MTH Inspection Car

Does anybody try to run this car in 54" curve? it is beautiful but my bigger curve is 54" I  have an Schnabel car which is suppose to go in 72" and does perfect in 54" 

ENichter posted:

I have one with a dead board.   Will sell or trade.

Well.... two owners report having MTH inspection cars with "dead boards."  Not a great testimonial out of this small sampling.   Are replacement boards even available from MTH?

PJB and SEAFOX,

Well, that was deflating... maybe that wasn't a well spent $400.  

First, I have this model in UP, with a 5 volt PS2 board, and can assure you that it operates just fine on my O54 Gargraves track and Ross/Gargraves turnouts. Further, if you remove the small wheel sets, I believe that it will operate on even smaller curves.

It's a great looking engine, smokes great and has real nice sounds. Even though $400 is more than you probably should have paid, if you can get past that I think that you'll really enjoy the engine.

Then if the mth Inspection car negotiates well in 54" gargraves should do the same in 54" mth realtrax. Right?

Thank you Barry I think I'll get the car, it is beautiful, I'm planning to add a new 72" track in the near future.

I have one, with PS2, and thoroughly enjoy it.  I run/collect the Western railroads, and have a lot of U.P. This is one piece I looked for specifically and glad I acquired.  If you model U.P., it is a great pc. of MOW type equipment to have.  Mine runs perfect and I really like the sounds and smoke.  It draws a lot of attention when I run it, lots of good comments.  I bought mine used, price was right, and never would consider selling.

Jesse    TCA

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Then if the mth Inspection car negotiates well in 54" gargraves should do the same in 54" mth realtrax. Right?

It believe that it should.

If I recall correctly, although RealTrax O42 is tighter than Gargraves O42, I believe that the O54 curves are measured the same.

Barry - you've provided yet another learning moment for me!  

I assumed that 042 or 072 or whatever, regardless of track brand, would be identical in curvature, given the identical curvature number.  Can someone provide the logic or at least rationale as to why an 042 (for instance) is not always 042?  Or differences between major track brands?  I'm asking because all rolling stock and locomotives come with specific curve requirements as though it applies regardless of track brand - and it would be to know when I need to look into that sort of thing more closely. Thanks. 

Peter

Peter,

My mainlines are Gargraves O54 and O42 so I've learned a lot about how MTH rates their engines for operating on curves:

• MTH. as those manufacturers do who make both track systems and engines, rate their engines solely for their own track systems.
• MTH's standard for rating an engine's ability to negotiate their own smallest curves is that the engine must operate in both forward and reverse through an "S" curve, and negotiate their own switch tracks in both directions and orientations, in forward and reverse.
• Some track systems are rated from the center rail while others, that are actually tighter, are measured from the outside rail, and still others may be wider due to being measured from  the inside rail.

The nice thing about standards is that there are so many from which to choose!  

I've learned that, while Gargraves O42 is a wider radius than RealTrax O42, the radii both of Gargraves and RealTrax O54's are the same. However, since my layout lacks any "S" curves, I can run  the MTH Swiss Crocodile (O54-rated) on my O42 mainline, and both the Premier Shay and the Premier Inspection car (both rated O72) on my O54 mainline. However, my Premier L-5 electric (rated O54) requires O54, period. It won't negotiate an curve that's O53-15/16.

Your mileage may vary.

RailRide posted:

I always thought this particular car was derived from a doodlebug. As such, I expected MTH to eventually repurpose the tooling to make one by removing the intermediate trucks and installing an underbody equipment casting, but so far...nope.

 

---PCJ

It appears to be a Brill unit.

I have one. Ripped off all the intermediate wheelsets to make it back into a"normal"  Brill gas-electric. Still need to modify the roof details.

And then, of course, 3rd Rail came out with their PRR Brill, so my project is at the back of the que.

I finally received my UP DC-3 inspection car, beautiful and the sound is great, it will negotiate 54" mth  curves easily, my car had a couple of derailing in the front truck because the truck hit the acces ladder, I pull the ladder out a little big and problem solved.

RadioRon posted:

ENichter posted:

I have one with a dead board.   Will sell or trade.

Well.... two owners report having MTH inspection cars with "dead boards."  Not a great testimonial out of this small sampling.   Are replacement boards even available from MTH?

I just bought one with a dead board and put a 3V PS/2 board into it, job done.  Runs great and is a unique piece.

Thanks John, after I sold you that one I couldn't help buying another. Works great and I love the way it looks, but then I like the odd stuff.

I have the UP, PRR. Santa Fe, and rare toy Fair C&NW.  They are very cool.  The UP is a 5 volt board.  Be careful and do not try to run it with the old white battery.  New battery first.  The market has many UP with blown boards.  

ENichter posted:

Thanks John, after I sold you that one I couldn't help buying another. Works great and I love the way it looks, but then I like the odd stuff.

You know I like the odd stuff just from what I post.