nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
 | | 06/25/2008 6:34 PM |
| Welp some things have changed here in the last couple of days and i have freed up a little cash so i may be in the market for a bigboy loco.. why i want a up engine is beond me but maybe cause they were built less than 50 miles down the road could be a valid reason other than the thing is huge... so who has a accucraft or a usa bigboy, and how do they look and most importantly how do they run... dont be affraid to chime in i promise i wont bite your heads OFF.....   
Nick... | | | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/25/2008 9:27 PM |
| Nick
I have the USA loco. The sound is great and it is a great running loco.
The one problem that I found is that it has it be babyed through a #6 switch it will go through it but it fights you the whole way.
Also on the USA the top of the boiler come of with 4 screw and you DON'T have to flip it over.
It is also an easy locolink/airwire conversion
MAtt | | | |
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astrayelmgod
1st Class Member
Ventura CA
Brakeman
Posts:97
Send Message
| | 06/25/2008 10:43 PM |
| Nick --
You didn't say how much money you have, but I know a guy who has one of these for sale:
http://www.fineartmodels.com/pages/product.asp?content_area=3&sub_area=10&product_area=35
Or at least he did the last time I talked to him, a month or so ago. The detail is beyond amazing. Every access door works, the spoked hand wheels really have spokes, and on and on and on... | | | |
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Semper Vaporo
1st Class Member
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Engineer
Posts:1226
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 12:27 AM |
| | Click on the "2 as modified" tab to see the images of this thing. The major clue that it is a model is that it is too clean! | |
 C. T. McCullough
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
SA #37469
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 7:06 AM |
| Matt,
very interested why it wont go thrue # 6 switch? is it the loco or the swicth? USA or aristocrap switch... thanks
Nick.. | | | |
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altterrain
silver spring, md
Foreman
Posts:478
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 7:23 AM |
| I believe Marty has one and his is a more of a shelf queen due to that it won't stay on the the track even with concrete roadbed.
-Brian | |
Presidents of
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:33 AM |
| Brian,
did he say why it would not stay on track...
thanks
Nick | | | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:41 AM |
| Nick
They are the USA switches.
It goes through them you just have to take it slow.
Its the same thing that Brian is talking about it doesnt like staying on the track.
Matt | | | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:47 AM |
| Nick
Here is a quote from Marty from the Worlds Longest train Post
Maybe he could chime in with more hints and info
"to be honest, I have to baby the BB all the time. Its NOT made to go backwards and the smoker doesn't work now. My AC #6 are ok going slow to med speeds. I talked to Jens last night he ajusted the springs to push down harder on the tender lead truck and pilot truck.
Its a great loco but no fun to run.
Any little stick on the rail ,it will walk up on the rail instead of crushing it like I thought it would. its a 45 pd "baby"
Matt | | | |
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:47 AM |
| Thank Matt and Brian,
i found this clip of Cozads bigboy seems to be running ok but no clips of going thrue switchs, i think Ray M had a problem with the switchs as well... must be something stupid causeing it, you think..
Nick..
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:50 AM |
| Nick
I was talking to Rick Cartwright in pheonix and he thinks that it is something to do with the front truck.
He is modifying mine and 2 others I will keep you posted on what I find out.
Matt | | | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:57 AM |
| NIck
I just got off the phone with Rick and he said that the back axel on the front truck is being forced up off the track for some reason and he thinks that is were the problem is but hasn't come up with a fix
Matt | | | |
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 11:58 AM |
| Thanks Matt, look forward to hearing from you about this, in the mean time maybe i can talk ray into barrowing his for a couple of weeks to try out   see how it works, besides the fact i can break it in for you Ray...
Nick... | | | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 12:00 PM |
| Nick
Sounds like a great idea
All those pictures you see of his 60plus car coal train are always being pulled by MTH.
Keep us posted if he lets you use it
Matt | | | |
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NTCGRR
1st Class Member
Nebraska City NE
Conductor
Posts:833
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 6:09 PM |
| How did I miss this thread.
My ears were burning.
I love the BB cause its got balls. But IT rules the rail. Thus I am planning changes to meet the need just like any growing class 1 RR.
Its NOT a girly-man engine.
It will hurt your fingures rerailing it. | |
 Marty Cozad
North Table Creek GRR
Nebraska City, NE
Is it "REAL" or just 1:29 th | |
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cabforward
Roseville Calif
Foreman
Posts:103
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 6:11 PM |
| Marty
Are the changes to the RR or the loco?
Matt | | | |
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NTCGRR
1st Class Member
Nebraska City NE
Conductor
Posts:833
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 7:19 PM |
| | To the RR | |
Marty Cozad
North Table Creek GRR
Nebraska City, NE
Is it "REAL" or just 1:29 th | |
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Rayman4449
Gardner, KS
Foreman
Posts:467
Send Message
| | 06/26/2008 9:41 PM |
| Haha Hey Nick, sorry I missed your post I'm spending less and less time on MLS any more...
First, no you can't borrow mine.  The 500ft it's been before getting put in the display case is all the breaking in it needs. LOL
Second, to answer your question directly, I think the bottom line is because the engine is so heavy and because it is build so prototypically, it will be less forgiving with layout imperfections. All axles are independently sprung, but because of the weight the springs are strong so they don't give easily. The engine runs smoother than any other largescale engine I own and it weighs 5 times as much. The quartering is absolutely perfect, no driveline binding whatsoever. The detail is just incredible, you will spend hours just looking at it and you will feel like you are looking at a true mini-replica of the real thing. The size is just hard to imagine in 1:29, I mean it's HUGE! I put mine in the display case not because of running problems, but because it's just so beautiful I wanted to keep it in pristine condition. I mean this is the Ultimate model of the ultimate engine, and I want it to stay in perfect condition.
Note that the whistle sound is from the SP Daylight 4449.(GS-4 Northern class engine) Ultimately it's what sounds good to your ear for the engine.
Oh and I saw the St. A version of the BB and I would make very sure you saw detail pictures of it before you ordered it. Email me off line if you want more info. I wish I had photos so you could see it up close.
Good luck with your decision, I don't think you would regret ordering a USA BB.
Raymond
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Want MTH DCS Protosound 2 in a non-MTH engine? I can help.
www.rayman4449.dynip.com
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Conductor
Posts:647
Send Message
| | 06/27/2008 9:18 PM |
| Thanks guys for the advice, me thinks upstate NY could see the return of the BIGBOY soon
Nick... | | | |
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Chucks_Trains
1st Class Member
Foreman
Posts:168
Send Message
| | 06/28/2008 3:46 PM |
| Hey Nick, I'm getting ready to order a USA Big Boy as well!
Odd part is that USA only shows 3 out of 4 cab numbers in stock..not bad for a big articulated locomotive that will never sell...or should I say that USAT would never build according to some large scale manufacturers & dealers..hahahehehaha... | |
Chuck | |
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