DO ANY OF YOU HAVE THIS?

I have one. I don’t run it all that often but it is very nice. For one thing, It’s huge! I can’t imagine this thing can run on less than O72. It’s very unique looking and seems right pulling a big train. I run mostly in conventional so I’m not inclined to upgrade it to TMCC. My best advice is that if you can get one at a good price, do it, but I wouldn’t overpay. The MTH UP Veranda is a good alternative and isn’t quite so large.

Emile

Gary,

I swear that it's pure coincidence that I posted about this very set on another thread before I ranged around and found this one. That's the poll thread: o-gaugeforum.com/thread/209/any-loco-twins

In that other thread, I've already said that you should go for it and get the PS3 version of this. As for converting to TMCC/ERR, I'd say "no" because of the expense and lack of a decent TMCC (let alone Legacy) sound set, AFAIK. Better to put what would probably be most of the same cost into getting a DCS command control set if you don't already have one (although I see from recent postings elsewhere that MTH is effectively discontinuing its handheld remote in favor of an app). Then you could also run the other MTH monster non-steamer that Lionel will never issue, the DDA40X "Centennial."

I admit that converting the coal turbine would be an interesting project, in which you could put ALCO diesel sounds in the front unit and something else in the turbine, but not one I would take on myself or even commission a real tech expert to do IF they'd take it on.

Here's an(other) opportunity to ventilate something I have taken up direct with Lionel and tried to encourage real experts to comment on over several years - all to no avail.

Years ago, when Lionel last made a foray into quality HO models (as they now appear to be trying again - see the last Ryan 'n Dave show), they produced a brilliant HO Veranda Turbine with sounds that would truly, madly, deeply knock you out. I have one, and sometimes I set up a tabletop HO track just to hear it. The start-up sequence is nearly two minutes long and there are lots of videos of it, of which this is a sample with the transition from "pony" diesel to turbine start-up about 2 minutes in: 



This is DCC sound from a tiny HO engine. The sounds are from a QSI board (I forget the name). Why can't they do the same in 3rail O? Is there some system limitation? Nobody's answered me. 

The only real issue with the MTH UP #80 is its SHEER SIZE, on the rails and off. Plus I think that MTH still use tethers between all three units, which is ugly although in my case not unreliable.

Join the club and get it.

P.S. In case you have not seen it, here's MTH's own video of the PS3 version, complete with hokey 80's muzak:



Doesn't do it justice.