Note: I’m aware of the other FlyerChief GP7 thread and have been following it. However, I’ve decided to open up a new thread specific to the Nickle Plate Road version. This locomotive is not mine, but on loan for from a friend for this review. I’m also pretty much putting my “scale hat” aside for this review. (Well, almost... NKP 514 preserved at Steamtown is a late model GP9 w/48” cooling fans…)
First of all: I like the box. Having a sturdy two piece lid box where the top comes off is so much easier to deal with than a flimsy sleeve box where one has to open the end and “pour” the locomotive Styrofoam packing in and out.
That said, on with the review…
Removing the locomotive from the box I could find one missing screw on the rear truck, but otherwise no loose screws or cosmetic flaws. The trucks swing freely in their range of motion and pick up rollers respond well to finger pressure. Overall decoration of this NKP unit is of high quality, although there is some minor overspray here and there on the stripes. Also the stripes appear a tad too wide. The most noticeable to me is small “NYC&StL” is located too high on the short hood.
Next we’ll have an absolutely unfair apple/orange visual comparison of the new Flyer GP7 with the American Models GP9. This is only for visual comparison, not to establish superiority of model one over the other. Both are fine looking models within their own elements with state of the art decoration. I’ll address the new Flyer Blomberg trucks a little later.
(I would also note my AM GP9 is a DC scale wheel version, not an AC Hirail version.)
Price-wise at full MSRP, an AC HiRail AM GP9 is $209.95 vs. the Flyer GP7 at $249.99. Of course, the Flyer version offers sound and command control while an AC/HR AM GP9 only offers only forward-neutral-reverse cycling.
A more valid visual comparison comes with the Flyer NKP GP7 from 1996.
As can be seen, the BIG difference is with the new pilots and trucks. Even after getting “used to” the old Gilbert GP truck, it still lookes odd to me. The new trucks are the same as used for the Baldwin switcher (as discussed in past threads,) but with EMD’s Blomberg sideframes modeled.
Nit-picking would indicate the new Blomberg trucks still aren’t “scale,” being too short, too tall and a little on the bulky side, (oops, there’s that pesky scale side of me again…) However, they are a vast improvement visually over the old Gilbert trucks. Plus, this allows for a more proportionally correct fuel tank under the locomotive. The new trucks also allow the locomotive to sit a little lower than their earlier compatriots. All this compliments the detail resolution of the Gilbert-designed locomotive body.
The pilots swing with the trucks, eliminating the wide gap on the pilot beams. Plus, there is no “bite” taken out of the front pilot’s stairwell as on the old Gilbert design.
While some Gilbert purists may decry swinging pilots the “Lionelization” of the model, I view it as a marked improvement over tradition a long time overdue. Personally, I would like to see swinging pilots implemented on the EP5 electric and Alco PA’s (Hint, hint, Lionel…)
So, how does it run?
I lubricated the locomotive per the booklet, plus adding a little LaBelle 102 gear oil to the gears. I’m using an MTH Z1000 for power. Track is SHS S-Trax with R20 curves.
I approached operation a little differently. First I turned off the sound and placed the locomotive in conventional mode. The locomotive powered up in neutral. The bell and horn sounded when I pressed appropriate buttons on the Z1000. Response to the direction button was spotty.
The throttle also had to be about halfway up before the locomotive would move. (I attribute this to the electronics “thinking” as to input power.) Once moving, operation was silent with a quiet “tick” sound coming from the power truck as it moved. Slow speed operation under conventional was poor and seemed to have occasional slight lurches. Operation was more smooth at higher speeds.
Turning on the sound, the diesel sound came on full blast for as long as power was supplied. Sound would turn off immediately as power was cut during direction cycling. The high volume distorted the horn sound slightly. Activating the sound had no effect on conventional operation.
I then set the locomotive to remote, put batteries into the control and cranked up the Z1000 to the max. Headlights flashed, the cab light came on and the locomotive chirped as it looked for the remote. Turning on the remote, the lights stopped flashing and the sound came with a diesel start-up at a much more pleasing volume than in conventional to my tired old ears.
It’s the difference between night and day with operation. Control is smooth in all speed ranges. The electro-couplers opened on command, horn and bell responded as expected.
I backed the locomotive into my waiting freight cars (HiRailed scale cars with SHS or AM couplers) and it coupled to the train easily. I set it off into my loop of R20 curves at various speeds in forward and reverse and had continued smooth, satisfying operation. There is still a slight hitch at very slow speeds, but I expect that to work out as the locomotive breaks in.
And the swinging pilots don’t appear that bad on R20 curves.
As to BlueTooth operation. I have no interest in it and am unlikely to get interested in it. I’ll leave that to others so inclined.
I’m aware of some of the issues other users have had with this newest version of the Flyer GP7 and trust they will be corrected to their satisfaction. I believe that over all, this is a locomotive worthy of the A.C Gilbert legacy.
I’ll leave you with one last image of the GP7 posed on my scale railroad.
Rusty
