I have a Model Power Pacific, which runs well, but slower than most other manufacturer's steam locomotives. The detail is excellent, except for the cast on handrails, but the electrical pickups are not up to current standards. Mine was sent directly from the factory, so may have been a "pick of the litter". The initial run of the Pacific was a disaster, but I've heard good things about the later runs, the Mikados, and the semistreamlined Pacifics. I'm looking forward to the 4-4-0 myself.
I have two Pacifics and one Mikado- all second run. They do not pull well up a grade without traction wheels which are nigh impossible to install without knowledge and dexterity. They look great and improve after a very long break in period. Thirdrail- I have been to their home office and I doubt if you were given a problem engine on purpose. They were great with me on service and they were over eager to please a customer.
Both of them suffer from archaic construction methods: three pole motor, contact wiper pick-up, only half the wheels on the tender pick up electric, internal wires that flex (and thus can break), cast-on handrails. The lack of a traction tyre hurts the pulling power, particullarly that of the mikado. There is a retro-fit available, but it is not easy to install. Despite the above, neither runs too badly. the pacific has the smoothest 35-45 SMPH that I have ever seen on any N scale steam locomotive. Despite the half-wheel tender pick-up, neither stalls on plastic frog switches at slow speed. The tender MT conversion is simple: 1023 for the USRA Standard, 1015/1016 for the Vanderbilt. The pilot conversion is not so simple. The rods and valve gear are nicely done. I rate them a B-minus. If they had some pulling power and if the factory had installed the traction tyre, I would give it a solid B. They do tend to pull better the more that you run them. The second run of mikados and third run of pacifics is supposed to have traction tyres.
Brokemoto- I am glad that you mentioned the MT coupler number. MT has renumbered all of its products and on the new chart there is no cross reference that I can find. Do you know the new part number?
F, unfortunately, I do not. One would think that the MT would post a cross-reference on their website. Maybe I will e-Mail to them and request that they do so.
Thank you. I used a link to MT through Wig Wag and had to read through two pages of descriptions in PDF format to see that MP was not there.
I have 3 MP Pacific's; one MP Pacific streamlined and 6 MP Mikado's At first I was disenchanted with the three MP Pacific's because they couldn't pull more that 2-3 cars up a 2% grade. I then bought a MP 2-8-2 and it ran much better than any of the three MP Pacific's. There are many design problems with the motor ( 3 pole) and the wiper pick up system is archaic by today's standards. These loco's run much better after 20+ hours of running. Traction tires turn this loco from an average performer into a superior performer. The traction tire installation is not easy ; try three hours. I've done 10 traction tire installations. It's not a drop-in installation like the Kato Mikado. You can use a MT # 1015 on all MP tenders... Stay cool and run steam....
Such a shame, Bob, that a simple mod like the traction tyre being installed at the factory wasn't done. I know there's a lot of different feelings about traction tyres, but hey, we're at the mercy of physics here, and there have to be some compromises. My Kato Mike didn't pull worth a tinker's dam when I first got it. The traction tyre changed all that. I like the looks of the MP Mike- but maybe I'll wait til the Third Run when it comes equipped with traction tyres.
Dave: A factory installed traction tire would've been ideal. Unfortunately MP doesn't think in terms of "simple solutions". They should have put the tires on the MP 2-8-2 when they released. The traction tires should have been the the MP streamlined 4-6-2 which was their fourth attempt at doing so. Maybe they'll get it right with the 4-4-0. As I said before, a MP loco with traction tires turns this loco into a superior performer. The key too, is increased running time improves the performance of MP steamers. Stay cool and run steam....
Hendo, Bob and Pete- I was at MP today (10 minute drive) and they were terrific in swapping my electrically challenged Mikado with a new one. I had all of three hours on the first one and I didn't fry it like my 2-8-0 so it wasn't my fault. They aren't putting traction tires on a new run of either Pacifics or Mikados. They aren't even doing so on the soon to be released Mogul. According to them, it pulls better without the tires and will not be installed at the factory. It was design nearsightedness when the Pacific and the Mikado were planned and it was stated that the engineering of the unit did not allow for an easy drop in solution.
Pete: The MP loco's are decoder ready. Open up the tender and solder the decoder leads to the four wires in the tender. The decoder fits nicely in the tender. While the tender is open place a 1/4 ounce of lead weight to give the tender more weight. Mark: It looks like MP never learns. That traction tire installation is ridiculous. After doing 10, I really don't want to encounter anymore. I'll pass on the MP Mogul. I do have an order in for two MP 4-4-0's. Stay cool and run steam....
Wow! Wow! Wow! I'll have my three decodered by dusk tommorow! Man, I'd better get them back on the break in track right now. Want to buy a bridge in New York City? My three have run very well. I thought they were horrendous to modify, but perhaps I was confused about the traction tire replacement instead of the decoder install. Well, let's see how a three-pole motor likes DCC??
Pete: The three pole motor runs okay with a decoder. Traction tires will make the MP loco's superior performers. The traction tire installation however is a "bear" to do. The added weight in the tender (1/4 ounce) will allow the tender to track better and increase the electrical contact through the one truck that provides the contact. Let me know how you do with the decoder installation. Stay cool and steam...
By the by- Both the Mogul and American are coming with either side or valve cylinders and pilots attached to either foot board or boiler tube and headlight variations. Undecorated come every which way. If anyone is interested, I will scan and upload their flyer at Railimages and link it here. Of Course, that means I will have to remember to actually copy and paste the link.
You mean--gasp!--the gods of dcc have finally looked down upon me with favor! I need that! I can't believe it. I don't have to pull them apart and work magic? Darn, I have to work tomorrow. And tomorrow and hence. I'll do the traction tires later. To have a 4-6-2 run on my layout is a "consumation devoutly to be wished."
does anyone have a link to some pics of the new up-coming MP loco's? oh, also... the 1015's (kits) are now 102000. the 1015's (assembled pair) are now 102003 the 1015's (ass. short shank/br.) are now 102004
Pete: Under no circumstances, do you want to visit the insides of any MP steamer by removing the shell. All the work for the decoder is in the tender. When it comes traction tire time, you must open the MP loco and disect it to get the traction tires on . Stay cool and run steam....
