A couple of months ago, I purchased a late generation Stewart VO-1000 in the Frisco black livery. I just recently got a decoder installed and was able to test its capabilities. First of all, it is my understanding that the early ones were supposed to be "light on their feet". Mine weighs in at 9.65 ounces and will easily pull 25 mixed railcars around a 30" radius turn or through a typical yard ladder. It will out-pull the new Proto 2000 H10-44's coupler to coupler. I am well pleased as this is a very nice running locomotive. I believe sound such as a Micro-Tsunami unit could be installed but it was outside of my capital expenditure authorization at this time
That's one thing I heard about a lot back when I was on the trains.com forums (before I discovered this wonderful place) is that the P2k's are realy nice, but don't have very much pulling power.
don't know about the new Walther's P2K's but my SD45's and SD60's will drag any other model around the track
HA, Howard, 30 years ago I had a metal Varney F3 - with even extra weight added- on a Hobbytown chassis that would pull all your locos together. Darn, Wish I Still Had That Locomotive, But Someone Finally talked me into selling it to them.
Those Hobbytown drives are practically bullet-proof. Put that heavy Varney shell on that chassis, and they'd climb a wall. Ethan, all things being equal, tractive effort is all about total weight on the drive wheels.
Not true. The capital expenditure authorization is a self-imposed temporary restriction to prevent calling unnecessary attention to the venture at hand. Beginning my layout construction (to be started this next year) is a 2008 Christmas gift my beautiful bride, Elise, asked for. (I know that sounds weird, but it is the straight-up fact). I am all too happy to give the gift that will keep on giving! Especially since I somehow end up being the beneficiary. Believe it or not, she is the one that will keep me rolling because she wants to see this thing come to life.
Hey the Frisco Nation wants to see it come to life too. "Old man river, that old man river, he keeps on rollin' . . . "