Large Scale Central

Percy arrives, and I found the Glitch!

General Discussion
#1

Hello Percy!

I have some tools who’ve been dying to meet you!

Pic of the cab area,might be tough to add interior details. Why bother with a removable roof if theres no real cab area to drop a figure into?

Side view, overall this is a nice looking British profile industrial engine, its big, as big as the 1/20 Porter, and unlike my LGB Porters, too big for my 21"D curves. But what the heck I’ve been looking for a couple of British engines since the day I started this scale. Houston we may have a Problem here: Wiring issues aside: Found a sizable glitch:

Thats a STANDARD unmodified LGB car next to Percy, there is about a 1/2" hieght difference between the couplers. The tongue of Percy will bend low enough to couple but not the other way around, no way. Does Philly do this sort of stuff to us on purpose?

#2

Just for you Vic just for you

#3

Victor Smith said:
Hello Percy!

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Percy01.JPG)

I have some tools who’ve been dying to meet you!

Victor. I’m disapointed. He still has his face :smiley: Ralph

#4

Ralph, I’m taking some time off between Xmas and New Years, hope to get some fixin done then :wink:

I’m really steamed right now though just thinking about this coupler SNAFU, ya think someone would have checked something this bloody basic… :frowning:

#5

Good time to switch to Kadee body mount couplers, and purchase some back head details…nice project for a cold winter evening in the shop.

#6

Vic,
just received my Percy and trucks today. If purchasing a set then it comes with standoff adapters (plastic mouldings) that drop the hook/loop to ‘standard’ height.

  Only disappointment is the 'poor' look of the drive rods (very flimsy).  The trucks are brilliant.  In so far as figures,  then the old Lionel Thomas figures are excellent once they have been amputated at the knees for Thomas and most likely at the waist for Percy.  They really lift the look of the loco cab.
#7

No such adaptors with my Percy

#8

Vic,
if you purchased the loco only then the seller may not have included the adapters. If a set was purchased the adapters are in the bag with the plastic track locks and spare couplers. I purchsed three ‘broken down’ sets each of both Thomas and Percy and Al included the adapter pack for each. I also purchased additional coaches and trucks, but will need to await delivery to see if adapters included for spare rolling stock.

 I want to run mine with select LGB items,  so the dropped down adapters are mandatory.
#9

I’m not thoroughly versed in all this stuff so please excuse the question if the answer is obvious because I am missing it. Why was it a “better” design to make the coupler height so non-standard such that the Percy/Thomas coaches could not be pulled by other engines and the engines cannot pull other cars - without going through the added hassle of installing the adapters? If the coupler mount was moulded at the standard height then the expense of designing, manufacturing, and bagging the adapters would have been eliminated.

#10

Al,
without criticism directed towards Bachmann, I believe that Bachmann (due their involvement in smaller scales) is showing that they are adhering to NMRA standards, not the defacto LGB specifications that we have been using for the last forty years. Bachmann are still allowing the defacto height to remain and provide either coupler mount adapters, or in the case of the 1/20.3 scale items, a drop down match knuckle coupler.

#11

Looks like the ever-enlightened JD Miller has your answer:

Quote:
. . . Vic, Had you read through the documentation that came with the set, coupler height is explained along with the use of the "extensions" that the Bach Man mentions.

In the documentation Bachmann refers to the lower coupler height as “garden height.”

Interesting what can be learned from reading supplied documentation.

.
.
.


Is it Shilly in here or is it just me?

the above response is posted below the reply from the Bach-man…yep an enthusiastic child indeed

#12
Tim Brien said:
Al, without criticism directed towards Bachmann, I believe that Bachmann (due their involvement in smaller scales) is showing that they are adhering to NMRA standards, not the defacto LGB specifications that we have been using for the last forty years. Bachmann are still allowing the defacto height to remain and provide either coupler mount adapters, or in the case of the 1/20.3 scale items, a drop down match knuckle coupler.
I honestly thought LGB had set a "standard" for hook and loops because most of the other freight cars that I own (Aristo, AMD, and USAT), have hook and loop couplers provided as an option and they all seem to work with my LGB, so those manufacturers apparently regarded the LGB height as "standard".

I was thinking that maybe Bachmann’s overall design of the Thomas series was guided by the “prototypes” used in the children’s TV series, such that all of the equipment sits (or appears to sit) slightly higher than normal (somewhat more toy-like than LGB). Anyway they are marketing these primarily towards kids, aren’t they?

#13

I already tossed the box, likely the adaptors went with it, I rarely keep anything more than the regristraion card. Arrgh!

#14

Gawd this is funny.

Now the enema-ray is going to set TOY standards for hook-and-loops?

REALLY?

If someone at the Ting Dynasty (or their minions) had thought this out, they would have had the adaptors in place, and the consumer could have removed them.

Remember, the enema-ray doesn’t “force” standards on anybody.

They just get manufacturers to jump to new (non-voted-upon) standards in advance…and get certain folks to ballyhoo their new track and wheel standards.
This is a concerted effort.

I am buying no more, and that has been my attitude for some time now.

#15

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/cale_nelson/Thomas/LGBBox.jpg)

Looks like Thomas may be the same…looks that way…will investigate in 4 days!

#16

I’d say Thomas was looking the other way. :wink:

#17
TonyWalsham said:
I'd say Thomas was looking the other way. ;)
:D :D :D
#18

Recieved the coupler adaptors today, already added, makes a huge difference in usability.

PS the Face-ectomy has begun, Cheif Surgeon-err Mechanic Jigsaw was disappointed how easy Percys Pilsburry Doughboy face came off, just press his face sides and it just pops right off, no need to “get medaevil” on him… :open_mouth:

Pics to follow