Amherst Intermountain chatter

[Showme]

  Maybe it is the decoder versions that are having the problems. I have 3 of the MP units that I got from Midwest, all DC versions, and they all work great. I don't know why N Scale Supply dumped my order for the DC versions I had specified. Pretty simple design with the Atlas style SD50 trucks, brass pickups, analog board. Not much to go wrong unless wheels get filthy or you lose contact between the board and the frame or motor tabs. I like them so well that I have 16 total between purchasing from Midwest and local hobby shop. Would have been 21 with the cancelled order. I've had 7 on the rails with no issues so far. I dropped DCC several years ago because I was tired of trouble shooting them all the time. Not knocking DCC because I do enjoy the sound units I have kept, but everyone has a personal preference. Mine happens to be running long tains with a big consist up front. Most of my layout track is analog but I do have a DCC loop embedded it there too.

Bob

[ski]

Perhaps it is the decoder. I am hesitant to start pulling things to far apart on something I would like to return. I did look and it appears that the decoder is seated correctly in both units. lt's very annoying. I cleaned the track and ran various Kato/ScaleTrains, etc with no problems.

LOL I just started another attempted run of one of the MP units and it just died as I was typing this...

[professor_cassidy]

Intermountain is getting ready to ship the first batch of SD40-2s as many may know.

The F units looked great. The DC only were nicely weighted and should be good pullers. The etched metal grills were dislodged in several samples, likely a result of being on shows.

All my F7A & B’s have wavy grills . There is definitely a defect in how they glue them on at the factory 

[wazzou]

All my F7A & B’s have wavy grills . There is definitely a defect in how they glue them on at the factory 

Mine too.  Very annoying.  I actually suspect it is temperature or humidity related, given the environment they are installed and out in the wild.
The same issue pops up frequently on Athearn cars that have etched metal roof walks.

[GaryHinshaw]

Any news regarding their backlog of freight cars?

LOL.  Bear in mind that the chatter in the title is referring to the 2024 Amherst show.

[wmcbride]

All my F7A & B’s have wavy grills . There is definitely a defect in how they glue them on at the factory 

The grill waviness on the latest F units was really irritating -- so different from the earlier ones.

A slightly tricky fix for my thickish fingers but do-able.

[professor_cassidy]

The grill waviness on the latest F units was really irritating -- so different from the earlier ones.

A slightly tricky fix for my thickish fingers but do-able.

How did you fix?  Did you take the grill off completely and reglue?  Or try a spot by spot reglue?
 

[wmcbride]

If I remember correctly, I used canopy glue on a pin and fixed them in place on a few.

I did one half (fore and aft) at a time. I had some small weights I lay on the grill to get it to lie flat while the canopy glue set.

I do remember having to take one completely off -- because it was pretty goofed up and probably about to fall off anyway. That one I used CA glue and canopy glue together -- CA at the end and canopy glue in the middle of each half of the grill.

The key was to use a really small amount of glue, especially the CA. I used a sewing needle in a pin vice as an applicator.

Quite different from the earlier version F7s which were pretty robust.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I would also recommend only tacking one end if you can get that to work. This way they don't "pop" due to different heating and shrinking rates.