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Reply to "(12/29/21) SOLD OUT! Beta 3.0 Engines from Menards!"

Beta 3.0

2-minutes of run time evaluation:

Cow catcher shorting out on center rail

Rubber tires rolling.  May need to buy Lionel tires to replace these with- the rubber seems too pliable perhaps.

Shorting on center rail - while on low profile tubular track (Marx and Lionel)

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This is a design/manufacturing defect I will need to work around.

Note the metal under the coupler sags. If it didn’t sag, it wouldn’t touch the center rail.

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I like the engine sound and momentum. The horn sounds toy-like.

Couple of paint smudges behind the rear doors, but otherwise looks very good.

image

Rubber tires rolling after 2 minutes of running at lowest speed with no load on tubular track.

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I agree with earlier comments that the couplers are almost non-functional when using manually.  I’ll try them on an uncoupling track today, once I tape up the front to prevent shorting.

I paid $210 for Lionel’s lowest end GP38 in 2020 (MSRP $220 as of Jan 5, 2022), and $188 for this Menards engine with the same features 18 months later.  With Lionel I get dealer support, increased resale value, blue tooth, iPhone app, future compatibility, and spare tires.  Overall I think I will be much better off paying 6% more for Lionel quality and support.  Saturday I’ll post in the Saturday Switcher thread this engine’s run through my track.  Last Saturday I ran the Lionel GP38 and posted on the Saturday Switcher thread.

Fun to test a brand new product!  If I can figure out the tire situation, and after I fix the center rail shorting problem, this F unit should work fine for pulling my Amtrak cars, with no switching duties requiring a functional coupler.

Maiden Voyage:  rough ride over the K-Line O42 manual switch; otherwise seemed to traverse the Gargraves flex at about 34” diameter, K-Line O42 auto switch, two Marx O34 auto switches, and Marx 34” dia curves and Lionel straights as well as the Lionel GP38.

Attachments

Images (5)
  • 1D98B0DD-0531-457B-B6CD-F52166B76A18
  • 2F97C40E-79FA-44A6-AE4E-24694E97DD08: Tires shifted
  • DBE5DC76-CF0E-4630-B169-B36F00893C73: Truck float
  • DABE817C-F47F-43D8-A35B-4BE63EA0BAC6: Metal deformed/sag
  • image: Paint smudge
Videos (3)
trim.39F39913-0B81-4760-AC53-96C10AE3191C
trim.E6AED3FA-B556-404E-955D-C120D57F42AB
trim.D0408E6D-F86D-4BFD-A9FF-F9EC981569D4
Last edited by Hannibal-St Joseph RR

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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