Finally, the Berkshire made it to review at Model Railroader site.
The review gives descent marks to the engine.
Negative comment was about the noisy motor in both DC and DCC modes.
Minimum radius is 18", I had thought that this engine had been recommended at 22".
Also noted was its slow speed control, down to a .2 mph crawl speed.
All in all a recommended buy.
Ah, sound is nothing...
I say that it's entire great.
They probably didn't take time to break it in. If they said "noisy" motor, did they mean the drive train?
Or just general noise non-decoder. Like a Life-Like engine making a noise when sputtering. I think they should let it brake in a bit first though.
They did notice it had a very good scale speed, slow and fast. I personally enjoyed the history lesson there. I don't know much about Berkshires.
Question for those that own these fine models, are they actually noisey? I don't have one but my other bachmann and spectrum products aren't.
I don't have a Berkshire, but I do have a Kanawha. I really like it, and I don't notice it as being noisy. Of course years of 105 and 15d5 howitzers have some dues to pay. Compared to the Life Like - buy the Bachmann.
Gene
Too bad the 2-8-4 was almost unknown in Canada otherwise the GER would consider a couple.
I now have 6 of MrB's Kanawah's and if they are noisy then I'm deaf as a post. You do get a little gear train noise but changing the grease did the trick, I use a Lithium based grease for use in food machines. If I had a quibble it would bethat there aren't enough sand lines coming from the dome. There are differences between ALCO built engines and LIMA built engines and it needs a bit more pipework. Once you add sound well who cares about quibbles.
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia
Actually, Charles, the biggest error is the pilot. The Kanawha has a footboard pilot like all C&O freight engines. Of course the Life Like model has the same problem.
Gene
Gene, I wasn't going to mention the glaringly obvious and if it were possible I would fit a PIA front pilot but you can't get them any more. I did hear a rumour that a similar, if not the same under a new name, pilot was coming out but I haven't heard anymore. I did get some Cary parts to add but I haven't had time to fit them yet.
Regards
Charles Emerson
Queensland
Australia
Quote from: SteamGene on August 31, 2008, 08:53:58 AM
Actually, Charles, the biggest error is the pilot. The Kanawha has a footboard pilot like all C&O freight engines. Of course the Life Like model has the same problem.
Gene