IMRC NS Heritage Units #8105 & 8114 (Now with Images)

NSTopHat · July 11, 2013, 09:34:35 PM

To follow-up with Bruce Friedman's post from a couple of days ago over on Trainorders, my two NS Heritage ES44AC's arrived today via UPS. I got the Interstate unit #8105 and the old 'skool' NS unit #8114. Both units have sound through IMRC's new LokSound decoders. Thanks to Bruce for the heads-up with decoder issues. I changed the CV's as Bruce noted and they run better with other motors. They are quite and smooth out of the box. The NS unit programmed immediately on the program function of my programming track. The Interstate unit gave me a 'No Page' response when I tried to program it. I switched the track to run mode and programmed it in Ops Mode and it worked like a charm. Little frustrating that I had to do it two different ways.

LokSound does not use the same CV locations on several sound functions that I personally am used to with SoundTraxx. A well detailed list of CV's is included, kudos to IMRC and LokSound for the list, it is far better than the older IMRC/SoundTraxx instruction list. Once the CV's were adjusted to my taste, the only complaint I have is that the horn sounds like a dying duck! The horns on my GEVO's with SoundTraxx decoders sound much better, at least to my ear.

In regards to the model itself, painted & lettered well, data stickers are all present. Most of the phase differences were made to the shell, including the addition of the brake stick holder, found over the rear truck on the conductors' side and mid-fuel tank on the engineer's side. The headlights are in the proper position between the number boards, the low headlight position is properly plated and has the standard door lock box. Significant car body changes found on this phase of GEVO include the raised radiator core, water site glass door above the radiator intake doors on the engineers' side and the Dash 9-esque tall and short radiator door intake grill configuration.

Now for the complaints, the cab windows are not tinted. The front and rear anti-climbers have the support brackets from previous phases of GEVO's, Dash 9's and AC4400's, which should not be on this model. Removing this on a solid colored pilot is not an issue, however on striped pilots such as the Interstate unit or the Lehigh Valley unit, not so much so, since decals aren't available yet. (Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing NS switch the entire fleet to the scheme of the old NS Rwy. unit #8114.)

The handrails have the new thicker stanchion design, with the U-bolt railing mounting system, which is correct, however, IMRC failed to change the railing configuration to properly match that of NS.

The fuel tank still has the wrong angles for the lower two faces of the side. I have a friend who is a machinist who is taking care of this for me, but it's still something I shouldn't have to deal with, given that Overland, Tower 55, Athearn and Kato have all gotten the angles right on all of their late model GE's, and the proper angle and dimensional information was provided to them prior to the start of this project. And the trucks are still too shallow, as I have mentioned before, however I have a solution for that as well. Also, the electrical pick-up plate needs to be blackened as it shows through the side frames.

New Kadee couplers will go on tomorrow. Trucks and fuel tanks will be replaced after the National Train Show next week, and then they will get weathered. If you are attending the show, they will be running on the N. Georgia Modurail layout.

Images #1 - 3 are of the NS / Interstate #8105

Images of the #8114 unit to follow....

Regards,
Russ

SOU91 · July 12, 2013, 01:21:44 PM

Thanks for the review. I agree that NS should go back to the original NS red with black stripes. I'm hoping someone makes decals for the original NS red scheme. The old Illinois Terminal paint scheme didn't look to shabby either.

Ps. the pictures aren't showing.

JWall · July 12, 2013, 05:31:03 PM

Russ,

Could you post the list of the CV's that need to be changed or PM me.

James Wall
Rural Hall, NC

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 08:23:23 AM

Guys;

Sorry about not getting images posted with the original listing. Technical issues. Let's try this again.

Regards,
Russ

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 08:26:26 AM

Images 3-4

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 08:29:14 AM

Images #5 & 6. For some reason I keep getting timed out when I try to post three or more images at once.

Regards,
Russ

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 08:42:38 AM

Quote from: JWall on July 12, 2013, 05:31:03 PM
Russ,

Could you post the list of the CV's that need to be changed or PM me.

James Wall
Rural Hall, NC

James et al;

Here are the CV's that I changed. Keep in mind that many of the CV's on LokSound are NOT in the same location that you might be used to.

CV3 (Accel) - changed from 60 (default) to 0
CV4 (Braking) - changed from 40 (default) to 0
CV124 (Auto Start up) - Changed from 4 (default) to 0
CV63 (Master Volume) - changed from 128 (default) to 192 (max per LS)

The rest of the sound volumes are located randomly in CV259 - 451. The instructions state that you have to change CV32's value to 1, in order to change them. I did this and was not able to read / change any of these on my Digitrax system. I don't have DecoderPro or any other programming assistant program on my computer at this time. Since I live in the former homeland of Digitrax, I will be discussing this with a buddy of mine who used to be the National sales manager for them, to see what I am doing wrong.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Russ

Badhorse79 · July 13, 2013, 10:02:59 AM

Man that cream cycle looks great .... 8114 looks crisp but I love the 8105 !

NSMoWandS · July 13, 2013, 12:14:25 PM

Russ, when you say "trucks are still too shallow"... does that mean they are not wide enough when compared to the body? Or something else? Thanks. DE Dan

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 12:25:13 PM

Dan

Yes. The face of the brake cylinder should be within an inch inside of the side sill. The brake cylinders are good on size. The cast frame is too thin. The bottom of the bell that holds the axle is not tall enough either. I will try to post a photo of a replacement sideframe either tonight or tomorrow.

Regards
Russ

NSMoWandS · July 13, 2013, 02:30:06 PM

Thanks for the info! I will have to check my IMRC Gevo that BH gave me for that same issue. It is a first gen(I think, BH would know). DE Dan

NSTopHat · July 13, 2013, 08:44:19 PM

Dan;

all of the GEVO's produced have this issue regarding the shallow trucks, inluding the radial sideframes.

Regards,
Russ

fireball451 · July 14, 2013, 07:01:05 PM

Is LokSound the only option for sound from the factory?
I am seeing some advertised with Tsunamis.
Intermountain's web site says nothing of sound options.
I prefer to stick with Tsunami and will get non-sound if needed.

NSTopHat · July 14, 2013, 07:23:56 PM

Quote from: fireball451 on July 14, 2013, 07:01:05 PM
Is LokSound the only option for sound from the factory?
I am seeing some advertised with Tsunamis.
Intermountain's web site says nothing of sound options.
I prefer to stick with Tsunami and will get non-sound if needed.

Starting with this release of ES44AC's, IMRC has switched in whole from Tsunami over to LokSound. There are nt options for sound systems.