No see-through screens, no add-on grab irons, no crew figures, no smoke unit. Everything that can be said about the exterior of the model has probably been said. It is a decent representation of the real thing, but not a scale rendering.
You do have hatch, latch, seam, and hinges all represented, but the hinges, for example, are merely deeper cuts in the plastic. There is a long flat space on the side where the shell was made smooth to accommodate the printing processes of yore.
The frame is stamped steel, as are the handrails. The end handrails are affixed to the frame with large rivets. The shell is affixed to the frame with Phillips head screws.
The GP9’s decks and steps are smooth; the only safety tread texture to be found is on the brakeman’s steps on the front of the pilot.
As I said, this is a basic model.
You’ll even find a Pullmor motor inside. How old school is that?
Paint and decoration were fairly simple, and the Erie RR paint scheme is the high point. One side of the wings on our sample was slightly fuzzy.
I’ll even say that in this era of O gauge models with eight or ten lift rings and water drain holes in steps, there is a place for models with very basic looks, but better “guts.” Why is that?
Simply to expand the fun of better, more modern locomotive operations. A super-detailed modern diesel would really look out of place on a postwar-style layout running vintage cars.
On the test track
The powered truck is on the short-hood end of the model and mounts a single pickup roller. The start direction is in the direction of the long hood.
The unpowered truck mounts two power pickup rollers 3 inches apart and 5½ inches from the lead roller.
The powered truck has traction tires and Magne-Traction. Both trucks also have coil couplers mounted on them.
The model does have Legacy command and sound (controls are on the bottom of the fuel tank), although there is no smoke unit.
The bell and crew talk features were very good. The crew chatter and radio talk were quite audible. The coil couplers functioned well.
I was slightly less impressed with the horn sound, but I did like the ability to personalize your blasts.
The Pullmor motor ran fairly roughly; overall, and performance wasn’t that hot. I lubricated the model twice, with no significant improvement. On the low end it tended to lurch, and I thought I saw a bit of sideways rocking motion as it went down the straights.
After watching it, we had a discussion, speculating that there might have been some binding inside the model or possibly that Pullmor motors might not be a smooth fit with Legacy.
I can’t help but feel that a can-style motor would have been a better selection to power this model.
Our low-speed conventional speed average was 12.8 scale miles per hour, while our command-mode low-speed was actually higher – 15.3 scale miles per hour. Our high-speed average was 99.1 scale miles per hour, and the drawbar pull was 1 pound.
Just as there was some fanfare when Lionel introduced TrainMaster in a Geep (read: economy model), so too, fans will take note as Legacy is introduced in a retro-style locomotive. Check it out at your hobby retailer to see if it’s a good fit for your railroad.
Features: O-31 operation, single Pullmor motor, Magne-Traction, Legacy command and sound system, stamped-steel frame, two coil couplers
Nice looking "Old School" Geep. I just hope it performs better than the early MPC GPs did. I would not mind picking this one up.
Bob, you are the man! Love your reviews and especially "Bob's Train Box" videos!!
Ironic as it may be, I saw what looked like a GP9 yesterday near Ironton Ohio on the Norfolk Southern route. I was driving and did a double take, but it actually looked like the famous old engine.
I have an American Flyer model in storage. But none on any of my O gauge layouts, I will check this one out.