Another great review Eric ! I hope that someone buys the MTH shop, it put out many great pieces that Lionel doesn’t, it will be a great shame if it goes away, and a loss to our hobby
@@douglasskaalrud6865 I'd argue it still is, but it can be done on a budget too if you're willing to put in the effort. Instead of command control, stay with analog, particularly on a smaller layout (you can always upgrade later). Instead of brand new, buy older models used or new old stock. Instead of a giant complicated layout, go with something more modest at first and build it up over time.
Shipwright1918 Hee, hee. I’m a custom painter (HO) and I’m up to almost 120 diesels now, ten steamers and even a Milwaukee Road Bi-polar electric. . My problem is that I look at a photo in Diesel Era and there’s my next project. So many great locomotives and I’m starting to run out of time. Ah well, it’s a great hobby and I’ve had a lot of fun with it. I could sell ‘em but I’m going to find some kids starting out in the hobby and make their day.
That MTH UP Coal Turbine is one of my favorite model trains you’ve reviewed! I really like the design of both the model and real #80/#8080 coal turbine despite the real one not being very successful. Even if I wish the UP #80 coal turbine had a better life and didn’t have its issues, this review of its model by MTH really makes up for it! Also, this is the first time I’ve seen you’re new outro and I really like that as well! I look forward to commenting on some more great review videos made by you soon. -Alik
Nice! I have their old Premier PS1 UP Gas Turbine, and yeah, it's a beast, especially with the die-cast tender. I was roundly made fun of at a model train meetup for even mentioning it by an old-timer who declared that of course, all O-scalers had to go and buy the biggest locomotive around! :D
We just purchased a previously owned set of this engine, unboxing and run session very soon on our channel. Not sure I like those turbine scratchy sound files, but I love the union pacific railroad units. I'm thinking of adding a better speaker. Gary
For the first and second ones you listed, he was referring to Alco-GE, a partnership between the two companies that lasted from 1940 to 1953, when it was dissolved. This partnership was that Alco supplied the locomotive bodies and prime movers while GE supplied the electrical gear. GE dissolved this partnership to develop and build their own locomotives.
@@acelafan-mn4ub Alco used GE electrical equipment for all of their diesel locos. Right after the company closed the Schenectady plant, they sold their locomotive design rights to MLW - Montreal Locomotive Works, and their engine production rights to White Motor Corp, in 1969.
Very nice locomotive - looks fantastic on your pike. I always felt this or the GTEL Big Blow turbine would make for the opportune candidate(s) for Lionel’s Vision Line.
Big Boy 4014: I'm the BIGGEST locomotive ever! #80: Bruh! Might wanna get those eyes checked! Big Boy 4014: Pffft! Now why would I do that? You're just an PA-1. #80: *rolls slowly forward revealing the rest of himself and smirks* JUST a PA-1? Big Boy 4014: *jaw drops* I just HAD to make that verbal exchange for this! That engine was just BEGGING for it! An amazing engine the #80, but I'd rather stick with Mister 4014.
I remember watching you every year around Christmas time since I was 13 years old. I love how you haven't changed a bit and I still get the same nostalgic feel every time I watch one of your videos. They remind me of family and the holidays, and putting track together under the tree.
A curious question for you Eric. I noticed on the B unit that it has a 5 chime air horn. But, you only hear the single chime horns on the lead unit. Do you know why that there is no horn sounds from the B unit. Another great video and a beautiful unit.
Kind of ridiculous to think that this absolute beast of an engine developed less power than the DB class 146 in the background. Though it obviously excelled in tractive effort.
Wow Eric another spectacular review 👌! This is really cool. I’m more of a Lionel person, but I occasionally purchase MTH rolling stock. I personally love things that have ‘weight’ to them per say. And looks like this is the right spot lol
The Baldwin Centipedes, The DD series locomotives and The UP 8500 Turbines. Would walk all over the Big Boys. I love the big boys as much as the next guy but diesels are superior in maintenance and fuel economy. And the turbines were intended for the same route as the big boys. And they made a ton of smoke and soot. The Baldwin Centipede had a stupid amount of tractive effort for its day, but was plagued with mechanical teething problems. And that is why the UP canceled the order for the Centipedes.
Could this be the largest locomotive from coupler to coupler even though it was experimental coal turbine 80 feels love like it holds that title as largest locomotive ever
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I just got this set today and I’m pretty annoyed by the fact that the coupling system is so stupid as it *requires* you to place the turbine unit in the middle. I just wanted to couple the tender to the PA, but the PA and the tender have the “pins” while the turbine unit has the latches. Looks like I’ll have to modify the PA to have a latch coupled that can be swapped out with the “pin”.
Once again, another great review Eric! I must say, this locomotive is a freakin' behemoth! I'd love to have one, but my layout would freakin' crumble if I tried to run one.
Ok, maybe I am missing something. It's a coal turbine, but where is the coal? I don't see it on the tender or the B unit, so how does it work? Googled it and found nothing. Not even Wikipedia?
I recently got one of these in PS1 which has an earlier, far inferior, attempt at the turbine sound than this PS3. I hated the sound so much I had to make my own, so I got a helicopter turbine clip from freesound.org and mixed my own looping soundtrack, which I play thru my phone to a bluetooth speaker nestled in the turbine unit. Bonus: now the spinning turbine noise actually comes from the B unit vs the A unit, and because the PS1 is messed up somehow, I can actually run the thing in neutral mode, which means my new turbine soundtrack isn't competing with the crappy PS1 sound. I know, it's probably less realistic, but it sounds really cool! (actual clip used: freesound.org/people/crooner/sounds/223474/)
If I was in charge of the sound files for this model, I’d make an alternate startup sound file that would play off the prototype’s unreliability: the ALCo engine starts up but then dies and a person says, “hang on, let me get this wrench.” You hear a loud WHACK and the engine starts up just fine. The person says “There we go, much better.”
I have wondered if modern, gas or coal turbine units could be developed using 21st century technology. We will never know as long as it remains cost effective for the railroads to continue using diesel-electrics in multi-unit lashups.
Eric, I got a new MTH PS3 SD70ACE, but for some Reason it wont run with DCS, only conventional. I'm not sure why it does this, If you have Any idea what it could be, please let me know, Thanks.
I would have to wonder why a avgas/diesel hybrid hadn't of been used because theat would of been a need if you were trying to develop a jet based thrust system
I wonder if the reason for the unique coupling system (the "v-grooves") is because a standard O-gauge knuckle coupler wouldn't be strong enough to keep the units together when you first start moving? You mentioned that they weigh 18 #, so it would take some force to overcome the inertia of the units and get them rolling.
I think the sound system needs some work...what the reviewer suggested, adding a second speaker is good. But the turbine sound is a little weak.. You hear the PA, with its cool Alco sound, but the turbine sound, isn't that great, compared to ScaleTrains and earlier Lionel Veranda Turbines. The Coal Turbine, DOES look good, and seems to have good running quality.
Not sure if you realize, but the early MTH PS2 engines with 5 volt boards (as opposed to the new 3 volt boards) tend to have more bass presence and just overall louder sounds. On 2 steam locomotives I have from the year 2000, the smoke, sounds, and lights and brighter and fuller. Especially compared to a newer 2005 engine I have with a 3 volt board. Problem was, the boards were prone to failure and as such, I have had 2 board failures and used 5 volt boards from donor locomotives to fix them which is likely why they stopped producing the 5 volt boards. It might just be an issue of not pushing the equipment to the limit to prevent failure. Either way, I would agree with your take on the sounds needing improvement.
Well, the turbine seems to put out considerable smoke for a three rail o-gauge locomotive, just like the prototype? Well not quite, Even so, without good ventilation, I'm sure your train room would get quite smoky. Still, an always impressive locomotive in any scale.
You should try to find a Pheobe Snow it was a passenger train that ran from Hoboken, Nj through Scranton, Pa then to Buffalo,Ny it ran from 1949 to about 1970 my dad had one and i also have some engines like it and it is very nice
I know what you mean about the sound. I have a Lionel Legacy Sharknose ABBA set that has sound coming out of the front engine only. The rest are very noticeably silent.
They should apply that semi-permanent coupling style to steamer tenders. That would be much more convenient than lifting up the rear of the engine to slide the drawbar pin in.
