The MTH website says this loco has operating pantographs. Is that not accurate, or is there some magic to it? My handheld (Version 4.10) does not appear to have a keystroke for this.
Thanks.
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I think it means that you can wire them to take overhead power, via catenary. The RailKing GG-1's don't come with pans that rise and lower, like their Premier counterparts.
However, reading the MTH website, I see that they refer to them as being "remotely controlled" and my guess is that this is an error on MTH's part.
Not an excuse, but MTH introduced this RailKing Beer Train set shortly after the time that they had done a similar set in the Premier lineup. My guess is that when they created the information file for this set, they copied and pasted the write up from the Premier set and that's how this mistake was made and shows up now.
Thanks--I suspected as much.
Gentlemen,
As far as I know only the Premier has the remote control catenary, I was more than a little up set when I purchased my Green DCS RailKing one strip GG-1 and found that the catenary did not remotely operate as per the write up, it was one of the big reasons I had purchased that particular GG-1. The MTH information was faulty from the get go, in reality MTH should have up graded our purchase on this DCS GG-1 RailKing, or supplied the purchaser with the Premier as an apology, they made a very very big mistake with their write up, infact it was fause advertising, even if it was a mistake. MTH got away with the false advertising and never supplied corrective engineering for the DCS RailKing, or up graded the engine, to anyone who purchased the engine. Not nickels and dines in this particular case, I never purchased a DCS Premier GG-1 because of the way they handeled this incident. I really like MTH but this particular incident left a bad taste in my mouth, now I make my MTH dealer test every engine that I purchase, before I pay for the engine and take it home.
PCRR/Dave
Dave,
FYI, there's probably no room in the Rail King GG1 for the operating pantograph motors or electronics. The inside of that engine is rather tight.
Further, that feature adds about $100 or so just in parts. If you want operating pants in a smaller, O42 electric, you could purchase either one of the newer P5a's, Modified or Box Cab (each needs a small mod to do O42), or the new PS3 ALP-46, which is rated O42 (but won't do O43 63/64"!)
The ALP's the cheapie at $450, most likely because it has a plastic cab. I've managed to acquire all 3 and can testify that they are great engines.
Yes, Pine Creek, my main issue was that I read the MTH website about the unit, bought the unit on that basis online, and then found the loco not to match the MTH specs. Not a huge deal, as I got the unit for a good price and it runs well, but disappointing nonetheless. Since the unit is several years old, you would have thought MTH would have corrected their website by now.
Barry,
You are missing the point, MTH should have made there mistake good, not me run around and purchase more to re-engineer their mistaken advertisement. If the
original engine was unable to do what was advertised, they should supply one that
could do what they claimed, for the purchase price they charged us. When a business
makes a mistake they should suffer the loss, not the purchaser. However in this case every MTH purchaser failed to receive what he payed for.
PCRR/Dave
Dave,
No, I wasn't. I was simply stating why MTH could not do as you were promised. How they dealt with you is none of my business, although I personally think that you're making more of the situation than it deserves. However, that's your privilege.
If it were me, I would have looked before I bought because, at that price point, operating pants would seem to be too good to be true.
In your place, I would have verified what I saw with MTH before placing an order, which is exactly what I did before preordering the ALP-46. Operating pants and O42 curves were important to me. After I verified both features, I placed my order.
You are missing the point
No, I wasn't. I was simply stating why MTH could not do as you were promised. How they dealt with you is none of my business, although I personally think that you're making more of the situation than it deserves. However, that's your privilege.
If it were me, I would have looked before I bought because, at that price point, operating pants would seem to be too good to be true.
In your place, I would have verified what I saw with MTH before placing an order, which is exactly what I did before preordering the ALP-46. Operating pants and O42 curves were important to me. After I verified both features, I placed my order.
Barry,
You are absolutely correct, however I purchased the engine because I thought it was to good to be true, at the price they offered. At the time my MTH dealer did get conformation from MTH that the advertisement was correct, this entire misadvertisement
was definitely a mess, and in reality an expensive one. However it did not keep me from
ordering a new DCS 263E. Every company makes mistakes, and MTH is a very good company, I still believe they should have made this situation right with the purchasers.
PCRR/Dave
