MTH Premier Diesel Engine Pilot Question

Yes, fixed pilots. The rollers come with the locomotive, to be installed if desired.

Hi George,

    Yes, the scale wheels version comes with a fixed pilot.  They also come with pickup rollers but they are not installed, they are just in the box.  Also included are screws for installing the kadee couplers.   The scale wheel version of the engines are configured for 2-rail out the box, so you will have to install the rollers, Kadee couplers, and flip the switch from 2-rail to 3-rail.   

Rich

Before ordering the Hi Rail wheels try running the engine on your track. It will run on most except tubular. 

Personally I wsh MTH would just include a separate fixed pilot with their HiRail engines that the owner could install if desired, much like K-Line did. That would allow a more prototypical front with a swinging pilot in the rear so minimum track diameters are not compromised. 

I have done that on a few of my diesels.

4141 is a two rail engine, 1943 is a three rail engine with fixed pilot from MTH.

Pete

Up front -- only the diesels have axles that can be swapped out.

The only real "catch" to the scale-wheeled locomotives is the curves and track type. Tubular track is a no-go for scale wheels, but you can use the hi-rail wheel sets with tubular track. For scale wheel use, Atlas-O, MTH ScaleTrax, MTH RealTracks, and SOME Lionel FasTrack will work (O-72 and turnouts are marginal for larger diesels and turnouts must be negotiated slowly).

The curves are non-negotiable -- you need to have broad enough curves for the locomotive in question because you're using body-mounted couplers. A four-axle diesel will easily handle 36" radius (O-72) but the shorter ones can squeak through 30" radius (O-60) with 40-foot freight cars in tow at low speeds. NO "S" curves allowed -- you need to have at least 1 car-length of straight track between curves going in different directions. I've bee running scale wheels on the club layout since 2009 and I've had some issues with six-axle diesels and my scale-wheeled Big Boy where the track was uneven.

Thanks guys - This was the info I was looking for.  I have 072 min curves and only a couple of 072 switches - everything else is larger (Ross #100).  Since our club visits other members layouts, I will get the Hi_rail wheel set to avoid any problems. 

Thanks Again

I recently purchased a scale wheeled 6 axle MTH diesel. The Hi-rail wheel sets weren't easy to find. I got mine from Mr. Muffin and now he is showing pre-order for those. Make sure you order the wheel sets or see if you can procure from a dealer that has them in stock before you order the locomotive.

Matt

I was considering the CP heritage SD70Ace from the recent catalog. Previous MTH SD70Ace call for a 42" radius curve. My smallest curves are O-72. Would you say bad idea to purchase the fixed pilot model?

@Oman posted:

I recently purchased a scale wheeled 6 axle MTH diesel. The Hi-rail wheel sets weren't easy to find. I got mine from Mr. Muffin and now he is showing pre-order for those. Make sure you order the wheel sets or see if you can procure from a dealer that has them in stock before you order the locomotive.

Matt

I was considering the CP heritage SD70Ace from the recent catalog. Previous MTH SD70Ace call for a 42" radius curve. My smallest curves are O-72. Would you say bad idea to purchase the fixed pilot model?

It's fine to purchase a six-axle diesel with fixed pilots and scale wheels as far as my experience (and several YouTube videos) shows. I have the following six-axle models and all successfully negotiate the Gargraves O-72 curve in the club layout with scale wheels and cars coupled:

• C44-9W
• C40-8W
• C40-8
• ES44AC
• SD70ACe

If you switch over to hi-rail wheels, there should be a little more flexibility with the curve radius and allow for running on O-72 FasTrack or tubular.

@Norton posted:

Before ordering the Hi Rail wheels try running the engine on your track. It will run on most except tubular. 

Personally I wsh MTH would just include a separate fixed pilot with their HiRail engines that the owner could install if desired, much like K-Line did. That would allow a more prototypical front with a swinging pilot in the rear so minimum track diameters are not compromised. 

I have done that on a few of my diesels.

4141 is a two rail engine, 1943 is a three rail engine with fixed pilot from MTH.

Pete

I didn't know MTH stocked replacement pilots. Who'd you contact over there?

Midge is their parts person. I just emailed her and asked. She found a couple, neither for this particular engine, so I had to repaint this one. They both came without railings and the two rail and three rail are different so I had to make a pair. Also they didn't come with snow plows and the plows have different mounting points but that only required drilling new holes in plow.

Its not like Lionel's parts site where you can look up a part and see if its in stock.

Pete

I am also looking at the Canadian Pacific Heritage SD70Ace.