Got an email confirming shipment of my 10 USAT Heavyweights from RLD hobbies. Will post pictures, and importantly, running characteristics as received.
Also, my Aristo Santa Fe heavyweights will be going up for sale now, for anyone interested, but prefer local San Diego, so I don’t have to box up.
Anyone else received theirs yet?
Greg
Greg,
Hope to have my 5 SP cars soon too.
Paul, I got my tracking number, to be delivered tomorrow, the 22nd… drop ship from Charles Ro… did you get yours yet?
Greg
Greg,
Just got billing posted yesterday. No tracking yet. Robbie says he will send tracking when they ship.
Still waiting here I ordered a Pennsy set and don’t think they are even on the ocean yet.
Yep, not arrived…
Santa Fe, Pullman, NYC, SP are in stock, the rest are next release, timing unknown…
Watching the front cameras for the Fedex guy.
Greg
Big surprise! I’m unpacking my cars right now. Had to stop to post this. First car out is a coach. Beautiful car! Back to unpacking.
I did not see them on my cameras, but the fedex driver snuck up and put them in an alcove, just finished hauling 5 double size boxes in, wow!
I liked all the packing around the trucks, to avoid damage, and nice blackened wheels
Still unpacking, but nice drumhead
Greg
Greg,
I have them out on the layout with my GS1 northern for photos. It will have to just be some car photos at this point. I need to change the front coupler on the baggage lounge to a Kadee. The USA couplers set way to low to match my #1 couplers. So, probably just the front and rear observation will get changed.
From looking at past pictures of the underside of the new USAT heavyweight car, coupler body mounting resembles the streamliners with a spacer (that should be removable). If you want to, take out the spacer so the coupler assembly can be mounted higher up closer to the chassis.
An example Santa Fe train is shown below.
-Ted
Will be looking at that very soon. Have the last car in the train out, need the first car, but in a typical consist, I think the baggage car comes first, and USAT does not offer a full baggage, so I think I will use the Aristo full baggage, or is the RPO the first car after the locos?
Have to look this up I guess… ok some quick research, mail first, then baggage, and chair cars, lounge/diner, sleepers, observation
Here’s my initial consist:
Make sense?
Greg
(thanks Ted, I think it was a security aspect, since normal train personell could enter the baggage cars but not the RPO.)
From examining many railroad passenger train pictures in books I have, it appears the RPO is the first car behind the loco. Maybe this is a protocol used for mail security to somewhat isolate the car from the rest of the train.
-Ted
I received my 8 car NYC set on Thursday ,what a job unpacking them, but are they worth it. The cars are beautiful, very detailed and quite heavy.
I’m not a fan of the USA couplers, too low and create too much of a gap between cars. I swapped them out for Kadees on two cars so far just to get an idea of how close I can get them coupled. I was able to get the diaphragms touching when the train is stopped but when moving the couplers stretch because of the springs in the coupler box, so you get a gap about 1/8 of an inch, a lot better. I tried eliminating the spring on one coupler with a piece of solid plastic, it closed the gap but was hard to couple and I knew it would derail on my curves. The problem is the diaphrams seem to be a harder rubber and less flexible than those used on the streamline cars. I will re think how to mount the rest of the Kadees, I’ll probably design a more realistic diaphragm and close the gap a little more.
These cars are heavy, my USA Hudson had a hard time pulling the 8 car set up the slight incline of my layout. Finally I put a few drops of oil on each axle and that did the trick, so before you run these oil them up. I had some loose parts in one car, I followed the instructions on how to remove the roof and now I can’t wait to really detail the interiors, especially the diner. I’m very happy with these cars, USA hit a home run, now I hope they make some different sleepers and maybe a heavyweight solarium car.
Some SP heavyweight photos with my GS1 northern that will be assigned to this train. Been waiting a long time for this. Just need to get a couple Kadees installed.
Chris, perhaps close coupling can be figured out, and then the diaphrams cut back a bit, I know cutting a few “ridges” off the USAT ones has been done.
Paul, thanks for the pics, still unboxing 10 cars, they are nice and heavy, and it’s nice to have the insides populated.
Will try to get an example night shot with lighted cars.
Greg
For Chris - I thought these cars were already well-detailed. What’s left to do, put more passengers in the cars?
And I see Paul has a combination of SP and Pullman cars. They look perfect behind that GS1. Very realistic and prototypical.
I’m waiting for my USAT SP Black Widow F7A/B set to arrive…
Mike, the diner is begging for more detail. First I’d put a crew in the kitchen then table cloths, plates, silverware etc. on the tables. You’re right these cars are very detailed, one of the things I enjoy is adding little details that personalize the trains to make them more real or railroad specific.
For those mounting Kadee’s do take pictures so those who are still waiting can see what’s going on there for mounting them.
I noticed when upacking that with the diner and the baggage lounge with each there is a little bag with foot stirrups. Two with the baggage lounge and one with the diner. On the baggage lounge they mount directly below the baggage doors. If mounted they will could restrict the truck on the minimum radius requirement. I think I will be able to get away with it. Testing to come. On the diner I will leave it off for sure. It mounts pretty much even with the outer axle and severely restricts truck movement.
Also, I think I would be a little cautious about making modifications for closer coupling. Although the diaphragms are flexible, when compressed from the side they are soft, but pushing straight back they are pretty rigid. That could be a problem.
What do you think of the long shiny screw that goes from the chassis to the roof visible through the platform door on the observation?
Greg