Dampflok 2-6-2 from China

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Old Tom

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There is a review of a cheap (and I mean cheap) R/C battery powered Damplok 2-6-2 with light and sound in this month's Garden Rail. Even though it's plastic through-and-through, the reviewer suggested that it was worth having at £129.99:

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After looking at this site and seeing that it's actually only £109.99 (delivered), I just had to have one.

http://www.storacingproducts.com/g-scale-locomotive-radio-controlled.html

I'm not expecting much in the way of longevity for this loco!

I'll tell you how I get on when it arrives.
 
Be interested to hear what we know onthis one so far. Have assumed it's so bad not really looked carefully. Would this make a good little puller to chuck out when I can't be bothered to clean track, or for the kids to have a go with?
 
I've already got one. I got mine to strip out the radio control, sound system/controller card, speaker and battery to use in my grandson's Thomas the Tank Engine.

Having dismantled it, I can tell you that it is probably worth £110.00 but not more! The plastic moulding is not bad and the lettering too but the plastic is brittle and various bits break off it easily. On mine one of the side windows was cracked. The wheels are all plastic including the drivers. On mine there was a fair amount of flashing on the wheels which would need removing for any serious work. The sound card is not controllable you get random whistles and steam noises but you can turn it off.

The written instructions are very poor. Contact me if you want to know what is all means - I'll be happy to help. The right and left bifurcation on the radio controller might throw you but as far as I can tell this is to do with controlling the points. The speed part of the radio controller is not good as there isn't any significant speed change but this might improve when I've opened it up to have a look.

Having said all this - apart from charging the battery for 6 hours first - it worked out of the box. And when I have the controller, battery and sound card and speaker incorporated into Annie (there's not enough room inside Thomas) I'm sure that my grandson will be delighted.

Bearing in mind that I've stripped mine down if there are any bits that are broken and you want a replacement let me know - free so long as you pay the postage.

Regards
 
Had one demonstrated by the owner of my local model shop. It seems to run very fast and isn't very controllable.

He made up a special battery with 2 less cells than the normal 7.2 rechargeable and found the speed to be much more acceptable, although you would need another charger for the lower voltage 'special' battery.

A customer whi I don't know has brought one and is very happy with it.

For the money, it's not a bad buy, especially if you want to bash it....
 
Thanks for the info guys - I'm not expecting much so I probably won't be too disappointed!
 
They are VERY light in weight also. But I am sure someone will find a way to tame the beast.

The only catch I see, is at GBP129, one could probably get (at least here in the US one can) a 2080D of older production.
 
Well, it arrived this morning at 9.30 - how's that for service?

First impression was that it's most definitely made to a price (the price being £8.47p :bigsmile: ) and it is ever so light but it arrived in perfect condition and once the battery pack is charged, I'll give it a go.

If nothing else, it's got real 'presence' when on the railway - so if it does have a short running life, it'll at least look good as scenery!

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Old Tom said:
If nothing else, it's got real 'presence' when on the railway - so if it does have a short running life, it'll at least look good as scenery!
Click to expand...

I have to say it looks good in the picture. Wonder if a bit of "T-cut" will take the weird labelling off the plastic (or dissolve it....)?

Now it's getting wet and windy, a cheap battery loco that cares not about wet track and I don't mind getting bashed could be just the thing for Ruritania.

Progress report ASAP please! :bigsmile:
 
Woderwick said:
Dont see the point, you'll only want another in an hour or so.
Click to expand...

That made I laff :rolf: :rolf:
 
I've just made a short vid.. see what you think:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomlan2007?feature=mhum


It is a cheap loco and it won't last long but it's a huge amount of fun. After I'd finished filming I got down to some serious shunting and it never once derailed or caused a following trucks to derail either.

Once it's had some weathering (and the really strange 'Harbour Station' stencil removed), I think it will look rather good.
 
The sound is very much like that in a little wooden Early Learning Centre loco.:D
It is the same sequence.
 
Old Tom said:
I've just made a short vid.. see what you think:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tomlan2007?feature=mhum


It is a cheap loco and it won't last long but it's a huge amount of fun. After I'd finished filming I got down to some serious shunting and it never once derailed or caused a following trucks to derail either.

Once it's had some weathering (and the really strange 'Harbour Station' stencil removed), I think it will look rather good.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all that. Since you were doing shunting, is it safe to assume that the loco's speed is reasonably controllable?

I'll be interested to read how you get on removing the Chinglish lettering.
 
whatlep said:
Since you were doing shunting, is it safe to assume that the loco's speed is reasonably controllable?
Click to expand...
Yes, it's more controllable than my R/C Caradoc. It has problems on R1 curves when there's a lot of friction but a light touch on the transmitter gives a reasonable performance. I have noticed that the radio signal can be interrupted by something as small as a Bonsai tree so I wouldn't trust it in a tunnel!
 
We have used one of these(much modified) on the CFR for about eighteen months. It runs nicely on our mainline tracks.
 
KeithT said:
The sound is very much like that in a little wooden Early Learning Centre loco.:D
It is the same sequence.
Click to expand...

There is clearly a standard "steam train" sound chip program that does the rounds in these Far East toys. Same or very similar sounds and sequence appear in an old Scientific Toys battery G scale loco we have, in a small push-n-go toy loco and even in a little key-ring! All the usual stuff: bells, whistles, chuff, track de-dum-de-dum, hollow "over the bridge" sound etc. If you're really lucky you even get "All Aboard!" at the start of the sequence and "Central Station!" at the end.
 
Mmmm it does look like a rabbit with a fire cracker somewhere uncomfy... was that just trying to drive and film - or is it not controllable? Question is sincere as I am thinking of getting one. Shunting sounds promising but any electric loco will be easier to drive slow than live steam (generally speaking) so the caradoc not great bench mark. For instance could you gently draw up to a buffer stop leaving an inch gap... I think it looks the part by the way!
 
Like the introduction to your vid! The loco looks an impressive chunk and has plenty of possibilities.

Mick
 
CoggesRailway said:
Mmmm it does look like a rabbit with a fire cracker somewhere uncomfy... was that just trying to drive and film - or is it not controllable? Question is sincere as I am thinking of getting one. Shunting sounds promising but any electric loco will be easier to drive slow than live steam (generally speaking) so the caradoc not great bench mark. For instance could you gently draw up to a buffer stop leaving an inch gap... I think it looks the part by the way!
Click to expand...

It was me making it go silly. I can't multi-task like what the wife can!

I had another session today and yes, you can bring it to a gentle(ish) stop just where you want it to but the transmitter lever is very sensitive due to the cheap electronics and build quality so there's a chance of an embarrassing coming together!

My overall opinion is that it is loads of fun for a reasonable outlay.

(Edited by Mod Whatlep 08.24 17/09/2010)
 
It's loadsa fun for a garden railway.

My garden railway.

(edited by Mod Whatlep 08.21 17/09/2010)
 
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