MTH UP Veranda Turbine (updated 8/16 with fixes)

Super nice! Wonder when the manufacturers will get the "high temperature paint" color that UP used on the roof of turbines?

Very, very nice and tempting!!

The second picture from the last... harsh, that's a good looking machine you've got there. Something special!

Rick

Assuming it will be some time before someone paints them at the factory to the correct color for the roof, what do you recomend in available model paint?

I'm thinking that thing will look cool, with all those trucks moving.

Rick

Try blowing down the Turbine vent and see if you can get the smoke to come out  of it. Blow hard. You might have to do it several times to clear the lines.

Really nice engine. Do the diesel and turbine smokestacks operate in sequence as they do on Lionel's TMCC Veranda? In that model the diesel stack operates alone until the engine reaches about 25 scale MPH and then the turbine kicks in.

I notice from the manual for this engine that there are two smoke fluid ports and the one for the turbine is forward of the turbine exhaust - you can just see it in your fifth picture above.  It can't be right that the turbine smoke comes out of that rather than the turbine exhaust but it's a mystery to me how the turbine smoke unit is fitted and why the fluid isn't just loaded through whatever port there is in the turbine exhaust.

Repeat after me: "My name is ptalar [or whatever] and I am a trainaholic." And abandon all hope of slipping a four-motor engine and freight cars past your other half.

Example of willpower: I'm not jumping on board this bandwagon until I know what the smoke features actually are and that they work. So somebody put me out of my misery soon . . .

Hancock, its a better deal to buy the Veranda Freight Car Set.  It is only $80 more than just the Engine and tender.  I could of saved a little by just buying the engine but it seems like a better value if you buy the freight set.  I am sure the smoke is fine.  Most MTH engines have excellent smoke units and I am sure MTH did not scrimp.  Good luck.  I am good until I get my PS3 Challenger which is on Pre-order.  Due next month. 

Fantastic looking machine. Now I have to get one-----when will it ever end.

Very nice Rich. thanks for the photos. I started a thread about 3 months ago asking about a 4th DVD from you with just train action. you make it and I will buy it. 

Hankcock,

Turns out the smoke unit in the back does not connect to the large vent.  It only comes out the small hole you put the smoke fluid in.  I can see where that could be difficult to do based on the space inside.  The smoke unit could not be mounted under the vent so you would need tubing.  I may try to do that.

The turbine sound is not speed sensitive like the Lionel version.  It does come on at a delayed time after you start it up.

ptalar,

   I had no trouble sneeking it by my wife.  

Zett,

  Oh so it was you! I heard there was a rumor going around that I was doing a 4th DVD!  Thanks for your patronage.  Its definitely possible and I'm liking the idea more and more.  I know there are many who don't want the construction....including my nephew.  Train action is much easier to video than construction.  Not to mention there is no time spent actually doing construction.  It would be fun and there really is no down side, its part of my hobby.  This engine would be an ideal candidate for a train action DVD.  Hmmm...

These are in stock and on our web site!

Thanks for reminding us.  I ordered one last night from you.  I hope it ships today.

Thanks for the info Rich...on my wish list......someday....maybe!!

For what it's worth, the prototype itself was fairly "high watered."  What probably gives the impression that it sat a bit lower in relation to the trucks compared to the MTH model was that there was more hardware underpinnings on the frame that the MTH model either lacks, or not pronounced enough.

The height on the MTH model above doesn't really look that far off from some of the prototype pictures and high-end HO models I've seen.  But the real deal and those HO models had what looked to be frame-mounted air reservoir tanks located above the trucks that visually "closes" the gap between the trucks and the frame somewhat.  It's hard to tell from the photos above, but the MTH model looks like it lacks those tanks, or at least they are modeled to where they are recessed further into the frame than on the prototype.

I found pics of UP 61 and 62 on the net. 61 has the air reservoirs above the trucks and 62 does not have the reservoirs.

Larry

My old #61 appears to have the pilot mounted a wee bit lower. It starts with Diesel sound and then kicks into the turbine, IIRC.  MTH UP paint is a bit on the mustard side compared to Lionel's Armor Yellow. The Harbormist Gray could be a touch darker too. Overall. she looks good...and I'm looking forward to my #75.  Now what we really need is a re-tool of the #57 propane Turbine into a standard model. Wouldn't take much; get rid of the huge propane pipe on the roof and substitute a 22 or 23C tank. I'll start bugging Mike now.  And while I'm at it, he'll hear about doing a three unit GTEL 8500 in HO scale as well.

Rich,

in the pictures it looks like the pilot is not sitting straight, is the camera angle?

Hancock52,

  The smoke does not come out of the turbine exhaust vents which are the for large square holes at the top.  Rather you put smoke fluid in the small round hole next to it and smoke comes out the same hole.  The smoke unit is mounted right under this small round hole.  There is not room to mount the smoke unit under the turbine exhaust vent.  It is pointless and disappointing. 

David,

   The pilot is crooked because the screw came loose.  It got straighter when I tightened it but still needed a shim.

In that case, as far as I am concerned this version of this engine can stay on the shelf (in a warehouse or somebody's else train room). That is really a poor show on MTH's part - there was no indication in the catalog about this half-baked "feature." Lionel put smoke in the right place(s), and actually so did MTH with the UP80 coal turbine.

I have seen two retailer websites that list this locomotive running on O42 curves.  If that were the case, I'd buy one tonight, but I know they require O72 minimum.  If I ever revamp my layout to include O72 curves, I'll be picking one of these up.  Rich, I look forward to a video of it.

Hankcock52,

   Don't know what to tell you, its still a great engine.  I don't think the orginial had it and without new tooling and internal design I can understand why it wasn't added.  I looked at adding a hose.  The big problem is putting the shell on and connecting the hose.  You need to seal off the outlet to ensure all the smoke goes out.  Seems very difficult. 

drelo,

   This engine would definitely need O-72.  I would do a video, but it broke.  As you can see from the photo I added the Kadee coupler and closed the hole on the pilot.  I also lowered it and moved the trucks in.  I know what your thinking, but it wasn't broke after I made all these changes.  I was running it and straddled my switch and it derailed and shorted out.  After that the back motor does not move.  I checked continuity to the FETs, and the motor has the same voltage to it as the one next to it, but no movement.  Can the motor go bad?  Anyone?

Anyway it looks good.

The trucks look sort of short/squatty - are they the correct length and height?

If you can't re-mount the smoke unit under the turbine exhaust but it's relatively close then brass or aquarium tubing might be a solution but then in practice there would be difficulty re-filling the smoke fluid. There's a somewhat similar problem with the latest 3rd Rail E7s, which have an elaborate set of brass tubes to feed the several smoke outlets. If you want to use the smoke feature the body shell has to come off to ensure that the smoke unit is properly filled.

I can see that this engine looks good but I think I'll invest my time in something else rather than trying to make it perform like my Lionel Veranda. Probably just as well from my point of view that this one isn't so tempting.

Regarding the non-responsive motor, have you tried a full reset of the engine underDCS?

Nice loco.  I love the added detail this time around.  I have a Lionel one and had the MTH PS1 years ago, but when it's boards died just disassembled it for parts (its motors live on in my scratchbuilt 'Streets city buses, etc.).  This makes me eager to get the Propane turbine from the latest catalog.

MTN,

   I think the trucks are correct, its the gap making them look small. 

Hancock52,

  It turns out the motor went bad.  I swapped it with a motor from an F unit and it works.  I'm getting a new motor from MTH. 

  I had a thought of mounting the Smoke unit on an angle.  That angle would match that of the exhaust vents.  The tube could be almost straight allowing for fast air flow.  The problem would be adding smoke fluid.  I could probably make a funnel at the end.  Still thinking about it...haven't given up yet. 

The Turbine smoke was OK in the first run, FWIW.  That chooch had two generators and blew smoke out of the Turbine exhaust panel and the fuel steam gennie too.

Although the smoke unit issue is a problem that should have been solved by MTH before release I still can't wait to get mine. 

We seemed to have dwelled on the smoke but the most important thing for me is the sound, what are your thoughts on the sound? 

In that model the diesel stack operates alone until the engine reaches about 25 scale MPH and then the turbine kicks in.

Well if it was true to prototype the diesel engine would be used only when the engine is light and cruising around the yard. The turbine was fired up any time it was pulling a train.

Not always true, they would shut down the turbine in some fire prone areas and if they came to a stop under a bridge. The heat from these things were amazing.

David1,

   The sounds are average for MTH.  Pretty good turbine sound and diesel idle.  The horn is eehhh..  but that mostly because the horn on that engine is boring.  Kinda like the F units. 

As far as the turbine sound starting at 25mph, I think thats a nice feature but probably not prototypical.  The turbine was the main source of power and they would need it all when pulling out so it seems unlikely it would not be on at the lower speeds.   

Thanks Rich, I did not expect a great horn as the prototype did not Have one. If the turbine sounds are anything like the U50C and the other turbines then I'm happy. 

I am rethinking on wheather I should lower the body, I'll take a look at it then decide. I'll have to look at the gap to see if it really bothers me.

The U50c was a diesel-electric, not a turbine.

Your right, my bad,

dave

Rich

Do you happen to know how long the engine itself measures? 

Borderman01,

  Coupler to coupler is a little over 21".

Rich

Thanks for sharing the fantastic photos.

I have to ask, how does it handle curved switches?