Williams scale 72' heavyweights, do you like them ?

I like the Chessie set I run with my MTH cars.  They look good together.

Williams scale heavyweights are very nice cars if you are not among the folks who are almost fanatical about silhouette windows.

The only problem I had with mine was that the center rail pickups were crudely made and caused an inordinate amount of drag when pulling a long train.

I couldn't figure out how to fix that, so I removed the pickups.

I ran into the same issue.  I fixed it be removing one pickup per car and making a tether to tie the hot lead between the cars for no flicker.

hello guys and gals............

was the rollers tight on the pick-ups that caused drag ?

the woman who loves the S.F.#5021

Tiffany

The rollers were not too tight. The excessive drag caused by three things.

1. The pickups are the type that travel vertically, rather than being mounted on a swing arm. This type always resists upward travel. They always get cocked from side to side and drag on their base, which leads to...

2. The plastic/phenolic insulator that forms the base was crudely formed and dragged on the U-shaped yoke for the rollers, causing them to stick in their travel.

3. The spring was a little too stiff.

Of these three, the worst was number two. Maybe I could have spent some time with a jewelers file and an X-acto knife and smoothed them out, but I would still have had to find softer springs, and the vertical travel design is problematic anyway. It's a very cheap design. The best bet would be to modify some rollers made with swing arms and install them.

Hello RoyBoy.............

That is giving second thoughts about purchasing the cars which is too bad because i was able to find a 4 car set and 2 car add-ons for about 430 new in the box. The MTH cars are over my budget wise and i know they are better made.  I wanted to buy a set to go behind my S.F#5021. 

the woman who loves the S.F.#5021

Tiffany

Tiffany,

Don't  let the rollers stop you from getting the cars.  Any modern engine will have no problems pulling them.  Just oil the pickups before running them.  I think they are well worth the money.

The only reason I removed the pickups is because I was originally using the 1990s Lionel T1 that had no traction tires and a pullmore motor.  It did not have enough traction to pull the 6 cars plus the MTH cars together.  If it were me, I would get them if you like them.  

hello C&O Allie...........

I still do want to buy them because of good pricing on it, what best way to fix the roller pick up problem ? Can they use bayonet base LED bulbs ?

the woman who loves the S.F.#5021

Tiffany

I just bought the semi-scale ones as I thought the 70s might be to long for my curves etc.

At the price you get these cars for versus other brands, its easy to upgrade them and modify them and still be ahead.

Tiffany, Grzbowski Trains has the MTH Santa Fe 5 car heavyweight set and the 2 car add on set with interiors, new in box, from 2002 for $345.00.

I have both Williams and MTH heavyweight cars and the MTH cars are nicer in my opinion.

If I were you, I would get this MTH set considering they are about $85 cheaper for a 7 car set.

http://www.grzyboskitrains.com/detail16973.aspx

The easiest way to get the cars ready to roll is to oil the pickups and the "plunger" they are on.  It is also easy to replace the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.

That being said, if you can get the MTH cars for similar costs, you should consider it.  The will be nicer cars than the Williams cars.

Nice chatter for the Chessie, haven't heard that one yet :-)

James

Williams 2 Car Set (RPO, diner).  They are nice cars

Hello C&O Allie and SantaFe158.........

I agree that MTH cars are better made but i don't know where i can find a set of them,new in the box for about 450.00 .    I like the gold pin stripes on the window sides of the Williams cars, does the marker lights really work on the observation car?. I would like get a set S.F heavyweights to go behind my S.F.#5021.

the woman who loves the S.F.#5021

Tiffany

Gerry Burns posted a link to a 7 car MTH set for $345 above

http://www.grzyboskitrains.com/detail16973.aspx