Review of WBB "NEW" GP-30

[M1FredQ]

It was a long work week last week so on Friday I had a an hour before I needed to be home. In need of a little "mental health" break, I stopped at Barnes and Noble and pulled the last copy of "O"-Gauge Railroading magazine. In it on page 27 is a very impressive review/article of the new WBB O-Gauge GP-30 with plenty of photograghs.
I have seen a couple  short WBB video reviews on U-Tube taken from one of the "shows" and became very interested in this type as I usually go for Steamers and F-type diesels or NW-2's. But there is some magical "alure" about this diesel and started to consider adding this especially after the WBB reps on the video described what lengths they went to for detail and trainsound realism.

Well read the article I can tell you I plan to get one in the UP markings as it is so classic.
Sounds like WBB hit a home run with this one and I wish them the best of success!!!!

[wmwalker]

M1FredQ
I also read that article and I have seen one in person and IMO they have hit a home run as you said. One of our club members after reading that article went out and got two of them an ACL and NYC. I am getting the ACL myself.

[r0gruth]

That article did not sound very encouraging about the sounds.It said that the sounds couldn't be heard very well when the train was moving because they were too soft and there was no way to make them louder.Over all they were complimentary.

Another exception I must make concerns handrails.It is true that some of the older models like the GP7/9 had flat end hand rails and it seems to imply that this is the first model with round hand rails on the ends.I don't think that is true.IMO the early Williams models were almost  exact copies of Lionel models.If Lionel had flat end hand rails,so did Williams.

[M1FredQ]

Perhaps at the York Show in April there may be enough feedback where WBB may fine

tune the GP-30 before they release the other road names. Overall it seems like a great

engine and I plan to still get one, although some other road names will be real tempting

besides having just the UP version

Also with the group of folks on this forum I'm sure we will see ways to improve the sound as well as come up with some other ways to "fine tune" for ourselves.

More and more I am getting used to disassembling and "tinkering" and fixing for myself and actually liking it!! Not to mention I include my son to help and I see him learning!!!

Tonight we did some "weathering" on some old gondolas we found at a re-sale shop, cleaned and oiled the axles and he was running them on the layout.

Once you get past the "angst" of killing your engine and it does run and seems better than I think with some good instructions like the folks put up here I think it's all do-able!!!

[wmwalker]

Roger you are correct about the sound and my friend who got two of them as said the same thing but he said to him that was not a sale stopper. He has around 25 Williams now and says these are really a great step up for him.

i am sure the sound volume control which it does not have now might change and one might make it in the next run of units if enough people ask for that upgrade. Then to someone on the forum like M1FredQ said will come up with a way to increase the volume.

I have noticed myself if I run my Williams engines using my ZW-C modern transformer with the chopped sine wave I get better slow speed and sound at a lower speed so if I have a new GP30 maybe the sound while running might be better because I am getting it to move at a lower voltage. I will have to get my friend to bring his GP30 over and give that a try.

[Juniata Guy]

I am the anonymous club member Wyatt mentions in his post above.   

I have both the ACL and NYC GP-30's and love them.  While George Brown was correct in his review that the volume on the prime mover sounds cannot be increased, the sounds are still audible while the engine and train are in motion.  On my MTH and Lionel engines, I normally tend to reduce the volume anyhow as it tends to grow old quickly.

Very nice detail on these engines and the paint and graphics are very sharp!  Kudos to Bachmann for a great new entry in the O gauge/O scale market!

I should mention too, since George raised the question in his review; the GP-30's will operate through my modified 0-27 switches.  Before ordering them, I measured one of my WBB GP-38's.  The GP-30's are actually about an inch shorter over the coupler faces.  I've never had an issue with the 38's, so I was confident (well, sort of...) that the 30's would easily handle the curved route through my switches and that proved to be the case when I placed them on my layout.

Curt

[r0gruth]

Curt,

I don't particularly care for the sounds other than whistle/horn and bell.
I had a few Williams before Bachmann [I think] that had very weak horn
and bell sounds.I opened it up and adjusted a screw on what appeared
to be a very small potentiometer and was able to get acceptable sounds.

The GP-30 is on my list when a C&O or Family Lines scheme is made.
However I may need to settle for something else.I'll be patient.

[M1FredQ]

A volume control or on/of switch for engine sounds would be a great add on for 2nd edition Gp-30's. We "kids" could get some track time in when its late at night and the other "kids" are in bed!!!!!!!!!!

[Juniata Guy]

I was running my New York Central GP30 last night when I had an epiphany of sorts concerning the sound in these engines.  My layout is only 15 X 16 feet so, when I'm operating Lionel or MTH engines with the sounds on, the engine sounds never go away.  You can always hear the engine from across the layout.

With the new WBB GP30's, I can only hear the engine sounds when the locomotive is approaching and passing the spot where I am standing or sitting.  The sounds diminish to the point they can't be heard as the train travels away from me.  If you think about it, this is actually much more prototypical than to be able to hear the engine from anywhere across your layout.

Curt

[wmwalker]

Curt
As you have said that does sound more prototypical sounding. I am looking forward to club meeting next week and you bringing the GP30 to run on the club layout. Thanks for you input.

[r0gruth]

Curt,

Why not lower the sound level on the Lionel and MTH locos?
With several locos running with sound at a high level on a relatively small layout like mine,@12' X 20',the sounds become a little too much.
I have noticed that the HO guys don't seem to run their trains at high sound levels for,IMHO,a more realistic effect.

[M1FredQ]

I like what Juniata Guy said about the "new" WBB GP-30 sounds.

Appears that WBB gave this a lot of thought. I can't wait to put an order in.

[Juniata Guy]

Roger:

After about 5 minutes of running, I ordinarily will lower the sounds on the Lionel and MTH engines to a level that is less overwhelming.  The downside is this also lowers the volume of the horn sounds, which is what I really enjoy the most.

Curt

[r0gruth]

Roger:

After about 5 minutes of running, I ordinarily will lower the sounds on the Lionel and MTH engines to a level that is less overwhelming.  The downside is this also lowers the volume of the horn sounds, which is what I really enjoy the most.

Curt

OK.I agree and see the problem.

[M1FredQ]

One of the classes I teach if I get paid in cash that's my "play money'

I put in the order for the GP-30. I like that it can handle the 0-27 curves too!

In the middle of the layout I used my old 0-27 track for the Peter Wilt but we like to run the NW-2's on it we'll try the GP-30 on it too!!!!!!!