Careful Joe, that same "someone" also posts here (in this very thread, actually) FYI, that particular thread has been locked on Railwire and the relevant picture is no longer viewable. Unfortunate that, because if you can get past the dripping sarcasm, it did point out the discrepancies very nicely (for those who might be interested in such things). Cheers, -Mark
Well, I did not make any disparaging remarks about that poster on RW, here. To the rivet counters, some obvious issues. Let's just enjoy running!
Sorry Randy, it's tough to get a non-skewed perspective on these close-up photos. But how's this? Cheers, -Mark
Looking at NYC NW-2 pics on Fallen Flags site, they all have a white sill. Saw one with cigar band logo on cab side! Closest to Bmann # I saw was this, http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc8767ads.jpg. Others had Sinclair on right side of cab roof. As we all know, the proto was all over the place too! Joe D
My GN unit was in the mail when I got home this evening. Yeah, there are a few details that were off, but overall I am happy with my purchase. I wonder what they will do next?
I have four and the blue is too light, real Santa Fe blue is almost black, not to the extent of Pennsy green but still darker than Kato's representation. I've given up hope that Kato will replace the color blind guy who picks out the yellow paint.
Those side by side photos of the Bachmann and Kato NW2's speak louder than words as the old saying goes, not bad at all. I don't think decoder size is an issue for Bachmann doing an SW1, or not, the decoder board looks as thought it could have been made smaller if they wanted but was designed to fit the mechanism, not the other way around.
............which goes a long way toward explaining why it will not clear UNITRAM turnouts. The S-4 would not clear them, either. Still, it does run well: the creeping is good and the top speed is not bad. My observation on the dimensions is that the hood and the walkway/platform on the B-mann are somewhat longer than on the Kato. As an SP modeller has confirmed, the Kato and B-mann represent different phases. Right now, that other forum appears to be down, so I can not get there to see why the administrators locked the topic. Too bad that they did.
I'm pretty sure clearing Unitram turnouts was not something Bachmann's design team would have even thought of.
UNITRAM is Kato's sectional trolley/street trackage. All of the sections that have appeared, thus far, including the turnouts, are double tracked. The curves are extremely sharp; the turnouts even sharper. I did a topic on it on that other forum where the administrators have locked the topic on this locomotive. I made a list of locomotives that will run on this trackage. Many locomotives that will go around the curves will not go through the turnouts. There are various reasons why they will not clear the turnouts. In some cases, it is the positioning of the plastic parts of the turnouts or crossings that causes a loss of contact. In other cases, the locomotive climbs the trackage and loses contract. In other cases, the locomotive simply derails. The Bachpersonn S-4 and NW-2 fall into the last category. Funny, the Kato NW-2 and LL SW will operate on the UNITRAM , including the turnouts. I have managed to cut some of the curved and straight pieces to make single track sections. I have yet to summon the courage to try to make single track turnouts. That would allow me to operate more locomotives on them, as the plastic rail crossings would be eliminated. I am currently using some of this track on my pike as street trackage. I have always been able to make curved and straight street trackage, but I have never been happy with any of my attempts at street trackage turnouts. The Kato turnouts have addressed this problem, somewhat. It would be better if someone manufactured #4 single track turnouts.
Just brought my loco to kitchen table for exploration. Scribed battery box separation. [/URL] Body off to wash it, then saw this at cab end. Perhaps where wobble is coming from? [/URL] Next up is to install MT Z905's. Joe D Getting rear truck tower cap on was easy, but did not solve wobble in forward. Need to open 'er up a bit more I guess.
I do not disagree (choice of words deliberate). B-mann probably designs things to run on nine and three quarters, at the sharpest. They do not even sell anything sharper than eleven and one quarter anymore. I have been looking for power, especially switchers, to operate on the street trackage on my pike, which is mostly the UNITRAM . All of the turnouts are UNITRAM . When a yard goat, small steam locomotive or first generation road switcher appears, if I am interested, I will try to operate it on the street trackage. I usually report on my findings when there is a topic on the new release on a forum.
Oops. I wonder if this is a common incident? It makes me think toward a bit of carelessness on the assembly line.
Front truck bottom/side frame just fell off when going to put shell on. But top cover was in place properly, unlike rear. As usual, soaked with lube! Still have wobble after putting front truck assembly back on. Have to roll the wheels on track to see. Joe D Wheels roll true. Maybe it's the wires to truck contacts! With a bit more weight added, it might go away. Wobble is more perceptible at mid speed. Maybe I should rewire the trucks with superflex from Tim at Ngineering.com. It's not a major issue, just makes my track laying skills look even worse. But we've all seen real bad track out there on proto.
I guess I would be surprised if the average Chinese worker, making very little money to manufacture toys they could never afford for the western market, took much pride in their work. In that situation they probably work just hard enough to avoid getting fired, this isn't Kato and they aren't Japan's decently compensated employees who take personal pride in their livelihoods. Still the NYC unit looks pretty decent and could easily be repainted in B&M which is my concern. I think I will wait for the second release, to see if Bachmann makes a factory painted B&M unit available, before I take the financial plunge into setting up for a repaint.
So their reputation eventually falls, followed by decreased sales, then employment and income improves to zero. I'd still believe there should be some sort of QC at the factory.
You may be interested in the Proto 87 website. They have street trackage that, although designed for HO will work in N scale. With their girder rail system HO models ride on their flanges but N scale models may not. Their girder rail is .7mm high and 2mm wide. This allows you to use .5mm [.020 inch] styrene as a road surface between rails. They also have single point switches [turnouts]. From the photo of the girder rail I'm guessing that the flangeway depth is about .025 inches. Here is the website: http://www.proto87.com/index.html Then place your cursor over 'store product index' then click on 'street track and overhead' . At the bottom of that page click on 'Electric Avenue street track system'.
Without sidetracking the thread too much, if you haven't seen a copy the new 2014 Kato catalog shows, in the 'coming in 2014' pages, a Unitram crossover.
