N Scale DCC 4-8-8-2 AC-12 Cab Forward Intermountain Product Review

[@christophers.o622]

Great informative video on one of my favorite steam locomotives that was ever built & ran. The AC-12 4-8-8-2 Baldwin built cab forward steam locomotive, the Lima built GS-4 streamlined Daylight locomotive number 4449 & the Norfolk & Western J Class 4-8-4 number 611 are my favorite steam locomotives, two of the three run excursion trains. Number 4294 is on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento which is one of the two very best railroad museums, the other one is the Pennsylvania State Railraod Museum in Strasbourg, Pennsylvania.

[@Trainmaster909]

Tooling is 14 years old and it still holds up pretty well. Intermountain was way ahead of their time.

[@crazysdk]

For anybody who gets this locomotive, be aware that the number board lights are tied in to the headlight and rear light electrically. They are not separately controllable without taking the locomotive apart and undoing whatever InterMountain has done to make them work with both lights. You would also have to run another wire back and do some modifications in the tender.

[@randallbyrd1973]

Awesome looking locomotive TY for sharing

[@Tottleminerftw]

I haven't seen this locomotive in 13 years and its nice to finaly know what locomotive this is.

[@MARKLINMAN1]

SWEET review, getting one this week. Thanks.

[@jacko9759]

Great review, and yes I wish I could have one or more, thanks for the good review...

[@trainknut]

I just found out they are finally releasing AC-11 4274, which is incredible because that is probably my alltime favourite steam locomotive. Finally a famous Cab Forward that isn't the obvious preserved example.

[@amtrak151]

whats the minimum radius curve that this locomotive can go around?

[@warreninc.9485]

Is this discontinued

[@a-dog8075]

Is there a air horn?

[@SGTGhost]

great review dan. I like the model

[@SGTGhost]

and that model is going to my bucket list

[@jacko9759]

A friend has one at a recent show abdominal couldn't run it on code 55 rail as some wheels are a cookie cutter style, to bad as it looks to be a great model of the cab foward locomotive, still want one though, Jack

[@a-dog8075]

Are they still making them?

[@morg777]

A-Dog yes, they are taking reservations for delivery next year. The reservations are due October 15, so if you want one or two get on your dealer’s list.

[@yahahauau4b]

Looks more precise than Lionel's o gauge

[@GR10Productions]

I wonder if they did restore 4294 then replace Rocky

[@trainknut]

It would be really nice, but there are lots of factors to consider. For one The California Railroad Museum has put in a lot of money to make her the star attraction that she is, they aren't exactly going to give her up. And on the subject of money, a conventional locomotive costs upwards of a million bucks to fully restore, let alone a mallet, and especially one of such size and unique design. Not only is there the tender, boiler and firebox to worry about, but the pressurized feed from the tender to the firebox is also a major component that may not work as designed after 74 years. And finally, and most importantly, not only is she the only survivor of her class, she's the only survivor of her type, if something were to happen to her, that entire portion of railroad and engineering history would be lost.

[@tsgmultimedia]

Not to mention, no one would replace a small locomotive like No. 10 that is perfectly suited for what it does with a behemoth like 4294. As cool as it would be to see 4294 run, pulling a short passenger consist around Old Sacramento isn't exactly the right way to use an AC-12.

[@trainknut]

Well ideally they would be sending her out on her old routes with large consists, similar to how 4449 is being used, however that presents a different problem, that being all the facilities to fuel and turn her were torn up long ago, over Donner there used to be three or four spots to fill the tender with water between Roseville and Reno, now there are none. The turntables for helpers in Summit and Truckee were also removed because there is no need to turn diesel locomotives.

[@jeffbutler6100]

I own 3 of those Intermountain Cab Forwards, one with sound, and I have never got them to run well. Because the main problem is poor continuity. The pickups for power do not do a good job They stall on switches, crossings and curves. When the sound engine loses electrical even for a second, it shuts down the sound system. Improved contacts would be a good would be a good start, with a keep alive capacitor as a back up. Another problem is the lead truck.. it just flops all over a and derails. It needs a strong spring to keep it on the tracks. I tried attaching some small lead weights on the truck, but it wasn't enough weight. I admit, they are a well detailed engine, too bad they don't run well. Intermountain was offering a set of low-profile wheels that would run on code 55. Apparently, the driver flanges are small enough, but the lead, trailing truck, and tender trucks needed their wheels switch out.

[@edwardcollins8478]

I was wondering do you still like this model a year later. Does it still run and pull well?

[@tsgmultimedia]

It most likely has not seen the outside of its box since this review.

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

That's one nice model, thanks for the good review Dan. Bob

[@kriswalker7106]

You know Dan, 4294 should be restored to operating condition.