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  Let's see if I can make this story short enough to be less painful? I spent sometime inside since the weather has started to turn. I looked for what needed work since I last was down here. My Niagara came first as the polarity switch had failed and would short if thrown to run in the opposite direction. Other than a first choice mistake placing the switch on the frame where the speaker under the coal load was and would hit, that went fast. So I said "who's next?" Staring at me and mocking me for a long time now, my eyes found the next target. An engine that would not run reliably on the rails no matter what I tried.

I finally got around (got up the nerve) to modify my wheels on my MTH 2 rail engine. She just kept jumping the rails on my curves. I had added a larger radius outside loop and that still didn't work. I contacted MTH about some optional parts. I was hoping for a set of blind drivers. They didn't have any.

I contacted a shop about turning the drivers down and they wouldn't accept the job! So she sat here like a shelf queen waiting for something to happen.

I went at her with my tools and dumped my pride. She needed surgery! After grinding off a set of wheel flanges I also swapped out the speaker without as huge of a success. I think the sound set is lacking on this version.

Now, she runs reliably around even my inside loop at 50MPH. I should have done this work myself a long time ago. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith!

My work isn't pretty, surely isn't perfect, but she finally runs without worry of jumping the rails.

 

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The Problem with MTH loco, if it is the same as the PRR version (the prototype PRR used the same plans) is that the side rods are rigid.    These are the rods connecting the drivers to each other.    With blind drivers like on the 3 rail stuff it does not matter, but with all drivers flanged, it is a big deal.    I reviewed the PRR version and my memory tells me I had to lay a temporary curve of 68 inch radius to get it to go around.   

Those side rods should be articulated like the prototypes and every brass model I have ever seen.   there is pin/bolt on each driver and the side rods are segmented from driver to driver to driver - ie instead of one piece, on the 10 drivers, the side rods would be 4 pieces.    then if there is a little side play and there was on the PRR version I reviewed, the center drivers can slide a little bit in the opposite direction than the end ones allowing adjustment to the curve.

With the rigid side rods, when the engine starts into a curve the first pair of drivers follows the curve, and pushes the last set and others in between in the opposite direction, hence over the outside rail.   

It would be great if MTH would learn about this.   There would be some cost, but it would much less than machining would cost if y ou hire it out.

As I said all the imported brass models, from whichever country, are built with articulated side rods, so the builders know about it and how to do it.

The MTH G scale GS series has what I believe you are describing. The whole engine frame is articulated.

The problem here, is that the flanges won't allow the engine to stay on tight radius curves. There could be more travel in them side to side but that would get sloppy. It was a simple fast mod that worked! 

https://mthtrains.com/20-3159-2

20-3159-2

Look at how many drivers are blind on the 3 rail model!

My old eyes don't notice any work done....

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Last edited by Engineer-Joe

Nice job, Joe. I still contend you're having way too much fun, there.

PRRJim is right on point about that. I noticed that with my scale-wheeled Hudson and Big Boy. There is actually a decent amount of lateral play in the driver axles, but the rigid side rods cancel it out and the locomotives want to climb out of a curve if there's a kink. In contrast, my 3rd Rail Hi-rail Northern has proper side rods even though it doesn't really need them. I was thinking of blinding the center flanges since the drivers aren't sprung.

All of my stock MTH engines run well on my layout. This was my only one that had tracking issues. I have several different steam engines and they all run very well, in and out of sidings too. Challenger, Allegheny, Pacific, Atlantic, etc. The Pacific runs so well that got me to look deeper into MTH steam.

The funny thing to me here, is that one of my Sunset 3rd rail engines gave me issues with it's side rod. My Niagara would bind and struggle until I worked on it. I learned later that it may have been out of quarter. The side rods were too tight though I thought.

 Under PS2, MTH smoke, and with a Peerless speaker, she is one of my favorites to operate. She got a new polarity switch today.

Edit: New video with the smoke right.

Last edited by Engineer-Joe

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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