Williams motive power

[IEP-NYC-PRR]

I really am in the mood to buy an engine (steamer) and considering the price of things lately I was considering a Williams by Bachmann.  Could I get some feedback as to their performance, durability, sound and details from some of you who are experienced with them?  I have a couple of their passenger cars and freight but this would be my first engine.

 

HELP!

[8ntruck]

I have a GP-9 and a BL-2 by Williams (pre-Bachmann).  Both are basic units with headlights, horn, bell, dual motors and traction tires.  They are nicely finished, with moderate detail.  They pull well.  The purchase price was pretty good too.

They run faster at a given voltage than my Lionel post-war locomotives.If you are running a TMCC or Legacy control system through a TPC 300 or 400, you will want to re-set the threshold voltage.  I had the threshold voltage on my TPC 400 set for my post- war equipment.  The first time I ran the Williams, it took off like a dragster at the voltage that the post-war equipment would just start to creep.

I have not owned these for very long, so I cannot comment on durability.

Overall, I am happy with my two Williams locomotives.

[TRAINCAT]

I own 3 Williams engines now and definately will buy more. The only real complaint I have heard about Williams steamers is they do not smoke as well as Lionel or MTH. There is also the large flywheel in the rear of the cab. Best bargain out there for the money and super reliable.

Roger

[Buckeye Riveter]

I have four Williams.  Three before Bachman and one after.  Never had any problems.  Put ERR TMCC into two last year.  Great pullers up the grade.  My next locomotive will probably be a Williams Steamer. 

[Ole Timer]

 Love my 3 Williams Cab Forwards - steamers . Pull like mules and always reliable . The detailing on these solid brass beauties is magnificent . If you want reliabilty and quality ... it's there . Wish I had bought more ... had the idea one time 3 was enough .... biggest mistake I ever made NOT buying more  ...  and a tiny short on the tracks won't blow them up like my tmcc engines .....

[Train-O]

Old Timer,

You are correct about the Williams products.
My Wife ordered from Santa Claus, for me this past Christmas, Williams 1:48 Scale, Alco FA-1 Twin 'A' 3001 Erie Lackawanna diesel-electric units, unfortunately the place did not have the FB-1 Dummy unit, which I'm trying to locate.

The power unit has 'True-Blast II' horn and bell sounds, F.N.R., headlight, two maintenance free-powerful-with momentum flywheels-motors.  They're beautiful, super detailed and solid.  They were probably made in 2004, as they're in the Williams 2004 catalog, on page 5.

The power unit is powerful to haul it's own weight, the dummy 'A' and other freight cars behind it.  It runs very smooth from a stop, to start and up to whatever speed I want, without hesitation and without unnecessary noise.

In addition to finding the 'B' unit, I'd like to buy other Williams 1:48 Scale locomotives, as they don't have all of the fancy goodies that go bad and cost too much, though I do like the T.M.C.C. and Legacy features.

Take Care,

Ralph

[cbq9911a]

IEP-NYC-PRR

I really am in the mood to buy an engine (steamer) and considering the price of things lately I was considering a Williams by Bachmann.  Could I get some feedback as to their performance, durability, sound and details from some of you who are experienced with them?  I have a couple of their passenger cars and freight but this would be my first engine.

 

HELP!

 

I've got a Williams 2-8-4 (726 / 736 clone).  Very happy with it; good puller and quite durable.

[coalcracker]

I think if you are content to live without some of the updated features that todays engines offer, then WIlliams is fine.  For example, an MTH PS-2 engine even when run in conventional mode offers some nice features, in particular excellent low speed performance, nice sound, speed control, and transformer controlled coupler operation.  I have Williams scale FA-1, Budd cars, Genesis, and NW-2.  All run good for what they are, but IMO suffer at low speeds and have a dated sound system.  I was often torn between getting a Williams or saving a bit more to buy a PS-2 MTH loco.  I usually ended up getting both.  My 9 yr old son also enjoys the MTH locos more because of the sound.  Unfortunately I have no Williams steamers so I can't give a first hand opinion.  I also think Williams strong customer base says alot about the product.  Hopefully this will continue now that it's Bachmann.  Undeniably, the price of Williams is right from places like MA & PA junction, Justrains, or Wholesale Trains.  If you pay anywhere near retail, IMO Williams looses it's value!

[phillyreading]

Williams was a great product for the money before Bachmann bought them, don't know how it is now after the Bachmann buyout. The engines I describe are all pre-Bachmann, the other stuff when I say older I mean before Bachmann(Williams only).

My Williams GP-9 diesels(one powered unit) will pull about 26 freight cars, my Williams S-2 steam loco will pull close to 30 freight cars, almost ran out of freight cars to pull. The SD-45's are nice as well but a little less powerful in the pulling department and need more voltage upon take-off or start-up. The older Williams don't have any hook-up for TMCC or DCS but you can add that if you like.

What I did with two SD-45's and a unpowered B unit was to install a horn in the B unit and put it between the two SD-45's with model race car wire parts(two wire disconnects) and some 16 AWG wires for electrical hook-up for the horn and also works to supply all three units with center rail power the way I did it.

I have two sets of F-7, A-B-A diesels by Williams as well, one is with the Santa Fe RR and I bought the El Capitan six unit passenger set to go with the F-7's. The other is a set of Pennsy F-7's,  the sound system has engine revving and bell and horn by QSI. I bought a motor up-grade kit from Bachmann and it don't match the speed of my older F-7's, it has faster speed than the older motor set has so I put it in the Pennsy set of F-7's. Now my Santa Fe has two powered F-7's to pull the set, also I took the circuit boards out of my Santa Fe F-7's and replaced them with a bridge rectifier so they run just a little faster than a unit with the circuit boards installed.

The True Blast 2 horn systems are nice, but be sure you order the correct one for the proper engine, they play the grade crossing sequence of; two long, one short, one long on either the diesel horn or the steam whistle. The older True Blast 2 horns had adjustable volume on them, so far the new ones don't have an adjustment that I can do or know how to do. 

So far on the Bachmann site I have heard of one engine having a problem with getting hot but don't know all the details there. Far as I know Bachmann has always dealt with people decently.

Lee F.