My First BEEP

[Buckeye Riveter]

I am now the proud owner of a BEEP  (photos on Sunday) and I have a question for you guys that own one of these little critters.  Is it necessary to do an oil and lube job when it is new? 

Currently, it is in conventional mode but most likely will change it out to TMCC/Railsounds shortly. 

[Jumijo]

Buckeye,

We have one (B&M). It's cute and all, but I don't see what all the fuss was about. It runs a little too slow for me. Ours isn't dead quiet when it's running either. Kinda sounds like a blender on low. I opened it up and greased the 2 worm gears and oiled the bearings. It didn't sound any different after the lube job, but it runs ok. Except when it's cold in the basement. Then it stutters a little bit until it warms up. The kid's Thomas does the exact same thing though.

I oil and lube everything, new or old, the minute it comes out of the box.

Jim

[Blueberryhill RR]

I have a NYC Beep. It too, runs slow. But I think it is suppose to. May need a new traction tire. Will only pull about 3 box cars, then wheels slip.

Nice little engine. needs a horn. Or bell. Good for switching. Needs to run awhile to warm up. Stutters on initial start up, then run good.

Chuck

[Dr. John]

Buckeye, the Beeps are pretty much ready to run, so I wouldn't recommend over-doing the lubrication. Let it run in a few hours first, then give it some grease and oil. Like has been said, these are geared to run slower than a lot of toy engines.

By the way, what road name did you get?

[traindaddy1]

WOW! Hope I didn't make a mistake!!!! After reading the "Beep" posts last week, I ordered one. Scheduled to be delivered tommorrow. Do you think I will be disappointed? Thanks.

[laz 57]

BUCKEYE remember they are like fine women break em in gently.(wink)

laz57

[jimhaleyscomet]

People either love or hate the beep.  Most love them.  They are really good because kids can not make them go too fast.  Mine pulls very well.  I pull an animated chase car, a railsounds car (both heavy), a lighted caboose and a few box cars on my Christmas layout.  It even does well up hill.  However, it took me a while to figure out why my wheels would spin going up hill.  The problem was the track suddenly transitions up and then the overhang on the back of the shell rubbed against the rails lifting the wheel and making it spin.

 

Jim H 

[Anonymous]

I rank among the devoted BEEP enthusiasts! I really like them! Yes, they are geared to operate at slower and more realistic speeds, just as any switching locomotive would do.  I've sure not found noise to be a problem at all, and I have about 10 of the little buggers.

The BEEPs aren't for everyone (no toy train item ever produced would appeal to everyone); they're just for those who want a nicely done, fanciful piece of motive power at a very good price.

I have never lubricated any of my BEEPs since none of them have needed it to this point. 

[Jumijo]

I'm of the school that prefers a little too much lubrication than not enough. But that's my whole philosophy towards life in general.

 

Jim 

[traindaddy1]

Jim/Allan: Thanks for your posts.  I have four traditional 6462 gondolas, a light weight tank car and caboose on a flat O27 tubular roadbed that are awaiting the new Beep. I'll see.  Thanks again.

[poppyl]

Walter (RMT) once told me to not lubricate the BEEP.  Since they are his babies, I've taken him at his word and have had no running problems.  Yes, they make a little noise but so do real world locos.  I've never had any wheel spin but I regularly clean my track, too.  I also watch what I hook up to the locos -- try to keep the consists focused on semi-scale rolling stock.  Speed wise, the BEEPs max out at about 16 volts.  Oh yes, I usually run my BEEPs in MU configuration which besides being more real world-like, allows longer consists.  BTW, they are nice for younger children to play with.

Poppyl

[Jumijo]

I've had mine lubricated for well over a year now with no ill effects. My Beep that is.

[CSXect]

I think you will be happy with the beep, it is geared low to be a puller for its size. Most who like the beep usaly buy a second or third. Only you will be able to tell if you like it. I think that RMT Buddy zips along compared to the Beep from what I have heard.

[Richard Bjorkman]

Next question: How do you get at the gears to lublucate them, assuming you want to do so? Does the plate come off the bottom, or do you have to dismantle things from the inside?

Thanks.

Richard Bjorkman 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Thanks for all the info.  I'm glad to hear that it is geared slow.

[douellet]

I think the Beeps run plenty fast enough. I believe they run a bit better than the Buddy. Run two Beeps at a time and they will pull a pretty good sized train. Right now I have two Beeps pulling 10 cars of various makes on level 0-31track with no problems. Like them alot.

[Anonymous]

I think the Beeps run plenty fast enough. I believe they run a bit better than the Buddy.

Depending on what transformer you use (I have tried several), I've found that the BUDDYs tend to run far too fast for my liking.  I have had good experience in operating the BUDDYs with an old Lionel 1033, but did not like how they performed with more modern transformers, such as the MTH Z750 and others.

[douellet]

I guess what I was trying to say about the speed of a Beep is that they go plenty fast to suit me. The slow speed is pretty darn good for an inexpensive engine. I've got other more expensive engines that I don't think run nearly as well. As far as the Buddys go they don't seem as smooth running at slower speeds or as quiet as the Beeps. That being said, I still like the pair of Buddys I have. At present I'm using 3 different MRC transformers: 60, 100, and a new 270 watt duel power which I'm very happy with.

[Anonymous]

 

I bought one, and that's enough.  For the money, you get what you paid for.

 

 

[Jumijo]

Next question: How do you get at the gears to lublucate them, assuming you want to do so? Does the plate come off the bottom, or do you have to dismantle things from the inside?

Thanks.

Richard Bjorkman 

 

Richard,

The shell has to be removed. If memory serves, you then unscrew the bottom plate. Then on top, lift out the circuit board and unscrew the two screws under that. This will expose the gears of each motor.  If I could do it, anyone can.

 

Jim 

[traindaddy1]

To Dave, Douellet, Jim, Allan, Jaabat, CSXect, Poppyl and anyone that I left out:

 My "BEEP" came today. 

 Hooked up four Lionel 6462 gondolas, tank car and caboose. Little "Beep" slowly struggled, crept along, stopped with spinning wheels and looked up at me as much as to say: What do you think I am?

Started again. This time I let the little fellow pull just one car around the track. Then on each succeeding lap, added another car. By the sixth time around, no problem.  (Well, except one.  On one of the laps, he uncoupled himself, leaving his load behind. After scolding him and re-attaching the load, no more incidents)

Overall impression: I don't know if I can say I love the engine yet but I do like the appearance and its performance so far.  And, really the price wasn't bad either.

Thanks to all for your interest.

[Richard Bjorkman]

The shell has to be removed. If memory serves, you then unscrew the bottom plate. Then on top, lift out the circuit board and unscrew the two screws under that. This will expose the gears of each motor. If I could do it, anyone can.

Thanks, Jim, for the advice. Always appreciate the voice of experience.

Started again. This time I let the little fellow pull just one car around the track. Then on each succeeding lap, added another car. By the sixth time around, no problem.  (Well, except one.  On one of the laps, he uncoupled himself, leaving his load behind. After scolding him and re-attaching the load, no more incidents)

 

I have found that Beeps work well as long as you don't try to overdo it. Your approach, adding one car at a time and seeing how it goes, is a good one. I always try to keep in mind that the prototype Beeps (which, alas, did not exist but should have) were designed to pull only a few cars.

 

Richard Bjorkman

[CSXect]

You can not expect the beep to pull a buch of diecast cars, but given the size of the loco it is still a good puller for its size most people run them in pairs and claim 10 car consits on a level grade. I would stick to 0-27 sized cars for the beep to pull. The easyer the wheels roll the betterfor a beep consist.

No train is perfect as there will always be something it lacks in. I think the""cuteness" of the Beep has done more to sell its self than anyother train out there.

I like my Beeps but am not going to complain too much if I can not pull every car I own at one time. But one has to wonder if The BEEF will be able to pull the string of Peeps all right being it shares the chassie with the BEEP.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Bumped for BIRDS.

[traindaddy1]

I have a NYC Beep.  Right now, it is pulling three passenger cars (I keep switching between freight and passenger)with no problem. One of the things that I like about the Beep is that it does run a little slow.  By doing so, I think it keeps the speed close to "scale".  It serves as reminder when I start 'racing' my other trains. (Have not oiled it yet!)

[thatboy37]

i have three of them canadian pacific, norfolk southern, and l&n. haven't ran any of them yet.

[Anonymous]

My latest BEEP (U.S. Army) exhibits a bit of strange behavior on one of the five Atlas switches off the mainline.  Running long hood forward, it stalls on just this one switch and reverses direction.  If I operate it short hood forward, there's no such behavior.  I'll likely just snap off the shell and reverse its position, but this is the only BEEP I have (and I have more than a dozen) that behaves this way.

I obviously am a big fan of the BEEPs, and they are the primary motive power on my small pike, along with Lionel Docksides (have another one on order now--C&O livery), K-Line Plymouths (various roads), a Lionel U.S. Army 0-4-0, an MTH "War Bonds" trolley, and the most recent addition--a Lionel #42 Picatinny Arsenal switcher (I haven't hooked-up my TMCC yet, so am still running it in conventional mode).

I do wish RMT had applied a different cab number to their U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal model (it's #42) because the Lionel model is also #42, as was the original Lionel postwar model, but that's no big deal.

I plan to strip and repaint the shell on one of my various BEEPs to give it a U.S. Army red paint scheme with yellow graphics--the colors used on most U.S. Army motive power these days.  Should be an easy enough task since it's a pretty simple paint scheme, aside from the tiger stripes.

[poppyl]

Allan;

Sounds like you have a real quick power short without loss of ground which causes the e-unit to cycle.  Probably happens when the front roller is pushed up and makes contact with the frame for just an instant while the rear roller is on a dead spot.  I would suspect a "weak" spring on the front roller (too much play).  That's why it doesn't happen when reversed.  Beside your chosen fix, a piece of electrician's tape on the frame directly above the front roller also could remedy the situation if you would rather not reverse the body.

 Poppyl