The FlyerChief 4-8-4, how do you like it?

Bill, here is a video review I found.

https://www.bing.com/videos/se...437C&FORM=VRDGAR

I have the NYC version, it runs well, smokes well the coupler works and the sounds are ok. Not Legacy quality but fine for the price. I see no reason to avoid buying it. The iPhone app from Lionel offers more control than the included remote.

Here is a picture of the NYC pulling a cut of 10 Christmas Boxcars around the floor of my office  

Just buy as you will be very happy with it.  I have the Frisco and it is very solid. 

They are very solid engines. It's been the best runner of all my flyerchief engines. 

Do not see a markdown on the Northrns I thought everything was 15% off

Gunny

gunny posted:

Do not see a markdown on the Northrns I thought everything was 15% off

Gunny

The discounted price appears when you put the item in your shopping cart. The AF Milwaukee 4-8-4 has a significantly lower sale price (by about $100) than the other 4-8-4's, possibly a closeout special of overstock from the factory.

Bill in FtL

It's a great runner, very dependable, sounds good.  Alot of the other members want to run it.

Enough said.

Well, FedEx delivered my Milwaukee Road FlyerChief 4-8-4 this morning (Saturday), just as I was leaving for the county library to attend the last day of operations for our club's Holiday display. Of course, it came with me to the event, where I ran it for most of the afternoon, pulling my Polar Express passenger cars. Power was supplied by an MRC 9500 (HO) D.C. power pack with volt & amp meters, and I ran it with both the FlyerChief remote and also my cell phone using the BlueTooth app. It ran smoothly, sounded good, and smoked like crazy! The only thing that didn't work was the electrocoupler, but I think that was because the power pack was only putting out 12 volts DC. I know from experience that my LionChief O Gauge locos have coupler operating problems with voltages less than about 15 volts, so I suspect that was the issue here. The 4-8-4 runs every bit as nice as my FlyerChief Berkshire, but smokes way better than the Berkshire. I was never a big fan of model train smoke, so the weak smoke of the Berkshire didn't really bother me (I keep it turned off), but I must admit, I did really enjoy this feature on the 4-8-4. The only downside was that it seemed to run dry pretty quickly, using what seemed like a lot of smoke fluid (but all that smoke has to come from somewhere, right?).

so to answer my own question at the head of this thread, "I like it!" Thanks for everyone's comments.

Bill in FtL

What do you have to do to get the pilot wheels to turn?  I received mine today, and no matter how much I oil and work the pilot wheels by hand, they still won't turn when I run it.

Sound like you need to take them apart and drill a little bit Chuck K.  Seems that is logical unless you want to return the engine.

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Sound like you need to take them apart and drill a little bit Chuck K.  Seems that is logical unless you want to return the engine.

Thanks Bill. Fortunately it turned out to be an easier fix. Pick up springs had too much tension.

Anyone experienced lots of noise in the side rod linkage when pulling a load?  Sounds a bit like a poorly quartered Gilbert Northern.

Does the coil coupler open wider than before, like the one on the new FC GP-7's?  Thanks.

The Northerns doesn't have the newer couplers.  

Chuck,

I have noticed the problem with side rod noise.  In my opinion, there is too much play in the holes in the side ride.  The holes that are on the lead drivers are elongated ovals, instead of round.

I ordered replacement rods from Lionel thinking I got ones that were drilled wrong, but the new ones from Lionel were the same way.

FlyerMike posted:

Chuck,

I have noticed the problem with side rod noise.  In my opinion, there is too much play in the holes in the side ride.  The holes that are on the lead drivers are elongated ovals, instead of round.

I ordered replacement rods from Lionel thinking I got ones that were drilled wrong, but the new ones from Lionel were the same way.

That's helpful Mike.  I need to put it on my testing rollers and watch and listen up close.