christmas plans foiled!

Wiredup

Member
My wife went to the LHS today with her dad to get me my gift for xmas. I gave her a list before she left today of items I need/want for my layout.

Surprisingly the store was 'sold out' of everything I wanted... including FOUR FP7A/FP7B CPR set's from Life-like on their 30% off shelf :curse: (think $80 for both locos!)

So she said she got me something really really cool and hopes I like it. So I ask her two questions:

It wasnt the CN Consolidation was it, because the smokebox is damaged?
It wasn't the bachmann 2-6-6-2 was it, because it's a crappy puller...or so I'm told?

the look on her face was pure horror... You mean this one?

Sure enough she pulls out the 2-6-6-2 outa her backpack. sign1

Does anyone have this unit? How hard is it to DCC it? Is the review on the N-scale encyclopedia accurate? I have a 3% grade on my mainline, and it would be cool to have this loco...but if the review is as bad as they say it is... it's gotta go back. She's gonna take it back tomorrow because she wants to surprise me... unless I tell her I want it.

Maybe I should get Mike to e-mail her with some good ideas. :twisted:
 

Boilerman

Member
I have 3 of them, all are good runners but do not pull good without traction tires.

I machined the drivers on 2 of them for traction tires and installed decoders in all 3 the one with out traction tires will only pull about 7 average freight cars up a 2.5% grade on my layout.
The 2 with traction tires will pull about 12 cars up my 2.5% Grade, the problem is they are very light and need more weight to improve their pulling ability.

Hope this sheds some light on these locos.
 

GWoodle

New Member
I'd test it before it goes back. It's possible that later runs are better than the first one. First test is to be sure the wheels are OK & in gague.

A big clue is if the engine comes with the new Bachmann knuckle coupler, not the old Crapido. Your best bet for DCC maybe to get one of the new Bachmann tenders.

If it fails these simple tests, it goes back.
A swap could get a deal on a Heavy Mountain or a J class Northern. Those last 2 spectrum locos have had very good reviews. Even a new Consol could be a very fine loco.

For fun, maybe you could run 2-3 of the new open excursion cars (they could be new at the LHS) even if the 44tons are delayed some.

Let us know how this turns out!
 

Wiredup

Member
I'd test it before it goes back. It's possible that later runs are better than the first one. First test is to be sure the wheels are OK & in gague.

A big clue is if the engine comes with the new Bachmann knuckle coupler, not the old Crapido. Your best bet for DCC maybe to get one of the new Bachmann tenders.

If it fails these simple tests, it goes back.
A swap could get a deal on a Heavy Mountain or a J class Northern. Those last 2 spectrum locos have had very good reviews. Even a new Consol could be a very fine loco.

For fun, maybe you could run 2-3 of the new open excursion cars (they could be new at the LHS) even if the 44tons are delayed some.

Let us know how this turns out!

problem is I have no grades to test it on, nor do I have any curves... at the moment anyways. only the main yard is near completion currently...limiting my ability to test locos overall.

I got two hvy mountains and a J-class already in my roster... she wants to get me something different. I told her to find me a consolidation, or some con-cor hudson...but there is a huge lack of nscale selection in this city.

I kinda wished I lived in Calgary... PM Hobby has a great selection..but man is it overpriced! $300 for an Atlas Shay!!! WTF?!wall1
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
My wife went to the LHS today with her dad to get me my gift for xmas. I gave her a list before she left today of items I need/want for my layout.

Next time include a list of "don't want" items to be sure. :)

Good luck with the 2-6-6-2!
Ralph
 

nkp174

Active Member
Make a test track!

In the past, when I've wanted to test pulling power, I've set up a piece of lumber with track on it and elevated one end to test the performance on various grades.

I wouldn't mind having a 2-6-6-2 whether it ran or not ;-)
 

Wiredup

Member
Fantastic idea! I love the idea of that lumber elevation thing. I'll do that when I get home.

the wife already brought it back. I went in and showed her everything they have instock that I could use. The sales guy she talked to yesterday obviously took advantage of her as EVERYTHING on my list is in stock aside from the consolidation.

I put emphasis on the CP FP7A/B set they have on the 30% off shelf. So hopefuly I'll have some more F units after xmas. I need more diesel power... I got an CN RS (11? in green and gold), CN GP9 (in sargent stripes), and a pair of CN F7A's (green and gold)
 

nkp174

Active Member
I went in and showed her everything they have instock that I could use. The sales guy she talked to yesterday obviously took advantage of her as EVERYTHING on my list is in stock aside from the consolidation.

I hate it when they are jerks. I hope the manager heard about it.
 

Wiredup

Member
I hate it when they are jerks. I hope the manager heard about it.

The guy's I usually deal with overheard us. It was funny because I pointed at the three FP7A/B sets sitting there on the shelf and told her that those were the ones I wanted. She replies with 'yup, I asked him if those were them, but he said they were not'. I pointed at the RDC collection they have and mentioned that ANY of them would work (as they're all CN), the GP38 in CN stripes, the RS11 in CP maroon, the micro-tusnami heavy steam sound decoder, the Consolidation (which is missing the 'extra' lamps...so I'd buy it anyways...) and even the Kato lighting system for my passenger cars.

The guy who I assume runs the trains department of the store came over and apologized and started going over the list with her.

Before we left the guy told me I'll be VERY happy for xmas and that he made the issue up to both of us... I saw him with the Micro-Tusnami heavy steam decoder (for my Selkirk!), and three other locomotives in his hand...but I couldn't identify so I'm very excited! The last thing I need is more tractive effort...but I can't help but want MORE!

My wife was very happy. :mrgreen:
 

GWoodle

New Member
Now it sounds like you need a "hers" train?:thumb:

May I suggest one of the Athearn/MDC 2-8-0 or 2-6-0 with a set of either the longer Overland or shorter Overton coaches? I recently saw a ATSF painted set that looked fery nice & colorful. Very high on the cute factor. Either steamer runs very well pulling a short train of the 4 cars. They also can have a set of 4 nice olt-time freight cars with a wood caboose.
 

GeorgeHO

Member
Why don't you get the Woodland Scenics 2% grade set(s) of risers and make a simple oval on your dining room table and test your loco out?
 

Wiredup

Member
Why don't you get the Woodland Scenics 2% grade set(s) of risers and make a simple oval on your dining room table and test your loco out?

because she took the loco back :mrgreen: and got me a surprise present... could be one of three things... a nice Big Steam sound decoder from Tusnami (for my Selkirk kitbash project!), a CN Consolidation, or a A/B set of FP7 units in CP burgandy.

Very excited for Thursday morning!
 

Wiredup

Member
FOILED AGAIN!

So Christmas morning (today) I open up what is the Consolidation that had a piece missing from it's smoke box... which is a marker light.

On further inspection the unit is used, not new. The wheels are grimy from what looks like hours of use, and the tender is damaged. I'm quite upset.

Going to be heading to the shop and seeing if my wife can at least get SOME of her money back.
 

GWoodle

New Member
Must be the only shop in town to give bad service like that. They get a lump of coal for their Xmas. I hate it when shop clerks act like jerks.

Hope you can swap for something you can use, then never go back.
 

Wiredup

Member
Actually they always treat me very very well and I have never had a problem there. I think my wife must be cursed... she says she's not going in there anymore unless I'm there.
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
FOILED AGAIN!

So Christmas morning (today) I open up what is the Consolidation that had a piece missing from it's smoke box... which is a marker light.

On further inspection the unit is used, not new. The wheels are grimy from what looks like hours of use, and the tender is damaged. I'm quite upset.

Going to be heading to the shop and seeing if my wife can at least get SOME of her money back.

Not cool.
What kind of shop does that?
Sounds like they have a real weed problem in the flower patch.
 

Wiredup

Member
:curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse:

Loco don't run. Put it on my DC test oval this morning before trying to do a DCC conversion... yup, no light, no motion.

so mad...wall1wall1wall1wall1wall1
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
:curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse::curse:

Loco don't run. Put it on my DC test oval this morning before trying to do a DCC conversion... yup, no light, no motion.

so mad...wall1wall1wall1wall1wall1

You really need to go in and have a long talk with those losers.
 

Wiredup

Member
I did, I talked with their head train guy for quite a while today. Seems as tho that the 'R/C' guys did the return and ended up getting taken. It seems the previous owner went to convert to DCC but didn't do it.. just disconnected the wiring... So because of the nature of this loco (ie: rare) I went and rebought it...
 
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