KEY pilot model O Scale cab forward

Yes that is an exceptional model, the detail is off the charts.  I do like the ease of switching from DCC to DC.

 

Chris

Absolutely beautiful.

Sent this to my dad, even he thought this was awesome.

I saw the video, a beautiful locomotive.  I am a Cab Forward fanatic, but this is one model I will never have, for 7500 reasons!

Yeah, but, the sound really sucks! What a let down.

The sound really sucks???

Interesting

And you can make a review of a sound system based upon a YouTube video that is compressed and shot on a little unprofessional video camera- of a 1" diameter speaker inside a metal tender? Using standard industry Tsunami recordings.  It should be noted this is a working pilot sample for the purpose of corrections and research.

Yeah, those crappy chuffs speak for themselves. Do you have a tin ear?

Sorry about my tone- I did post this on the brand X forum regarding a similar issue...

"There is a point guys when the reader of these comments leaves the idea this is quality constructive criticism and says to himself- "these guys must be really envious they don't have one.."

Just saying guys, just saying.....    

PS: I can't afford one and this one is not mine.   <--- NOT AN OPINION

And you would think that I am envious of anyone? Getoutahere!

I always strive to keep the personal remarks to a minimum here on OGR. Hence my edit of my post.  It's just not professional and I apologize to the community.

The point being judging any audio source by a 3rd level out compressed recording is just poor judgement. Period.

Mr Big Jim your perpetual response to this thread says otherwise in regard to my previous post.

"There is a point guys when the reader of these comments leaves the idea this is quality constructive criticism and says to himself- "these guys must be really envious they don'y have one.."

Just saying guys, just saying.....    

PS: I can't afford one and this one is not mine.   <--- NOT AN OPINION


Have a nice evening

And, what does your perpetual response say about you? And if you want to make me envious you will have to do better than Vanderstien Audio speakers, Conrad Johnson tube amp and pre-amp.

 

Goodnight

I didn't think the chuffs sounded all that great.  Is saying this a mortal sin?

Erik, thanks for your comments. You are spot on.

Today's top criteria of what to look for in judging the quality and accuracy of a model,   I guess if it's on the internet it must be true.....

 

Next, folks will want to know how well it smokes and if there's crew chatter in the sound system.....

 

Used to be that fidelity to the prototype was important.

 

I seem to recall seeing a Key pilot model of this engine on the table at the O scale Nat'l a year ago.  Seeing that one in person up close puts it into a totally different quantum state. 

 

Hate to paint as well - not one that I would even begin to attempt anyway.  At this level moving more towards "Art" than just a model.

 

So, just for entertainment purposes and the record, anyone got a current guesstimate on price other than major organs? 

I must admit that the exhaust sounds also sounded a bit too "sharp" and "tiny" to my ears. One suggestion would be to stagger the drivers a bit more between the front engine and the rear engine, thus providing more "separation" between the two exhaust sound systems. 

 

As Bob2 is prone to say, just my opinion, but they just don't sound right to me.

From what I have read, the price is a whopping $7500.00.  I must be behind the times because the quality of construction and how the thing runs is to me the most important criteria.  When I saw the video, I hardly noticed the accuracy of the sound.  If I were Donald Trump, I would buy a few and not even use the sound plug.  You could look at this thing for hours and not even run it.  I am quite happy with looking at Sunset model for a fraction of the price. But this is a beautiful model of my favorite locomotive.

With that price tag on it --> art.  I think I'll keep my major organs where they are bottled up in the bottom drawer of my desk for the foreseeable future.

Hey Martin! - the sound system good or bad is not going to matter after I give up my ears to buy it; along with a few other organs.

;-)

I would not give up my ears -- to lose music forever would be a price beyond reason.  

 

Maybe you'd prefer to sacrifice an eye instead? I came close to that condition a few years ago.  The potential for real loss puts everything else into perspective.  Put an eye patch on for 3-6 months and see....

Did they remember to adjust the CV's on the sound? If you don't Tsunami's sound TERRIBLE. Or they sound tinny like this. Equalizer feature should fix that! Here is a Bachmann On30 2-8-0 with better sound, and it also has a Tsunami.

Martin, if you put it like that; you know my mother is legally blind - losing any of the senses would be a difficult transition to make. Blindness is awful; and losing hearing would be just as miserable- Most certainly joking about giving up ones ears or eyes for a toy is a bit harsh. Hey, I am very glad I will not be making that choice; this locomotive is the last thing I need or would ever want these days. <--OPINION

-Evan your on to something there.

Sound system-wise, the exhausts sound too sharp for an articulated, even the much vaunted sharp-barking N&W Class A's. But, it's a big locomotive and the big exhaust is, for me, secretly soul-satisfying, anyway! The sound system captures the wheezing air pumps well. The whistle has a a nice Nathan 6 chime sound, but is that correct for this locomotive? Seems like most big articulateds had a steam boat type whistle.

Not on the SP, Mark. Pretty much ONLY the GS class passenger 4-8-4s on the SP used the deep, Hancock "step-top"  whistles. All the SP freight and smaller passenger power used that 5/6 chime whistle.  We tried one on the Fireman's side of 4449 many years ago, but the darned thing screamed so bad, we had to take it off (it sure didn't like 300psi).

It is a very nice model. It is not going to be mass- produced, but surely a dozen such models will be forthcoming.  That takes it out of the realm of "art" for me.  Martin creates art in models.  I create art in models. Neither of us will ever be in an art museum.  This is a manufactured article.

Gary Schrader is an artist.  Had he just made the one model, it would be art.  Maybe this one is - but the next eleven are production models.

Sound is tinny to my tin ears, but I am not really a sound freak.  I figure sound systems are getting better and cheaper all the time, and soon I shall have just one sound- equipped Hudson to amaze the visitors.  To me, it is the model that is important - and whether or not some giant inaccuracy has crept in, like an incorrect track gauge.

And as for the separate sound of each engine - they are already independent, so the sound ought to be spaced like a simple articulated.  I did not listen long enough to figure out if the engines were going in and out of phase.

Completely agree.  Puts things into perspective, doesn't it.

 

I'm still working on how anyone can judge a sound system accurately w/o hearing 1st hand

 

And, I've been told many times that need is irrelevant and that want is all that matters - I have enough rubbish on my mantle and I have too much that needs to find a home elsewhere,

I have found that most of these video's just don't do the sound systems justice and as such I wait until I can hear it for myself first hand before I make a judgment.  I think overall though as I said earlier that this model is a show stopper, you can see the nozzles on the sanders, the cab interior detail and so on...any fan of the AC's is going to love this thing.

 

Insure wish I could afford one of these though. It's like those GPM SP locomotives. They cost an arm and a leg!

Originally Posted by CWEX:
I have found that most of these video's just don't do the sound systems justice and as such I wait until I can hear it for myself first hand before I make a judgment.



Exactly what I was thinking!

There is a new 4 minute video on the prototypical articulated piping system.  It shows how these pipes actually move when the engine hits a turn.  This is amazing!.  Are there only going to be twelve built? This may explain the very high price.

I made that up.  They will build as many as they can sell.

Erik,

Say it isn't so.

 

And you can make a review of a sound system based upon a YouTube video that is compressed and shot on a little unprofessional video camera- of a 1" diameter speaker inside a metal tender?

 

The speaker should go in the boiler and not in the tender.

 

Regards,

Ed

Nab-nabbit! I knew it! The sound does suck! The speaker --> It's in the tender that's what's wrong with the whole bloody thing.

Man alive I'm glad I didn't give up any organs for this deal!

One thing to remember. Gary Schrader is riding herd on this model for KEY and he accepts nothing less than correct. If it is humanly possible and financially doable it will be correct in all ways. He will not accept poor sound or out of synch sound or missing details or incorrect details or poor running or any of the other problems that can plague a project. This model will be like a C&LS project only better if that is humanly possible. 

 

So forget about the sound on u-tube as it won't sound like that in the final version or in person. With only a handful being made and the project being fully reserved Gary will make sure it's right. He's a perfectionist and an artist. I've seen quite a bit of his work in progress in many, many photos lately and it's amazing.

 

So, I think the sound issue is a moot point.

 

Butch 

 

 

Erik,

I did not mean to add fuel to the flame.  If I offended, I apologize.

Without commenting on the quality of the sound, sound coming from the tender really sounds like sound coming from the tender and not from the engine.  I had a Sunset Challenger and the prior owner put the speaker in the tender.  It drove me crazy, which, according to some, explains a lot of things.  Anyway, when the speaker was put in the front of the boiler, all became well with the universe. The location of the speaker does make a difference.

Regards,

Ed

 

 

Ed- I'm just goofing off. It's all in good fun.

;-)

One hopes that one might recognize that this is so for many here,