Large Scale Central

USA Big Boy

Reviews
#21
Warren Mumpower said:
... I also have first hand knowledge about the overweight SD45's. I own 5...
I thought I wrote that.....I too have five, including two of the very first 'Santa Fe' fictitious livery that some of love so much.

I took the weights out of mine the day they arrived and have not felt the need to replace them - two SD-45’s can haul everything I have three times over…

Same for all my dash 9’s…no weights.

Besides, my daughter has trouble enough picking them up without weights - they would be totally unmanageable with them installed for most folks in a wheelchair…

tac
ww.ovgrs.org

#22

This is a “Johnny come lately” reply but needs to be added to this thread.

It is interesting to ready lofty comments about the Big Boy by those who do not even own one. “Too heavy”, they say. “Won’t run right and must be returned to maker” others claim. “[May or likely to] spread the rails on curved track.” And on and on.

I own a Big Boy and it is NOT a shelf queen. It is often run hours on end at train shows and I am not the least perturbed about dragging dozens of cars behind it. The locomotive figuratively looks at me and shrugs. It will pull what I want, when I want, where I want.
To expect more from Mr. Ro & Company would be grossly unfair.

No, Warren, USAT has not created a roundhouse of shelf queens. Certainly, there may well be models that perform poorly or need repairs for one reason or another but giving credence to blithe, uncomplimentary statements about the overall quality and usefulness of this locomotive is not productive and may even give potential buyers a false picture.

Too heavy, too expensive, too beautiful, too whatever… So what? Don’t buy the locomotive but do not find faults that do not exist, particularly when you do not own and run the locomotive.

#23

Calm down, Robert.
Jens Bang routinely pulls 150 cars with his now. He sent me a Christmas DVD showing this and I counted the cars.
After a complete frame off re-build by his back shop. All new wiring, weight distribution, everything.
It quit running the day after he got it, just as a few over on the “other site” wrote about theirs.
The Phoenix sound recently quit. It was pulled out and sent back to Phoenix.

jb

#24

First, welcome aboard, Robert!

Let me state so you understand, I do not own a Big Boy…that is correct. But I do run Jens’. I am familiar with the locomotive and it’s problems…jut as John is. I will stand by what I have said. I feel the locomotive is too heavy and there are going to be on-going problems because of that weight. But I have never said Charles Ro makes nothing but a roundhouse full of shelf queens. In fact I don’t think “shelf queen” has come out of my mouth in this thread. I do think the Big Boy will be a high maintenance locomotive because of it’s weight. I also think that the USAT Hudson is one of the finest running locomotives around. Jens also has one of those and it is bullet proof. I own one of the first of the first release GP9’s and I’ve never had a lick of problem with it. It’s still running on it’s original gears without mod. That’s it in my sig line.

I’m not too sure just how familiar you are with Jens’ layout, but it’s a LARGE layout and runs long heavy trains. While I do not think we hold any world records for long trains, I would be willing to bet that Jens’ layout consistently runs the longest trains of any large scale layout…world wide whether it’s the Big Boy or a lashup of diesels. 100 car trains are the norm. 150 car trains do occur as John said…and he’s not exaggerating, nor am I.

Again, welcome aboard, Robert. This is a feisty bunch, but I think you will do fine! :smiley:

#25

Wow

No pics !
I’d like to see a 150 car train behind the Big Boy!

#26

I don’t happen to have any 150 car train photos but the one below is 102 cars. Unfortunately the train is so long it’s impossible to get it all in the picture. This is about the longest stretch that I can get. The locomotive is up by Jens. I’m about mid train.

Here you can see the train coming out of the tunnel in the distant left.

#27

I was wondering how you were going to post a picture of a 150 car train. :wink: Good pictures, those should be used in advertising. Are those Kadee couplers?

#28

If I could figger out how to upload my video into Bob’s web site, I would. But I aint a 'puter geek!
To answer for Warren, yes all KD body mounts. And steel wheels, mostly Raymonds. Jens buys them by the truckload! :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
All other kinds of couplers have failed miserably.

TOG

#29

Thanks!
Great pics!

#30

I have not heard if Jens has it all working again. He does not return my calls.
My Big boy USAT (battery powered) has run fine but cold weather has slowed me down from running it. I think its about 67 pds then the tender.

#31

Jens called the other day. At least he’s still alive. He’s got the Big Boy torn all apart and is redoing things his way. He sent his Phoenix in to them and is awaiting it’s return. He’s also gutting much of the electronics and reworking the lights. He’s also re-balancing it. He wants more weight on the front drivers. He’s also trying to re-balance the tender.

Marty, good to see you in this neck of the woods…:smiley:

#32

Warren, any chance that Jens will publish his cures as I’m looking to purchase a USAT BB in the next few months.

#33

Fat chance. First, he does not own a computer. The real problem though is his girl friend keeps him out of arms reach most of the time. From my last talk with him he’s going to totally gut it TOC style, install batteries and rebalance the locomotive so there is more weight on the front drivers. Understand, his methods of running are entirely different than most. 100 car trains are his norm. He has problems that most of us will never face because of the size of his trains.

#34

Jens usually completely re-works all of his engines. Has ver since I met him 15 years ago.
USA motor blocks in Aristo locos, etc.
His USA Hudson has had a complete ground up build.
And now the Big Boy…
jb

#35

102 cars! That is awesome!

Actually, dunno what’s more awesome - the train or the scenery!

#36

He’s one of the few people who can really put a Big Boy to prototypical use!

#37

Got mine!!