know how they run, haul, and generally measure up.

Thanks

steve

[cacole]

I've only seen one running, and it was geared too fast for a small switch engine. You might want to check places that sell regearing kits to slow it down, and see if they are still available. I recall seeing some advertised a couple of years ago, but I don't remember who had them. Perhaps North West Short Line or in a Walthers catalog.

[rrinker]

Hmm, the other night at the LHS I had them put the one Critter they have left on their test track, and even wide open it didn't move too fast. The only thing I didn't like is that the bright white LEDs they use for headlights are just too bluish in color to be a proper period headlight. the bright white LEDs might be good for modern diesels, but older units like that need the golden whites. You can also tell very easily when it loses rail contact - the rear headlight flickers when the power is removed and it gets supplied by the motor's back-EMF, but the loco itself doesn't appear to move in a jerky fashion.
And if you DO get one and want to put a DCC decoder in it, be aware that the diodes for directional lighting are connected to the DCC socket in such as way as to cause a dead short across the function outputs, and will instantly destroy the decoder outputs when you turn on the lights. The TCS web site has photos on fixing this and fitting a decoder in there.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Hmmm....interesting responses. It would appear that these locos aren't selling in huge numbers, maybe I'll be able to pick up a bargain some time soon. [:D]

Thanks

steve

[fmilhaupt]

I've been using one for a couple months as a quarry switcher. Aside from MDC's plug wiring killing the lighting outputs on the DCC decoder I installed, I've been very happy with it.

The speed range is nice, and it pulls well- I only use it to move up to four cars at a time, but while I was testing the decoder installation, it pulled about a dozen weighted cars on level track, which seems to me to be more cars than a real Model 40 could pull.