[Treeman]

I've been waiting for the new USA Speeders and Ore Cars and they finally arrived today!   Although the Speeders  are small (4 1/2" long by 2 3/4" tall), they have great detail and lettering  and include two seated men in the cab area.  The headlight works in both directions.  The ore cars include metal wheels and the actual ore box is 8 3/8" long, the entire car 12 1/2" overall, including hook and loop couplers.   Knuckle couplers are also included.  It weighs 1 lb. 9.4 oz.   I think both are a pretty good deal and should sell well, around $60 for the speeder and $50 for the ore car.       Mike

 

[GaryY]

This is good to hear.  My speeder has been on order and hopefully will arrive soon.  Have you had a chance to try the speeder and see if it stalls on switch frogs?

Gary...

 

[Treeman]

My layout is covered with about 4 inches of ice, so I just tryed one on a short test track.  I can see that they may have electrical pickup problems.
Mike

 

[Road Foreman]

Guys,

They have a short wheel base so dead frogs will be a problem, speed is the cure..  With clean track & clean wheels they run like a champ..

BulletBob

 

[bobgrosh]

Do the dump doors work on the ore cars?
Can you actually fill them and then by pushing some button on the ore car, can you dump them like the LGB ore cars?

 

[Treeman]

Yes their is a latch on the doors, slide it back and both doors open.
Mike

 

[vsmith]

Does it look possible to wire two speeders in tandem? I'm considering them for drive bricks for a kitbash.

 

[Road Foreman]

Vic,

Have not taken mine apart yet for decoder install, so can not help you..

BulletBob

 

[Dave Meashey]

Hi All;

Just a word of warning about the latch on the doors to the ore cars.  It is not very sturdy.  I learned the hard way.  Since the USA cars are basically the same as the old Lionel Large Scale cars, don't load them with chicken grit or other heavy aggregates and expect the latch to function.  Many years ago, I thought I would use one of my Lionel ore cars to haul chicken grit to the ballasting site and dump it where needed.  WRONG!!  The weight of the chicken grit jammed the doors against the latch, and the latch broke when I tried to open the doors.

Just thought you might like to know before it happened to you.

Yours,
David Meashey

 

[bobgrosh]

RE: USA Speeders & Ore Cars

Thanks David.
I might as well mention the same problem is true on the LGB ore cars.

The latch is made a little different, it does not break. But, Load it with crusher fines and the latches pop open. No damage done, but if moving and it happens it will derail all the following cars. I was planning on crushing real iron ore. That is even heavier. I tried to modify one to improve the latch but so far no solution has been found. I'd also like to find ones that can be operated over some sort of special track that would trip the hatches on command.

B0B

 

[Treeman]

I'am sure they could be wired together.
 Mike

 

[toddalin]

I picked up a speeder today at San-Val before they close ($50) and am also concerned about the short wheel base and frogs.  I figured tha tI would make a small utility car to pull with wheel pickups.  I'm pretty sure that they did make a utility car to go along with the speeders.

 

[GaryY]

Sounds like a good idea. I'll check it when I get mine and see if it stalls, but it probably will based on what I've read here... be a hoot to run one of these regardless./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif
I remember seeing them towing a car behind full of tool paraphernalia and rail parts.  Shouldn't take too much to build one.  I dunno about how to wire the wheels for power tho.
Gary...
________
Gary Yarde

 

[toddalin]

Lots of possibilities.  LGB makes wheels with built-in pick-ups (probably pricey now though).  Also, I've modified a few engines and railcars with sound systems so that a brass wire "drags" on the wheels and provides pick-up.

 

[vsmith]

RE: USA Speeders & Ore Cars

Bachmann's comes with a trailer, MDCs speeder & trailer was avalable powered or unpowered. I have a Goose I'm considering using these for, I'll have to see if I can get over to San Val again before they are kaputz.

 

[Paul Burch]

Things sure change quick. I can remember just a few years ago when the now USA speeders were first marketed by K-Line and could be had for $29.00.  Anyway, I bought two of them and made one into a trailer battery car with RC in the lead unit. A friend did basically the same thing but used the trailer for power pickup connecting it to the lead unit. It runs fine over turnouts. Here is an old picture of mine.

 

[aceinspp]

I have an old MDC motor car that I put brass straps between the wheels and it runs fine over the frogs.  Later RJD

 

[vsmith]

RE: USA Speeders & Ore Cars

Well I got a speeder at San Val, only $50, unfortunatly for me the body shell is screwed together to the chassis, so I can't just pop the body off and use the drive chasis the way I was hoping to, /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crazy.gif

so next step, out comes the Dremel! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif