My Legacy 765 Berkshire arrived last week but I had the layout apart and etc. and it was late this afternoon before I got things squared away so I could power up the track and run it. Yes, that is 765. I've re-labeled it with my fictitious Canon City, Blanca and Glen Canyon Railroad.
First, what a pleasure it is to handle a loco with an intelligently designed and made tender-loco connection bar. The last five steamers I've bought have been MTH (Premier ATSF Hudsons (3) and Dreyfus Hudson, PRR S-1) and I'm really tired of that connector bar they use. Ugh. It is so easy to mount this loco and set it up. Oh, I love it!
I've seen reports of problems but mine was perfect out of the box and for about an hour of running tonight. Nothing stands out about this loco: it is a solid Legacy loco with all I expect. It looks good, has good paint and detail and graphics, sounds good, with above average chuffing sounds, and it runs exceptionally well. Smoke is okay - not quite as good as MTH's latest Hudsons, but adequate. I didn't see the whistle steam operate tonight. Not sure if I have it turned on (does it turn on?) or filled or maybe it doesn't work. ((EDIT:actually, in the first video I see it working - I could not see the smoke when I took the video. The video picks it up better than my eyes do!!! A very light stream).
I run only conventionally so its most important to me that the locos run well, slowly, and started without jackrabbiting. Here is is running on a ZW-L. Like my other recent Legacy steamers, this runs better than purely conventional locos at low voltages. It pulls exceptionally well at even 9 volts. It's running at 10-11 volts in the videos but will go down to around 8 - 9 volts at just around 12-18 mph and pull well and run smooth. Cruise is excellent - it pulled all 20 reefers and the caboose around the layout and up and around a 2% 72 inch curve grade withouth breaking stance.
I'm glad I have this loco. It is not my favorite. I have the other Legacy Berk - the smaller one (ATSF 4199) and I like it more - not sure why. But this is a very fine toy locomotive.
this first video is with the lights in the back ground across the room off so you can see the smoke a bit better. I operate the whistle, etc.
Here is is starting a one-hour run. first time I've run a train in a week, what with the layout all under construction.
