Update on My Opinion:
Its not good in my opinion…for me. I am not saying for others not to buy it, its just not for me. Just like 15 years ago when my Grandson and I started building Layouts on the basement floor, we learned to detest Tender Driven (Push engines). The Tenders always push the engine one side or the another causing derailments and hitting things next to the track. This becomes more problematic with the buffer beam being wide with square corners. We got rid of all the pushers we had back then including the Thomas characters. This engine is no different and it can’t make it around any of my loops in the current Layout without crashing into edges of tunnels, buildings or under risers especially anything on the curves. Doesn’t matter the direction the engine is moving it always hits something so all my plans are for naught. Don’t know why the engine couldn’t be driven as it looks like a Flat Drive Motor might fit.
I was preparing what I needed to covert this to an Engine called…..wait for it….. The Wart Hog. I was making preparations to recreate all the stickers including the curved side plates probably as water slide decals using my CriCut machine using the Arkansas Razorbacks Logo and Mascot on the sticker/decals which coincidentally are also in the red color and should have matched perfectly. But all that is out the door now as I have decided to sell the one I had planned to modify because I can’t put up with the the crashes and derailments. The only one I will keep is the sealed box one which is already filed away in the Future World Collection bin and of course I am keeping the 4 Coaches which was the main reason of buying the sets.
Goodbye all you beautiful Rivets 😢
