Update 12-26-10

I haven't posted much here, but this is mainly because the projects I have completed will be showing up in O Scale Trains magazine soon.  My first published article will appear in OST issue #56 or so.  Pick up a copy or subscribe to the one magazine any true O-scale modeler should have!

O Scale 3RS NYC U-25B 2506

Here is the unit MTH NYC U-25B I got from justrains.

First, some info on the engine:
U25B Diesel Engine - With Proto-Sound 2.0 (Scale Wheels) - New York Central
Cab Nos. 2500, 2501 & 2506
Product Number: 20-2964-2
M.S.R.P. $ 449.95
First appeared in: 2010 Volume 1

I requested engine 2506.  Info on unit:
Class DRS-15A from order #300-88359 which was built in February 1964.

I am glad the unit had a lot of styrofoam between the shell and handrails as the ends were still bent in, but not as bad if there had been nothing.

Adding the 3rd rail pickup shoes took like 20 seconds total, though it was funny to read in the instruction manual and it already came with them on.  Adding the foot plates on the ends was easy too. Adding kadees took a minute as well since the screws were included in the plow bag.  Takes an 805 no problem.  I had to take off the rear roof plate and set the engine to 3R and turned the smoke unit POT to off as it was not off entirely.

Only bad things cosmetically I have to say are the following:
-metal add-on parts are shiny compared to dull finish on the shell
-marker lights stick out at different lengths for each marker
-Somehow the black paint has some sort of white residue that is hard to remove from the protective foam they use

Negating lengths (as I do not really measure those), model is prototypical for this unit except:

• The ends have an extra set of MU sockets on the left.
• Missing bar above coupler lift bar
• End railings should not have chains in middle, but continue across.
• Should not have drop step
• Missing flag holders on cab roof
• Missing ATC shoe on one truck
• While horn has the right number of chimes, it is wrong. Base is off and the middle chime should be on the outside of the car body

My eventual fixes:

• Add ATC shoe to forward right truck.
• Remove additional MU sockets (this will be interesting)
• Add yellow bar above coupler lift bar
• Add flag holders
• Contemplating removing marker lights and adding red lenses
• Maybe paint right MU cap yellow (can't find a picture of 2506 to determine if its caps were painted, since it seems hit or miss)
• Maybe try to get rid of chain
• Maybe remove drop steps
• Maybe change horn to a better brass representation
• Maybe swap out bell to a better brass representation
• Weathering

I do want to note that MTH got the trucks right.  Rear right truck did not have the extra wires.  Now only if we could get them to invest in ATC shoe tooling and add them on there for us.

Now for photos.  Enjoy.