thoughts on how to spend 300 dollars.

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C

cfinn

New Member
Okay, so my B-day is coming up and my wife is letting me spend 300 bucks on some train stuff. i really want a full size engine with DCC and sound. anybody have this walters proto? is this a good model, is their other options for loco's that would be a better use of the money. any and all thoughts welcome the color sheme in the photo seems a bit "fake" looking.

it is better to buy the DDC version without sound, are the sound decoders pretty easy to install at a later date?

Also I have an 18 inch radius curved track, this is a 4 axle, would a 6 axle unit run okay on this size of curved track?



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Union Pacific(R) #1964 (Armour Yellow, gray, Lightning Red Stripe)
Walthers Part # 920-41807, p. 61 Walthers 2013 HO Scale Reference
HO scale, $299.98, currently in stock at Walthers
Download the Tsunami Diesel Sound User's Guide (2997 K bytes, PDF format)


* Limited Edition - One Time Run of These Roadnumbers!

* New Schemes

* Road-Specific Detailing

* 14:1 Helical Gears for Smooth, Quiet Performance

* Nonworking Ditch Lights w/Clear Lenses

* Five-Pole Skew-Wound High-Torque High-Efficiency Can Motor

* Low Speed Under 3 Scale MPH

* LED Constant & Directional Headlights

* Easy Multiple Unit Operation

* Metal Grab Irons & Lift Rings

* Factory-Installed Tsunami(R) Sound & DCC

* Proto MAX(TM) Metal Knuckle Couplers

Built 1985-1994, most still in service Primary Assignment: Fast intermodal and light, priority freight; later used in general freight service as well as local and yard work.

As computer technology advanced in the 1980s, EMD took a major step forward with the introduction of the new GP60. Directly behind the cab, a trio of microprocessors regulated and ran various onboard systems, replacing complex wiring circuits and relays. Coaxing 3,800 horsepower from its 16-cylinder 710G3A prime mover, the four-axle GP60 was well suited for fast freight service and was often seen on the point of priority trains when new. While the GP60 proved the advantages of computer control, potential buyers were more interested in six-axle power, and EMD focused its development efforts on the bigger units. For now, the GP60 may be the last in a long line of geeps.
 
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Hi,
I don't know much about DCC, but I do know about turn radius.
I also have 18" curves (and a couple 15" Shhhh don't tell anyone). I have some small switchers that run on the tight turns and stick to 40'-50' rolling stock. I also stick to 4 axle locomotives. I do have a couple of long 6 axle hand-me-down engines that just are not reliable on the 18" curves. They look nice sitting on a siding or on a turntable track :) but I wouldn't invest that kind of money in a engine that I couldn't run reliably on my layout.

Doug
 


Anybody ever order from here? Factory direct trains? on sale for 206 bucks...i have only ordered through walthers so far...

FDT Low Price: $299.98
Sale Price: $206.99
You Save: $92.99 (31 %)

Item Number: 920-41807
Manufacturer: Walthers








Thanks for the help guys.
 
While you might save a little now by sticking with a non-sound DCC unit, I'd pay a bit extra and have the factory-installed sound decoder already in it. That presumes you have a DCC controller on your layout, of course.

As to four axle versus six, with 18" radius curves, I'd stick with the four-axle units. While I do run some six-axle E6 Proto2000 units that I run around 18" radius curves now and then, they tend to derail and cause shorts unless the track is very carefully laid out and smooth. Generally, I run the E-units on the outer main with 20"R Shinohara track.

I'd say, go with the B-B trucks.
 
oh yeah as for turn radius...stick with GP series or switchers for now until you have bigger curves for the SD series
 
Having installed a few sound decoders, I'd buy the locomotive shound equipped from the factory. No milling frames, no problem squeezing in speakers, no fustration when the @#$%^^ shell doesn't fit on one corner.
 
Factory Direct Trains is owned by the brother of the owner of Broadway Limited Imports I believe. I have purchased from FDT three times and never had a complaint or cross word.
 
Well i pulled the trigger on it and bought it from FDT.

question does anybody have a part diagram or breakdown of this Loco Proto 2000 GP60? i would like to study it before it shows up and i start taking it apart. :rolleyes:
 


cfinn said:
Well i pulled the trigger on it and bought it from FDT.

question does anybody have a part diagram or breakdown of this Loco Proto 2000 GP60? i would like to study it before it shows up and i start taking it apart. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Very nice, congrats it's a nice one for sure.

But why the hell are you going to take it apart?
 
You may wish to swap out the couplers but other than that should have no need to take it apart.
By the way FDTs warranty for anything they sell is five star quality.outstanding dealer who stands behind his products.
 
Proto GP60

Thats a very nice product from Walthers. A little pricey w\Tsunami sound ,but you`ll thank yourself later . IMO it`s almost always better to get the factory installed Sound w\ DCC . Also as stated previously 18"radius`are fine as long as you don`t try to run 6 axel Locomotives.
 
Of course there is a way to run six-axle diesels on 18"R curves...but it is tricky and the currently available models don't lend themselves to it. "Back in the day," when Athearn PA's had the axle bearings in the truck sideframes, you could remove the wheels from the center axle on each truck, leaving the axles with the gears in place. Since the real A-1-A trucks used the center wheels as idlers for weight distribution, not tractive effort, you'd be essentially duplicating that type of design. I took a number of these older Athearn PA's and threw away the bodies, stretched the frames and used them under E7A bodies for my Burlington Route motive powers. Unfortunately, Athearn changed the design of their diesel trucks, putting square bearings inside the wheels in such a way that you can't remove the wheels without the axles drifting back and forth. :(. Yeah, I know Alco trucks are different from EMD, but I painted the sideframes silver, except for the drop equalizers which I painted grimy black. Unless you look close, you can't really tell.
 
I have recently bought 2 of these in the SF (BNSF patch) yellow warbonnet scheme, but standard DC. There will be a sheet in the box that shows you all the parts and an exploded view of the loco. The only chassis shown is th DCC with sound version which has the single speaker mounted vertically behind the cab and only 1 flywheel on the other end of the motor.

This is interesting because I also bought a P2K GP20 shortly before, also termed standard DC.(with the idea of installing decoder & speaker later). With that one came a parts/exploded view sheet that covered both the DCC sound version and the standard DC version. Here it shows 2 distinctly different chassis castings. The sound version has 2 speaker mounts in a tent like structure (speakers facing outward) straddling the rear drive shaft (also sans flywheel that end), whereas the "standard DC" has the normal twin flywheels and a fully weighted chassis.

This of course is going to make my GP20 more difficult to convert than if they had used the same chassis for both. On youtube there is another Aussie fellow (scoopmmr) who shows a P2K GP60 being converted to sound and it has the "normal" type chassis. So I guess I'm going to have to remove the shells off mine to see what "gives".
 
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thanks for all the helpful reply's.

My experiance so far with model trains is i always find a reason after a few weeks to take a loco apart. i want to see how everything fits together and check the unit for overlubrication/underlubrication pretty much i come up with a reason and convince myself :D that i need too...

even though it is risky to an extent, i enjoy this almost as much as running them.
 
I've got several P2K's, all DCC quickplug ready, apart from these last 3. From comments I've read they're not the easiest to speed match with other brands in DCC. Certainly even in DC, so far, only these GP60's have come close. Excellent slow running capabilities and very smooth, but fall behind other brands if placed on the same piece of powered track uncoupled. Slower top speeds also. Could be a gearing issue.
 
On my snap switch heavy 18" curve track the four axle tycos are more reliable than my two six axle good locomotives.

After I run the 4's a bit I run the 6's and they're ok but not great.
 
OMG! Thanks to this thread, I just found out they are offering these GP60s roadnames with D&RGW. Oh baby I will be getting two of them for sure (DCC/Sound of course).
 


cfinn said:
it is better to buy the DDC version without sound, are the sound decoders pretty easy to install at a later date?
Click to expand...
No! I have been installing sound since 1983. It is almost always better to get the sound installed from the factory. Usually cheaper in the long run too.
 
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