When Will MTH Produce an RK Imperial Cab Forward?

Yes only on one miner condition. thats if lionel never make a lionmaster version with legacy! I prefer legacy's slow speed over MTH DCS and the quilling whistle feature over the DCS sounds. But if lionel never makes one. I sure would buy the MTH model! In a heartbeat! They probably would also catalog a set with some cars and a caboose for a little extra cash. Now you really got me drooling all over myself!

I was hoping that it would have been in the latest catalog. However, the Canadian National Passenger car set is putting me over budget. When the Cabforward is  offered again, I will most definitly purchase one.

Bob

Way to go Rod, I thought I had all the trains I needed until you had to open your big mouth!

Happy to help out gg1;

I was walking through the family room and my eye caught the old shelf queen PS-1 Cab Forward, that I never run anymore since going all command, and I got to wondering; when will an Imperial version will be offerred?

A search of the MTH site turned up the 2007 non-Imperial edition, and that's it.

It seems overdue since most other articulateds have been offered recently in Imperial, including the Big boy, Allegheny, Triplex, Challenger, Y6b, Daylight, etc.

Just something to wonder about I guess.

 

Rod

 

 

I wanted a cab forward, so I converted the conventional one to PS/2.

I would love one with PS-3

John;

I had always thought about maybe doing a PS-2 upgrade on the old Cab Forward, so maybe that will be next.

Any particular issues with the conversion you did?

 

Rod

No big issues came up, I did have to do quite a bit of grinding away of the recess for the tether, and I relocated the diodes from the PCB to the wiring harness as well.  I went with all LED lighting with the exception of the cab lights.  This is the RailKing version, so I added the markers, tender reverse light, flickering firebox, etc. 

 

Here's some pictures.

 

Very nice John!

I like it a lot.

Where did you get the two crusty looking souls in the cab?

They look like they may have been "down the line" a little too long (just kidding!)

I have a great idea.

Why don't you sell me yours; I'll send you mine, and you can do it all over again?

What did you use for firebox lighting?

 

Rod

I'm going to have to pass on the trade.

 

The cab engineers are the MTH engineer figures, I bought several sets a while back on a bulk purchase.  I was stunned to see what MTH charges for them, but I paid a fraction of that.

 

The flickering firebox lighting is one of the flickering LED's from the battery powered tea candles.  Since I had to drill through about 1/2" of diecast metal at that point, it sits recessed and the flickering reflects off the sides of the hole, looks pretty good in person.

 

I also put windows in the cab, it had no windows stock.  Actually, it only had a single light, the headlight.  It had little green plastic inserts for the front marker/class lights, but they didn't light.  On the rear, there were just molded features for where the lights were, so they were drilled out.  I used the ceramic shaft 2mm LED's that MTH uses for their markers, they work well and are really only 2mm around totally, so they fit almost anywhere.  When I build a couple more, I'm going to put in my module that senses motor voltage and turns off the cab lights and brightens the headlight for Rule-17 lighting.  I'm working on making a PCB for my little module so it won't be so hard to put them together.

If/when they do, I hope they make it the early version with squared off cab front, exposed head lamp, and whale back tender.

A Rail King Imperial Cab Forward is high on my list of must have steamers. Articulated engines are the best running, and especially good running through switchers in my opinion. I also want a Rail King N&W Class A, and the brute of them all, the Allegheny.

 

John! That's a hansom locomotive you have built.

sounds good to me proto-3 and draw bar im in

Bobby;

I'm with you; a Class A would be great.

While we are at it an EM-1 would be nice too, and a 9000, but let's not get greedy!

 

Rod

John;

Sorry to hear no deal on the trade. I thought it sounded pretty good!

The details you added would be what I would want to do to mine while I am at it.

The 4294 is a nice engine, it just needs some enhancements.

 

Rod

I figured it was a good base to work from, and it was one I could get at a good price for the conversion.

John;

You must live by your computer! 2 minutes flat to respond! Just kidding

On a serious note, if you get your Rule 17 PCB working well, I would be very interested in how you made it.

There are a couple I would like to convert over as well.

 

Rod

Uh-oh;

I better check and see if I have any upgrade kits kicking around.......

 

Rod

You did see the circuit, right?  I am looking at including the additions suggested by Stan as well, but this is what is in a couple of my locomotives.

 

John;

Yes you had shown us your schematic earlier.

What I really meant was I would like to see how you package it all up on a circuit board.

 

Rod

I'm currently fooling around with 123PCB to see what I can come up with.  It's been a long time since I had to fabricate PCB's, so it's a learning curve.