The wait is over, my NYC Milk Reefer arrived on Saturday. Based on what I have read here, I was prepared for the worst. Okay, so here is the deal, while I hear the paint is not a perfect match to the CC II Niagara Milk Train I cannot tell the difference. There are couple of differences in the body, the verticle rib lines for the wooden slats on this car are not as deep, not a deal breaker. The single white stripe that goes around the body is thinner on the new car. Not a deal breaker. The detail parts look the same but I know there have been posts about some differences or inaccuracies, I do not know them so as far as I am concerned, they are not an issue.
Now the trucks, they are a problem for sure. Not the same quality as the others., no working springs, cheap uncoupling tab etc. The coupler itself is smaller at least to the point where you cannot couple it to the original cars with the knuckle open. You must lift and place one inside the other. Of course the fixed coupler arm and the tight clearance once coupled makes navigating curves a potential disaster. There is no room for the coupler to move inside of each other. They are rated for O36" but I think that is a stretch, more like O42" for any confidence.
When I took it out of the box my attention was drawn immediately to the trucks because of all that has been written but there was something more, it looked like the wheels were smaller. A side by side caparison increased my suspicion. I took out my calipers and checked a couple of measurements. I did not write them down so I will summarize. The diameter across the flange of the new car was about 2 mm less than the older cars, the same goes for the diameter to the base of the flange. and, the flange is smaller as well. I am no expert but it is a simple measurement, somebody please check and let me know if I am mistaken. Could this be why the couplers are lower on these?
I could be totally off base here.
So what are our options, return them and speak with our money? Or, hope Lionel will produce a fix and make them available to anyone who purchased these. Like they did with the Santa Fe Conventional Classics shells. Or bare with it, make our own modifications or buy replacement trucks (if we can).
Mike
