Your review gives more precise information in 13 minutes than others do in 20 or 30 minutes. An excellent presentation and a pleasure to view. Thank you.
Catching up on comments... Funny, I really hated the missing lights back in the early 90s when I started noticing that SP was doing that. Now they've grown on me, and I've modeled a lot of SP diesels that way. Thanks for watching!
I feel like I just had a history lesson when I watch your reviews. Thanks! I know you are a big fan of SP locomotives so it is great to see you enjoy these models.
Thank you for the in-depth review. The honest assessment of these encouraged me to buy a couple of them: SP 8556 and UP 4551. I didn’t experience the same issues you had with 8556, but 4551 arrived with a brake shoe that had fallen off, a low front coupler, and the numbers 4451 on the rear of the long hood. The first two issues were an easy fix, but it may be a while before I get around to correcting the incorrect numbers. Overall I am happy, they are great locomotives and have exceptional pulling power.
I have not tried removing lettering from a ScaleTrains model, so I can't really say how difficult that might be. On some Athearn models, brushing on some Micro-Set, letting it dry, then applying tape to the numbers can help to lift them off. That doesn't work on all brands, though. I really like ScaleTrains overall, I just think they need to do a little better with the quality control sometimes. Thanks for watching!
Awesome review! I picked up SP 8514 and 8496 along with UP 4429 and 8803. UP 8803 had a flickering ditch light that requires pressing down on the walkway to get back on. I guess several in my shops shipment have this issue and they said it has to do with oxidized contacts during shipment or something, I'm taking their word for it, but I was having issues with the front coupler to take the shell off to clean the contacts and was thinking the plow might have to come off. This saved me the hassle so I appreciate you adding it to the review.
Catching up on comments... The contacts that ScaleTrains uses have caused poor connections in a couple of models that I've bought from them. Most of the time some pressure seems to fix the issue. I'm glad you found the review helpful. Thanks for watching!
Great review Dan. I picked up each of these 1980-90's roman-lettered units by pre-order and I am very happy with them. The loose sand hoses might be due to rough handling by the shipper. I have noticed after the many ScaleTrains products I've bought that I have much better luck when I get the models directly from the ScaleTrains office in Tennessee by UPS (which they use) then I do with items shipped via USPS from a dealer. All of the instances of loose parts I've had occurred with examples I bought through a dealer shipped by the post office. I have seen the way they treat their boxes :( But these are top-notch models. SP 8556 is my favorite from this release, since this unit visited DFW several times when I was an impressionable youngster.
Catching up on comments... Most of my ScaleTrains models have come direct from ScaleTrains. I'm hoping the SP SD45Rs I have on pre-order will arrive without damage. Thanks for watching!
Great review! I too have experienced sanding lines in the bottom of the box. Also, on one of my Dash-9s, the plow was off. Maybe it is because of USPS like someone else mentioned.
It's possible the parts just shook loose in transit. They have a little tab on them that's a press fit into a hole in the frame. Maybe a dab of glue would have been a good idea. Thanks for watching!
Dan, I’ll bet you’re waiting for them to release lobotomized versions like I am! We ‘90’s SP guys are really getting great products these days. ScaleTrains especially seems to be taking care of us since we have a kindred spirit working for them. ;-)
I am learning a lot from your reviews. You are very methodical, impartial and factual Ironically, I recently found out that I live only 30 miles from Scale Trains in Benton, TN. As soon as this virus thing is over, I am going to go down there and meet them. In my correspondence, they seem like a nice bunch. For what it's worth, I've started putting your link in the description of my videos. I don't have many subscribers yet, and I'm learning video editing still, but I like your videos. Greg in TN
Hello Dan, I was wondering if you were going to get back to the Southern Pacific consist that you were working on. I would like to see it when it's done. I'm working on a consist myself that consist of a patched Chicago Northwestern 6706 AC4400CW, UP AC4400CW, CSX SD70ACE and Union Pacific, Southern Pacific heritage unit SD70ACE. As far as the different colors on both of the Southern Pacific SD40 t - 2 units one being darker and the other one being lighter, the colors would be correct for their particular era. Southern Pacific had a light Lark gray and a dark dark gray. Scalecoat, Scalcoat ll and Tru-color offer both of these colors. I have a Southern Pacific Motive Power Annual from 1977 through 1980 that I bought in July of 1981 and it has Southern Pacific 8303 SD40T-2 on the front cover. ( BTW, I think the horn on 8556 is correct, it's just tilted the wrong way. Look at your book if you have it ).You can see that it has the lighter gray then the one with the speed letter. I remember seeing Southern Pacific units here in Detroit Michigan and in color photos and they were lighter than the newer units such as SD70M's, GP60's and the dash 9s. All came in the darker gray The GP60s that the Southern Pacific had ordered came from Canada. They came through the Detroit / Windsor Tunnel and with layover in the CSX rougemere yard in Dearborn Michigan behind the Ford Rouge Plant. I remember seeing these looked darker and I actually have photos of them sitting in that yard. The I have a Southern Pacific Motive Power annual for 1977 to 1980 and it has a tunnel motor 8303 on the. It has the lighter gray paint scheme. Athearn first produced the tunnel motor back in the early 80s, it was that Lighter shade of grey. One other thing, the paint that the railroads used back in the day all the way up until maybe the nineties I guess didn't really fade like they do now. They used Emeron fleet paint from BASF. The formula for the paint that they use had the lead taken out of it. Paint now peals, fades and everything else and they rust a lot quicker. This was a problem that the auto manufacturers had in the mid-80s. I used to work for collision shops repainting GM, Ford and Chrysler cars that had the problem of peeling paint and what ever else.
Catching up on comments... The consist build is an ongoing project. I think a few more episodes have come out since you left this comment. There should be another out fairly soon. That's great information on the paint and paint colors. I remember SP had a real issue with peeling paint on some units, especially the SD45T-2Rs. Thanks for all the info and for watching, and good luck with your build (if you haven't finished it already)!
Nice review. I think Scaletrains should make GP15-1s, as they already have the compact drive system, and making it shorter won't be difficult. There aren't any good GP15s being made currently.
@@adaribros Athearn's newer models are more consistently good compared to older releases. Their quality has increased recently, however it is very true that models pre-2017 were hit or miss.
Catching up on comments... I have two Genesis GP15-1s, one undecorated and one California Northern. The CFNR unit has a few minor detail issues but is pretty close. Fixing it up is one of my many ongoing projects. I'm planning to use the undecorated model as a UP unit. Thanks for watching!
That's my one and only O scale steam locomotive. I have plans to set up a display track in our game room once the room is finished. I think it should be pretty cool. Thanks for watching!
You're reviews may not be as exciting and engaging as others, but you are very detailed in your work, and the dedication to just about every single tiny specific prototypical detail is rather unique, I dont see many people able to point out tiny inaccuracies like that. Your reviews may sound rather cold and calculated but when you're dropping $270 on something it warrants scrutiny with such a fine-toothed comb.
I like your videos compared to other review videos. Most of the others have the shaky, inconsistent narration, camera with the zooming in & out, and on a turntable on the layout to show the details (I can do without that!) All of the movement makes them hard to watch without taking Dramamine!!
Catching up on comments... I do use slow zooms a lot just to keep from having static pictures on the screen for too long, but I think the key is "slow". I don't like unnecessary or shaky camera movements either. Using lights, a good microphone, and having a script helps, too. Thanks for the kind words and for watching!
The see through effect is neat. I remember seeing the real thing in Truckee many years ago and noticing how much you could see through those grilles. Thanks for watching!
Great looking new tunnel motors by ScaleTrains. I model caboose era D&RGW and a bit of SP, so the labotomized SP SD40T-2's are too new for me. I'm looking forward to when ScaleTrains gets around to offering more early D&RGW and SP tunnel motors. In a way I'm glad ST run 2 and 3 are out of my era or I'd be broke! I'll keep watch for more early versions however. Keep up the good work.
@@DanielCortopassi Yes they are. Bit by bit, I've been replacing my Athearn tunnel motors with ScaleTrains. Unfortunately ScaleTrain's isn't offering SD45T-2's yet. I'm looking forward to the shorter nose SP SD40T-2's but it seems for now ScaleTrains is taking a break from new tunnel motor announcements.
Coupler height issues are probably the most common problem with most of the equipment I get. It's rare, for example, to have something with out of gauge wheels. Thanks for watching!
If these also come in Union Pacific colors, it would make a great compare and contrast video with these sp engines. Yes, Union Pacific did use tunnel motors after the merger.
What kind of Kadee coupler do you use for the front and rear of locomotive??? Reason I'm asking is when you consist them together it seems to me that the locomotives are too close to one another to go around a radius of 22" and that is my minimum radius.
On locomotives without plows I normally use Kadee 158s. On the front of engines with plows I usually use a 156 long shank coupler. I don't know how my engines would do on a 22 inch radius. I have run some of them on Kato Unitrack with a 24 inch radius with no issues, but I haven't tested them all. Thanks for watching!
ScaleTrains are to be admired for their ambitious loco details. However, their factory quality control falls well short of the mark. My Big Blow had so many faults and poorly applied parts I had to return it, but this was only after a major battle with Scaletrains who tried to wriggle out of their responsibilty. I will forever remain cautious about them.
That seems to be a common problem with a lot of manufacturers these days that are producing high-detail models. Quality control is an issue. Maybe it's just with all those parts, there's more potential for things to go wrong. On balance I've had pretty good luck with ScaleTrains, though I did return an N scale UP turbine because it had too many issues. Thanks for watching!
As a railroad engineer, conductor, track inspector and a former millwright who worked on $220 million machines with tolerances measured by the thousands of an inch, it’s difficult for me to take these reviews seriously when it comes to the couplers. Have you ever been around an actual train and seen the variances in coupler heights? It is absolutely ridiculous to maintain a specific specification in the real world. In fact, the other day I observed a long draw bar on an old Canadian Pacific boxcar and we had a variance of over 8 inches, it was absolutely ridiculous, but that’s what happens when the plates get worn that hold the couplers at their original factory height. So I would make the argument that the couplers on these models are OK it’s the reviewers perspective that is off.
I know that prototype couplers sometimes vary in height. Model couplers don't behave in exactly the same way. I did a whole video about this so I'm not going to rehash it here, but if you want to watch, this is the link: ua-cam.com/video/xZza89F3bZI/v-deo.html Thanks for watching!
Yep! They sure added rear ditch lights during the post SP era. Watco(WMAX) bought a few of those units and painted them off-black and off-yellow scheme. I am a fan of some short line railway operators. Kanawha River Railroad(KNWA) uses some of those units.
Catching up on comments... If you're referring to my mention of a "two-piece plastic cradle", I think the outer sleeve counts as one piece and the folded inner piece as two. That's not counting all the bits of foam protecting the handrails and such. Thanks for watching!
Nice review, but this silly business of taking points off because something fell off in the packaging, should have been supplanted by cool things like the builders plates. Given some of the junk out there, these things get a solid 100 if I had to rate them.
I try to maintain a set of objective standards for reviews, and apply those standards to all the models I review as uniformly as I can. I realize that the more parts and details a model has, the more likely it is something may fall off in transit. Still, when you're shelling out hundreds of dollars for a model, it would be nice if it would arrive undamaged. Thanks for watching!
It sounds like yours had more issues than mine did. Sorry to hear that. Quality control is an ongoing problem with a lot of manufacturers. Thanks for watching!
HO scale engines having cab sunshades all have the same problem : They're ugly ! How can those manufacturers put so many nice details but can't fix the shades issue. All of them. I tought they would come with the idea to mold shades railing and shades in on single piece and snug fit them to cad sides. It would be stronger AND better looking in the same time. So it seems like I will have to do it myself again and again. I can't believe manufacturers are not paying attention to that. Shades are like nose in the face. Can't missed it ! Especially when it's ugly.
The sunshades on some of the ScaleTrains tunnel motors weren't the greatest. I prefer photo etched brass sunshades with built in pins that fit into holes drilled into the cab. Some models come with those, otherwise I'll use aftermarket parts. They're the only type of sunshade I've tried that don't fall off constantly. I agree that it's not something I want to have to fix on a model that cost close to $300. Thanks for watching!
This is why I hate hyper detailed trains so much money yet put together half assed. Can somebody for a change make something realistic, sturdy, and simple for once?
It's interesting that ScaleTrains doesn't seem to be offering an Operator version of these. I think brands like Walthers Mainline and Athearn RTR are intended to be less detailed and fragile. Thanks for watching!
Your review gives more precise information in 13 minutes than others do in 20 or 30 minutes. An excellent presentation and a pleasure to view. Thank you.
Catching up on comments... Thanks for the kind words. I try to be concise and to keep things moving. I'm glad it's appreciated. Thanks for watching!
Double the pleasure, double the fun, double the review of an SP run! 😆
Catching up on comments... I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Absolutely love the “lobotomized” look with the oscillating lights removed and the late speed lettering scheme. Great video.
Catching up on comments... Funny, I really hated the missing lights back in the early 90s when I started noticing that SP was doing that. Now they've grown on me, and I've modeled a lot of SP diesels that way. Thanks for watching!
I feel like I just had a history lesson when I watch your reviews. Thanks! I know you are a big fan of SP locomotives so it is great to see you enjoy these models.
Catching up on comments... I do like SP locomotives, for sure. I'm glad you enjoy the reviews. Thanks for watching!
Great review on both locomotives Dan
Catching up on comments... I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the in-depth review. The honest assessment of these encouraged me to buy a couple of them: SP 8556 and UP 4551. I didn’t experience the same issues you had with 8556, but 4551 arrived with a brake shoe that had fallen off, a low front coupler, and the numbers 4451 on the rear of the long hood. The first two issues were an easy fix, but it may be a while before I get around to correcting the incorrect numbers.
Overall I am happy, they are great locomotives and have exceptional pulling power.
I have not tried removing lettering from a ScaleTrains model, so I can't really say how difficult that might be. On some Athearn models, brushing on some Micro-Set, letting it dry, then applying tape to the numbers can help to lift them off. That doesn't work on all brands, though. I really like ScaleTrains overall, I just think they need to do a little better with the quality control sometimes. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your great reviews they help me shop for my layout.
I'm glad you've found the reviews helpful. Thanks for watching!
Awesome review! I picked up SP 8514 and 8496 along with UP 4429 and 8803. UP 8803 had a flickering ditch light that requires pressing down on the walkway to get back on. I guess several in my shops shipment have this issue and they said it has to do with oxidized contacts during shipment or something, I'm taking their word for it, but I was having issues with the front coupler to take the shell off to clean the contacts and was thinking the plow might have to come off. This saved me the hassle so I appreciate you adding it to the review.
Catching up on comments... The contacts that ScaleTrains uses have caused poor connections in a couple of models that I've bought from them. Most of the time some pressure seems to fix the issue. I'm glad you found the review helpful. Thanks for watching!
Great review on two beautiful models!!
Catching up on comments... Thanks for watching!
Very nice video keep up the good work Dan.
Catching up on comments... I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Great review Dan. I picked up each of these 1980-90's roman-lettered units by pre-order and I am very happy with them. The loose sand hoses might be due to rough handling by the shipper. I have noticed after the many ScaleTrains products I've bought that I have much better luck when I get the models directly from the ScaleTrains office in Tennessee by UPS (which they use) then I do with items shipped via USPS from a dealer. All of the instances of loose parts I've had occurred with examples I bought through a dealer shipped by the post office. I have seen the way they treat their boxes :( But these are top-notch models. SP 8556 is my favorite from this release, since this unit visited DFW several times when I was an impressionable youngster.
Catching up on comments... Most of my ScaleTrains models have come direct from ScaleTrains. I'm hoping the SP SD45Rs I have on pre-order will arrive without damage. Thanks for watching!
Great review! I too have experienced sanding lines in the bottom of the box. Also, on one of my Dash-9s, the plow was off. Maybe it is because of USPS like someone else mentioned.
It's possible the parts just shook loose in transit. They have a little tab on them that's a press fit into a hole in the frame. Maybe a dab of glue would have been a good idea. Thanks for watching!
Excellent product review as always, i plan on purchasing the new scaletrains emd sd45 locomotives when they are released later this year, tom.
I have an SP SD45 on order, so I'll be reviewing it when it arrives. Thanks for watching!
Dan, I’ll bet you’re waiting for them to release lobotomized versions like I am! We ‘90’s SP guys are really getting great products these days. ScaleTrains especially seems to be taking care of us since we have a kindred spirit working for them. ;-)
I am learning a lot from your reviews. You are very methodical, impartial and factual
Ironically, I recently found out that I live only 30 miles from Scale Trains in Benton, TN. As soon as this virus thing is over, I am going to go down there and meet them. In my correspondence, they seem like a nice bunch.
For what it's worth, I've started putting your link in the description of my videos. I don't have many subscribers yet, and I'm learning video editing still, but I like your videos. Greg in TN
Thanks, that's what I strive for. That would be cool to visit ScaleTrains sometime. Thanks for watching!
Hello Dan, I was wondering if you were going to get back to the Southern Pacific consist that you were working on. I would like to see it when it's done. I'm working on a consist myself that consist of a patched Chicago Northwestern 6706 AC4400CW, UP AC4400CW, CSX SD70ACE and Union Pacific, Southern Pacific heritage unit SD70ACE. As far as the different colors on both of the Southern Pacific SD40 t - 2 units one being darker and the other one being lighter, the colors would be correct for their particular era. Southern Pacific had a light Lark gray and a dark dark gray. Scalecoat, Scalcoat ll and Tru-color offer both of these colors. I have a Southern Pacific Motive Power Annual from 1977 through 1980 that I bought in July of 1981 and it has Southern Pacific 8303 SD40T-2 on the front cover. ( BTW, I think the horn on 8556 is correct, it's just tilted the wrong way. Look at your book if you have it ).You can see that it has the lighter gray then the one with the speed letter. I remember seeing Southern Pacific units here in Detroit Michigan and in color photos and they were lighter than the newer units such as SD70M's, GP60's and the dash 9s. All came in the darker gray The GP60s that the Southern Pacific had ordered came from Canada. They came through the Detroit / Windsor Tunnel and with layover in the CSX rougemere yard in Dearborn Michigan behind the Ford Rouge Plant. I remember seeing these looked darker and I actually have photos of them sitting in that yard. The I have a Southern Pacific Motive Power annual for 1977 to 1980 and it has a tunnel motor 8303 on the. It has the lighter gray paint scheme. Athearn first produced the tunnel motor back in the early 80s, it was that Lighter shade of grey. One other thing, the paint that the railroads used back in the day all the way up until maybe the nineties I guess didn't really fade like they do now. They used Emeron fleet paint from BASF. The formula for the paint that they use had the lead taken out of it. Paint now peals, fades and everything else and they rust a lot quicker. This was a problem that the auto manufacturers had in the mid-80s. I used to work for collision shops repainting GM, Ford and Chrysler cars that had the problem of peeling paint and what ever else.
Catching up on comments... The consist build is an ongoing project. I think a few more episodes have come out since you left this comment. There should be another out fairly soon. That's great information on the paint and paint colors. I remember SP had a real issue with peeling paint on some units, especially the SD45T-2Rs. Thanks for all the info and for watching, and good luck with your build (if you haven't finished it already)!
Great review 🚂
Thanks for watching!
Nice review. I think Scaletrains should make GP15-1s, as they already have the compact drive system, and making it shorter won't be difficult. There aren't any good GP15s being made currently.
Nate's Trains whats wrong with the genesis ones? Just curious
@@adaribros they aren't made anymore, the details are inaccurate per prototype, and the intake grills are obstructed by tbe truck gear towers.
Nate's Trains I guess it makes sense. It is genesis after all. Their stuff is hit or miss. Thanks!
@@adaribros Athearn's newer models are more consistently good compared to older releases. Their quality has increased recently, however it is very true that models pre-2017 were hit or miss.
Catching up on comments... I have two Genesis GP15-1s, one undecorated and one California Northern. The CFNR unit has a few minor detail issues but is pretty close. Fixing it up is one of my many ongoing projects. I'm planning to use the undecorated model as a UP unit. Thanks for watching!
Perfect review as always!
Catching up on comments... Thanks so much!
Scale Trains also offers undecorated versions of these short nosed T2's for those of you who still like to build/ model custom units like me!!!
It's cool that they're offering undecorated models. Thanks for watching!
Love 3751 behind you in the beginning
That's my one and only O scale steam locomotive. I have plans to set up a display track in our game room once the room is finished. I think it should be pretty cool. Thanks for watching!
You're reviews may not be as exciting and engaging as others, but you are very detailed in your work, and the dedication to just about every single tiny specific prototypical detail is rather unique, I dont see many people able to point out tiny inaccuracies like that.
Your reviews may sound rather cold and calculated but when you're dropping $270 on something it warrants scrutiny with such a fine-toothed comb.
I feel like the point of a review is to provide as much objective factual information as I can. Thanks for watching!
great review on both models
Catching up on comments... Thanks for watching!
I like your videos compared to other review videos. Most of the others have the shaky, inconsistent narration, camera with the zooming in & out, and on a turntable on the layout to show the details (I can do without that!) All of the movement makes them hard to watch without taking Dramamine!!
Catching up on comments... I do use slow zooms a lot just to keep from having static pictures on the screen for too long, but I think the key is "slow". I don't like unnecessary or shaky camera movements either. Using lights, a good microphone, and having a script helps, too. Thanks for the kind words and for watching!
wow cool i got 1in HO ScaleTrains SD40T-2 SP (2nd run) #8514 Thanks for the reviews. Dan.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
These are absolutely amazing models. I just looked at one of my OMI units, and it doesn’t have a completely clear air grille!
The see through effect is neat. I remember seeing the real thing in Truckee many years ago and noticing how much you could see through those grilles. Thanks for watching!
_Technically_ SP never had conventional SD40-2s, but they did have SD40Rs and SD40M-2s which were basically the same thing.
Yes. I am working on having examples of all of those types for my upcoming layout. Thanks for watching!
Very nice model!
Catching up on comments... Yes, they are nice. Thanks for watching!
Great looking new tunnel motors by ScaleTrains. I model caboose era D&RGW and a bit of SP, so the labotomized SP SD40T-2's are too new for me. I'm looking forward to when ScaleTrains gets around to offering more early D&RGW and SP tunnel motors. In a way I'm glad ST run 2 and 3 are out of my era or I'd be broke! I'll keep watch for more early versions however. Keep up the good work.
These are hard to resist, especially for SP and DRGW fans. Thanks for watching!
@@DanielCortopassi Yes they are. Bit by bit, I've been replacing my Athearn tunnel motors with ScaleTrains. Unfortunately ScaleTrain's isn't offering SD45T-2's yet. I'm looking forward to the shorter nose SP SD40T-2's but it seems for now ScaleTrains is taking a break from new tunnel motor announcements.
I enjoyed your review Dan. Seems like everyone you do has coupler issues wonder what gives with that. Looking forward to the next consist installment
Coupler height issues are probably the most common problem with most of the equipment I get. It's rare, for example, to have something with out of gauge wheels. Thanks for watching!
Every ST unit I've received has coupler height issues.@@DanielCortopassi
Great review of both units Dam. I had a feeling you'd get more of these Southern Pacific SD40T-2s. 😂😂😂
Well, since I decided to model Donner Pass, I figured I can't have too many tunnel motors. Great excuse, right? Thanks for watching!
If these also come in Union Pacific colors, it would make a great compare and contrast video with these sp engines. Yes, Union Pacific did use tunnel motors after the merger.
They will be making a few UP models.
Catching up on comments... Since I model pre-merger, I won't be getting any of the UP versions. I'm sure they'll be nice, though. Thanks for watching!
What kind of Kadee coupler do you use for the front and rear of locomotive??? Reason I'm asking is when you consist them together it seems to me that the locomotives are too close to one another to go around a radius of 22" and that is my minimum radius.
On locomotives without plows I normally use Kadee 158s. On the front of engines with plows I usually use a 156 long shank coupler. I don't know how my engines would do on a 22 inch radius. I have run some of them on Kato Unitrack with a 24 inch radius with no issues, but I haven't tested them all. Thanks for watching!
I like how you hammer them for low couplers, maybe they'll fix that.
Almost every model, regardless of manufacturer. I really wish I didn't have to keep taking points for that issue. Thanks for watching!
Great review as usual Dan! How quiet does the unit run when the locomotive sounds is off? Any noticeable gear or motor noise? Thanks again!
Catching up on comments... they are pretty quiet with the sound off. Thanks for watching!
ScaleTrains are to be admired for their ambitious loco details. However, their factory quality control falls well short of the mark. My Big Blow had so many faults and poorly applied parts I had to return it, but this was only after a major battle with Scaletrains who tried to wriggle out of their responsibilty. I will forever remain cautious about them.
That seems to be a common problem with a lot of manufacturers these days that are producing high-detail models. Quality control is an issue. Maybe it's just with all those parts, there's more potential for things to go wrong. On balance I've had pretty good luck with ScaleTrains, though I did return an N scale UP turbine because it had too many issues. Thanks for watching!
As a railroad engineer, conductor, track inspector and a former millwright who worked on $220 million machines with tolerances measured by the thousands of an inch, it’s difficult for me to take these reviews seriously when it comes to the couplers. Have you ever been around an actual train and seen the variances in coupler heights? It is absolutely ridiculous to maintain a specific specification in the real world. In fact, the other day I observed a long draw bar on an old Canadian Pacific boxcar and we had a variance of over 8 inches, it was absolutely ridiculous, but that’s what happens when the plates get worn that hold the couplers at their original factory height. So I would make the argument that the couplers on these models are OK it’s the reviewers perspective that is off.
I know that prototype couplers sometimes vary in height. Model couplers don't behave in exactly the same way. I did a whole video about this so I'm not going to rehash it here, but if you want to watch, this is the link:
ua-cam.com/video/xZza89F3bZI/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching!
I do love those locos. Those locos lack rear ditch lights. Otherwise, it is a great loco overall.
SP Tunnel Motors didn't have rear ditch lights. It's possible some of them had rear ditch lights added after SP's demise. Thanks for watching!
Yep! They sure added rear ditch lights during the post SP era. Watco(WMAX) bought a few of those units and painted them off-black and off-yellow scheme. I am a fan of some short line railway operators. Kanawha River Railroad(KNWA) uses some of those units.
is this an error 1:14
Catching up on comments... If you're referring to my mention of a "two-piece plastic cradle", I think the outer sleeve counts as one piece and the folded inner piece as two. That's not counting all the bits of foam protecting the handrails and such. Thanks for watching!
Nice review, but this silly business of taking points off because something fell off in the packaging, should have been supplanted by cool things like the builders plates. Given some of the junk out there, these things get a solid 100 if I had to rate them.
I try to maintain a set of objective standards for reviews, and apply those standards to all the models I review as uniformly as I can. I realize that the more parts and details a model has, the more likely it is something may fall off in transit. Still, when you're shelling out hundreds of dollars for a model, it would be nice if it would arrive undamaged. Thanks for watching!
I was VERY disappointed in this 2nd run as the engineer's walkway is totally warped and the sunshades are mounted WAY too high.
It sounds like yours had more issues than mine did. Sorry to hear that. Quality control is an ongoing problem with a lot of manufacturers. Thanks for watching!
HO scale engines having cab sunshades all have the same problem : They're ugly ! How can those manufacturers put so many nice details but can't fix the shades issue. All of them. I tought they would come with the idea to mold shades railing and shades in on single piece and snug fit them to cad sides. It would be stronger AND better looking in the same time. So it seems like I will have to do it myself again and again. I can't believe manufacturers are not paying attention to that. Shades are like nose in the face. Can't missed it ! Especially when it's ugly.
The sunshades on some of the ScaleTrains tunnel motors weren't the greatest. I prefer photo etched brass sunshades with built in pins that fit into holes drilled into the cab. Some models come with those, otherwise I'll use aftermarket parts. They're the only type of sunshade I've tried that don't fall off constantly. I agree that it's not something I want to have to fix on a model that cost close to $300. Thanks for watching!
This is why I hate hyper detailed trains so much money yet put together half assed. Can somebody for a change make something realistic, sturdy, and simple for once?
It's interesting that ScaleTrains doesn't seem to be offering an Operator version of these. I think brands like Walthers Mainline and Athearn RTR are intended to be less detailed and fragile. Thanks for watching!