I bought a Sunset GE 44-tonner off E-bay this morning. I was curious as to how well they run, what their minimum radius requirements are, and how easy it is to install Kadee couplers. I'm looking forward to reading what people who own or have owned have to share about them.
Thank you,
E. Lee DeGolyer
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I have one that I bought about 5 years ago.
Mine runs well, but is noisey. It runs slow, as a switcher should. If you expect a slot car, you will be disappointed. Top speed is still slower than anything else I have. I am happy with that.
They are very heavy as they come and pull very well. Much more than the prototype. I decided it was too heavy, it pulled as much as my big freighters. It would easily pull 25 cars or more on level track, free rolling cars. I think I remember it weighed about 5 lbs. but I might be way off. When I took it apart to a decoder in it, I found lead weights in both hoods plus a sheet of lead under the floor above the motor. I removed the weights from the hoods and that cut the total weight about in half. It still pulls about 8-10 cars up my 3% branch grade.
I have not stressed the radius yet. the tightest I have is 48 inches and it does that like it is not there.
For Kadee couplers, you have to use the short box version. I think it is a # 806. It is pretty tight underneath with the gear boxes, and the end of the truck is near the pilot. the full size box will not fit. but the short one works just fine.
I like mine. I think it is quieter now that it has run in some. It is not that bad, just noisier than most. It does a great job working the industries in connellsville on my layout. the guys who operate here like it a lot.
Thank you.
I appreciate knowing how well it ran and what sort of Kadee couplers would suit it. I bought it mainly as a side-piece for my On30, but I do know a couple of guys who members of the Dallas--Fort Worth O Scalers and hope to take mine on a field trip to the upcoming Southwest O Scale convention and run it on their module. They don't use DCC, so I don't plan to immediately retrofit mine to use it.
--Lee DeGolyer
Good review. That's just peachy. Now I want one! 
By the way, Lee, when/where is the Southwest O Scale Convention? I'm planning on making more trips to Texas over the next few months.
Are you related to Everett, the guy who had every single product Lobaugh ever produced? And a library named after him?
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