I've read the posts regarding how well the Lionel offerings run and honestly don't care where, how many or in what position the motors reside. What does concern me is whether different locomotives will MU or double head. I have a first run U33c, now with the pilots fixed to the frame, scale wheels, Kadee couplers (actually I think they are Walthers) and a Tsunami decoder. It's a bit faster than I would have preferred but runs well slowly and pulls what I think it should - I am totally satisfied.
However my understanding is Lionel has altered the gearing on the second run U33's and now they won't play nice with the first run. Thanks Lionel - you just killed any repurchase from my POV. I have a couple SD70's coming and they will probably run stand alone, until someone makes an AC4400, but the U33 was meant for 'plug and play' diesel consists so "playing nice" is a priority. I have no modeling or operational interest in a Y3, but I would like to know if it can be employed as a rear end pusher in a train with an N&W 'A' on the point? If it "string lines" the train or shoves it off to the outside of a curve, that would be disappointing. Why does it matter? Well, I can remember hiding behind my dad's leg when double headed NKP Berks slammed through Ossian, Indiana, near home. I have videos of Pennsy J1's pulling heavy coal trains with an A-B Baldwin Shark and an I1 shoving on the rear and C&O T1's on the front and back of merchandise freights. So far I have been able to replicate that in S scale, its fun and usually drops a few HO modelers' jaws when they visit Des Plaines Valley. To loose that opportunity with offerings from Lionel and MTH would be a big disappointment. I hope does not happen, but the changes on the U33 are not encouraging... Now I know some of my DCC friends are already thinking all you have to do is diddle endlessly with speed tables and CV's to get it right. Been there, done that. It works in some cases where the differences aren't great in the first place but it is not a cure-all. There is only so much you can do when designs and gear rations vary too much. This is a case where I hope I am wrong, but I am concerned the next generation will bring one-off locomotives that can only reliable run by, or with, themselves... Jim Kindraka Plymouth, WI
