markoles

Luke and I were playing trains yesterday. I forgot that these might have had a wheel issue. Didn't matter because we didn't have a problem. It is worth noting that I was able to install the revo in the tender so fast that the hardest part of the whole installation was putting the last darn screw in to put the shell back on! We ran the PRR and UP switchers at Christmas under our tree, and they performed great!

It is based on an earlier version of the Aristo Pacific, but the boiler is now fixed to the frame. The current design I have allows the boiler top to be removed by unscrewing 4 screws.

Chris, I heard a similar story from Dave. Well, perhaps they are improving the drive as they go? WHat was happening with yours?

Joe, I believe the AML GP-60 has been 'announced' for a while now. Couple years at least. I don't know when the hudson was announced, but the prototype sure was pretty and ran well. It was live steam. I rode a GP-60 on a general freight when I worked for NS. Only freight I rode when I was working for them! They still had 4 SD-9's on the roster then, too. I remember getting up in the cab of the one in Chattanooga. Seems like it was a low number, maybe 57 or something? Chuck, I am sure that someone would pony up the dough for the working prototype. After all, if they cancel the production, you have a one-off collectable that works. And if they make it, well, then that pays for that prototype version, maybe.

My K4 boiler shell showed up Friday afternoon. Looks a lot like the AML post war version. I'll take some photos when I get a chance..

Ben, This should prove to be an interesting topic. I saw your engine last year at the ECLSTS, while I was just prowling around. No electronics? Like no motors? Was the whole frame bent? Between this post and Chuck's, this looks like it will be a good resource for those who attempt repairs on this engine. The comment on the service is similar to my own, but I'll spare you that.

Chuck, LOL! Can't believe I fell for that!! I must be drinking too much kool aid again. Oh wait, I switched to Tang.

Chuck, I think you may be right. Live steam, for sure, the crowd there wants the 1/32 scale. Honestly, I think it is a very iconic and beautiful locomotive. If I had the means, and no kids college or house payments to worry about, I would be ordering one. Just such a beautiful machine! Then again, I wonder if they'll get that fin on the smokebox straight. Ask Ray about the cowling on top of his Accucraft GS-4. 600 hopper cars?! Sweet. I have to run my train around my track about 150 times to see 600 hopper cars!! Clearly, there are people without real lives online who use the anonymity to their advantage and bully others in to submission. The trouble is when you have a couple or three individuals who take over forums and all the decorum and respect goes right out the window. I decided there were other things to do with my time, and moved on. Seems a lot of others did as well.

I remember when these came out. The price point, even for a metal engine, was pretty high. Also, I believe they did not have lights or smoke. Still, the K4's I've seen in person looked very nice. I posted in the other AML thread that I thought there were issues with electrical, etc.. Seems my memory was pretty close!

Oh, and re: Seems to me that 1:29 scale is leading a slow death as there's only what? 2 players in it now?? No one is fully 1/29 scale. But there are: AML Bachmann (that Peter Witt street car, if you count that!) PIKO: Can we call their Euro models 1/29? USAT: their ultimate series line

I've had too many encounters with that poster online over the years that I try to have as little contact as possible. I doubt the SD-60 is a real project with a real delivery at this point. SD-9, same story, different channel. Regarding the AML hudson, we saw the operating unit at the ECLSTS last spring. Like you said, Chuck, a prototype ahead of the real deal. I have a friend here who placed a pre-order with accucraft for one at the 2013 ECLSTS. Apparently, they didn't ask for money, so no one is really 'out' anything if accucraft doesn't make it. Unless you gave someone money for a preorder, I guess. I believe this will be a sensational locomotive, but more like how the Porsche Panamerican is a huge hit. Only for a few. 50? I believe they could sell 50 of these. Heck, fine arts models made and sold these out. And that was electric only. I suspect that what the poster failed to convey in his diatribe is that perhaps AML wants 50 preorders of the electric version. My opinion of their electric trains has been low. The reports of the K4 operation and the 0-6-0, along with the older 1/20.3 models has not been what I'd call stellar, considering the price tag. I can live with an aristo steamer crapping out that I paid $450 for. A $4500+ locomotive needs to be bullet proof, in my opinion. Look at how the AML K4 sold (before the $800 liquidations). The 0-6-0 electric is for sale at $800 PLUS 4 stock cars. That tells me their sales have been dismal. Again, these look nice, but I am suspicious of their mechanical/ electrical reliability. I believe Accucraft could make and sell 50 units of the hudson.

This is so exciting! I know it is years off before this locomotive rolls again under its own power, but wow! The foam is going to be feet deep on both sides of the UP mainline on that first run...

Ray, did you also get one of the prewar versions? I am awaiting a boiler shell from a guy in Scotland to modify my aristo pacific in to a more K-4ish version. Got the tender shell already.. I painted my wheels black, but upon further review, I believe I need to paint them green. Cool.

Bearcat, Those videos got me pretty jazzed up about this engine, too. One question I had was related to the valve gear and side rods. Are they plastic? They look kind of thin? The Piko boxcars are old MDC molds, I believe, and more like 1/32 scale. The caboose is a narrow gauge 1/24 scale model of a D&RGW caboose, not sure about the ore cars or 2 bay hopper cars. The other Piko models, like the crocodile and taurus locomotives strike me as being something like 1/26~ 1/29, but I haven't taken a scale ruler or looked up dimensions. To me, the attraction of this engine in particular is the seeming level of detail, without being so far out of my price range. I had been strongly considering adding the LGB HSB 2-6-2T loco, especially after spending 4 days riding the HSB in 2012, but haven't yet. This locomotive, being a standard gauge model, would fit with the rest of my railroad much better than the HSB 2-6-2T. And while I'd love to have one of the 2-10-2Ts, that's out of the question, unless someone is looking to make a donation.

Bjorn, No problem! Hey, that Marklin T9.3 looks cool, too. If we assume both locomotives are actually scale 1:32, then that shows the difference between North American clearances and Continental clearances!

Bearcat, Looks great!! Did you take any video of it? It appears that the rear driver set is hinged to allow R1 curve capability. How big is this engine? Heavy? Looks great! Jim and I have been discussing this locomotive for a while.

Jerry, if they had announced a Streamlined N&W J 4-8-4, I'd have preordered one... still sort of tempted by that NS executive F7..

Jerry, I sent them a note requesting this, and they said they would consider it. Frankly, given the excitement in the railfan community, I think it would be a no brainer.

One of the guys who posts a lot of facebook had one of the moguls. Seems he stripped gears in it twice. My general impression of Piko g scale is that it is toy train first and foremost, model second. The BR-64 may change my opinion on that, and their huge electric crocodile is certainly not a toy. But the 0-6-0 starter set they've been selling for a few years seems to have room for improvement. I believe the first US outline 0-6-0 starter set engines had painted black wheels, including the treads, so the only pick up was the sliders. This seems to have been remedied on subsequent runs. The paint schemes and level of detail on the 2-6-0s and 0-6-0s of the past couple of years is very reminiscent of the LGB, paint as many paint schemes as possible. I've sent this link out to my friends in the g scale train club, and more than a few responded positively about this camelback, so I expect that it will be a hit if it ever sees the light of day. And most of these other 2-6-0 and 0-6-0s seem to be hitting the ground, as well. The track looks good to me, similar in quality to the LGB of the past.

Hey guys, I was trolling on the PIKO.de site and was looking at their G-scale locomotives. I happened across this little 0-6-0, and it's one of the first camelback locomotives offered in G scale that I can think of: http://www.piko-shop.de/index.php?vw_type=artikel&vw_id=17026 Looks a lot like the real thing: http://abpr.railfan.net/february99/02-05-99/rdg1344.jpg While still possibly a little on the short/ tall side of things, this camelback is the closest thing I've seen using that chasis from Piko. Exciting times! They also are showing a green Reading boxcar, Reading hopper car and a Reading caboose. Also saw baggage and drovers cabooses based on the short passenger cars introduced last year (that look a lot like the old LGB 3080/ 3181/ 4075 series cars).

Mike, What shop did you check with?

Finally got the tree layout up and running last night. Had the kids running Thomas and an Eggliner. Full speed, of course!

Hi guys, I keep hearing the new Piko american steam sound file and think it sounds great. I see this added to a lot of the new mogul locomotives and am curious if anyone has attempted to run the sound card in parallel with Aristo's revolution TE. I run my LGB mikado sound board in parallel with the REvo (used for controlling the motor and triggering the whistle and bell only). Interested to hear experiences..

It might help if you could post a picture. I've been running the polar express version of this engine using rechargable C batteries. My kids are 3 & 6 and love this train.