Help needed please. Factory new RMT Beep Diesel.

@Mannyrock posted:

Ok, but John and D500,  how do you find the later BEEPs, with the factory installed better board?  Is there a number designation, such as a product number, or an identifying mark on the unit?  I really like the looks of the BEEP, and if I could get one that would travel at a decent speed I'm pretty sure it would pass over the track switches without the dreaded pause.  A slight hickup is OK.

Now you're asking marketing questions, that I can't answer.

The one I showed you was the one from O-Line Reproductions, apparently the factory selling off production that RMT didn't take at some point.   I think if the unit has the tether for multiple operation, it'll probably have the larger reverse board.

@Mannyrock posted:

John, when you bought your later made unit, did you know you were getting a later unit, or was it just luck of the draw?

I don't need much pulling power.  My trains average about six short cars.

It was strictly the luck of the draw what electronics were in them.  Since I plan on modifying all of these, it's a moot point which reverse board they have, none of them will have conventional operation when I get done with them.

Found an old thread on another board, where an RMT rep said that the BEEP (originally released in 2003) was upgraded by RMT in 2010, to include the upgraded board and two connection components to the rollers.

Now, how to find one of these?

Mannyrock

Well, you can buy a new BEEP from RMT, they have a bunch of them listed.

BEEP Locomotive Stock at RMT

I have a SEPTA BEEP that my daughter bought new for me from the SEPTA store in center city Philly in 2016.  It is one of the slow pokes.  I also found that if you run it on a DCS layout (fixed voltage track using a ZW to vary voltage) it will only run in forward unless you have a lighted car on the track.

John,  RMT stopped manufacturing these back in 2016, and may just be clearing out old stock.  I think it may be possible that they are just selling out everything in the warehouse, including the older versions.  Remember, the one I just bought and returned was definitely New In Box.   (And, it seems like Ebay is loaded with New In Box Shells,)

BUT, in the link you posted, it shows that RMT is selling the complete powered chassis, without the shell.  And, they have a nice clear picture of the unit, including the board.

Is it possible to tell from looking at this photo whether this is one of the older pre-2010 boards, as opposed to the updated board.?  I think you have an updated board in your unit, and you may be able to see enough to compare them.

I already have a NIB RMT Beep shell, that I got off the internet a few weeks ago.  I just need the updated chassis.

Thanks for anything you may be able to add. 

Mannyrock

I think the board that is shown in the RMT link is a third type. It does not match either of the boards John posted earlier.

Chris

LVHR

Chris is right, that looks to have a relay behind the wires, I've never seen that board.

It does look to have the tethers, so it may be newer than the original board.

I'm beginning to think that this hobby is just too hard  :-(

Henry Hill,  "All I ever wanted was to be a gangster."

Me,  "All I  ever wanted was a BEEP that runs at a normal speed."

I have sent an e-mail to the customer service dept of RMT, at the address listed in their ad, asking whether the BEEP chassis have the upgraded board to run at medium and high speeds.

Somehow I doubt I'll get an answer.   Do they even have tech people working anymore at RMT?

Their customer service department may just be sales, returns and refunds.

I'll wait and see.  If I get an answer, I'll post it here.

Mannyrock

I wouldn't hold my breath.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I wouldn't hold my breath.

Ditto.  They have no reason to warranty something purchased through ebay, or something that is long out of production.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

You obviously have a vastly different definition of "slow" than I do. Here's a bog stock BEEP right out of the box running with about 9 volts on the track.

Cute engine and very nice track plan and layout, John. It's going to be gorgeous when you complete it.

Hey Mannyrock:

I couldn't find any contact information (E-mail address) in the RMT link posted. I have one RMT Beep (Chessie System) and one spare shell (NYC), and would like to purchase one of the motorized chassis to fit the spare shell to.

I tried to buy a chassis on their web site, but it appears they post to America and Europe, don't post to Australia....go figure!!

I would like to send them an E-mail to see if they will sell me one, and send it to Australia.

By the way, my little "BEEP" (bought it brand new a few years ago) is also a slow runner, and had trouble trans-versing my Buco turnouts. The roller spacing/width was wrong for the position of the middle rail in my switches, so I removed the rollers and installed "spoons". This fixed the problem!!! Great little "shunter", and does its job well......just not real fast!!!

Peter....Buco Australia

There is one way you can tell if it has the later board and the tethers without opening it up. All the Beeps that I have that came with the factory painted handrails were the newer version. The ones with the unpainted handrails had the older board. I have about 20 Beeps and they all follow that way. The RMT scheme has the old board and the AEC scheme has the new board in the photo.

Dan, it looks like your layout is nuclear powered! My beeps have both unpainted and painted handrails (my AEC beep also have painted). I’ll have check for the board and tether.

I just checked my two beeps, and the painted handrails on my AEC beep are the ones with the later boards and tethers (that enable beeps to hook up to each other, and negotiate switches with gaps). Those drives seem to be the ones on the RMC website. I find they need some lubrication when first bought.

Artie my layout is sci-fi. I spent many years of being prototypical in HO. I decided now in the last stage of my life I will go wild. I combined my favorite things on this layout. Trains, science fiction, NASA and Christmas. In the dark the layout lights up like Christmas. Here is another AEC favorite of mine the RMT Buddy radiation detection car.

Dan, I think we’re on the same wavelength. Here’s my Area 51 portable layout, which becomes my Christmas layout, my moving a few panels. I also have a incomplete day HO layout, which represents the Lackawanna around 1958. I spend more time with my three rail layout, which is more open to other roads. That layout is 5x9’, but I’ll be adding another 5x9’ extension with Gargraves track, and Ross switches. Nice layout by the way, and that Buddy is fun!

Dan,

First, nice layout theme! Well executed. I like your use of the trestle bridges in the back. That must have taken you a while to build.

Second, I think your generalization regarding chrome hand rails and wimpy boards is correct. I dug out one of my BEEPS last night, and sure enough, it has chrome hand rails, a wimpy board, and runs poorly. Now I need to decide whether to leave it conventional or install TMCC in it.

Chris

LVHR

All three of my BEEPs have chrome rails and the smaller boards. Don't know if I would go to TMCC with them at the moment since I run conventional, but Dallee boards are definitely in their future.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

All three of my BEEPs have chrome rails and the smaller boards. Don't know if I would go to TMCC with them at the moment since I run conventional, but Dallee boards are definitely in their future.

Time for you to discover the joys of running command!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Time for you to discover the joys of running command!

It's past time John. soon....

The BEEP can be your first convert.   You can actually fit a surprising amount of stuff into the BEEP if you work at it.  Check out what you can cram into a BEEP.

Cruise Commander Lite Beta Test, Part Deux

The BEEP I bought and sent back for slow speed had absolutely beautiful chrome hand rails.

Buco,

Here is the e-mail address of RMT that I found by fishing around on the site.

rmt-direct@readymadetoys.com

They have never answered my e-mail to them though, so it may be that they are no longer answering questions.

Mannyrock

Artie I like your Area 51 - Christmas layout. Pegasus did came out with a 1:48 scale Martian war machine a few years ago. From the 1953 movie War of the Worlds. I love the Beeps and they do run a lot smoother tethered together with the newer boards.

John,

I was on the ERR website.  To install TMCC, looks like the Mini Commander is what I what. But what else do I purchase? What comes with the MCII? I presume I'll need to purchase some type of connectors to wire everything together. I can assemble stuff like this, but spec'ing it out is something different. I'd like to have sounds, headlights/marker lights, and electro couplers. I don't want the strobe. The cab interior lights are "nice to have", but are definitely lower priority.

Chris

LVHR

Good luck on the electrocouplers, you'll have to make those yourself!  The oddball couplers will require something like I did for the Williams 44-ton locomotive, that was a lot of work.  I looked at it for the BEEP and realized that wasn't happening without significant hand fabrication.

The MC-II comes with a connector with wires.  Obviously, if you want separate marker lights, you'll have to add some wiring for those.  You'll also have to do some special wiring for the RS Commander for the serial data, but only a couple wires.  I presume you saw my link in the previous post one the "deluxe" upgrade for the BEEP.

Thanks Mannyrock......I'll give it a go and see what happens. If I get a response I'll let you know.

Peter.....Buco Australia

Just discovered another oddity with these little buggers.

One of these is marked long hood forward and the other short hood. My third is also long hood.

This has been a really great thread.   Everybody joined in an added their knowledge about BEEPs to give a more complete picture what they are comprised of.

We could now publish a pamphlet entitled "Everything BEEP".

Maybe put it here in the archives.

I think the F was based on the way that the specific RR ran their GP style locomotives.   I'm curious is all your BEEP's start up in the right direction based on the direction painted on the shell.

I did find these in my BEEP box...

OK John.  I give up. What are they?  :-)

All I can recognize are some teather thingee's.

Are these factory or custom?

Mannyrock

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I think the F was based on the way that the specific RR ran their GP style locomotives.   I'm curious is all your BEEP's start up in the right direction based on the direction painted on the shell.

Good point and good question John. Time to put them on the rails again and see. I believe the shells are reversible so the direction can be changed easily enough if necessary.

Bob

If I had to guess, Gen II boards from original BEEP production.

Chris

LVHR

These actually are the later boards from the ones with the tether, they move the BEEP along at a good clip, not like the original board.

This is the original board that shipped with the early 2000 BEEP.  This is also the board that runs them at a snail's pace.

If someone really wanted to upgrade their BEEP, I could take the tethers, etc. out of the chassis these were in, I'm going to remove them before I use them anyway as I'll be doing command in them.

I have a large collection of well running RMT Beeps, but never considered converting them to command. Will have to give this some thought as there are so many systems that would do the job.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I think the F was based on the way that the specific RR ran their GP style locomotives.   I'm curious is all your BEEP's start up in the right direction based on the direction painted on the shell.

For the record, one of three were correct based on the "F". I will swap them when I upgrade the boards.

Bob

More BEEP info.

As we know, RMT is advertising BEEP shells, some remaining BEEP engines, and BEEP chassis for sale.  It is not clear whether these are the original slow-mo units that they first started selling in 2003, or the upgraded BEEP units that they started selling in 2010.

Because I know that I will eventually find an upgraded BEEP, I went ahead and ordered from RMT a shell for the Sante Fe line.  These are a little hard to find.

Well, I received it today, and it has chrome wire rails, so it looks like old stock from the original slow BEEPs. 

And, guess what the engine number is?         2003. 

I believe RMT or whoever owns them now is just clearing out everything BEEP from the warehouse, and most of it is probably the old stuff.

Their "customer service" has yet to reply to my e-mail of 4 days ago, asking whether the current BEEP locomotives for sale are the upgraded units.  Pretty clear that I'll never hear back.

Im trying to decide now whether or not to buy one of the chassis, and if turns out to be the slow type, try to send it back as a dissatisfied customer.    There is a phone number for customer service, so I guess I'll call Monday.  $120 bucks plus shipping is kind of a big gamble for me to take, toy-wise.

Mannyrock