P2K DCC + Sound, what's your experience?

[nephthyr]

Hi,

I placed my order for the blue and yellow bonnet Santa Fe SW1200 with DCC + Sound, fits in nicely with my mid 70's period.

Are these (P2K) engines any good? Any bad experiences? Worth the price? What's the quality of the QSI sound system like?

Many thanks!

 

[Selector]

If it comes with a traction tire, you will almost certainly want to replace it with an all-metal tire axle. I have the P2K SQI-equipped SW8, a similar engine dimensionally, and found that it could not cross turnouts, and even on regular tracks it stalled and stuttered if the track was a bit uneven....which oddly enough, yard track (where a switcher would normally work...) is.

At the time, now three years back, Walthers had just begun to market the P2K engines with their reprinted packaging, which mine was. The person I spoke to was very understanding, knowledgeable, and offered tips to improve the locomotive's performance, but he also said he'd ship me an axle right away. Two weeks later I was having fun with it. Good sound.

However, those days of no-questions-asked replacements of traction tired axles are gone. You'll have to pay.

-Crandell

 

[Espeefan]

If it comes with a traction tire, you will almost certainly want to replace it with an all-metal tire axle. I have the P2K SQI-equipped SW8, a similar engine dimensionally, and found that it could not cross turnouts, and even on regular tracks it stalled and stuttered if the track was a bit uneven....which oddly enough, yard track (where a switcher would normally work...) is.-Crandell

Insulated frogs on the turnouts? I have this loco and it runs fine with the traction tired axle on the club layout. All of our turnouts have powered frogs. Performance has been flawless. I also have the F-7's and E-7's. While I like the Tsunami 567 sound package a little better, the QSI is quite servicable, and I really like their cruise control. Press F-9 to maintain loco speed, and adjust engine revs with the throttle. Killer!

 

[nephthyr]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, its this item: https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/920-41414. How can I tell if it has a traction tire, other than picking the engine up and flipping it over and inspecting it, since its a pre order and I dont have the loco yet.

 

[diburning]

The newer releases should not come with traction tires anymore.

 

[Espeefan]

Not necessarily. This was done on the SW-8/1200 models because the speaker was installed in the fuel tank. The frame was pretty light as a result, so the traction tires were necessary if you wanted to full more than a few cars. I have asked a friend in Walthers the question. I'll let you know.

Follow up: New issues will have added weight & no traction tires

 

[nephthyr]

Follow up: New issues will have added weight & no traction tires

Excellent, I look forward to getting this loco! I only intend to pull a few cars with it, industrial switching layout... Still I'm not too keen on a traction tire. Thanks again for all the replies!

 

[nephthyr]

Loco arrived yesterday! Nice looking loco, super details and decent paint. Sound is average, not nearly as decent as a Tsunami and given the fact that they squeezed a speaker into such a tiny loco makes it understandable.

One niggle is that the loco jumps at a certain speed. First thought it was dirty track or wheels but after cleaning its the same. Also dont think its wiring as it would jump at all speeds. A bit disappointing.... I have not yet run it in.

Anyone else experience similar problems? Any ideas? Is it a dud and should I send it back? Or should I rather run it in and then see?

 

[LATX]

Loco arrived yesterday! Nice looking loco, super details and decent paint. Sound is average, not nearly as decent as a Tsunami and given the fact that they squeezed a speaker into such a tiny loco makes it understandable.

One niggle is that the loco jumps at a certain speed. First thought it was dirty track or wheels but after cleaning its the same. Also dont think its wiring as it would jump at all speeds. A bit disappointing.... I have not yet run it in.

Anyone else experience similar problems? Any ideas? Is it a dud and should I send it back? Or should I rather run it in and then see?

Try adjusting th CV's. MRN had an DCC Corner on sound loco's and most of the time its a simple fix with the Speed Chart. (If that makes sense) but again its something I read, I have no experiance wit it

 

[BIG-D]

i have a p2k bn sd60 this loco is amaizing incredibly detailed out of the box extra details included per loco and tis thing has soooooo much weight i can barely fit a decoder in