Opinion on Williams locomotives

    One of the things I like about Williams locomotives is that they offer a good assortment of roadnames for each locomotive type. Unlike Lionel who seems to offer only a couple of roadnames, some times more. And they also carry some of the roadnames over from year to year. I do believe that they should offer more roadnames and rotate them in and out of production.

    I also like the fact that I have been able to pick up some locomotive types that I have always wanted and in the roadnames I wanted also. The BL-2 is one example, and in Chesapeake & Ohio too! I just recently got a set of A-B-A Pennsy Baldwin Sharks which have always been on my Wish List. I was also able to get a new set of Santa Fe F3 A-B-As which would have cost alot more from Lionel or MTH. Because I prefer conventional mode running the lack of all of the fancy sounds and control does not bother me. But, that is my personal choice.

   A couple of months ago I got a B&O NW-2 which I really like alot. It runs good and pulls a ton! The detail, while not MTH Premier quality,  is enough to make me happy. I would like to get a Reading U-Boat or Pennsy NW-2 next. We shall see.

Bob.

 

How do you run consists in conventional mode though if it is powered?

Turn on the transformer and increase the voltage to the track

Yes, but don't the two powered units have to have exact voltage, speed etc or it can damage the motor if one pulls harder than the other?

I have the 10 Wheeler, a BL-2 and a set of AT&SF A units.  I don't like a lot of smoke, am not a rivet counter, but I do like dependable equipment.  Williams fits my bill.

Al

Chip set

 

I have run two sets of two power units together since 1998 and they still run fine.

an OTT sound is in the B unit of ABA F7 diesels set. If you tried to run another diesel  manufacturer, like Lionel or MTH with the Williams,  that could be a problem, 

Here is a video with four powered Williams F7's on the headend

 

hello Cobrabob......

 

I like the dark blue and yellow stripes of your williams NW-2, a really handsome switcher. Did you buy that engine for 99 dollars ?  I surely would like to buy the williams black S.F. switcher for 99 dollars.

 

the woman who loves toy trains

Tiffany

All you have to do is make sure that they are all facing the way they are wired to start in forward. I have installed several power kits and a couple of them are installed with the loco going backwards when they start. This way I can run my E7 ABA set (all powered) with the trailing A unit facing rearward, but going in the same direction as the lead A and the B. One of my U33's and two of my Geeps are wired to start going backwards so I can MU them with one unit facing each direction. I can still run that unit by itself, but it will start in reverse so I have to toggle throught the direction sequence for it to run forward. Not really a big deal when I consider the extra pulling power I get with having several powered units. Here is a tip for getting them to sequence properly. When you depress the direction button hold it down for about three seconds after they stop moving and then release the button. 99% of the time they will stay in sequence when I do this. If they get out of sequence, pull the throttle all the way off and wait about 15 seconds and they will start up back in sequence.

 

I have had units running in multiple for long periods of time on several occasions with no motor damage.

Over the past 2 to 3 years I've also become a fan of the Williams (and WBB) line.  In that time I've acquired about 10 (6 new & 4 used) Williams engines [GG1-traditional, BL2, FA1 (3), Sharks, F3 (2), E7 (2)].  The only issues I experienced were one of the CanPac F3 A unit's gears rubbed the baseplate of the front truck on turns and the second issue was the often reported window glazing falling out on the BL2.  Other than that, these all look good, run very smoothly and each are able to pull a bunch of cars.

 

Although sturdy and a more traditional look, I am not a fan of the Williams stamped handrails.  I'm happy to see WBB start to offer more wire handrail details on some engines (GP30, SD45, FP45).

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/...iewCat&catId=481

Hopefully WBB will also look to cover the can motors or at least paint them black so that they don't stand out.

 

If you do not need the high end details of the MTH Premier, Lionel, GGD, and Atlas Master lines AND run conventional, then I would suggest that you give serious consideration to some of the Williams line.

Till now I have only a Williams FM, a Jersey with its dummy. There were a few flaws, as the loose screws, bent hand railings etc but that was easily repaired. The engines are huge and heavy, even the dummy. It's amazing how strong the motors are, they are really strong pullers, and smooth running too. They are to long for my glass cabinet where I do store my trains, so they are standing in my bookshelf. Just looking at them is a pleasure, taking them out and putting them on a piece of track with some cars is tempting, as I have work to do, and sometimes work at home.

 

regards, Kieffer

I have done an up-grade motor kit in an F-7 diesel, my major problem was that the new motors were much faster than my old motors, so I did a motor swap with another set of F-7's and got two very equal motor speed sets to work as a diesel double-header. The new motors went to a seperate running set of F-7's.

 

Currently the motor upgrade kit costs around $100.00 just for the motors and circuit board, at least that is the cheapest price I can find on-line for a Bachmann motor kit.

 

Personally I would buy a powered diesel similar in style from an online auction site for less than the new motor price and swap the motors and sell the chassis as a dummy unit. You get the motors and you can get back a few dollars from the upgrade.

A word of caution about Williams motors; not all motors will swap out to a differant style engine, example; a GP-9 will not swap to an SD-45, the trucks are differant!

 

My Williams GP-38 is supposed to arrive later today from the Western Depot, it was sent last friday.

 

Lee F.

Rob,

My problem was the Lionel switch(6-23010), as it died on me shortly after the Williams incident with the switch. The problem was that the Williams engine and only Williams engines would make the switch act crazy, throwing the center piece at a rate of 30 to 50 times a second when the Williams engine got within three track sections of the switch, run a Lionel engine and it was fine.

I am a slightly old-timer in O gauge and have not seen this happen except with that one Lionel switch and Williams engines.

 

Lee F.

I become a Williams fan as many others have. I have moved from a total Command and DCS layout to a conventional setup by flipping a couple toggle switches and have gotten a Southern E7 AA and they are great looking and run perfect. I just need to pick up a few more Williams engines. I just hope that the new owners keep the price point down so we all can afford them like they are now. I am sure I am like alot of people the other brands have priced me out for now. Williams are  a good engine.

I can run 3 W/WBB SD90's elephant style with 2 180 bricks and a TPC 4000.

I just got my new WBB GP-38 for Reading Lines delivered today, runs and sounds good.

 

With my post war ZW 275 watt, I was able to run five powered Williams engines and a set of six lighted passenger cars.

 

If you want good prices for some slightly older but new Williams stuff, check out Western Depot and they advertise on here as well.

 

Lee F.

Tiffany, no I purchased the B&O NW-2 locally from the Trading Post Train Shop in Cleveland a few months ago. I still got it for a great price though, but not $99.00!!

Cobrabob.

Hoping someone can assist.  I purchased a set of Williams F3's - Sante Fe for my son this Christmas.   I was operating them tonight and the train only has forward and reverse.  Neutral seems to have disappeared.   Is there some sort of a "reset" procedure?  The instruction manual does not reference one.    Please let me know your thoughts. 

 

Chuck

A visit to the Trading Post is worth paying a few extra bucks.  Jim's a lot of fun and they do great repairs on the old post-war stuff.

Chuck:

 

You may need to start a new thread to get an answer to your question.

 

I have Williams stuff, but can not answer the question. 

 

I would suggest calling Bachmann.  I did last week on something else and got through right away.  In the alternative, send an e-mail to parts at bachmanntrains dot com and explain exactly what the issue is, when and where you got the engine and ask them how to fix it.  I will speculate and say you have a bad e-unit, but I really do not know and forgoing any other recommendations by those more knowledgeable on this, I'd contact Bachmann.

Check out Pat's Trains. He bought a TON of Williams stuff recently and you really can lay hands on some diesels for $99.

 

--Becky

Santa brought me a brand new Williams GG1 in Brunswick Green!

The Williams Rollers may cause problems with automatic switches and the lionel 5 rail remote control track. I bought a set of E-7 AA units to go with my Lionel Hiawatha cars. I also upgraded the sound and added TMCC and cruise. All worked well except at one point with a Gargraves switch and another point where the track makes a slight curve following a 5 rail remote track. I solved the problem by using a Dremel tool to narrow and bevel the roller, of course, I removed the rollers before making this modification. It all works great now.

Bill von Tagen

 

   

"Hoping someone can assist.  I purchased a set of Williams F3's - Sante Fe for my son this Christmas.   I was operating them tonight and the train only has forward and reverse.  Neutral seems to have disappeared.   Is there some sort of a "reset" procedure?  The instruction manual does not reference one.    Please let me know your thoughts. "

 

Chuck,

What year are they? Did you have neutral when you started out?

Rob

Rob,

 

I purchased them from Mario's trains in Virginia.  I do not know how long they may have inventoried them but they are the blue Sante Fe  F3's.   I asked myself the same question as to whether they had neutral when i first started but I am almost certain they did.   In addition, the instruction book indicates the three positions.  I am going to take the advice of one of the responses and call Bachman.

I will let you know what they say.

 

Chuck

Jim,

   I own a few Williams trains and engines, have never had a problem with any of them, my original Union Pacific City of SF was made the year Williams went into business, I put a true blast horn in her, years ago but she has had no other alterations in all that time, she runs perfect even today.

PCRR/Dave

Williams UPSF in Yellow, original Williams Quality that keeps on running, she is one big conventional toy train, that runs smooth as glass on FasTrack. 

 

I just retrieved three different Williams engines from our shelves that my son bought when he was "a little boy". My plan was to operate various engines in our collection under our Christmas tree for our grandson to enjoy. So I ran a Lionel NYC 7477 Geep, a Lionel 8600 NYC Hudson, a Lionel #50 gang car, a Williams ATSF 6 axle warbonnet, a yellow Williams UP Geep, and a grey Williams NYC geep. The Lionel 7477 Geep with one motor and an e unit seemed crude in comparison. The three Williams engines each had two motors and electronic e units. They ran quietly and flawlessly. (I did lubricate all of the engines as some had been on the shelf for 10+ years.) None of these Williams engines had sound and each ran very smoothly and also quietly. (They may have had a bell and/or horn but the pack I used did not have these buttons.) I would recommend Williams for any traditional operator who does not use electronic control systems.

A question about using the Williams engines, do you have a Lionel CW-80 as a transformer? If so use another type of transformer and see what happens.

Every Williams engine I have has F-N-R and will cycle thru each every time.

I am using a postwar Lionel ZW and an MTH Z-1000 with my Williams engines.

Never had a problem with a Williams engine and the circuit boards, even my Crown Edition work great.

 

If there is a problem with a Williams engine call Bachmann's repair department.

 

Lee Fritz

Well they r dependable.  But u can just tell cheap by the way it sounds running on your track.  I own one and wont be buying another.  But yea shove some electricity up it but and will run.  But so will just about anything. Doesnt mean its any good.

I have six double A F3 units,3 Trainmasters, 1 FA double A unit and one steam locmotive, all Williams before being purchased by Bachmann, basic locomotives, no frills, reliable, some with True Blast , easily to upgrade, no issue with shell cracking, steel frame,not issue with tracking of trucks, without measuring I believe the diesels are scale size just lubricate per instruction sheet..

dependable and great runners, BUT as a side note

(and I found this out the hard way).

purchased a set of Yellow war bonnet Santa Fe F3 units some years ago and ran them

at one show. Next show they would not go. pulled the motor and found out the drive gear had stripped. had to buy the entire truck, because Bachmann does not carry parts. $30 later, I put the new truck in my dummy unit with a motor robber out of the powered unit. chcked the other motor and gear box, little to NO grease.

Have since purchased two more Williams locos GP-9 and FA AA units and 1rst thing out of the box chcked the gear box in both. Little or NO grease, lubed them up and have had no problems.

So somebody at factory level is dropping the ball as far as putting grease in the gear boxes. I would say this is an isolated case, except for the fact that I have three Williams locos with the same maintenance issues. Little or NO grease in the gear box.

 

All my Williams engines run great. I have; two GP-38's, three SD-45's, four F-7 A units & two F-7 B units, one GP-9. Bought one of the Plasticville freight cars(two) each year they were available.

Just looked at the new WBB catalog and the motor upgrade kit is $209.00 or better. I also looked at Western Depot website and they want between $130.00 and $150.00 for a motor upgrade kit, and these will fit most Williams as long as you get the correct motor kit.

 

Lee Fritz

I got deals on all my Williams from Besser's Whistlestop in Baldwinsville NY.

GP-9..........$99.

FA AA.........$134.99

F3 AA set......$249

F3 B unit......$99

I got some good deals as well from an independent Williams dealer about 50 miles away from me.

An F-7 ABA (one A unit powered)Santa Fe set with six "El Capitan" passenger cars from the Crown Edition for $400.00, I think that was my best deal, nine units for only $400.00. A Reading Lines GP-9 with True Blast-2 for $120.00, a Pennsylvania set of two GP-9's(one powered and one dummy) for $200.00. A six car set of passenger cars for Reading Company 'King Coal' Crown Edition for $140.00.

 

Lee Fritz

 

How do you do that?  I have a Williams A-A Shark set with one unit a dummy.  I'm considering powering the dummy, but it would have to start in reverse, and I have no idea how to make it do that.

 

My runs too fast. There has been some discussion about that and possible fixes.

The last several WbB engines I have seen were shipped with no grease. Pulling the motor(s) and greasing the gears needs to SOP for any new WbB engine.

 

Gilly

Very good point.  My experience as well.  One of mine had no grease otherwise they are perfect runners.

 

In fairness, I've had one MTH and two Lionel units arrive brand new with no grease.

Easy. The motors are DC, so all you need to do is wire it up backwards from the locomotive that runs forward.

 

All my WBB's have blue and yellow wires for the motors. Yours should too. Where your lead loco has a blue connected to the main board, you connect the yellow on the trailing unit.

Boy am I glad I read this thread. I just purchased my 1st set of Sharks AA Pennsy 5 Stripe Locos with the B unit as well.

I am going to take that out of the box and give it some grease before I fire them up.

I really like this place.

 

Thanks, Matt.  But doesn't that assume that the motors haven't been series-wired?