O-Gauge MTH Pennsylvania 9915 engine

do you have access to a bigger transformer?

Yes i will, I bought a Polar Express for my son this Christmas. The 6-31960 model with a CW80. So that should resolve it? The locomotive taking up too much power from the CW-40? My Lionel Pennsyvannia Flyer (6-30174) locomotive works great with it's CW-40.

worth a shot. 40 watts is pretty small. IIRC, the 1033 was the usual starter set transformer in the Postwar, it was 90 watts. and it wouldn't hurt to run some more feeder wires.

Adding a second terminal track and wiring it to the CW-40 could make a difference?

Out of so much researching I do I never information based off of how many feet until adding an additional terminal track and how much wattage a locamotive uses off of a transformer.

for a 4x8 you really need more than one feeder wire. put the second directly across from the first one. The 40 watt might still be too small, especially when you add cars with lights, more cars, accessories, etc.

Thanks I will add a wire to one of my fastract points on my 4x8 layout. I am expanding to a 5x9 table, the layout will get larger by Christmas. Should a third feeder get added?

the bigger the layout, the more feeder wires. I'd say start with 2-4. at 12 o'Clock,6,3 and 9. what this does is keep the train from slowing down, and having to adjust the throttle contently.

I do see my penn flyer slow down around the curve opposite side of where my first terminal track is placed. Thanks, you helped me a lot with your information.

Add a feeder wire every four to six track connections.  The length of the track doesn't matter, a three foot piece has as many connection points as does an inch and a half piece.  Its at the connections where voltage is lost.

For my long straight paths; isn't there fastrack in 30 inch lengths with no connections within the 30 in.?

I'm surprised no one has questions the electronics in the engine.

Is this engine a PS2 or PS3 engine? If so, these are not compatible with your transformer hence the spotty operation.

Best is to use an MTH Z-1000. More power, less $, will run just about anything under the sun. Lionel CW transformers are NOT recommended by MTH.

The engine runs fine if I use the engine and tender, I can also use a freight car. If I add a lighted caboose there is instantly a problem running the 9915 engine.

Looking up the MTH 9915 Pennsylvannia right now to see what type of engine it has. I bought this at a local dealer in my town (Trains and Things in Ewing, NJ) no documentation came with it.

So far this is what I found, it is in the center of the page.

http://marketplace.collector-m...er-W%25Ps-2.0-159429

Did not find any info yet on the specs of the engine.

The model is an MTH mth-30-1159-1, here is another link with the OG Forum: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/mth-30-1159-1. Looks like it is a PS2 engine.

PS2/PS3 engines are not considered compatible with any lionel transformers?

MTH PS2 and PS3 engines are notorious for not being compatible with CW40/CW80 transformers and can do weird things. 

It is recommended to get an MTH Z1000 as it will literally run nearly every train on the market. I'm sure you could sell your Lionel transformers here on the forum to help fund the cost of an MTH unit with relative ease. 

Primarily the CW80. The CW40 may have too little capacity to run much more than a starter-set Lionel locomotive (MTH locos have larger motors). Larger transformers are fine, in particular the postwar-style transformers.

But a MTH Z-1000 will run either (or both) of them without a problem, and have power to spare.

---PCJ

To SJC and RailRide,

I do agree about the Z1000, I was told that the z1000 is perferred over the cw80. So that is why mth starter sets are much more money, better trans, loco with more features.

I am going to use the cw40 for now, the mth 30-1159-1 loco will run with it's tender and a box car. At Christmas when my son gets his polar express with cw80 I will use the 80 in place of the 40 and see the difference. Worse-case I'll look into a z1000. Trains and Things has always given me a good deal I cannot turn away from.

I am going to add an extra feeder, and add more after Christmas when teh layout expands. I first need to find plug-in connectors small enough to plugin underneith the fastrack. Home Depot sells plugs that are too large.

If the engine, tender and freight car run fine with that transformer, then engine/transformer compatibility is not the issue. Do you only have one lighted caboose? Maybe there is a short in the caboose.

I have two other caboose with a light to try. I'll try them out.