opinions on MTH 20-3117-1 2-10-0 decapod

WestinghouseEMDdemoguy posted:

thinking of getting this as my first premier steam engine. box says operates on 072 but my largest curve is 048.  I just love the loooong tender with doghouse! other than the curve radius, is it a strong runner or any known issues? I searched online and couldn't find many reviews. thanks!

Since the model is a 2-10-0, it will definitely need 072 curves!  Those five coupled drivers will not generally tolerate really sharp curves.

You might be able to coaxe it through O-60, but O-48? Nope.

I think the Railking version requires O-42 minimum, so the Premier definitely needs more room to stretch out.

20-3117-1 is the version with the long tender.  My engine has the short tender and is advertised as O-54 capable, so it is the tender that requires O-72.  Not much difference between O-54 and O-48, but as Hot Water stated those five coupled drivers probably will not do O-48.  Even though this engine has been a great runner for me, I would pass on this engine for your layout, especially the engine you are looking at with the long tender. 

The light Mikado and PRR L-1 engines (2-8-2) are nice and advertised to operate on O-42 curves.  The L-1 even has a doghouse. I think these would work well for you.

who is selling the Premier Decapod?????  I'm interested

john@attorneynagurney.com

The tender is the main reason I like this engine- so other than my track radius it sounds like it would be a safe purchase. 

WestinghouseEMDdemoguy posted:

The tender is the main reason I like this engine- so other than my track radius it sounds like it would be a safe purchase. 

What??   That's like saying, "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?".

Mr Water puts it well. It won't work. That may be fine - I have a 2-rail item or three just for display; display can be nice. Those numbers are there for a reason, and they are often a bit conservative to be safe, true, but 072 spec working on 048? Nah. 

If it works, we need a video, and I'll issue a retraction.

I have both versions and the version with the coast to coast tender will take a 054 curve. I run it on 072 but I did try it a couple times on the 054 with no problems.

Do you notice differences, other than the tender.

The locomotives look identical.

If you need a Decapod to negotiate 048 or less curves, I had an MTH Imperial that I bought last year.  Nice engine with a huge tender, fair price.  I traded mine for a Premier SD-40-2 because I changed my focus from steam to diesel.

i have the Imperial Decapod, with long tender w/ doghouse.  Nice loco and will take your curves with no problem

Certainties in life:  death, taxes, starting a land war in Asia is a bad idea......and trying to run a large, scale steam locomotive on a curve only 2/3 the recommended minimum diameter is a bad idea.

The minimum radius/diameter recommendations exists for a reason.   But also look at it this way:  how much smaller is the buying pool when Lionel or MTH lists an engine as needing 0-72 instead of 0-54....yet they still do so.  Why?  Physics.

When Lionel used to have no track between 0-54 and 0-72, it's true that some 0-72 items would actually run on 0-63.  But that's kind of the exception in my book. 

But that was still only +/- one curve "standard".  Going from 0-72 to 0-48 skips over 0-63,60, 54, etc.   Maybe 60-63 works....but not 48.

WestinghouseEMDdemoguy posted:

thinking of getting this as my first premier steam engine. box says operates on 072 but my largest curve is 048.  I just love the loooong tender with doghouse! other than the curve radius, is it a strong runner or any known issues? I searched online and couldn't find many reviews. thanks!

I assumed you were looking for a scale engine, that is why I thought the 2-8-2 was a better choice for your layout. If you like the size of RK engines, the RK Decapod with long tender is a good looking engine and would work well on your layout. 

I'm looking at scale engines and I knew from the beginning my 048 would be too small. I only have 1 steam engine at the moment- a proto 2 RK 2-4-0 and the sound set is terrible and the details are ho- hum at best. It does serve its purpose for the moment. So as I was looking at all the multitudes of available scale steam engines to replace it, I came up with a list of features I like to narrow down the search. The loooong tenders with doghouses was always the first qualifier. So the model I am inquiring about was the best engine to start with that has what I am looking for in feature, function and design as for Mrs. Lincoln, well.....