Do any of you have any pro's or con's on the Weaver E-8's ? How do they run, can tmcc be added, and just how reliable are they?
Thanks
Frank
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Frank....I have quite a few of the weaver E-8 units and am very happy with them. One thing...the ones I have don't have a fly wheel so when you shut the power down...they stop! But...they do run nicely and you can upgrade them to other operating systems. I believe that the current MTH E-8s are actually the Weaver molds??
Alan
The only negative that bothers me is they have no exhaust stacks!
Are they brass or plastic? Do all have dual drive?
Frank
Mine, Weaver[Southern RY version] are from the mid-1990s have dual drive,no flywheels and are plastic. Still conventional but probably will have Weaver upgrade them at some point.
I have 2 AA sets both powered and both converted to TMCC with one slave even though I run conventional control. the problem was if you run 2 power units together they easily got out of sinc.
I had done some extensive upgrades on my Weaver E8. Motor changes, reversing marker lights added, EOB in both units with sound, Electro-couplers, lift rings, and radiophone antenna and minor cab interior. I've never been a big smoke fan, so that didn't happen. It was a nice project a couple of winters ago.
Weaver E8 project. Click on the underlined phrase link. Click on slideshow upper left control panel.
Mike...very nice slide show! You did a first class job on the conversion. I am sending mine to you tomorrow!!
Alan
Originally Posted by leavingtracks:
Mike...very nice slide show! You did a first class job on the conversion. I am sending mine to you tomorrow!!
Alan
Thank you, MTH E8's are the Weaver molds, Noted change, is the front pilot detail. (Edit, add information) The eyebrows where replaced with some better detail. There were also some very nice flashing ditch lights on the MTH units, part of the existing Bennett Levin Pennsy replica E8's.
Mike CT
Hello guys and gals.....
Are the Williams E-7 scale ?
the woman who loves the S.F. 5011
Tiffany
Are the Williams E-7 scale ?
Just a bit short.
Passenger train pulled by WEAVER E-8's followed by a freight hauled by a 3RD RAIL decapod.
Mike,
Are the new motors that much better or did you do it for the flywheels and sensor? Are the boards stacked together the tmcc?
Thanks
Franki
Originally Posted by fgroza:
Mike,
Are the new motors that much better or did you do it for the flywheels and sensor? Are the boards stacked together the tmcc? The boards shown are TAS (Train America Studio) EOB Engineer on Board upgrades. Unfortunately no longer available. To do this upgrade required the flywheels for The tape/tach reader, so I did the flywheels/new can motors, via Frank Timko, which should be still available. ERR systems, as far as I know, were never into the tach-reader, so flywheels may not be required. I did two complete upgrades, one on each of the set and then combined them as a consist. The only issue that was dealt with after the fact was to sequence the marker lights, Greens (front) and Reds (rear) of both units togther as an A, reverse B set, which, as things go, actually are powered off the smoke output circuit ,required some rewiring. There is also a programing change noted in the TAS instructions. If you do upgrade the electronics, check with the supplier, for their thoughts on these rather large older can motors without flywheels.
Best wishes on your project. Mike CT
Thanks
Franki
Weaver E8's are pretty easy to work with all around. Exhaust stacks can easily be put in using brass piping. Here is one I built recently (still waiting on decals I ordered)
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Are they brass or plastic? Do all have dual drive?
Frank
YEs, these locos are plastic but be warned that since they were the first e8's, they do NOT have all the details as a postwar lionel F3 had such as:
- missing step ladders on the truck sides and ends
- Plastic fuel tank
- NO sound- just a Qsi Reverse unit that is sound upgradable with aftermarket Qsi Plug in sound boards.
- OEM Big Mabuchi non-flywheel motors "stopped on a dime" when power was cut so trains derailed.
- just a single Light bulb in the front to light up the cab,number boards and headlight.
- Dual motored 4 axle drive on trucks.
- Great base for superdetailing and kitbashing though!
