MTH Galloping Goose

It has no problems on O27. I have super streets with 21 and 16 curves but never tried it.   If nobody else chimes in, I can check it on Wed evening and let you know.

Bob

I have one:

1) It runs on O-27 fine.

2) Whether it runs on D-21 'Streets depends  . . . see photos below.

MTH Galloping Goose will run through on a 45 degree (one curve piece) D-21 curve with straights at least five inches long (one piece) on either side.  Here it is doing so.  It fits.

Here it is on a full 90 degree corner of D-21.  The rear box with its two swiveling two-axle trucks fits fine, but the front cab cannot swivel to the side far enough to fit (see second photo, the front truck is off the rails, outside them by 1/2 inch).

The front truck can swivel enough on its own, but the cab can't swing ar enough to the side to accommodate the 90 degree corner, and so the front wheels come off the rails. 

You can probably open up the swing angle enough to permit the cab to swing farther to the side by widening the notch cut in the body here that allows it to swing from side to side.  I have not done this but it looks to be possible.

Regardless, plan for the rear overhang of 1 inch outside when coming around corners.

O-27 for sure.....great looking unit.....but when I bought the 'scale' On30 Goose I saw that the MTH unit was more like 1/32 scale....or maybe bigger!!! Anyone ever scale it out???

I got it as between 1/32 and 1/36 depending on where you measure it.  I was really disappointed in the size - should have paid much more attention to its dimensions as advertised.  It's too big for any purpose I have on my layout.  NOt sure what to do with mine, now.

I find it interesting that it is that much oversized. Makes me wonder why.

I have been running it on the same track as my Railking freights and never noticed it was too big.

So, was the prototype relatively small or am I off track here?

I realize the real units are narrow gauge, thus might be on the small side compared to regular boxcars.

Looks fine to me alongside my Lionel, K-Line, and MTH geared locomotives.

I'm guessing it was a concession to fitting the electronics in the rear cargo compartment.

Well, they (the prototypes) aren't exactly tiny, either:

That makes them look pretty scale sized, I'm not sure they're oversized at all!

Yeah, MTH is way too big.  I've seen 1:48 scale models next to the MTH, and its about 25% too large.  The cab of the front part ought to be about the size of the Lionel vintage trucks cab - roughly.  And, if you have been to the Colorado RR museum, you've seen that they are basically truck size - 1930s truck size.

Someone posted pictures of a scale model - made by some brass maker I think, and the MTH, on this forum sometime in the past.  I had completely forgotten about it until after I bought mine and posted it was too large, and someone reminded me I had been warned.  

Yeah, it looks big. In that first photo above with the Goose on the street passing the VW bug, that Pierce Arrow looks more like a Kenworth! The cab doors look as big as the doors on the store across the street.

They probably just increased all dimensions proportionally to go from scale 3 ft gauge to O standard gauge. Otherwise it would look kind of weird if all dimensions except width were true O scale and the width was stretched nearly 2 feet wider than normal.

Think Marx plastic E7 locos. S Scale size body widened to fit O gauge trucks.  lol

Lee you posted a picture of the Geese in Ridgway CO. These things are big as in School Bus / Truck big. They operated in remote mountain ranges and were not prototypical to city streets. I'm sure they'd look fine on your main layout, but are not a 'Streets candidate. Granted the prototypes are narrower, but otherwise the size is about right.

Gilly

If you want to get all scaled-up on this, get the Broadway Ltd On30 version. 

If I recall correctly, only #1 no longer exists out of all the GGs built.  I've heard though that a replica of #1 was built over a decade ago.  #1 was a "flatbed" goose with side panels similar to #6 is if memory serves.

#3 is owned by Knott's Berry Farm here in California.

Ridden the Knott's unit....which they were using on low attendance days in place of the steam loco.

If I get time I will dig out my MTH and my SCALE Goose and show the difference.

Yes, the Goose is about the size of a bus, but the MTH is a lot bigger than that.  Hopefully AMCDave can post pictures - he has the scale one, too.  If I recall the MTH is about 14 inches long and the scale is around 11.  

I see this as a fun toy.  Sound ready to go for a bump over two bucks.  A novelty to run through a deep distant valley on a coupla  pikes. 

Precision of Italy makes a scale 0n30 version for about twice the money w/o sound.

Looks like it 27".  Thank you all for the input. tt

It's a very nice unit.....don't get me wrong....but I view it as a fictitious item rather than a scale model....but still cool.

Here's a some pictures I found.  I realize these are not of the articulated goose that MTH modeled, but should give some idea of the size of the Geese.

I've been to the Colorado RR Museum (my grandfather was on the board of advisors there years ago) and seen the one at Knotts Berry Farm.  The front sectiony were the size of a shuttle bus, like a car dealer might use as a courtesy car, etc. - large by car/light truck standards maybe, but tiny by RR standards.  

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And some were smaller than others

 

Looking at the various pictures, I must admit, the Cab portion is oversized, but hey, You can fit people it it !!!

The Box looks about right. Not sure but I expect they stretched (or added) the hinge portion for our tight curves making it over length.

The cab is definatley too big, but I think the box is, too.  It's a scale 10 feet wide.  The Gooses (Geese?) I remember seeing were more like 8 feet - we had been riding San Fracisco trolley's the day before we were at knotts Berry Farm and I recall thinking how similar they were: about the same size inside, both run on rails, and yet very different.  

Anyway, it's not a bad little toy train.  Its effeminately not something to run on 'Streets, but then it was never intended for that.  I was a bit disappointed with the motor sounds but then it doesn't cost much.  It does very nice on my Beepworld mountain loop, where it both looks like it belongs in that terrain (type of country like around the CO RR Museum) and it fits nicely with the scale Lionel 0-4-0s and does'not look that out of place around all the BEEPS.  I've never used it to pull anything to speak of and am not sure it could - its light - but its a bit of fun.

OK....here we go....the answer!!!!

First a few notes. The MTH model is of the Pierce Arrow sedan based Goose. The Precision model is of the LARGER hybrid bus body Goose. The MTH is a traditional size model being Rail King while the Precision model is true 1/48 scale. 

Now...since the Precision model is of a larger vehicle....and is true 1/48 scale...I'd say the MTH is WAY out of scale! This is the first time I've had them both out and next to each other....even I was surprised.

Now the MTH had to be enlarged to run on standard gauge rather than 3 foot narrow gauge....but I don't think that's the only reason shes so big. I think MTH created what it thought traditional O 3 rail hobbyist expected size wise. This is not a slam on the MTH unit....still a cool little train but maybe better suited to G scale if you want TRUE scale Goose. But also your only choice if you only run 3 rail O. Thanks

You sell it to me at a lose and call it a day!!!  (well it's just a suggestion)  

Thanks AMC Dave.  that  Precision model is really nice!

They are both nice looking.  Now I want one of MTH's even more.  But it'll have to be the PS-1 version.  In a couple of years I'll start hunting one down.  I've really need to get a layout going before I get anything else.

OK, Uncle! I had no idea it was that far off. Still like my MTH Goose though....

Gilly

I was a little disappointed when I purchased the MTH PS-2 Goose.  (I bought it because I drive #3 at Knott's.)  What disappointed me was the recorded sound affects with the station stops.  A couple of the names were OK, but oelf the 9 stops 7 of them were ridiculous.  (Oakland, Anahiem, Phoenix, Seattle, ............)  Everytime I run it I can't believe MTH didn't at least keep the locations within the Service Area of the DRG, let alone the service area for the Goose.

Not getting ride of mine anytime soon either.....but folks wanted to know!

OK, Gotta chime in here on the sounds.

The New PS3 Goose I got for Christmas has Station Stops that are correct for RGS.

Lizardhead pass, Durango, ect.

But comparing it to the PS1 goose it is not anything near the sound set of the PS1.

That set includes a Thunderstorm in the distance, a brook babbling nearby, a stop for livestock on the track (you hear them as well as the driver talking), ect.

I MUCH prefer the PS1 sound set. I have 2 of those and will add AC Commanders for control VS getting more new ones.

We got some of these in various liveries just because of their uniqueness.

They are toys and used as such.  Kind of a hoot running in the background of my Sunset, KTM and Westside. 

I would rather laugh than count rivets.

If I wanted to count rivets I'd stayed in HO scale.....and not moved to a scale with 3 rails!

I have one I converted to TMCC it was a PS/1 model.  It gets some looks and laughs when we are displaying the modular layout, so it was worth the effort.