As was pointed out to me once by an old modeller. Once youre sat back 2 or 3 feet, those little glue marks and such disappear quick. So yeah theyre there but... at the same time, its not that big a deal
Shoddy assembly is is never ok, because if it is the companies will gravitate to the lowest level the consumers find acceptable. If I'm paying hard earned money I expect a quality model for the price
That's fair enough - if you're happy to stand back and overlook the issues, then I can recommend these to you more highly. Personally, I do notice this stuff, and it does bother me...but to each his own! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I can see what the point problem is. The wagons like going over points, but you have yet to learn the fine art of shunting. When an 08 shunter or small tank engine is shunting trucks or coaching stock, they do it slowly in real life. On a model railway, I'd say 20 to 30% speed is your best bet for a points test. When you test a goods or passenger train going over points, 50% speed is too fast and that's what causes derailments. Here's how to achieve it: run the engine in for an hour in both directions first, and then test the train over points at 20 to 30% speed. You'll get better results.
As a huge fan of Walthers I will admit they do have some duds from time to time. I absolutely love their passenger cars. You will need about 26 inch radius curves and larger if they are an older run car. I just assembled a 12 pack of their older New York Central Pacemaker freight cars, had to buy new bogies for them as the provided are fully sprung but unbuilt, I don’t mess with those. All in all, Walthers has been around for awhile so I will always recommend them. As for these cars I’d give a solid 4/5. The one had some issues and while those plastic axle wheels are decent I’d recommend the Walthers proto metal wheel sets for them.
Sam, I'm not sure what your obsession with a square running plate. I've just been to Portugal and many of thr steam locos in their national railway museum had very uneven/bent running plates. Prototypically correct!
Thanks mate! Yeah they're not bad for the money - if you got one with slightly better build quality they'd be very decent! Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam, the comprehensive weight of american car models do serve a purpose beond just the feeling of realism and quality. Given the mammoth length of trains modelled in the states, any light cars are likely to stringline and be pulled off the track by the sheer load of the train behind them. To overcome this, each car have a massive weight fitted inside them, something I've noticed on some of my cars for example.
NMRA has set “recommended practices” these are standards for the indrustry to ensure smooth operation. Track gauge, track side clearances, coupler height, etc. one to of these “R. P.’s is car weight. This is determined by the car’s length, a 40’ box car will weigh less than an 85’ passenger coach or a flat car of the same length. This is to ensure smooth operation.
GATX is the radio callsign of the General American Transportation Corporation (now just GATX corporation). EBAX is the call sign of the Ethyl Corporation. Very American :) USA wheel profile tends to be RP25 (as is much European HO), much finer than most OO models. They prefer shallower angles on points and curves.
I've had couplers that behaved like this. The solution is simple: remove the coupler from the pocket, lightly file the top and bottom of the proximal end to smooth it out, add a puff of Kadee Grease-em, and reassembly. It should work much smoother.
Or until you get the Greasem powdered graphite, use the softest lead pencil you have and draw on everything in the coupler box and coupler shaft to coat everything with pencil graphite. Good for pin point axle ends and the coned journals too
It was very kind of Walthers to send you 2 tanker wagons free to review them on your channel Sam. I do have to agree with you about the model wagons having visible glue marks on the body and the bodies of the wagons bound to warping because of its plastic construction. The price of the tanker wagons are reasonable and they are bit better than other models from Walthers. Overall, they are pretty good looking models and they have a decent quality from Walthers Sam.
Would it be worth comparing different brands of points as part of your performance testing? Or Evan maybe a video comparing different brands of track ?
I like the printed decoration. I am not making excuses but, while the glue marks on the blue / orange one are not great, they could pass as weathering / grime. Very few wagons in reality are very clean although I do like smart, clean wagons.
Was my thinking too. Just a little stuff from being new, loosing the hold down plate screw a little, or a very small smear of lithium white grease. They really need to self centre. Part of the fun of modelling, making things work. Producer's aren't modellers, they're just factory assemblers. There will be slight issues needed correcting when new😊
Actually powdered grahiye. Or until you get the Greasem powdered graphite, use the softest lead pencil you have and draw on everything in the coupler box and coupler shaft to coat everything with pencil graphite. Good for pin point axle ends and the coned journals too
These started out as Proto 2000 kits under Tyco. When Walthers bought them out, they were repurposed into Walthers' standard line, with the only changes made were the couplers they came with (Walthers line then was a paradox). This is the third iteration with the Mainline and Trainline range, with the walkways on the top being new and the detailing being almost 3 times as thick as the old ones. This is an improvement since the old ones were infamous for having fragile parts. The one I own had parts falling off just from running down the track. The old ones are still fairly common to find.
Same I will say get kadee couplers for your units and rolling stock I haven't had a issue with mine after installing them I typically use 118s and 119s both shelf design which helps keep manifest together when going over uneven track and has good retention to it
Great review Sam. Really enjoy your videos, as I am a closet BR fan in the USA. (Becoming a big fan of Class 37's, but it goes back to seeing the Flying Scotsman scream past at speed in Birmingham, AL. I have a question involving your layout. Where is the peak of Gordon's Hill? I watched the Walthers Tankers descend from the curve in the corner...so I'm guessing the peak is there and descends back to ground level as it passes the station platform until the scenery ends? Thanks, again, love your reviews!! Have a blessed day! Chris Howard/USA
nahhh the couplers aren't a bug, they're a feature! They're more realistic! On real trains if the knuckles don't line up you get to kick them with your boot until they do. Here you just get to nudge it with your finger!
Very nice surprise from walthers based on the price they would probably be around 30 euros here in Ireland but nobody stocks them I would certainly pick up a few for running around at that price there fine 👍
Heck yeah! More American stuff! I’ve mentioned them before and I am very much at risk for sounding like a broken record but have you considered the Walthers GP-15 or the EMD F7A? Both are really reasonably priced and I think you’d really enjoy them! GP-15 is super low budget, the F7A is pretty high quality but it’s not super pricey.
Interesting Sam keep up the good work :) and also I have two suggestions one Hornby one and one Bachmann one. The Hornby one is the Hornby Toy Story train set you could always review that and the Bachmann suggestion is the London tube stock named the S stock but these are just suggestions and thanks and take care :)
I doubt having a 14.5 mm back-to-back would cause derailments. I run most of my 00 stock at 15-15.4 mm anyways (course scale flanges at 15.1-15.2, nmra to-25 at 15.3-15.4, and a few prototypical models at 15.4-15.5). Only really in s4x and to some extant p4 does 0.1mm (1/3 scale inch) matter. The prototype was usually off by more. Hell, frames on locos were usually off by several inches!
The guaging is probably the issue, typically with the walthers cars you can adjust it on the fly. I've never had this exact issue with Walthers cars specifically but I've had to adjust my Athearn Bombardier bilevel coaches as they are usually all over the place out of the box
Like the video. Have you looked at the uncoupling pins under the couplers, these can hang too low and catch on the switch points causing derailments , by the way I snip these off as I do not use magnetic uncoupling. I weather all my trains so some glue mark normally do not cause me too much concern if the price is right.
I had to re-watch in slow motion, the tankers as they derailed on the turnout/switch. It's rolling off the rails where the rail joiners are. perhaps maybe the track just needs a tiny bit of simple adjustment??. I did notice a small gap between the rails there.
I like the models, they are an excellent choice for low budget and medium budget modellers. A bit of a model with a little bit of adjustment, finer details and maybe a little fettling, and hey presto. I do like walthers models, but never see them in’N’ gauge. A shame really. Did have a Brighton Belle in ‘N’ gauge but that was another manufacturer I believe (American ) . Good video.
I am still waiting. Waiting for the Heljan BR class 28 Review, as well as when Sam’sTrians finally discovers OO9 gauge. Anyways, Great Video Sam. Excellent models.
The couplers are a clone of the DADEE #5 metal coupler. The instructions for the KADEE #5 is to take “Grease’em” (a powdered graphite product from KADEE) and burnish the coupler shank, after removing casting burrs, as well as the pocket cover and the centering spring plate. Replace the pocket cover, be sure not to over tighten the screw. For me a #2 pencil works really well for this treatment. The wheelsets court be replaced with Proto Wheelsets, these have metal wheels on metal axles, and would more than likely help with the issues you’re having. These come in scale diameters, for freight cars a 33” hound work out well. Hope this helps, although these cars fall in the “bargain” or beginner side of things, they deserve to perform “as advertised”. Good luck.
Sam, a set of points on my layout stopped conducting, I have spent the past hour or so fixing it, managed to get it working 2 minutes before your upload. I see this as an reward, the only downside is I now have ruined nails and superglue on my fingers. 🤣
Hi i have same problem regular with my hornby points and motors contacted hornbys tech helpline were useless got told they dont repair points so much for good customer service peco stuff is much better quality too
Also i got told the plastic. Ridges on the points are too high so the wheels on the wagon hit it and causes a derailment one suggestion i got given was to file something off the height and do the same to widen the gap the wheel goes through so they dont hit the sides
So, the GATX/EBAX thing: Those are the reporting marks for the car, a (usually) three-to-four-letter code signifying which company ultimately owns them. This is legally mandated under the transportation laws of the US, Canada, and Mexico. GATX means the car is owned by General American Transportation, a private company that leases railcars out to whoever needs them. EBAX is the reporting mark for the Albemarle Corporation, though cursory research shows that they're the contemporary owner of the reporting mark and most likely inherited it from another company. The "X" at the end indicates that they're not in "Common Carrier" service (meaning that they are not owned by an actual railroad), which is a reason why reporting marks for the CSX Corporation, one of America's major rail companies, is "CSXT" and not "CSX", and why Ferromex uses the reporting mark "FXE" instead of "FMEX".
i wonder if any model maker dose something like a livery stickers for models, say water stickers(no idea how feasible that'd be but i recall those were pack in for kits of plane models) packed in with plain running stock, especially if selling bulk sets that could be fun way to help customers tinker with their vagons, get acquainted with maintenance and maybe engage more actively with the hobby. Couple of odd coupling vagons... i wonder (since i see spring in there and never had any models of trains) what could possibly cause the misalignment in the first place? or is that spring unrelated to the function of centring. I see so smarter of the two vagons looks better to me, i guess i like subtle colour palletes, or maybe just enjoy stripes.
I'm waiting for the jarring sight of rolling stock from both sides of the pond passing by on adjacent tracks :D I acquired some Lima O scale cars to tag along with my 3-rail 'O' collection just for giggles.
Great video. Americans over here tend to have a different standard for detail than do OO gaugers. Possible the different approach to the hobby in general.
I quite like to see the variety in the US stuff, quality looks a bit "made in Hong Kong" to Uk eyes though? I guess its all chinese ultimately, Sam is there a US brand offering quality too? If so any chance of a review? That said, i think i like the orange and blue tanker enough to buy a couple 😊
The best quality US brand I've come across is Broadway Limited Imports. I've just had a look at their website and they have tank wagons very similar to the ones Sam has reviewed. They are listing them at $85.00 for a pair of them so the price compares quite well with the Walthers ones. Edit: actually the price doesn't compare so well: those two tank wagons come to $69.96 on the Walthers website at the moment (10th Jan 2014). But then I'd expect the quality of the Broadway Limited wagons to be a lot better.
I think the sub frame under the tank may be realistic in there appearance. These frames in real life get bent by the simplest of impacts. On larger, later era tanks they do not have this full frame. The tank is the wagons(cars) structure. Your derail looked like a possible lift on the point frog or the inner protection rail pushing the wheel flange on top of the rail. Like you say, wheel sets not quite right.
Did the screws fall out, or were they missing? If they fell out, the factory assembler over tightened the mounting screws. One way to fix this is to enlarge the hole insert a piece of styrene tube that will allow you to retread the screws into the frame, be careful and drill as straight as you can. If the screws are missing, these are more than likely a self tapping #2 screw, and a well stocked hobby shop should have some. Good luck.
@@johnbeck3270 the screw is still in the hole and I’d be able to get the wheels back on the screw but I can’t get it out, I don’t even know if it’s a screw since a screw should come out pretty easy, yet whatever’s in there doesn’t come out at all.
Cheap works just as well as expensive as far as rolling stock is concerned especially when you're looking to build a consist that is realistic because tank cars and hoppers tend to be hauled separately, just a statement of fact, and that said perhaps Walthers sent you the tank cars to see if there was something that needed fixed
Ethyl is nasty stuff. It was the marketing name for the lead compound used in leaded petrol/gasoline! GATX and EBAX are reporting marks. In North America, reporting marks are 2- to 4-letter abbreviations that denote the true owner of a wagon, regardless of the decoration. The last letter X means the rolling stock is privately owned, usually by a leasing company.
Although given to you, they still do go through a very fair reviewing style Sam. In all honesty... Walthers should have a close look at what European continental model train companies can do for the same money, referring to PIKO and Roco. Enough said actually. I can understand the budget price here but they are shockingly facepalming leaps behind in terms of sharpness, finesse and total quality in design, engineering and manufacturing compared to the aforementioned at the very same price... Pity really. Cheerio.
I have delt with piko and roco stuff before. I found their locos for how nice they look the ones i handled were quite a bit of letdowns especially when the steam is tender driven.
@@mattsmocs3281 Not sure when this was or how, but we are talking wagons here of course. Quite Frankly speaking, these from Walthers are utter tosh on all accounts. I can only refer to similar prices atm from Roco and PIKO on their webshop and from our experience. In no way will they be producing such utter junk like these. We both have plenty wagons from both brands. Also quite a range at the price of these Walthers. So far all delivered items have been spotless and flawless. But plastic axles, failing couplings, derailing, glue all over the place, quite fuzzy moulded bogies, etc, etc... Not going to happen on PIKO or Roco 😉 No brand is always perfect of course but what Walthers has delivered here simply is flagrantly inferior.
It’s a shame their gondolas didn’t do so well, oh well. Although, once you do get a big boy locomotive, I’d love to see it pull all of your American cars!
One reason why the Athearn tankers were more expensive is probably that they're modern tank cars which are paradoxically harder to find than these older 50s and 60s models.
Which train would u recommend for 20 or 30 DOLLARS Is it even possible?? + i don't HAVE a train layout but the train is constantly stopping and moving. So do u think is the engine's wheels problem or the TRACK problem Tysm Edit: do u also know if there is some good trains in eBay as the shipping price for me is alot i REALLY like steam locomotives ❤❤❤
Most HO scale North American rolling stock, like these tankers, use draft gear boxes (coupling pockets) that are clones of the Kadee No. 5 knuckle coupling system.
Thing is companies can only rectify things if people tell them its not right. If you kep it to yourself then they would not find out and not be able to do anything about it on future models
The smudging and slight warping isn't much to worry about; to make them truly prototypically American, they should be worn out, rusted and covered with graffiti lol.
The actual title is tetra ethyl lead, it was used to reduce valve knocking. I know also that the higher grade of gasoline was referred to as “ethyl” before the trim “premium” was used. Back in the “old days” we only had 2 grades of gas.
This is in no way a criticism but you tested them on two points and they only failed on one. I think it’s unfair therefore to say they are bad on points, they are bad on that one set of points. I’m building my first lay out still and in my dock scene where I’ve got 7 sets of points I had one set that my wagons derailed on. I swopped it out and I’ve not had any further issues.
I assume that if a company sends something for review they pick good examples of the item? Yet these still have two major problems - they don't couple, and they derail on points. So I don't see how they can be recommended at any price, let alone between 20 and 30 quid - that's a fair chunk of pocket money for something that doesn't perform two of it's basic functions correctly!
As was pointed out to me once by an old modeller. Once youre sat back 2 or 3 feet, those little glue marks and such disappear quick. So yeah theyre there but... at the same time, its not that big a deal
Shoddy assembly is is never ok, because if it is the companies will gravitate to the lowest level the consumers find acceptable. If I'm paying hard earned money I expect a quality model for the price
That's fair enough - if you're happy to stand back and overlook the issues, then I can recommend these to you more highly. Personally, I do notice this stuff, and it does bother me...but to each his own!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
“Tankers” are boats, in North America, these cars are, as identified on the boxes, “tank cars”.
I can see what the point problem is. The wagons like going over points, but you have yet to learn the fine art of shunting. When an 08 shunter or small tank engine is shunting trucks or coaching stock, they do it slowly in real life. On a model railway, I'd say 20 to 30% speed is your best bet for a points test. When you test a goods or passenger train going over points, 50% speed is too fast and that's what causes derailments. Here's how to achieve it: run the engine in for an hour in both directions first, and then test the train over points at 20 to 30% speed. You'll get better results.
It's still good to test at high speeds as some modelers just like to move their trains quickly even if not realistic.
@@danagibbs3265 And the fact that none of the hoppers had issues says these tankers do have a problem.
A fair and even-handed review I thought. Thanks Sam
As a huge fan of Walthers I will admit they do have some duds from time to time. I absolutely love their passenger cars. You will need about 26 inch radius curves and larger if they are an older run car. I just assembled a 12 pack of their older New York Central Pacemaker freight cars, had to buy new bogies for them as the provided are fully sprung but unbuilt, I don’t mess with those. All in all, Walthers has been around for awhile so I will always recommend them.
As for these cars I’d give a solid 4/5. The one had some issues and while those plastic axle wheels are decent I’d recommend the Walthers proto metal wheel sets for them.
I haven't tried their passenger cars yet - might have to look at those some time! Thanks for sharing,
Sam :)
26 inch radius curve are pretty big. Atlas curves only go up to 24 inches. I have Marklin 30 inch ones myself.
It’s nice your honest about paid promotions and gifts and stuff like that so thank you Sam!
Oh absolutely, it's not something I often accept, but I do like to help promote budget models!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Sam, I'm not sure what your obsession with a square running plate. I've just been to Portugal and many of thr steam locos in their national railway museum had very uneven/bent running plates. Prototypically correct!
Fantastic review Sam, quite nice little tankers really!
Thanks mate! Yeah they're not bad for the money - if you got one with slightly better build quality they'd be very decent!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great video Sam! Greetings from Massachusetts. Go Bruins!
Sam, the comprehensive weight of american car models do serve a purpose beond just the feeling of realism and quality. Given the mammoth length of trains modelled in the states, any light cars are likely to stringline and be pulled off the track by the sheer load of the train behind them.
To overcome this, each car have a massive weight fitted inside them, something I've noticed on some of my cars for example.
NMRA has set “recommended practices” these are standards for the indrustry to ensure smooth operation. Track gauge, track side clearances, coupler height, etc. one to of these “R. P.’s is car weight. This is determined by the car’s length, a 40’ box car will weigh less than an 85’ passenger coach or a flat car of the same length. This is to ensure smooth operation.
GATX is the radio callsign of the General American Transportation Corporation (now just GATX corporation). EBAX is the call sign of the Ethyl Corporation. Very American :)
USA wheel profile tends to be RP25 (as is much European HO), much finer than most OO models. They prefer shallower angles on points and curves.
"Radio Callsign"= REPORTING MARK.
9:31 It looks like the Glue Monster is back Sam, lol
Great Video! Where is the best place to buy American HO products in the UK? I’ve looked at Trainworld in the US but the shipping to the UK is huge $ 😂
I've had couplers that behaved like this. The solution is simple: remove the coupler from the pocket, lightly file the top and bottom of the proximal end to smooth it out, add a puff of Kadee Grease-em, and reassembly. It should work much smoother.
Or until you get the Greasem powdered graphite, use the softest lead pencil you have and draw on everything in the coupler box and coupler shaft to coat everything with pencil graphite. Good for pin point axle ends and the coned journals too
It was very kind of Walthers to send you 2 tanker wagons free to review them on your channel Sam. I do have to agree with you about the model wagons having visible glue marks on the body and the bodies of the wagons bound to warping because of its plastic construction. The price of the tanker wagons are reasonable and they are bit better than other models from Walthers. Overall, they are pretty good looking models and they have a decent quality from Walthers Sam.
It was very kind of them, and much appreciated! Yeah overall they are decent looking, for sure!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I love watching Sam’s videos, always informative and such a chill! 😊
That's lovely to hear, thank you!
Awesome video Sam's trains 😊
Sam will you please take a look at the Japanese HO locos on Rails e bay?
Would it be worth comparing different brands of points as part of your performance testing? Or Evan maybe a video comparing different brands of track ?
That could be a good thing to include - though my comments always based on comparison with other models!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Yes I absolutely love to assemble a nice Walther PPK, although the PPK/S does have its pluses.
FIZZLIN' FIREBOXES & WOWSERS, WHAT A SPECTACULAR VIDEO STRAIGHT THROUGH FROM START TO FINISH WITH EASE DESPITE SOME ISSUES FOR SURE!!
I like the printed decoration. I am not making excuses but, while the glue marks on the blue / orange one are not great, they could pass as weathering / grime. Very few wagons in reality are very clean although I do like smart, clean wagons.
R.E. The couplings, have you tried Kadee's coupling lubricant the silicant (I think!) powder they used to recommend for their couplings?
Was my thinking too. Just a little stuff from being new, loosing the hold down plate screw a little, or a very small smear of lithium white grease. They really need to self centre. Part of the fun of modelling, making things work. Producer's aren't modellers, they're just factory assemblers. There will be slight issues needed correcting when new😊
Actually powdered grahiye.
Or until you get the Greasem powdered graphite, use the softest lead pencil you have and draw on everything in the coupler box and coupler shaft to coat everything with pencil graphite. Good for pin point axle ends and the coned journals too
@@johnd8892 good idea. Could sanding a pencil lead to a fine powder to coat parts have a similar affect
@@russcole5685 yes much the same thing as Kadee package up and make convenient. Although pencil lead has a bit of clay to hold it all together.
@@russcole5685 although I scrape slivers off with a blade.
These started out as Proto 2000 kits under Tyco. When Walthers bought them out, they were repurposed into Walthers' standard line, with the only changes made were the couplers they came with (Walthers line then was a paradox). This is the third iteration with the Mainline and Trainline range, with the walkways on the top being new and the detailing being almost 3 times as thick as the old ones. This is an improvement since the old ones were infamous for having fragile parts. The one I own had parts falling off just from running down the track. The old ones are still fairly common to find.
I remember Proto 2000 being the Life Like brand move to non toy models.
Fogged "glue" on blue tank is easy to wash off. Not so much with the extra glue globs....
Same I will say get kadee couplers for your units and rolling stock I haven't had a issue with mine after installing them I typically use 118s and 119s both shelf design which helps keep manifest together when going over uneven track and has good retention to it
Great review Sam.
Really enjoy your videos, as I am a closet BR fan in the USA.
(Becoming a big fan of Class 37's, but it goes back to seeing the Flying Scotsman scream past at speed in Birmingham, AL.
I have a question involving your layout.
Where is the peak of Gordon's Hill?
I watched the Walthers Tankers descend from the curve in the corner...so I'm guessing the peak is there and descends back to ground level as it passes the station platform until the scenery ends?
Thanks, again, love your reviews!!
Have a blessed day!
Chris Howard/USA
Question: Sam, did you turning them around and try them though the points again to see if they would derail?
Hi Sam love the vids keep it up
Great. You were honest. Donations in kind is a form of remuneration..
nahhh the couplers aren't a bug, they're a feature! They're more realistic! On real trains if the knuckles don't line up you get to kick them with your boot until they do. Here you just get to nudge it with your finger!
Very nice surprise from walthers based on the price they would probably be around 30 euros here in Ireland but nobody stocks them I would certainly pick up a few for running around at that price there fine 👍
Heck yeah! More American stuff! I’ve mentioned them before and I am very much at risk for sounding like a broken record but have you considered the Walthers GP-15 or the EMD F7A?
Both are really reasonably priced and I think you’d really enjoy them! GP-15 is super low budget, the F7A is pretty high quality but it’s not super pricey.
Hi Sam love your videos you should make a video where you buy second hand locos and fix them and improve them
Your the reason i want to get some model trains
Interesting Sam keep up the good work :) and also I have two suggestions one Hornby one and one Bachmann one. The Hornby one is the Hornby Toy Story train set you could always review that and the Bachmann suggestion is the London tube stock named the S stock but these are just suggestions and thanks and take care :)
You should try the proto87 stores knife edge bearings and kadee sprung bogies. They usually improve performance massively!
I doubt having a 14.5 mm back-to-back would cause derailments. I run most of my 00 stock at 15-15.4 mm anyways (course scale flanges at 15.1-15.2, nmra to-25 at 15.3-15.4, and a few prototypical models at 15.4-15.5). Only really in s4x and to some extant p4 does 0.1mm (1/3 scale inch) matter. The prototype was usually off by more. Hell, frames on locos were usually off by several inches!
The guaging is probably the issue, typically with the walthers cars you can adjust it on the fly. I've never had this exact issue with Walthers cars specifically but I've had to adjust my Athearn Bombardier bilevel coaches as they are usually all over the place out of the box
To make coup the couplers move better squirt a little graphite like used in locks into the coupler pockets
Like the video. Have you looked at the uncoupling pins under the couplers, these can hang too low and catch on the switch points causing derailments , by the way I snip these off as I do not use magnetic uncoupling. I weather all my trains so some glue mark normally do not cause me too much concern if the price is right.
I had to re-watch in slow motion, the tankers as they derailed on the turnout/switch. It's rolling off the rails where the rail joiners are. perhaps maybe the track just needs a tiny bit of simple adjustment??. I did notice a small gap between the rails there.
I like the models, they are an excellent choice for low budget and medium budget modellers. A bit of a model with a little bit of adjustment, finer details and maybe a little fettling, and hey presto. I do like walthers models, but never see them in’N’ gauge. A shame really. Did have a Brighton Belle in ‘N’ gauge but that was another manufacturer I believe (American ) . Good video.
Are you selling any of your dmu locos or railcar locos
A quick blast of wet silicone lube spray thru a tissue with a small home to direct spray, top and bottom, solves the coupling problem.
I am still waiting. Waiting for the Heljan BR class 28 Review, as well as when Sam’sTrians finally discovers OO9 gauge.
Anyways, Great Video Sam. Excellent models.
Nice video Sam very good camera work as usual I am really looking forward to seeing your next video review bye for now Philip
I have a walthers hopper car and tank and they have good detail have you ever checked out atlas abd athearn rolling stock sam?
Would you should try to do for bad rolling stock is the 3d print new versions that work better
I never use cyanoacrylate glue when modeling .. other than tacking for the real glue. I wish those manufacturers would do the same...
Hi have you got any gwr tank engine locomotive suggestions
Great vid
I have a question Sam’s trains, when will you do another live stream this year?
What hoppers are those?
The couplers are a clone of the DADEE #5 metal coupler. The instructions for the KADEE #5 is to take “Grease’em” (a powdered graphite product from KADEE) and burnish the coupler shank, after removing casting burrs, as well as the pocket cover and the centering spring plate. Replace the pocket cover, be sure not to over tighten the screw. For me a #2 pencil works really well for this treatment. The wheelsets court be replaced with Proto Wheelsets, these have metal wheels on metal axles, and would more than likely help with the issues you’re having. These come in scale diameters, for freight cars a 33” hound work out well. Hope this helps, although these cars fall in the “bargain” or beginner side of things, they deserve to perform “as advertised”. Good luck.
Would IPA on a cotton bud remove the glue? I've had some success with this cleaning method.
Good review, though . I'll give them a look.
It looks like super glue haze
@@peterkneissl3358 There are super glue cleaners in my local model shop, or were .
Budget rolling stock would be the Walthers Train line. I have a lot of the Train line cars and they do well.
I'm getting a candy color vibe with the orange and blue tanker Sam, lol
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Could be the coupler hoses might be to low, if they're made of metal then you can bend them up a bit
Great and honest reporting , just what the doctor ordered. Thanks Sam, looking forward to the next reveal.P
Would randomly located, "mini rerailer" made with four strips of curved plastic attached to ties, keep any rolling stock moving ?
Hey sam the orange and blue tank car appears to have a slightly bent coupler
Hi Sam, how's the weather over at your end? :D
Sam, a set of points on my layout stopped conducting, I have spent the past hour or so fixing it, managed to get it working 2 minutes before your upload. I see this as an reward, the only downside is I now have ruined nails and superglue on my fingers. 🤣
Hi i have same problem regular with my hornby points and motors contacted hornbys tech helpline were useless got told they dont repair points so much for good customer service peco stuff is much better quality too
Thanks I've heard good things about Peco track.
Also i got told the plastic. Ridges on the points are too high so the wheels on the wagon hit it and causes a derailment one suggestion i got given was to file something off the height and do the same to widen the gap the wheel goes through so they dont hit the sides
So, the GATX/EBAX thing: Those are the reporting marks for the car, a (usually) three-to-four-letter code signifying which company ultimately owns them. This is legally mandated under the transportation laws of the US, Canada, and Mexico. GATX means the car is owned by General American Transportation, a private company that leases railcars out to whoever needs them. EBAX is the reporting mark for the Albemarle Corporation, though cursory research shows that they're the contemporary owner of the reporting mark and most likely inherited it from another company. The "X" at the end indicates that they're not in "Common Carrier" service (meaning that they are not owned by an actual railroad), which is a reason why reporting marks for the CSX Corporation, one of America's major rail companies, is "CSXT" and not "CSX", and why Ferromex uses the reporting mark "FXE" instead of "FMEX".
Had a walthers turntable engine shed was totally incompatable with our turntables and track track quality was ok
i wonder if any model maker dose something like a livery stickers for models, say water stickers(no idea how feasible that'd be but i recall those were pack in for kits of plane models) packed in with plain running stock, especially if selling bulk sets that could be fun way to help customers tinker with their vagons, get acquainted with maintenance and maybe engage more actively with the hobby.
Couple of odd coupling vagons... i wonder (since i see spring in there and never had any models of trains) what could possibly cause the misalignment in the first place? or is that spring unrelated to the function of centring.
I see so smarter of the two vagons looks better to me, i guess i like subtle colour palletes, or maybe just enjoy stripes.
A search for
microscale ho train decals
Should show this use.
It looks weird seeing an American train on a British themed layout
Not a lot of British outline to review at the moment 😂
hi sam. can you please do a review of the tt120 peco wagons. thanks
On an American spree eh Sam? As a viewer from the states I love to see the American locos and rolling stock on a primarily European channel!
haha very much so - still got quite a bit more to show too!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I'm waiting for the jarring sight of rolling stock from both sides of the pond passing by on adjacent tracks :D
I acquired some Lima O scale cars to tag along with my 3-rail 'O' collection just for giggles.
Great video.
Americans over here tend to have a different standard for detail than do OO gaugers. Possible the different approach to the hobby in general.
I quite like to see the variety in the US stuff, quality looks a bit "made in Hong Kong" to Uk eyes though? I guess its all chinese ultimately, Sam is there a US brand offering quality too? If so any chance of a review? That said, i think i like the orange and blue tanker enough to buy a couple 😊
The best quality US brand I've come across is Broadway Limited Imports. I've just had a look at their website and they have tank wagons very similar to the ones Sam has reviewed. They are listing them at $85.00 for a pair of them so the price compares quite well with the Walthers ones.
Edit: actually the price doesn't compare so well: those two tank wagons come to $69.96 on the Walthers website at the moment (10th Jan 2014). But then I'd expect the quality of the Broadway Limited wagons to be a lot better.
I think the sub frame under the tank may be realistic in there appearance. These frames in real life get bent by the simplest of impacts. On larger, later era tanks they do not have this full frame. The tank is the wagons(cars) structure. Your derail looked like a possible lift on the point frog or the inner protection rail pushing the wheel flange on top of the rail. Like you say, wheel sets not quite right.
Hay sam I would love it if you review some american steam locomotives like UP big boys or challenger locomotives.
good vid thanks lee
They looked good but like you said the derailing could be the gauging on the wheels but overall it would be a mid range in the ranks.
For my birthday my friend got me a dark green fuel tanker, and the bogies fell off. Do you know if there’s any way to fix the wheels back on?
Did the screws fall out, or were they missing? If they fell out, the factory assembler over tightened the mounting screws. One way to fix this is to enlarge the hole insert a piece of styrene tube that will allow you to retread the screws into the frame, be careful and drill as straight as you can. If the screws are missing, these are more than likely a self tapping #2 screw, and a well stocked hobby shop should have some. Good luck.
@@johnbeck3270 the screw is still in the hole and I’d be able to get the wheels back on the screw but I can’t get it out, I don’t even know if it’s a screw since a screw should come out pretty easy, yet whatever’s in there doesn’t come out at all.
me and my dad own a couple of walthers tanker cars and several others
Cheap works just as well as expensive as far as rolling stock is concerned especially when you're looking to build a consist that is realistic because tank cars and hoppers tend to be hauled separately, just a statement of fact, and that said perhaps Walthers sent you the tank cars to see if there was something that needed fixed
Ethyl is nasty stuff. It was the marketing name for the lead compound used in leaded petrol/gasoline!
GATX and EBAX are reporting marks. In North America, reporting marks are 2- to 4-letter abbreviations that denote the true owner of a wagon, regardless of the decoration. The last letter X means the rolling stock is privately owned, usually by a leasing company.
Happy Surprise Day, Sam!
Although given to you, they still do go through a very fair reviewing style Sam. In all honesty... Walthers should have a close look at what European continental model train companies can do for the same money, referring to PIKO and Roco. Enough said actually. I can understand the budget price here but they are shockingly facepalming leaps behind in terms of sharpness, finesse and total quality in design, engineering and manufacturing compared to the aforementioned at the very same price... Pity really. Cheerio.
I have delt with piko and roco stuff before. I found their locos for how nice they look the ones i handled were quite a bit of letdowns especially when the steam is tender driven.
@@mattsmocs3281 Not sure when this was or how, but we are talking wagons here of course. Quite Frankly speaking, these from Walthers are utter tosh on all accounts. I can only refer to similar prices atm from Roco and PIKO on their webshop and from our experience. In no way will they be producing such utter junk like these. We both have plenty wagons from both brands. Also quite a range at the price of these Walthers. So far all delivered items have been spotless and flawless. But plastic axles, failing couplings, derailing, glue all over the place, quite fuzzy moulded bogies, etc, etc... Not going to happen on PIKO or Roco 😉 No brand is always perfect of course but what Walthers has delivered here simply is flagrantly inferior.
It’s a shame their gondolas didn’t do so well, oh well. Although, once you do get a big boy locomotive, I’d love to see it pull all of your American cars!
One reason why the Athearn tankers were more expensive is probably that they're modern tank cars which are paradoxically harder to find than these older 50s and 60s models.
Good video here Sam, a rake of tankers is something I would like to look at but for me it would be British tankers instead of American ones.
Which train would u recommend for 20 or 30 DOLLARS
Is it even possible??
+ i don't HAVE a train layout but the train is constantly stopping and moving.
So do u think is the engine's wheels problem or the TRACK problem
Tysm
Edit: do u also know if there is some good trains in eBay as the shipping price for me is alot i REALLY like steam locomotives ❤❤❤
I actually like these, the livery is cool.
Are they NEM pockets?
Most HO scale North American rolling stock, like these tankers, use draft gear boxes (coupling pockets) that are clones of the Kadee No. 5 knuckle coupling system.
They are the NMRA standard size coupler boxes. A standard set in the 1950s about forty years before the NEM finally set their standard.
Perhaps the weight of the tankers corresponds to the NMRA standards.
going on the price these tankers would probably be ideal for someone practicing their weathering skills
5:14 lol good one Sam ;)
How can a model railroad not loves the classic tank car Even though these ones look a little bit cheap
Cars that have had glue on them will not be a problem. It encourages weathering of them. Not a bad thing…
Thing is companies can only rectify things if people tell them its not right. If you kep it to yourself then they would not find out and not be able to do anything about it on future models
Has the paid promotion box been ticked, or am I missing the notification?
It has been!
The smudging and slight warping isn't much to worry about; to make them truly prototypically American, they should be worn out, rusted and covered with graffiti lol.
Who is Ethyl ?
A nasty lead compound to raise the octane level of petrol.
The UK kept it in petrol for about twenty years longer than the US.
The actual title is tetra ethyl lead, it was used to reduce valve knocking. I know also that the higher grade of gasoline was referred to as “ethyl” before the trim “premium” was used. Back in the “old days” we only had 2 grades of gas.
Ethyl was the name of the girlfriend of the guy in the song "The Streak" by Ray Stevens. It came out about 1974-1975.
"DON'T LOOK ETHYL"
They seem quite acceptable for the price.
This is in no way a criticism but you tested them on two points and they only failed on one. I think it’s unfair therefore to say they are bad on points, they are bad on that one set of points. I’m building my first lay out still and in my dock scene where I’ve got 7 sets of points I had one set that my wagons derailed on. I swopped it out and I’ve not had any further issues.
So amazing
I assume that if a company sends something for review they pick good examples of the item?
Yet these still have two major problems - they don't couple, and they derail on points.
So I don't see how they can be recommended at any price, let alone between 20 and 30 quid - that's a fair chunk of pocket money for something that doesn't perform two of it's basic functions correctly!