T3's Are Here.

That looks terrific! Mine is due here tomorrow!

You my friend are one lucky guy.Enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by yamaha226:
You my friend are one lucky guy.Enjoy.

Lucky? Naaa, Big Foot is just GOOD at modeling B&O!

Mine is also due tomorrow, lately the UPS guy must be totem a little to much egg nog.
John

Big Foot, am I missing something? What's with the scale wheels? Do you also model 2 rail or is that a funky hybrid?

I'm stuck waiting another day as well. I guess we know who's on Scott's favorite list!

The wheels look scale. Is it a 3r version?

OOOPS! Apparently Big Foot didn't notice that 3rd Rail shipped him 2-Rail models?????

It must be the angle or the light or something, I'm a 3-Railer. By the way I ran it pulling the GGD Heavy wieghts and it runs fine. This Train is finaly done. If you can make it to the WGH in Schaumburg this weekend you can see the whole consist. I will shoot some video. BF

quote:

OOOPS! Apparently Big Foot didn't notice that 3rd Rail shipped him 2-Rail models?????

Jack, I thought he had come over to the dark side until I saw the tether between the locomotive and tender.

LJ,
Finally!!! Now if only we could get The Columbian.

Ok guys, now we need to start pestering Scoot for some more B&O, I would grap a royal blue P7e 4-6-2 in a heart beat and a Big Six in a micro second.

Looking good!

Two tenders? Did you get TWO of the engines to go with both?

I think Scott has another winner here!

Yes Lee , I had to have both. I'm now done buying two engines at a time. I will get one P7 and my B&O fleet is complete, for me anyway. BF

Wow !!!

A very nice engine. How are the sounds? Can you imagine if you could get this with Legacy?

I love the details. One of these days... I will make it to the big leagues...
and buy a 3rd rail locomotive.

Those are the nicest pilot wheels I've seen on a 3R model. I'll be pleasantly surprised if they smoothly, or even sucessfully, negotiate my Scaletrax switches.

Those are the nicest pilot wheels I've seen on a 3R model. I'll be pleasantly surprised if they smoothly, or even sucessfully, negotiate my Scaletrax switches.


-Jeff


I'm looking at the drivers and see that they are all flanged. And like the pilot wheels, the flanges are small. Beautiful work!

Jeff: Will you be reviewing this model for us? Posting a video?

Steve

CHEEE-WHIZZZ! What's the minimum radius on this thing. Looks like a 2-rail model to me. I'm really interested to see if this will roll through various 3-rail switches...

Got my T-3 today, its a beautiful engine.

Unfortunately, it doesn't run.

I run conventionally using a MRC Dual Transformer. The sounds come on as soon as I power up, the headlight comes on, but no movement - absolutely nothing. If I power down and then power up, the headlight and backup light both come on. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light both come on again. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light, again both come on. If I power down and up the cycle will continue to repeat, beginning again with just the headlight. The sound continues to stay on all the time.

This is my first 3rd Rail engine, any thoughts or suggestions?

Jim

Jim,

Please call Scott Mann. He will make it right for you.

Gary (Jr)

quote:

Originally posted by Steam Guy:

I'm looking at the drivers and see that they are all flanged. And like the pilot wheels, the flanges are small. Beautiful work!

Jeff: Will you be reviewing this model for us? Posting a video?

Steve

The wheels on mine are different. More typical 3R pilot wheels with larger flanges, outer 2 drive wheels with larger flanges and inner 2 are flangeless.

The wheels still look good, but not as great as on Sasquatch's. I hope those wheels negotiate your track Sasquatch because they sure to look good.

quote:

Originally posted by jd-train:
Got my T-3 today, its a beautiful engine.

Unfortunately, it doesn't run.

I run conventionally using a MRC Dual Transformer. The sounds come on as soon as I power up, the headlight comes on, but no movement - absolutely nothing. If I power down and then power up, the headlight and backup light both come on. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light both come on again. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light, again both come on. If I power down and up the cycle will continue to repeat, beginning again with just the headlight. The sound continues to stay on all the time.

This is my first 3rd Rail engine, any thoughts or suggestions?

Jim

Maybe start with the simple stuff. Is it set to conventional under the engine? Is the tender switch set to run? If its in conventional I don't even know if the run/program switch does anything, but worth a check.

jd-train, There is a switch under the engineer side of the engine for conventional or TMCC. Check that. BF

quote:

Originally posted by jd-train:
Got my T-3 today, its a beautiful engine.

Unfortunately, it doesn't run.

I run conventionally using a MRC Dual Transformer. The sounds come on as soon as I power up, the headlight comes on, but no movement - absolutely nothing. If I power down and then power up, the headlight and backup light both come on. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light both come on again. If I power down and then power up the headlight and backup light, again both come on. If I power down and up the cycle will continue to repeat, beginning again with just the headlight. The sound continues to stay on all the time.

This is my first 3rd Rail engine, any thoughts or suggestions?

Jim

Check your switches, run/program and conventional/off/TMCC. Seem to be having similar problems with mine. May need a reset. First I'll read the manual since this one seems to have some operating differences from other engines.

Joe

Sasquatch I thought you were a 3 railer! Your engine has scale wheels.


Got mine today and the flanges are huge.

Joe

T-3 Customers:

We are learning that the batch of Radio boards we purchased from Lionel in 2010 and the ERR boards are not compatible until the ERR boards are upgraded to version 7 or 8. We can exchange ERR boards or tenders with customers if they need. Sorry about this guys, we didn't find out until models were already on their way. Not all models exhibit problems as it is an intermittent effect. The models released from the factory tested ok at the factory.

Lowering the track voltage to 16 - 17 Volts seems to minimize the problem. I will talk with Jon Z about how to let customers upgrade the software in their their motherboards so you have more control of this.

In the mean time, we would be happy to take care of the software upgrade by exchanging tenders with customers.

Regards,

Scott Mann - China

[IMG][/IMG]


Well, I got my T-3 today. Sure does look pretty but it could be a lemon.

First, The "brass" drawbar screw was broken off the engine. Going to require drilling and tapping for a new screw that I don't have. No way could that drawbar be snapped off during shipping. Had to be done at the factory.

2nd, Drawbar pin on tender is crooked and won't tighten.

3rd, Contact roller on tender was installed wrong. Roller was up with the back stops on top of the middle axle. Easy fix right? YA RIGHT ! just take it off and install it right, but now the back stops hit the middle axle when depressed. That would be a short?

4th Where is the smoke on/off and cruise switches ???

5th Not a big thing but since I'll probably be looking at this engine up side down more than usual it can use some touch up paint in a few bare spots.

6th Couldn't get it to run on TMCC. That could have been the shorted pick up roller. When I powered it up the sound started, both front and rear lights came and then it took off down the test track. Luckily I got my hand in front of it before it hit the stop block. Hand still smarts a bit.

Oh, light comes out the back sides of the lamps, brightly. Think I have some sealer to fix that.

And I thought I was going to take it out of the box. Run down and put it on the layout. Hit Eng 1 and be off and running. But no! It's going to be a test of my patients and fix-it skills.

The only fixing I was planning was Kadee couplers and scale pilot wheels.

I got #102, can't believe I'm the only one with the messed up tender pick up roller.

That's what I've found so far. Maybe tomorrow things will look better.

B&O S1 2-10-2
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/3182624?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen>

Untitled from Joe Wallace on Vimeo.

Joe

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the suggestions. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't user error before I contacted 3rd Rail. I'm at work now, but if I recall correctly from last night, under the engine is a switch for '2 chuff or 4 chuff' and a second switch 'conv/off/tmcc' that I believe is for the smoke unit. In the tender is a switch for 'run/program' (or something like that) as well as the volume control.

The engine switches are set for '2 chuffs' and 'off' (as I dont use the smoke units). The tender switch is set for 'run'.

Am I correct that the engine switch 'conv/off/tmcc' is for the smoke unit?

I'll give 3rd Rail a call this evening (late afternoon CA time.) I was suprised to see Scott reply so quickly in this thread. This is by far the most money that I have ever spent on an engine. One of the reasons I did so, however, is that I know that Scott stands behind his engines.

Jim

Is there a reason these models didn't get the builder's plate that showed on the pre-production models or that all other models have? It's just one of those extra details that really stands out and looked great on the sample I had seen.

Also, I noticed this model and another I had received recently came with the desiccant packs wrapped in plastic. This seems like it would defeat the purpose of keeping moisture out unless it was a semi-permeable material. Until I can get all of my engines out of the boxes permanently I take extra precaution and purchase additional desiccant packs for each box. I have seen more than a couple models with rusted wheels due to moisture issues and that seems to be some pretty cheap insurance.

Those comments aside, i have to agree that this is one gorgeous model.

Nice work Scott!

audidriven, they were built in-house by the B&O. The builder's plate on the model was a mistake.

b&oeastend, thanks for the info! I figured there had to be a reason why they were omitted. I heard Sunset gets a lot of advice from experts when building the models. I have to commend them for that and I'm glad you guys are out there that can ensure it is done right. Thank you!

quote:

Originally posted by JoeW:

2nd, Drawbar pin on tender is crooked and won't tighten.

3rd, Contact roller on tender was installed wrong. Roller was up with the back stops on top of the middle axle. Easy fix right? YA RIGHT ! just take it off and install it right, but now the back stops hit the middle axle when depressed. That would be a short?


Joe

Pin on mine was crooked too. I was able to straighten it.

There is also an issue that the floor plate is too short and falls between the tender and engine on mine. Scott said there would be a fix coming for that (in an email reply to me). I taped a piece of clear plastic onto the existing piece of clear plastic that is already under there, in order to extend the floor plate.

Same issue on the roller arms. It does short to the middle axle. Believe it or not, I don't think it affected operation on mine until the above-mentioned floor plate problem caused the floor plate to scrape through the paint. Then it was a sparkin.

I fixed mine by taking off the roller assembly and dremeling off the part of the arms that are too long. Be careful on reassmebly since there are insulators around the screws to keep the roller assembly insulated from the tender body.

My tender reverse light no longer works. Is there some TMCC code related to this?

I still really like this engine. My hat is off to Scott considering how hard he works, going to China so often, to get these relatively limited run brass engines made. I guess I consider that some tweaking will be necessary (as has been the case for me on nearly every engine I have bought in the last year or so).

Are your drawbar pins bent slightly backwards? It the first post it looks like BF's is and mine is as well. I assumed it was designed that way as it would pull the drawbar up when pulling and prevent it from sliding down and off, which happens to a few of my engines.

rheil, any chance of a short run of B&O Big Six's? The T3's have really turned out nice. I'm looking forward to the other planned offerings but without a Big Six or two the roster just will not be complete. Bill B.

quote:

My tender reverse light no longer works. Is there some TMCC code related to this?

The AUX2 button toggles the lights on and off. The headlight on 3rd Rail locomotives is powered directly from the track via a constant voltage board while the backup light is powered from the TMCC board. AUX2 thus turns the backup light off and on but has no effect on the headlight.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob:

quote:

My tender reverse light no longer works. Is there some TMCC code related to this?

The AUX2 button toggles the lights on and off. The headlight on 3rd Rail locomotives is powered directly from the track via a constant voltage board while the backup light is powered from the TMCC board. AUX2 thus turns the backup light off and on but has no effect on the headlight.

That worked! Thank you so much! I fixed the roller touching axle thing, and had to touch up some track work to accomodate the fact that the front pilot doesn't drop down as much as most (you can see the 2r scale influence on 3rd Rail.engines for sure), and now I am glad to.find that my.backup light or led circuit isn't blown out. I'm happy. Now for the bracket to keep the floor plate up and it'll be perfect.

So Sasquatch, what's the deal. Did you order a special one with 2rl wheels or something? Yours looks nothing like the one shown in the second set of pictures.

Turns out the problem with my T-3 was mostly user error!

I sent Scott an e-mail this afternoon (Friday) and based on his response a few minutes later, got my engine running earlier this evening. Turns out the tender plug just wasn't seating correctly into the female plug on the engine. Engine runs great, especially at slow speeds.

I'm very happy with my first 3rd Rail purchase.

Jim

SB, I am a dealer for 3RD Rail. That was a customers engine. BF

Where is ChessieMan? With all the T3 talk going on it seems strange not to have heard from him at all on these engines. I searched, but did I miss some post somewhere? I was looking forward to his comments on this engine. Hope all is well.

After reading about the mismatch between the R2LC and the ERR I took my new T-3 (little sticker on the loco and tender wrappings was 021, so I assume it's an early one)to the club last night (AGHR)to see what would happen. The club members run at about 20 volts so I was afraid the loco would misbehave. Not at all. Ran smooth as glass under perfect control with my CAB-1. Now, we have the new Legacy controls. Does this make a difference? If I go run with the older TMCC is the loco going to act up? I'd just as soon not trade in tenders, as Scott Mann has offered, or rob an older R2LC from my collection of TMCC conversion packages waiting to be installed.