Anyone have a problem with there old time inspection car?

Just got the Frisco version today - runs both conventional and TMCC, but tends to growl a bit on start up.  That, and of course, it won't traverse my Ross switches.  Starting voltage runs 7-8v.

I believe they all growl a bit (at least mine and other's I've seen do).  Once they're running faster they quiet down.  I haven't run mine a ton, so it may quiet down if you break it in a bit more.  Mine usually only sees a couple minutes on my club's layout at each of our local train shows.

If you mean the early era inspection car that is based on a '38 Buick sedan, of three I had, all failed.  One would not run out of the box and was returned for exchange.  All three that did run eventually died.  In all cases it was the board.  It one case I just de-gutting the thing, put scale rubber wheels on it, painted in olive drab, and made it a statis display army staff car.  The other two I modied to simple, no electronics board direct DC drive and a single front axle and use on 'Streets roads - they are a scale size '38 Buick and mix nice on the layout.  I think the thing is just to small for a TMCC board to get along well insdie: when they ran, all three of mine ran very warm to the touch.

I got the Christmas version nearly a year ago and it is still doing well.  Not a speed champ, run off a KW only.  I was going to buy other road names, but, now, maybe not.

I'm sincerely hoping that Lee's experiences are the exception rather than the rule, as I am currently awaiting delivery of a Milwaukee Road model. 

I got one of these about a month ago (Lionel Lines Police Inspection Car) and have run it only for a few minutes.  Thus, my only observation to this point is that it takes a good amount of juice, in command mode, to get it moving and at top speed it is still lethargic.  I have not tried it in conventional mode because I only want to operate in command mode.

For me, then, time will tell whether this will be a good runner or end up a shelf queen.

Bill

I think if Lees experiences in this hobby in general were the rule, most folks would find another hobby.

I don't know if it matters, but I ran all three only on a Z4000 in conventional.  Frankly, while very well built, I think it is a poor design - there is just a lot of eletronics and electrics - TMCC board backed right atop a motor - in there and not a lot of room for heat to disipate.

I have one that I've had for about a year, it's run quite a bit over the year and still runs fine.  It's even been opened up and now had a strobe light and working tail lights.