P2K Steam locos?

[mikesmowers]

  Hello all, I am wanting to get a steam loco. I have a couple of the P2K Geeps and love the way they look and run, do the P2K steam locos compair with the diesel ones or do they even exist?    Thanks.    Mike

[tstage]

Mike,

Absolutely.  The P2K steamers are beautifully detailed and run very smoothly.  I have the 0-8-0 switcher.  It not only looks great but it really crawls.

Click to enlarge picture

Tom

[cudaken]

 Mike, you never said if you want DC or DCC and with or with out sound? I love my PK2's but all are oil burners so far and no steam yet. But there is a Y-3B at K-10 Trains I keep looking at.

 Ones that K-10 have on display look pretty good, but the BLI's seem just a little better detailed. Most of my steamers are either Backmann, BLI or PCM.

 You all so did not state what sizes turns you have but with your posting cout I will guess you are past the 18" turn stuff.

 I have 4 BLI steamers and one that I run the most is a M1A. Has QSI sound and pulls great! It will take a 18" turn and I have draged 35 cars up a apx 1.5 to 2% grade. It pulling power and my grade has been it's draw back as well. I have stripped out 2 center (tower gears) in around 8 months. But I run it apx 30 hours a week. Bob at BLI has sent me the needed gears for free. I rather repair my self than watie. As I miss spell it is pulling 32 coal cars with no problems.

 On e-bay you can find the BLI M1A betten $210.00 (that is what I got mine for) to $295.00 NIB. 

 BLI has it in its Blue Line verson as well. I have only one Blue Line and it is a Ge AC 6000 with a DCC decoder in it. If the Blue Line Steamers sound as great as the 6000 it is a must have. 

 It is $189.99, here is the link.

 http://www.factorydirecttrains.com/BlueLine-PRR-M1a-b-c3508.html

 Good looking engine, only engine I like the looks better is my PCM Big Boy.

 Let us know the details and what you get. I need more steam power.

        Bolier Head Ken posting again.

[Pathfinder]

Mike,

Absolutely.  The P2K steamers are beautifully detailed and run very smoothly.  I have the 0-8-0 switcher.  It not only looks great but it really crawls.

Tom

I too have the 0-8-0 (got it as a show special for $100 CDN, thanks Hal ) in CP.  Close enough for me and runs very nice

[faraway]

I've got two 0-6-0 and four 0-8-0. They are great machines and run as smooth as possible. I'm very pleased.

I would like to have a larger layout to run the larger engines too, end of dream:-( 

[mikesmowers]

   Thanks for all the replies.   Cuda, I guess I should have been more specific.   I am modeling in HO and although most of my curves are more than 18'' I do have a few partial curves (one, two at the most, 18'' Atlas curves together) My diesels don't have any problems at all with the curves and I can pull up to 32 cars up a 2.5 incline with no problem. I cannot pull any more then 32 cars because of a reverse loop that anything longer the lead loco would take out the caboose.  Are my trains to long?    Thanks for the help. I will be looking into finding one on line.     Mike

[jesrr]

  I have P2K 2-8-4 and it runs very well. and the sound is terrific. It will negociate 18" radius curves. P2K puts out a very good product

[don7]

The steamers are fantastic engines.

However, they are expensive, I would recommend you shop around as the prices will vary drastically between the hobby shops. You will most likely get the best deal with one of the larger on-line hobby stores. 

I would also check out the Spectrum steamers as well before you buy.

[tstage]

Yes, they can be expensive...but they don't have to.  If sound is what you want, then they will - more than likely - be pricey.  However, if you don't mind buying a DC version, you can find them very inexpensively, if you hunt around for deals.

I picked up a DC Proto 2000 New York Central and Erie 0-8-0 switcher for $90 and $80, respectively, off eBay.  Original MSRP: $250.  (And these were from the 2nd run!)  The DH163L0 (now DH165L0) decoders drop right into the NMRA 8-pin socket and run great.

Because of the lighting issues with certain Protos, it's best to double-check and rewire (if necessary) the NMRA socket before installing a decoder into them.  Rewiring means that you only need to shift a few wires around to correct the problem.

Hope that helps... 

Tom

[wedudler]

I've got a 0-8-0 and I had to work a little bit. I installed a tender pick-up and a sound decoder.

Wolfgang 

[MisterBeasley]

I love my 0-6-0 with sound.  It's a great model, and runs very well.  It doesn't have a lot of pulling power, but it came with traction tires which I didn't install.  It's a switcher, and it's job is only to handle a few cars at a time, not to pull a long train on the mainline.

My "big steam" is a BLI Hudson, which I got from Trainworld for $130, with DCC sound.  I thought that was a steal.  (So did they.  The price was $160 last I looked.)  This is also a great engine.  Both of them handle my 18-inch curves.  The Hudson needs to use the longer of the two engine-tender coupling positions to clear the curves, and both engines are just little Martha Stuarts about marginal trackwork, but now that I've fixed all the kinks they are both fine.

[marknewton]

Wolfgang, that's the best steam loco weathering I've seen posted here yet. Very subtle and realistic - looks like you've taken the time to study the way real engines weather, rather than just copying other people's models. Nice work mate!

Cheers,

Mark.

[Texas Chief]

Mike, I have 3 P2k Heritage 2-8-8-2's. 2 are from the first run and have no traction tires and can barely pull thier own weight up a 3 percent grade, let alone a train. My third Mallet is from the last run and has traction tires. It pulls OK but can't come close to my BLI's.

Dick

Texas Chief

[cudaken]

 MisterBeasley, my BLI Hudson was pickey as well. I took out the front copper spring and added lead to the front truck and tracks well now. I like the sound of the Hudson a little more than the M1A but love the looks of the M1A.

 Mike, buy the Blue Line M1A or B, I want someone to try it before I buy it!

 Post about what you bought as well! Ken from K-10 trains keeps telling me they are over priced.

          Cuda Ken

[UP2CSX]

I wouldn't overlook the Bachmann Spectrum line of steam engines either. They run good, have nice detail, and the prices are very attractive. I've got a 2-8-0 with DCC that I got for $95 and a 4-8-4 that's presently DC but has a DCC plug for $55 on e-bay. Both handle curves very well. The 2-8-0 routinely switches a yard with some 18" radius curves and the 4-8-4 runs perfect on 22" curves (it has one blind driver so that helps). P2K makes some nice engines but bachmann has done a great job with their Spectrum line.