----- Original Message ----- From: Doug Peck . . . . . . . . . we displayed, on loan from Lionel, a production-run Challenger, and a pre-production NoPac U33,. . . . . . . . My impression was that most everyone was very positive about them both, and saw excellent potential in modifying the U33 by the "scale crowd". > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Challenger doesn't interest me, doesn't fit into my modelling era, but I'm glad those who need it can get it.
The U33C is real (unlike the SD40-2); I've seen and touched Doug's pre-production model. He had one complete loco and several shells with different roadnames. I didn't go over it with a microscope or compare it with scale drawings, but it looked basically OK. Yes, the pilot swings with the truck, but at least the end railing doesn't also swing. Doug thinks, & he's probably right, it will not be hard to detach the pilot from the truck and attached it to the underside of the body. Replacing the big coupler with a KD or other scale-size coupler shouldn't be hard either for a scaler. Editorial comment: For the tinplate / highrail market, the swinging pilot is probably a good idea. Remenber AM's GP & RS locos with the body mounted AF-style coupler? Many high-railers had problems with that derailing the front truck of the car it was coupled to on sharp curves. That's not going to happen with the U33C. While scale-accuracy is important to us, sales are important to Lionel. And sales is what will keep Lionel making more road names for this loco, and maybe even more new locos in the future. Tom Hawley -- Lansing Michigan http://michmod.com/ ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
