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