I checked the PCM schedule and the PA' are in and now shipping.
After an email to Firsthobby, I found out mine will be shipped this week and I should have the PA set next week.
The ALCO sound should be fairly good if I can believe the reports for the FA set.
Anyone out there have the FA set and how do they sound???
Thanks
CAZEPHYR
Yup. My LHS got a Southern Pacific A-B-A "Daylight" set in yesterday. Someone at the factory glued the handrails in all wrong on the A units. All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees. The paint scheme and the general look of the loco, however, is absolutely breathtaking!
I'd have watched it run, but I was too busy drooling over a PFM Crown Western Pacific 4-6-6-4 in the brass case that was WAY out of my reach!
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
twhite wrote: Yup. My LHS got a Southern Pacific A-B-A "Daylight" set in yesterday. Someone at the factory glued the handrails in all wrong on the A units. All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees. The paint scheme and the general look of the loco, however, is absolutely breathtaking!I'd have watched it run, but I was too busy drooling over a PFM Crown Western Pacific 4-6-6-4 in the brass case that was WAY out of my reach!Tom
Do you think the handrails are fixable or can they be replaced?? I hope that is a one on problem with those units only. I ordered the Santa Fe War Bonnet paint with the stainless steel panels and hope the handrails are acceptable. If PCM starts detailing their models with little care for detail, they can forget my future possible buys.
Thanks for the information. I will report on these when they get here.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
R. T. POTEET wrote:I'll bite!!! What is good about this news???
It is good news if you are waiting for the PA's with sound. The PA's to me represent the late forties rush to market a passenger locomotive and fit into the late steam and early diesel era with class. True, they were not the most successful diesel by a long shot, but probably the most classic design made to date.
Cheers
That would be a good way to describe the BLI F7s. Although the F7s also looked like the tooling was done by Bachmann.
twhite wrote:All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees.
All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees.
I am waiting for two Daylight ABA sets with sound to come in. I hope the handrail issue was a fluke. I guess I will have to wait and see. I have to sell one set off (it's a long story), so I hope they don't get too bad of a wrap.
CAZEPHYR wrote: R. T. POTEET wrote:I'll bite!!! What is good about this news???It is good news if you are waiting for the PA's with sound. The PA's to me represent the late forties rush to market a passenger locomotive and fit into the late steam and early diesel era with class. True, they were not the most successful diesel by a long shot, but probably the most classic design made to date. Cheers
csmith9474 wrote: I am waiting for two Daylight ABA sets with sound to come in. I hope the handrail issue was a fluke. I guess I will have to wait and see. I have to sell one set off (it's a long story), so I hope they don't get too bad of a wrap.
I hope the hand rail issue was a fluke also. I have several of their steam engines, but this will be my first diesel from PCM. If the hand rails are bad, I will ship them back as it is too much money to pay and get poor quality. The BLI diesels had some issues also with the grills and other details so it might be the lack of quality control.
CAZEPHYR wrote: csmith9474 wrote: I am waiting for two Daylight ABA sets with sound to come in. I hope the handrail issue was a fluke. I guess I will have to wait and see. I have to sell one set off (it's a long story), so I hope they don't get too bad of a wrap. I hope the hand rail issue was a fluke also. I have several of their steam engines, but this will be my first diesel from PCM. If the hand rails are bad, I will ship them back as it is too much money to pay and get poor quality. The BLI diesels had some issues also with the grills and other details so it might be the lack of quality control.
I am with you on that. After the BLI F7 dabacle, am a bit skeptical.
CAZEPHYR wrote: twhite wrote: Yup. My LHS got a Southern Pacific A-B-A "Daylight" set in yesterday. Someone at the factory glued the handrails in all wrong on the A units. All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees. The paint scheme and the general look of the loco, however, is absolutely breathtaking!I'd have watched it run, but I was too busy drooling over a PFM Crown Western Pacific 4-6-6-4 in the brass case that was WAY out of my reach!Tom TomDo you think the handrails are fixable or can they be replaced?? I hope that is a one on problem with those units only. I ordered the Santa Fe War Bonnet paint with the stainless steel panels and hope the handrails are acceptable. If PCM starts detailing their models with little care for detail, they can forget my future possible buys. Thanks for the information. I will report on these when they get here. CAZEPHYR
CAZEPHYR:
Had to go back to the hobby shop today (bought the wrong length couplers, as usual!) and the PA's were in the display case, handrails re-set right. They don't have sound (it's the $399 non-sound version), but they DO look elegant. It was possibly just a one-error thing from the factory.
As to the BLI diesels--I have the CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO A-B-B E-7 set, and it's a beautiful runner, the sound is stupenduous, and it will pull anything I want to put behind it. Very smooth, VERY nice. So if the PA's are anything like the E-7's you should be a Very Happy Camper.
But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh. I'm thinking of cashing in an Insurance Policy, LOL!
Thanks for the update on the handrails. My units are in transit as of today and I hope to see them in a few days.
The WP Challengers are rare and have never been cheap. I managed to trade a dealer out of one of the new Global Outlet Santa Fe 2-10-4's two months ago. He had two and I had something he wanted and our trades were both equal in value so we made a switch. It feels good to get a new locomotive without cash or CC, but that does not happen often.
csmith9474 wrote: CAZEPHYR wrote: csmith9474 wrote: I am waiting for two Daylight ABA sets with sound to come in. I hope the handrail issue was a fluke. I guess I will have to wait and see. I have to sell one set off (it's a long story), so I hope they don't get too bad of a wrap. I hope the hand rail issue was a fluke also. I have several of their steam engines, but this will be my first diesel from PCM. If the hand rails are bad, I will ship them back as it is too much money to pay and get poor quality. The BLI diesels had some issues also with the grills and other details so it might be the lack of quality control. I am with you on that. After the BLI F7 dabacle, am a bit skeptical.
I skipped the BLI F series since I had invested in the Genesis F units to the tune of way too many and counting. Some of my Genesis units now have Soundtrax installed in them with NEC decoders. They are great looking and run well on DCC.
CAZEPHYR wrote: Tom Thanks for the update on the handrails. My units are in transit as of today and I hope to see them in a few days. The WP Challengers are rare and have never been cheap. I managed to trade a dealer out of one of the new Global Outlet Santa Fe 2-10-4's two months ago. He had two and I had something he wanted and our trades were both equal in value so we made a switch. It feels good to get a new locomotive without cash or CC, but that does not happen often. CAZEPHYR
CAZEPHYR--
Believe me, if it had been a Crown NP Z-8, I would have sold my two Maine Coon cats for it (not really, LOL!). But this is so unusual looking (actually kind of homely), that I think it would look really nice on my layout. Of course, WP only used them in Utah and Nevada, and I don't think they ever saw a pine tree until they were hauled down the Feather River canyon to Oakland to be scrapped. But it's sure a distinctive looking locomotive.
Whoa! You got one of those Santa Fe 2-10-4's? I've seen the photos, they're absolutely GORGEOUS! Let me know how it runs, minimum radius, all that good stuff, okay? If you're DCC, I can see that puppy helping your Santa Fe PA's up Raton Pass, right now!
Again, hope your PA set runs and sounds as good as my E-7's. Let me know, okay?
The Santa Fe engine runs extremely well and is about as good as it gets. However, it needs a minimum 36" radius and would probably be happy on 40" or better. This is one engine that is that is good for looking at and just enjoying the Samtech work. Every hatch opens along with some detail I am still discovering. It even has ball bearings for the gear box worm.
I talked to Global Outlet by email last month and found out the SF 2900 class will be a future engine for them also. It is not on their list yet, but drawings are being worked on. That one will be a purchase for sure if I am still working when it comes down the line.
twhite wrote: But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh. I'm thinking of cashing in an Insurance Policy, LOL!Tom
Went there today to check it out. Sweeeeeet...but $1700! You could just sell a bunch of your Broadways...
"Being misunderstood is the fate of all true geniuses"
EXPERIMENTATION TO BRING INNOVATION
http://community.webshots.com/album/288541251nntnEK?start=588
TwinZephyr wrote: twhite wrote:All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees. That would be a good way to describe the BLI F7s. Although the F7s also looked like the tooling was done by Bachmann.
AggroJones wrote: twhite wrote: But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh. Went there today to check it out. Sweeeeeet...but $1700!
twhite wrote: But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh.
Gandy Dancer wrote: TwinZephyr wrote: twhite wrote:All that money, and the super-detailing looked as if it had been done by a couple of chimpanzees. That would be a good way to describe the BLI F7s. Although the F7s also looked like the tooling was done by Bachmann. That and the sound was very disapointing for a BLI.
Getting a bit picky are we? Upgrade em with the QSI chips LOL. Or better yet download your own sounds to the engines.
I draw the line at the tooling. Never saw a F unit I dont like even if it was a basic Athearn blue box from long ago. I thought that the Proto FA units were the best in the tooling dept.
Gandy Dancer wrote: AggroJones wrote: twhite wrote: But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh. Went there today to check it out. Sweeeeeet...but $1700!That isn't bad, for a while they had gotten up in to the $2500 range. A W&R GN/NP/SP&S Z6 4-6-6-4 will be almost twice that. The W&Rs are one reason the PFM units dropped in value so much.
Regardless.... thats still a hefty chunk to pay for one locomotive.
AggroJones wrote: Gandy Dancer wrote: AggroJones wrote: twhite wrote: But, oh, my, that brass Crown WP 4-6-6-4--sigh. Went there today to check it out. Sweeeeeet...but $1700!That isn't bad, for a while they had gotten up in to the $2500 range. A W&R GN/NP/SP&S Z6 4-6-6-4 will be almost twice that. The W&Rs are one reason the PFM units dropped in value so much. Regardless.... thats still a hefty chunk to pay for one locomotive.
Aggro--
Yah, you've got a point. I remember two or three years ago when I laid down an ENORMOUS amount of sheckels for the PSC Rio Grande F-81 2-10-2. Thought I'd need my head examined after that one--but it's still one of the sweetest running brass steamers I own, and I don't regret the outlay at all.
Unfortunately, as you said, this is a real CHUNK for one loco.
Hmm--get rid of my Broadways? Now THERE'S a reason to finally put them on the market!
I checked all of my brass books and was curious about the WP 4-6-6-4 you talked about. PFM was not listed as making that engine, as least from the records I have. That engine might be a rare model since it was not listed.
Can you look at it again and check on who made it?? If PFM did make it, I wanted to add the engine to the book as an addition to the WP section.
These PA's are SWEEET! I got mine on Wednesday. I got the DRGW Aspen Leaft Scheme. The y are way too loud for my taste straight out of the box. they are sweet sounding thought. They also have some momentum to them as well. I opened them up (which was suprisingly simple) to have a peek under the hood. FOUR speakers in this bad boy. One in each A unit and two in the B unit. The B unit is a slave off of the #1 a unit (controls speakers and B unit motor of of A unit Decoder). I turned the volume down to about half of what it was from the factory.
I had no problems with any of the handrails. the front Light lense was a little loose and one fell out. I put it back and and it hasn't come back out. I love these engines. I just wish I had more time to play with them.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Renegade1c wrote: These PA's are SWEEET! I got mine on Wednesday. I got the DRGW Aspen Leaft Scheme. The y are way too loud for my taste straight out of the box. they are sweet sounding thought. They also have some momentum to them as well. I opened them up (which was suprisingly simple) to have a peek under the hood. FOUR speakers in this bad boy. One in each A unit and two in the B unit. The B unit is a slave off of the #1 a unit (controls speakers and B unit motor of of A unit Decoder). I turned the volume down to about half of what it was from the factory. I had no problems with any of the handrails. the front Light lense was a little loose and one fell out. I put it back and and it hasn't come back out. I love these engines. I just wish I had more time to play with them.
Renegade1c
I agree with you on the sound needs to be lowered. I programmed it down to one half the orginal sound and it is still fairly loud for the home use. It might have to be increased for a large club layout if background noise was fairly high.
They are very nice. Mine are the Santa Fe units.
There is a great review on the Santa Susana web page below. I will link it.
Thanks to Sanitago for this review.
http://www.santasusannadepot.org/reviews/PCM_PA.html