trainroomgary posted:Hi John
I am an advanced Toy Train Layout, about 24 x 10 foot shelf layout. I run advance Lionel and MTH Locos, right along side my three LionChief Plus Locos, Hudson NYC / RS-3 Rio Grande / & FT • A-B-A Rio Grande. The only issue I had was with the FT • A-B-A Rio Grande, no spare traction tires. When Lionel has these in stock, they will mail them out. Also tinted glass in the porthole windows, and the catalog shows clear plastic in the portholes for the FT • A-B-A. Being a toy train layout, I can make this tinted portholes work.
I had to replace the Thumb Wheel in my MTH Controller. Was about a three week process, so everything on the layout that was MTH was down and out. If there is a technical issue with a LionChief Plus loco, only one loco would be affected.
LionChief Plus can also run in conventional mode, with the bell and horn controlled by the transformer, with the rail sounds. I feel that the Lionel Cab 1 and the MTH / TIU can be a great for improving your problem solving skills. LionChief Plus, put it on the track, and have fun. any visitor to the train room can be up and running. I do not even show them my MTH / Controller. To much to show a beginner. If they stay a while, I have to run the Lionel Cab 1 & MTH.
At this point the LionChief Plus quality control is excellent.
Hi Gary,
My friend who is a authorized Lionel tech told me he uses Bullfrog Snot instead of replacing traction tires. I watched him apply some when he was going to replace the traction tires. It takes about 24hrs before you can run the engine, but it last much longer than traction tires do.
