walt rapp posted:I 'thought' I wanted PS3 if for no other reason to get rid of the battery, even though I used BCRs in my PS2 engines.
I regret getting 2 of the PS3 steamers: the 'O' Christmas train and the 'O' Baby Blue Comet. Both are tin-plate.
The drawbars connect the tender differently in each. Neither is easy to connect and worse, BOTH constantly become disconnected for reasons that I can't identify.
I damaged the Christmas train because the repair guy said one or 2 of the pins was bent. Somehow that must have shorted out the board since it was fried. An believe me, if anyone is careful it's me. Also, when I did have it hooked up correctly the pin that is supposed to take the pressure off of the drawbar connection was not long enough to drop down thru (or was it up thru?) the drawbar so it didn't do it's job. The repair guy created his own 'correction' and now things are better than the original design. Still, when I store it I no longer disconnect the engine/tender: I store it on track still connected.
As for the Blue Comet, the connection from the engine is supposed to click in position - it connects upward to the tender's female component. it does not stay connected well, I guarantee you! I tied the 2 together I got so tired of it coming loose.
BUT::: the main reason I don't like the drawbar is that it drastically restricts the minimum diameter of track that can be used. I'll cite an example using the Blue Comet. My friend has a PS2 version, with tether of course. I wanted to know if the Blue Comet could handle 27" curves and switches since most of my track is 27" even though I have bigger, just in lesser quantities. I set up a test track and he brought his Blue Comet over to see. It had absolutely zero problems on 27" curves and switches. So I bought the PS3 version thinking I would get the same performance. NOPE: it handles some 27" switches but not all for some reason - it will derail. I now have to not use 25 of my O27 27" switches and none of my 27" diameter track. What a shame.
BTW: the Christmas train has the 7" or 8" cars, not sure which. It derails every single time if I try to have it round a 27" curve. Every time.
_ not a 100% happy camper but not ready to sell them either!
- walt
Walt: I have the identical problems. One of the tinplate locos connect in a upwards direction, and sometimes it drops out. Two of my tinplate locos connect in a horizontal direction into the tender, but are stiff and the tenders tend to derail around O-31 and O-27 curves. And, these connections also just fall apart whenever they feel like it. All in all, I liked the old style connection. They didn't fall apart or disconnect, and they didn't restrict turning abilities.
