At YORK, as well as in the WBB flyer, it is said the 44-ton switcher will navigate 027 curves. But having carefully studied the YORK video, as well as the pre-production photos, I seriously wonder if the coupler opening is wide enough to allow 027 operation without derailing the first train car being pulled.... for that matter even 031 curves.
Again, I don't have the prototype, so I don't know. I'm only going on experience with other models, my own scrathbuilding, and based upon the photos of their pre-production unit.
Reminds me of the initial BEEP which suffered from the same issue until RMT enlarged the opening for the coupler. I wrote to Williams and on May 12 received the following:
"The Program manager for that project is currently out of the office. When he gets back we will ask him. He usually takes all 0-27 issues into account when doing the design work."
That was May 12. Maybe he's not out of the office, but out of the country. But obviously it's not even known for sure the loco will operate without this glich on 027 curves by folks at Williams, otherwise they would have said so. At any rate, I wouldn't consider even pre-ordering one until hearing from Williams.
