John,
Told you it was a "BEAST"! I bought mine a few years ago from Fl9turbo2 here on ogr and extremely happy that I got one. They initially sold for $1100 street price and now you can get one for half that price. I'd rather buy one of these than a Legacy diesel. I say this is the ultimate in diesel/turbine engines to have!
Really thinking of getting a 2nd one to double head and almost bought another one at the last York. Saw a few at around $600.
GR John, Thank you for posting the link to the instruction manual pages. Really appreciate your help.
gunrunnerjohn posted:J Daddy posted:gunrunnerjohn posted:I see nothing in Norm's video that looks like a lurch, and his complete description of the video doesn't seem to suggest any issue. All I saw at 1:03 was the turbine smoke unit kick in.
In December 2007, I filmed this fully diecast beast running under Legacy control. Using the RR Speeds, the TMCC speed steps could be incrementally applied, giving nice and gradual wind-ups in speed. At some fixed step, the Veranda's firmware would kick in the main turbine smoker while shutting the 'donkey motor' smoker off. A very cool and unique feature. I sort of regret selling this engine off, but it went to a good home...
Never mind John...
Don't go away mad, I'm really trying to understand the issue. Am I missing something?
LOL. Not mad. I guess you have to see it on video. I can manipulate the start on this thing from a crawl. Where as before it just jumped into motion.
Ted Bertiger posted:John,
Told you it was a "BEAST"! I bought mine a few years ago from Fl9turbo2 here on ogr and extremely happy that I got one. They initially sold for $1100 street price and now you can get one for half that price. I'd rather buy one of these than a Legacy diesel. I say this is the ultimate in diesel/turbine engines to have!
Really thinking of getting a 2nd one to double head and almost bought another one at the last York. Saw a few at around $600.
Ted - If you got two of these things and MU ed them together that would be crazy. I bet they could pull over 100 cars.
JDaddy, I agree with all, there is something, everything, about this engine that makes it the best. I have never had any problems with mine, other than I have not been running much of late, and it is sitting in a display case. However, when I started working on my layout years ago (before all the storms hit us) I ran it along with other U.P. motive power, and pulled some very long consists around my incomplete 24 x 28 space. It is a beast, and if anyone should ever figure a way to keep PS1 sounds and have TMCC control, would like to double head with my MTH version.
Jesse TCA
I still regret parting with this engine but it did go to a nice home. The first speed step was always a bit faster than a typical Odyssey diesel of that mid 2000s era. It most certainly didn't have Odyssey lurch, which was fixable issue of the time. This was characterized by a full open loop launch upon application of the first speed step after initial power up, or more annoyingly, a power cycle due to power loss, etc.
Phil Gresho had one of these with an Odyssey on/off switch that was installed backwards from what I remember. You may want to verify that you are actually in cruise mode (hold onto a coupler while applying the first speed step and see if pulls harder or stalls).
This may be one of the first diesels Lionel made with back-drivable gearing, you can actually push this by hand and roll the drivers.
The back driveable gears was a feature that surprised me when I first fired it up, I thought that didn't come until Legacy. I bought mine in the forum recently, and I'm glad I got it, it is a unique piece.
I agree with Norm about checking the switch. I start out smoothly at the first speed step when running in TMCC mode with the CAB2. It doesn't start up quite as slow as my Legacy stuff, but there is no lurch anywhere in the speed spectrum with mine.
Hey, Norm. Yes I was surprised too on the back drivable motors. Adjusting the momentum on the CAB 2 helps with a smoother start up.
I want to say that the CCII ESE Hudson was the only other engine from that era with back-drivable drivers.
J DADDY,
'FANTASTIC!'
Ralph
J Daddy posted:As I get her broken in on the layout I am going to focus on changing out the front pilot. It would look good with a more detailed pilot and scale coupler. The old pilot I could unfasten and keep the original in the box.
please let us me know how you did that, I would love to do the same
texastrain posted:JDaddy, I agree with all, there is something, everything, about this engine that makes it the best. I have never had any problems with mine, other than I have not been running much of late, and it is sitting in a display case. However, when I started working on my layout years ago (before all the storms hit us) I ran it along with other U.P. motive power, and pulled some very long consists around my incomplete 24 x 28 space. It is a beast, and if anyone should ever figure a way to keep PS1 sounds and have TMCC control, would like to double head with my MTH version.
Jesse TCA
There was Digital Dynamics, a TMCC card which kept the PS1 sounds. There is a HUGE, HUGE market for these today. Too bad it went the way of the Legacy upgrade kit...
I have a PS-1 one as well as my lionel one it sits on a siding waiting on the upgrade to tmcc that will be done at some time in the future and then I will be able to run them together
Mine ran horribly when I first got it, it was very jerky and intermittent. Took me a while to figure out the motor flywheel was hitting the handrail/antenna on the roof when it went over an uneven joint. I moved that motor to the other try on now it works awesome
There's a currently running thread about a potential new PS/1 to TMCC upgrade, though the lack of traffic in the thread recently may signal that the project died at birth.
Ted Bertiger posted:... They initially sold for $1100 street price and now you can get one for half that price. I'd rather buy one of these than a Legacy diesel. I say this is the ultimate in diesel/turbine engines to have!
...
Absolutely agree.
This hobby is completely unpredictable at times. 
We have folks tripping over themselves to buy die-cast ES44 Legacy diesels at nearly twice their original MSRP, and then there's this wonderful beast of a die-cast diesel going for nearly half of what it once did. 
Go figure!
Under $600 for this gem is an absolute steal. If I still had mine, I'd keep it rather than let it go for so little today. It is really a unique piece. I suppose folks are anticipating a Legacy version, which may account for the current price-drop. But even that doesn't quite make sense -- since we know Lionel would make folks pay through the nose and then some for a die-cast Legacy version.
As it was... The TMCC locomotive took forever to get manufactured. Originally it was planned to have an Odyssey MOTOR, but then Lionel scrapped that idea and went with just the Odyssey SYSTEM. Following that whole marketing debacle, there were then reportedly more delays due to issues with the die-cast shell. So lots of folklore behind the Lionel Veranda.
David
Easy David... remember its not a diesel.. 
J Daddy posted:Easy David... remember its not a diesel..
Balderdash, it's at least half a diesel. 
I bet you could burn diesel in a real one
I'd really like to see someone lower one of these beasts, put Kadees on it, and weather it like the above photos.
Norm Charbonneau posted:I'd really like to see someone lower one of these beasts, put Kadees on it, and weather it like the above photos.
that would be awesome
Norm Charbonneau posted:I'd really like to see someone lower one of these beasts, put Kadees on it, and weather it like the above photos.
Sounds like a challenge - would be nice if lowering it was as easy as the F3's. I have some brass sheet in the scrap box that I may be able to tackle that pilot first...
Norm,
I had dinner tonight with our mutual buddy from Lionel who got this Veranda project come to life and got it produced while he was at the helm of the regime. He sends his regards to you. Told him this is the beast of all beasts of motive power ever produced by them.
BobbyD, yes, I have one DD board installed in another engine, and wish I had gotten more, but who knew they were to go under?
John, yes, I have been following that thread and also wonder what became of the optimistic chatter that was being read on there. The market is "out there" no doubt.........
I have upgraded other pieces of U.P. motive power I have to TMCC/RS with ERR. A thought..... why have ERR, or other upgrade available, or have they, considered a version of "RS" making use of the QSI turbine sounds? Would this really be so difficult to do, to the point it would not be practical financially? Even to re-format the same turbine sounds into the RS version and take it from there? I have several other turbines I wish to upgrade ( my opinion, mind you) to TMCC, but wish to fully retain the unique turbine sounds. Along with the sounds that are in the MTH DD40AX........
Just wondering... and hoping..... and wishing...... LOL!!!!
Jesse TCA
texastrain posted:A thought..... why have ERR, or other upgrade available, or have they, considered a version of "RS" making use of the QSI turbine sounds? Would this really be so difficult to do, to the point it would not be practical financially? Even to re-format the same turbine sounds into the RS version and take it from there? I have several other turbines I wish to upgrade ( my opinion, mind you) to TMCC, but wish to fully retain the unique turbine sounds. Along with the sounds that are in the MTH DD40AX........Just wondering... and hoping..... and wishing...... LOL!!!!
Don't hold your breath. I'm fairly certain that the lack of unique sounds for ERR upgrades is as much or more a marketing decision as it is a technical consideration. Lionel doesn't want to impact the sales of their new products with lower profit upgrade packages.
Ted, that's nice to hear! Send him my regards. This engine was from my favorite era of Lionel. Nice seeing you at York by the way! 
J Daddy posted:gunrunnerjohn posted:Sounds like the cruise is switched off or has a problem. I see nothing like this.
Norm makes notes about it too in his UP Veranda video. I took notes from him a few years back in how to tweak the older TMCC units using the CAB 2. It really makes a difference!
I wish I could get mine to smoke like that.. Both smoke units especially the front one has never put out more then a few wisps of smoke on its best day. The smokeless dog has been sitting on a shelf now for at least the past 5 years.
Joe
John,
You really have to make sure the elevated bridges or whatever is firmly supported! Lol!
JC642 posted:I wish I could get mine to smoke like that.. Both smoke units especially the front one has never put out more then a few wisps of smoke on its best day. The smokeless dog has been sitting on a shelf now for at least the past 5 years.
Joe
It should be pretty easy to get it smoking properly, most likely a simple maintenance on the smoke unit is all that's required.
Norm,
He always tell us about the night you guys went to his home in Michigan and ran trains on his back porch and about Dan walking through the screened porch door. He shakes his head about the current pricing.
I always thank him for making me broke back in his Lionel days! He made great stuff back then at affordable prices.
gunrunnerjohn posted:JC642 posted:I wish I could get mine to smoke like that.. Both smoke units especially the front one has never put out more then a few wisps of smoke on its best day. The smokeless dog has been sitting on a shelf now for at least the past 5 years.
Joe
It should be pretty easy to get it smoking properly, most likely a simple maintenance on the smoke unit is all that's required.
I replaced the batting and removed the covers over the heating elements and it smoked me out of the room
Norm Charbonneau posted:I'd really like to see someone lower one of these beasts, put Kadees on it, and weather it like the above photos.
It won't be me.
Bob
Bob Bubeck posted:Norm Charbonneau posted:I'd really like to see someone lower one of these beasts, put Kadees on it, and weather it like the above photos.
It won't be me.
Bob
me either with my luck I would mess it up and I would be so upset
Hi Guys,
Great topic with loads of useful information.
I have a question and I know it hijacks this thread but does anyone have information on that UP 3 unit turbine No.80 that is pictured in one of the above photos? Lionel or MTH? Has anyone posted photos/videos of that model?
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Steam Guy posted:Hi Guys,
Great topic with loads of useful information.
I have a question and I know it hijacks this thread but does anyone have information on that UP 3 unit turbine No.80 that is pictured in one of the above photos? Lionel or MTH? Has anyone posted photos/videos of that model?
Thanks in advance,
Steve
lionel has only done the veranda MTH has done the the veranda the 3piece big blow turbine and the #80 coal turbine and the propane turbine, one can only hope lionel will do another turbine as for videos not sure if there any other ones
Moonson posted:I hope this adds something pertinent to the conversation:
In both photos, the UP73 (on the left) is by Lionel; the 61 (on the right) is by MTH...
FrankM.
beautiful layout they look good
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