Skip to main content

57 replies

American Flyer Legacy Berkshire information - 2018

Dave OlsonDave OlsonOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERFORUM SPONSOR

Hello all!

As promised, I'm starting this topic to discuss the details and features of the new A/F Legacy Berkshire announced in our 2018 catalog. The engine is being offered in Nickel Plate, Pere Marquette, C&O, Erie, American Railroads, and RF&P liveries. The goal of this thread is to show how this model differs from the FlyerChief version of the Berkshire.

I'll start with the loco:

There will be two different headlight variations depending on the prototype. One has the headlight mounted in the center of the smoke box door:

The other has the headlight mounted lower:

You can also see the design differences between the two pilots. Again, as per prototype. The scale dummy coupler is a separate piece that attaches with a single screw similar to the O Scale steam engines.

In the images above, the different colored parts indicate what is separate from the main boiler casting. Most of the pilot is separate, as well as the number boards and marker lights (all lit), detailing around the smoke stack, handrails, and other details on the sides of the boiler. Also, the smoke box door does swing open and latch closed with a magnet like in the high-end O scale engines.

Moving back, you can see more of the detailing on the engine:

There are lots of separate parts applied to the top and sides of the boiler. Many of the pipes are separately applied.

Onto the cab:

There are many separate grab irons in and around the cab. The cab itself does have seats for the figures and will have figures installed like previous A/F Legacy steam offerings. The back-head has some separate detailing as well. There is the firebox flicker in the cab as well as a cab light. An added bonus will be the ash-pan glow effect!

Now onto the tender:

The tender has many separately applied grab irons. There are also separate steps, ladder, and coupler cut bar. There's a working backup light. The hatches on the tender deck do not open; the volume pot will be accessible from the bottom. The bottom has the track IR and a few separate details. It will have mounting for a scale coupler. Lastly, it'll have a separate coal load like the O Scale steamers.

A few other notes:

  • This engine will not have Bluetooth. The A/F Legacy board (BEMC) cannot support it.
  • Tender has the 40mm speaker used in Legacy engines.
  • Wireless (IR) drawbar
  • Standard SGSU smoke unit for the stack

 

Please let me know if there are any other questions! Hope this helps. We've had fun with this engine and are excited about it. Sales performance on this engine will certainly dictate what fun things we can do in the Flyer world in the future!

Thanks!

Attachments

Hide
Images (9)
  • mceclip0
  • mceclip1
  • mceclip2
  • mceclip3
  • mceclip4
  • mceclip5
  • mceclip6
  • mceclip7
  • mceclip8
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Bob BubeckBob BubeckOGR Forum Member

Outstanding! I'm in!

A few questions/suggestions:

1. Will the smoke box area be painted the contrasting graphite color depending on the prototype modeled?

2. Would an extendable draw bar assembly like on the L-AF Y3 fit into the budget?

3. Looks like separately applied coal for the tender is planned and doable, yes?

4. Also, judging by the electrocouplers on the new GPs, there is apparently a need to further modify the couplers so as to permit them to dependably operate with a wider range of Gilbert and Gilbert-compatible knuckle couplers. Can this improvement be incorporated in the Berk and other future locos?

Thanks, Dave!

Bob

jonnyspeedjonnyspeedOGR Forum Member

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the information. I'm pleasantly surprised at how many upgrades you have done detail wise. I'm very happy to see the front coupler setup which should permit the installation of a Kadee without too much modification as I have done on the TMCC Mikado and Pacific. 

Just so we have the answers in this thread:

1. Will the tender have a Kadee mounting pad?

2. Will the sound system have 4 chuffs per revolution?

3. Will the smoke unit be synchronized to the chuffing?

4. I know the answer, but is there any possibility of scale wheels being offered?

5. Lastly, if this model is a success will we see more Legacy steam models in the future?

Thanks.

Last edited by jonnyspeed
Dave OlsonDave OlsonOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERFORUM SPONSOR
Bob Bubeck posted:

 

1. Will the smoke box area be painted the contrasting graphite color depending on the prototype modeled? Yes

2. Would an extendable draw bar assembly like on the L-AF Y3 fit into the budget? No room for it

3. Looks like separately applied coal for the tender is planned and doable, yes? Yes - you can see in the tender image above there is no cast-in load.

4. Also, judging by the electrocouplers on the new GPs, there is apparently a need to further modify the couplers so as to permit them to dependably operate with a wider range of Gilbert and Gilbert-compatible knuckle couplers. Can this improvement be incorporated in the Berk and other future locos? We modified it to work with current A/F couplers. If you can suggest to me the other couplers in mind, I can take a look, but there's no guarantee that it'll work. Not easy to be compatible with everything.

 

jonnyspeed posted:

 

1. Will the tender have a Kadee mounting pad? Yes

2. Will the sound system have 4 chuffs per revolution? Yes

3. Will the smoke unit be synchronized to the chuffing? Yes

4. I know the answer, but is there any possibility of scale wheels being offered? No - historically the scale-wheel versions do not sell well enough to justify the effort.

5. Lastly, if this model is a success will we see more Legacy steam models in the future? That is the key. For us to consider significant investment in engines in the future, the sales of this engine need to be really good. This rings true for both steam and diesel. Tooling nowadays is a huge cost, and we need the Flyer community to show us that they're willing to buy enough to justify it.

richabr posted:

Looked around and all the pictures I found show the available roadnames had centered headlights. Something for the future? 

RT Rusty TraqueOGR Forum Member

Thanks, Dave.  This pretty much answers all of my unasked questions. 

You guys are going further on this than I expected with the added details.  It easily fits my "cut or two" above the F/C Berkshire statement.  Going "C&O" on the front end is a surprise.  I've also noticed some improvements on the boiler casting vs. the F/C boiler. This looks like it's "up there" with the Y3 from a couple of years ago.

Not a show-stopper, but no slat pilot for the NKP version?

2-8-4 765 Ohio

Rusty

Attachments

Hide
Images (1)
  • 2-8-4 765 Ohio
Last edited by Rusty Traque
T TOKELLYOGR Forum Member

Thank you, Dave, not only for answering all the questions but also for the work that went into this model. The only question I have left is whether the Legacy electronics will respond to straight conventional DC as do the Y-3/SD70ACe/ES44AC? I run all those locomotives on Legacy, but I also run American Models locomotives on straight DC. When that happens, I have to be sure that the Challenger, U33C, and Mikado are on dead tracks. There is no concern for the newer Legacy locomotives, and it would be wonderful if the Berkshires were also compatible with DC just in case I'm less careful.

 

RT Rusty TraqueOGR Forum Member
Quick Casey posted:

Ooh, C&O lower headlight. Must consider that one as well. 

Will the American Railroads version have a Mars light? I believe it had one during it's tour.4

I don't recall 759 not having it's Mars light in excursion service. 

Even 765 is sporting it's Mars light again:

2-8-4 NKP 765 JR

But, I expect a Mars light is not in the cards for this release.

Rusty

Attachments

Hide
Images (1)
  • 2-8-4 NKP 765 JR
jonnyspeedjonnyspeedOGR Forum Member
Francine posted:

 

You gave the scale guys at least 95% of what they wanted and gave us Hi-rail people a real treat.

 

With all due respect Francine, I don't think you understand the needs and desires of the "Scale Guys". The fact that the engine will not have scale wheels means that it will be of 0% interest to most scale modelers. It looks like a great model for Hi-Rail and AF modelers for sure, but scale modelers need scale wheels... Simple as that. Even if it means an aftermarket upgrade as with the Y3s.

Personally, I would prefer scale over Hi-Rail, but it has become painfully apparent that there will be precious little new scale product being made. Most of the scale modelers on the S scale Facebook group are saying that "S scale" is going back to its "scratch builder" roots. That doesn't particularly interest me.

Will people change from scale to Hi-Rail?  Not sure. I suppose it depends on the products that are made. It is a real chicken-or-the-egg scenario...

Last edited by jonnyspeed
RT Rusty TraqueOGR Forum Member
jonnyspeed posted"

 

Most of the scale modelers on the S scale Facebook group are saying that "S scale" is going back to its "scratch builder" roots. That doesn't particularly interest me.

 

Of that we can agree on. 

While this is really the subject for another thread, the push by some of the scale guys to return to the "scratch builders scale" mantra is model railroading suicide in this day and age.  I would rather see 10 people get into S using Flyer or HiRail than wait for 1 scratchbuilder to enter the scale.

I would hope that someone comes up with a scale wheel conversion for these Berkshires, but if not: Them's the breaks.

If I ever tear down tear down and replace the Great Plywood Glacier, HiRail is a definite possibility.  I've got plenty of wheels in stock to convert most of my scale stuff.  It'd be nice to run my Flyer Mike's, Pacific's, Challenger and Y3 without slapping an oval of track on the floor.

Rusty

Last edited by Rusty Traque
Bob BubeckBob BubeckOGR Forum Member
jonnyspeed posted:

<snip>

Personally, I would prefer scale over Hi-Rail, but it has become painfully apparent that there will be precious little new scale product being made. Most of the scale modelers on the S scale Facebook group are saying that "S scale" is going back to its "scratch builder" roots. That doesn't particularly interest me.

Well, River Raisin addresses the S scale part of the market. They offered a beautiful (albeit expensive) brass RTR model of the Lima Berkshire a few years ago. If I were a 'scaler' I would have jumped at the chance to purchase one. The new Lionel AF offering is a shot at 'it' for us hi-railers.

Respectfully,

Bob

Next

Add Reply

Views: 5,121
Post

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

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×

Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership

OGR Forum Supporting Membership

Help support this forum with an OGR Forum Supporting Membership.
You will be able to watch the videos in the INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO FORUM!
A one-year OGR Forum Supporting Membership is only $12 per year, so sign up now!


    OR     


Access the ALL the OGR VIDEO FORUMS AND  over 300 back issues of OGR
with a DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION!



$12.00 per 12 Months (plus tax if applicable)
×