« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Model Power Pacific  (Read 3607 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

wm3798

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 16551
  • Gender: Male
  • I like models. She likes antiques. Perfect!
  • Respect: +7432
    • Western Maryland Railway Western Lines
Model Power Pacific
« on: March 11, 2008, 05:29:22 PM »
0
I'm curious if anyone is running one of these.  Captain Blaster is running a clearance sale for $63, and I have this dark place in my soul that wants to do a WM passenger consist...


Are they worth the money?  Any pitfalls?  Accolades? DCC capable?
Lee
Logged
Rockin' It Old School

Lee Weldon www.wmrywesternlines.net

Bob Bufkin

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 6397
  • Gender: Male
  • Respect: +44
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2008, 06:05:06 PM »
0
Never owned one.  Tommy Gilbert's in Gettysburg had some lightweight and heavyweight WM passenger power when I visited there about a year ago.  Heavyweght in the older green paint and of course the stainless steel lightweight (ex C&O) car, which I believe is now at the B&O museum.
Bob
Logged

dnhouston

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 669
  • Gender: Male
  • Respect: +831
    • Dusty Junction & Northwestern
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2008, 06:17:59 PM »
0
They run pretty well although a little on the fast side.  They would run even better if the tender pickup was converted to all wheels.  Currently one truck is left, the other is right.  DCC is straightforward and simple.  All the wires run to the tender and then back to the engine.  Installing the chip is just a matter of disconnecting the orange and gray wires from the solder pad in the tender and inserting the chip in between.  Making the lights work with DCC is another matter altogether though.  Everyone I know just leaves them always on.
Logged

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2008, 06:35:37 PM »
0
Tender trucks were my only problem. I thought they ran good.
Logged

3rdrail

  • Guest
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2008, 07:59:54 PM »
0
The first ones had horrible tender pickups involving springs. Better make sure the ones on sale aren't from that batch. Mine runs smooth and slow, but tends to whine at speed.

If you decide to modify the front end to WM style, you'll find that the boilerfront and headlight are a one piece lost wax brass casting.

The latest run has traction tires, but I doubt those are what Pete has on sale.
« Last Edit: March 11, 2008, 10:10:31 PM by 3rdrail »
Logged

Powersteamguy1790

  • Guest
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2008, 08:08:14 PM »
0
Quote from: wm3798 on March 11, 2008, 05:29:22 PM
I'm curious if anyone is running one of these.  Captain Blaster is running a clearance sale for $63, and I have this dark place in my soul that wants to do a WM passenger consist...


Are they worth the money?  Any pitfalls?  Accolades? DCC capable?
Lee

They pull well on level track. The Model power Pacific's that Pete has on sale don't have traction tires.The tender pick-ups are from their later runs.

The decoder installation is easy. Red, black, gray and orange are in the tender. Don't try to hook up the front headlight to the decoder. By taking the steamer apart to connect the headlight to the decoder, you're opening up a "can of worms" and will have trouble piecing it together. I leave the headlights on in all the MP steamers I have.

If you run them at a speed of half throttle or greater, they are noisy.

Stay cool and run steam...... 8) 8)
Logged

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2008, 08:18:27 PM »
0
I haven't heard of anyone with the new tender trucks. MP was supposed to change them, but so far I don't think they have.

Kato to the rescue:
http://www.katousa.com/images/941032A.jpg
« Last Edit: March 11, 2008, 08:21:05 PM by Chris333 »
Logged

wm3798

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 16551
  • Gender: Male
  • I like models. She likes antiques. Perfect!
  • Respect: +7432
    • Western Maryland Railway Western Lines
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2008, 08:41:33 PM »
0
Can you get to the headlight to be able to move it up on the smoke box, per the example shown above?  I'm  not worried about cutting the headlight housing off the front, but is it an incandescent or LED?  And where is the light source in relation to the headlight housing?
Lee
Logged
Rockin' It Old School

Lee Weldon www.wmrywesternlines.net

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2008, 08:59:29 PM »
0
Think it's incandescent and there is a light tube. The bulb has wipers that rub the first driver so the headlight only has 2 wheel pick-up.
Logged

Chulvis

  • The Pitt
  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 3437
  • Gender: Male
  • Respect: +10
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2008, 09:04:50 PM »
0
As I recall they do not play well with Atlas c55, but I could be thinking of the Mikado.
Logged

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2008, 09:05:19 PM »
0
Guess mine is still laying in the box:
Logged

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2008, 09:13:22 PM »
0
Guess I'm bored:

 ;)
Logged

wm3798

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 16551
  • Gender: Male
  • I like models. She likes antiques. Perfect!
  • Respect: +7432
    • Western Maryland Railway Western Lines
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2008, 10:40:01 PM »
0
Man is that ever a rig! :o
It looks like I could take a bub with longer leads and pass it through that weight thingy to reposition the lamp to the top of the smokebox.  Then, I could either re-solder it to the wheel pickups, or run the leads back to the tender (somehow!) to tie it into the decoder...  Mmmmm.

Lee
Logged
Rockin' It Old School

Lee Weldon www.wmrywesternlines.net

wm3798

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 16551
  • Gender: Male
  • I like models. She likes antiques. Perfect!
  • Respect: +7432
    • Western Maryland Railway Western Lines
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2008, 10:46:06 PM »
0
Okay, so the next issue would be the boiler profile.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/wm/wm-s205aps.jpg

It looks like the MP steam dome is in the right place, but the sand dome is too far forward.  How hard is it to work on that metal boiler casting?  What do you use for filler?

Lee
Logged
Rockin' It Old School

Lee Weldon www.wmrywesternlines.net

Chris333

  • Crew
  • *
  • Posts: 19506
  • Respect: +6792
Re: Model Power Pacific
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2008, 10:51:56 PM »
0
Lee the smokebox front is brass. You might be able to slice off the headlight with a Zona and re-solder it up high.

Sand dome:  That shell is cast metal. Looks like you could just move the dome back and be OK. You can grind the dome down pretty easy and maybe find a old Atlas pacific to swipe the dome from?

pre edit:
Found a chunk of another MP metal body that has the dome intact if you want to hack saw it off.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »