Intermountain SD40-2 !!11!

[peteski]

After reading all 17 pages on this topic I realized that I don't own any IM locomotives or cars. I have at least 5 friends with large HO home railroads and asked them how many they had and how they ran. No body had any. One friend who is in N has a single set of FT's in O&W and he likes them, says they run well, they're the only ones he has. But the HO'ers have several hundred locomotives between them (don't we all!) and not one has an IM locomotive. The LHS doesn't carry them and no one has asked him to order any. Atlas - Athearn - Kato - P2K - some BLI seem to be the bulk of motive power needs here in the South Jersey area. I know I've never read anything good about them. There haven't been any glowing reports about them that I'm aware of and after reading this thread, I'm not inclined to go out and get one (in any scale) and find out whether they are any good. I hope they do something to improve their product and their image.

It is amazing what online forum kvetching will accomplish! Remember - not all you read on the Internet is true or accurate.    Take it with a grain truckload of salt.  I would say that the IM locos on the average are no better on worse than ones manufactured by all the other N scale loco manufacturers.

Please also do not compare H0 to N scale as far as popularity of the brands goes. It doesn't work.

[Ian MacMillan]

I would say that the IM locos on the average are no better on worse than ones manufactured by all the other N scale loco manufacturers.

Do you own any IM 

I'd say they are some of the worst I have owned...and there's a reason why I don't own them any longer. They are so hit and miss. F units awesome. SD series crap on wheels!

[peteski]

Do you own any IM 

I'd say they are some of the worst I have owned...and there's a reason why I don't own them any longer. They are so hit and miss. F units awesome. SD series crap on wheels!

Yes, I own few FTs (B&M) and few AC-12s. Seem to be ok. Not great (especially AC-12s), but ok.

Friend owns few SD40-2s and he did have problems with electrical pickup. Replaced trucks with Atlas (which were the same trucks used by IM) and they seem to run better.  I also gave those a "peteski's tuneup" consisting of cleaning, lube, and polishing the contact areas of the pickup strips. As far as problems go, these don't seem to be much different than problems I see from time to time with Atlas, Kato, Bachmann, Model Power, Life Like, Waltheres, etc. locos.

[Rossford Yard]

I am not piling on IM here, but last night at dinner SOO_MILW_CNW and I were joking about the fact that I ordered IM F units in the B and O 60's scheme over ten years ago. I have heard they run great.

They have never gotten around to many of the paint schemes they announced.  Now, it may be that I missed the official cancellation notice, since (believe it or not) I don't follow these forums and everything that goes on in the MR industry religiously.

If not, I sure hope my etailer cleans out his reservations system, since I have changed eras long ago and would not need those.  I would be quite surprised if they showed up in my mailbox!

[Philip H]

Yes, I own few FTs (B&M) and few AC-12s. Seem to be ok. Not great (especially AC-12s), but ok.

Friend owns few SD40-2s and he did have problems with electrical pickup. Replaced trucks with Atlas (which were the same trucks used by IM) and they seem to run better.  I also gave those a "peteski's tuneup" consisting of cleaning, lube, and polishing the contact areas of the pickup strips. As far as problems go, these don't seem to be much different than problems I see from time to time with Atlas, Kato, Bachmann, Model Power, Life Like, Waltheres, etc. locos.

And it strikes me that this the heart of our present argument.  These seem (at least in these threads) to be KNOWN issues with the locomotives, and once addressed they run well - as your own experience attests.  What I read between the many lines here is a desire for IM (and other manufacturers) to address/correct known flaws like this.  That's a valid, experience based request, and IM's continued ignorance of it shouldn't be excused.

But guys, even with these issues there are still way better products then the early ConCor and Bachmann units that we ALL love to hate.  SO how about we table this round of hating until there's actual product to review? 

[kalbert]

There are two camps here. The "cool, a new sd40-2 that will no doubt be better than a Bachmann or Con-Cor and be rerun more often and in more livery than Kato would ever dream" and the "Intermountain is *****, its going to be all wrong and run like a Mehano. I won't ever buy one and nobody else should either. Anyone who does is obviously not on my level. Shame on IM for insulting us with their lazy half a$$ trash, its doing more harm than good". Oh and I guess a third small camp "Interwhat? Never herd of em or seen one. I live under a rock".

[6axlepwr]

Let me see if I can shut this thread down and possibly get kicked off the forum.

Really kalbert? are you that narrow minded.

[kalbert]

Is that all you got  A lot nastier stuff than that has been said in threads that are still open somewhere... 

[learmoia]

Only 3 more pages and we beat the record of b*tching about a new locomotive release!!!..

As I recall.. 20 pages was the last one.. (I forget what it was)

[lock4244]

Only 3 more pages and we beat the record of b*tching about a new locomotive release!!!..

As I recall.. 20 pages was the last one.. (I forget what it was)

Only 11 pages on my end... quite discriminating against those whom choose to view more posts per page 

[kalbert]

Hmm... I'm not sure either. The E5 thread only went 13 pages, but as I recall there were some off shoot threads that aren't part of the official count.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=27199.180

I recall the Bachmann GP7, RS3, NW2, and S4 as all having somewhat lengthy debates about the "damage", if any, they were causing. I'm sure there have been others. 

[GaryHinshaw]

Knock it off Kalbert.

I had hoped this thread would just fade away, but no such luck.