A correction on something I noted earlier. The drawbar does not appear to be adjustable. It's the pilot truck that adjusts for 18 inch radius and over. 18.
Springfield PA
Allegheny2-6-6-6 The really "dangerous" thing about his locomotives is once you buy one you very soon forget how much it cost you ans your so impressed with it that the money part doesn't seem important any more. That is until the wife finds the credit card statement. Hence the reason why I pay cash.....lol That draw bar is a pretty nifty gizmo, if I'm not mistaken I recall one of the guys who works at my LHS mentioned that on some of their larger scale locomotives they either have or have plans for infrared connection between the tender and the locomotive. I guess sort of like what Rail Lynx uses Nice Berk good luck with her she's a beauty.
The really "dangerous" thing about his locomotives is once you buy one you very soon forget how much it cost you ans your so impressed with it that the money part doesn't seem important any more. That is until the wife finds the credit card statement. Hence the reason why I pay cash.....lol That draw bar is a pretty nifty gizmo, if I'm not mistaken I recall one of the guys who works at my LHS mentioned that on some of their larger scale locomotives they either have or have plans for infrared connection between the tender and the locomotive. I guess sort of like what Rail Lynx uses Nice Berk good luck with her she's a beauty.
I have been in the same position on many locomotives. If they run really well, it is hard to unhappy with the model. Just don't pull out any detailed drawings of a NKP Berkshire and start comparing those.
CZ
The lack of individual sound volumes is still an issue and I miss having them like in my paragon Y6B. With the paragon I have the ability to adjust the individual volumes. You can also adjust how much louder and intense the chuff gets during acceleration and when on an incline. The DCS decoder lacks big time in this area with DCC. Other than that I love the loco.
Wow, I almost forgot how silent Mike's engines really run! I used to love turning the sound off on the Class J and running it in stealth mode, the smoothest, quietest engine ever to run on my layout..never any gear noise nor any of that annoying squeaking that I had to lube out of my other engines from Broadway.
I really wish MTH would just make some more pennsy engines, how about an S2 turbine? That kind of steamer seems right up their alley..
There are pics under that early brass piece thread here on this forum. check it out. I will get better pics hopefully when I run her at the local club this coming week.
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!
You really should post some pics of your 2-6-6-4. Sounds like a beauty.
As far as getting sound back on the Berk, Yes It came back after tilting it off the tracks. IT's a common issue with DCC or DCS loco's. A short can cause a coupe of things to happen. MTH loco's will usually lose sound until power is cycled but it's no biggie.
Nope, no sound other than the gear noise typical of that model. It doesnt cost that much, more like about $50 more than the MTH Berk sells for is what I paid for it. Mine is an early run without the brake shoes between the drivers. It does have an actual Pittman brand motor and not of the later Japanese copies of them. I would love to light the class lights, but thats very very dificult on an unpainted model, let alone on one that is painted. Did you get the sound back yet on the new Berk after the derailment? Mike
Yup, it's not Brass but it's a big hunk of die cast that wants to run. Mine found a spot it didn't like on a turnout and shorted for a couple of seconds. When it came back up it was silent. At 40 scale MPH it was virtually silent. The drive is smooottheeee with a capital Smoootthheee.
climaxpwrYou guys are so tempting me with the pics of the new Berk! I love my PFM Class A 2-6-6-4, but I am really thinking hard about this one. Mike
Mike... I'll bet that PFM is a good runner do you have all the PFM Sound to go with it? -The Berk is not a $1200 Brass engine, but it's a pleasure to run around the layout.
Rick
The one's in the pics are Kadee's The supplied one's didn't deserve a close up shot
I was going to do more pics and comparison shots tonight but instead settled for watching the new Berk break in for about 45 mins. Broke in the smoke generator as well. I like where they hid the switch for the smoke. It's in a magnetized hatch on top of the tender. Great hiding spot. I'll pic it next run.
it looks like those are McHenry Couplers...Hmmmmm....
You guys are so tempting me with the pics of the new Berk! I love my PFM Class A 2-6-6-4, but I am really thinking hard about this one. Mike
The couple issue isn't that they aren't installed so much as the low quality couplers they include. I change mine out anyhow so it simply saves a step for me.
HamltnblueAs far as drawbar length there is an adjustment that is set depending on the radius of the curves. I think it comes set for the 18 inch radius setting which keeps the tender farther from the loco.
The drawbar is adjustable for use on multiple radii. and as stated, is adjustable for use on smaller radii... but I understand that you would not have known that if you've never owned one.
Since their products are aimed at a more broad market appeal than just those of us with 42" minimum radii, MTH has sensibly shipped the model(s) with the drawbar to accomodate most layouts.
MTH has confirmed that they are shipped uninstalled, to prevent any possibility of damage to the model or the couplers, during shipping. Makes sense to me. The fact that they don't install Kadees is not unusual- nor does Athearn or Atlas, who uses their own 'home grown' variety.
Atlas does the same thing with their locomotive handrails and main detail parts(a lesson Athearn still hasn't grasped yet)at the pilot ends - they come ready to easily install to prevent same such damage.
I'm glad that some companies care about how their product finally arrives and can live with adding my own couplers.
HeritageFleet1
It's actually not wireless. There are 2 conductors inside the drawbar. There is however much less wiring. As far as drawbar length there is an adjustment that is set depending on the radius of the curves. I think it comes set for the 18 inch radius setting which keeps the tender farther from the loco.
rjake4454Yes, the wireless tether is indeed one major positive to MTH products that I had completely forgotten about, I would agree its a vast improvement over the Broadway connectors and saved me a lot of hassle and frustration, especially when I wanted to pack up the loco and bring it over someone else's place. The wireless tethers on Lionel's scale line of O gauge steam engines have always been amazing, and MTH seems to have transferred this technology to a smaller scale absolutely flawlessly. I'm actually a little surprised that Broadway hasn't employed these on the new Paragon 2 locos considering Lionel was the first to use them and Bob Grubba is originally from that company.
The wireless drawbar does solve the connection problem but gives the HO model a tinplate look at the same time since the distance between the locomotive and tender is way too far apart. It is both good and bad in some aspects.
Thanks,
I know what you mean about the electric couplers. My SD70Ace's had them. They were replaced with Kadee #5's.
HaroldAIt's kind of like buying a Rolls Royce and not getting air in the tires.
HamltnBlue...Be glad that it didn't come with the Electo-magnetic Couplers - that is the only thing that MTH has come up with that I don't like...mainly because they are just too large for this scale of model.
I used the #58 Whiskers from Kadee since all my locos and rolling stock have been converted to scale couplers. THe whisker coupler may have been the best thing kadee has come out with in their line in 15 years.
BTW: I like that wheel painting jig you made out of the paint sturrers -that is clever.
Hamltnblue It's kind of sad but common these days. Here we have a 400 buck loco and the couplers are not pre-installed. Not only are they not installed, they're Plastic junk. Note to MTH: You know we're going to change the couplers to kadee anyhow, so why not just supply them? The pair in the picture are now in the trash.
It's kind of like buying a Rolls Royce and not getting air in the tires.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Heritagefleet1 And last pic for tonight, a head on shot. Note the top light is the gyralight and flashes. Exposure makes it look steady. Beer can on the right is part of the layout, but does move around from time to time. Hamltnblue Well, The layout makes a great backdrop...I'm really impressed with your photos though...great job! Now, how bout' a Coors to whet my whistle(no pun intended). Thanks for the pics - enjoy the engine. We better not offer too much information on this engine though...some of the pro-Bachmann guys are getting sweaty palms- and they're running out of good things to say about their own 'toys'. Just for the record: Comparing all the HO variations from P2K and Bachmann really shouldn't be uttered in the same sentence with the MTH version...there is no comparison. I've owned a few of the Proto engines and a Genesis Northern and they are very well done and affordable. But, unlike the P2K and Bachmann models, MTH models have the characteristics, look and feel of a brass model and perform better than any locomotive out there at any price - bar none. There's just nothing like metal construction combined with a supurb drive. I know that the less-expensive brand locomotives with the more basic features that have been mentioned here are just fine for most buyers, for the money, and if those contributors who own the other brands, are content with what you have, then terrific! That's what it's all about - enjoying the hobby and expressing your pleasure with what you like. Someone commented(and it doesn't matter really) about the 'thickness' of the running boards on the Berk... I'd rather have that part of the loco be slightly over-sized and offer durability, rather than all the attempts to create scale parts that cannot hold up to even the slightest handling. If Bachmann could build a model of this caliber for the same or lower price, I'd buy it...but, they don't and until Bachmann(or P2K for that matter) can offer the same, they will not get my business. Bachmann will never produce a model of this caliber - it's simply not their market, and they're wise to do what they do best - especially their narrow guage line. HamltnBlue... good luck with the engine...I hope it brings you a lot of enjoyment. Okay.. that's a dollars worth and I'm trying to save up for the new BLI Pennsy Q2. Peace to all - out.
And last pic for tonight, a head on shot. Note the top light is the gyralight and flashes. Exposure makes it look steady. Beer can on the right is part of the layout, but does move around from time to time.
Hamltnblue
Well, The layout makes a great backdrop...I'm really impressed with your photos though...great job! Now, how bout' a Coors to whet my whistle(no pun intended).
Thanks for the pics - enjoy the engine. We better not offer too much information on this engine though...some of the pro-Bachmann guys are getting sweaty palms- and they're running out of good things to say about their own 'toys'.
Just for the record: Comparing all the HO variations from P2K and Bachmann really shouldn't be uttered in the same sentence with the MTH version...there is no comparison.
I've owned a few of the Proto engines and a Genesis Northern and they are very well done and affordable. But, unlike the P2K and Bachmann models, MTH models have the characteristics, look and feel of a brass model and perform better than any locomotive out there at any price - bar none. There's just nothing like metal construction combined with a supurb drive.
I know that the less-expensive brand locomotives with the more basic features that have been mentioned here are just fine for most buyers, for the money, and if those contributors who own the other brands, are content with what you have, then terrific! That's what it's all about - enjoying the hobby and expressing your pleasure with what you like.
Someone commented(and it doesn't matter really) about the 'thickness' of the running boards on the Berk... I'd rather have that part of the loco be slightly over-sized and offer durability, rather than all the attempts to create scale parts that cannot hold up to even the slightest handling.
If Bachmann could build a model of this caliber for the same or lower price, I'd buy it...but, they don't and until Bachmann(or P2K for that matter) can offer the same, they will not get my business. Bachmann will never produce a model of this caliber - it's simply not their market, and they're wise to do what they do best - especially their narrow guage line.
HamltnBlue... good luck with the engine...I hope it brings you a lot of enjoyment.
Okay.. that's a dollars worth and I'm trying to save up for the new BLI Pennsy Q2.
Peace to all - out.
Great post Heritagefleet1, I completely agree with everything you said here.
And Hamltnblue, great pics, thanks so much for sharing them....they are actually tempting me to go back on my word, (not to get another MTH engine again). Love those marker lamps and number boards! And yeah, that coal load is awesome.
Die cast metal engines are the best, along with brass. I too had the same reaction as you when I first opened up my MTH Class J and NYC ESE, these things were HEAVY, durable, and quite detailed, in some cases far more detailed than their plastic counter parts, (the Bachmann class J comes to mind).
And of course I could never get over the slow speed performance of these die cast models trains.
One of the Tender with the marker lights on. Nice Touch
Here's one of the Cab:
After the couplers are installed it's time to set up the loco. The Draw Bar Assembly is easy and only takes seconds. No plug to worry about.
I ran out of time but got a couple of pics in.
Here's a couple of front shots: Note the top light is a gyralight. It' looks steady because the exposure is 20 seconds. It actually flashes at about a 1-2 second rate.
Hamltnblue Good Afternoon After doing some more reading I decided to go ahead and pick one up today. Looks like they ship without couplers so I'll have to get around to installing them before giving it a run. Guess it saves the time uninstalling and replacing with Number 5's.
Good Afternoon
After doing some more reading I decided to go ahead and pick one up today.
Looks like they ship without couplers so I'll have to get around to installing them before giving it a run. Guess it saves the time uninstalling and replacing with Number 5's.
Hamltnblue... congrats on the aquisition! I hope you'll enjoy it as nuch as I do mine. If you need any help with anything just give me a yell off-sight.
BTW: here's some pics of the 09' excursion I just got last week - enjoy .
Thanks and good luck with your new locomotive.
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The loco is different. The coupler box is open and part of the loco. You cannot use the # 5 here. Unless I'm missing something you should use the #48?. Again it's the whisker equivalent of the #5. The pic shown is the extended shank #156 since it's all I have on hand in whisker. It doesn't look right to me so I'll be swapping it when I get the right part. Also note the included instructions show installing the coupler with the pilot truck in tact. Do yourself a favor and remove the pilot. The job goes much faster. Note that there is a spring under the pilot shaft. Just be careful not to loose it.