MP Mogul

[ATSF_Ron]

I picked up this sweet runner recently.  It may be my best running steamer yet.  There's no decoder installed yet, but I can still get one tie at a time slow speed creep in DC using my old MRC Tech II 2400.  Hopefully my computer challenges can be overcome and I can post more than one pic at a time.

I'm extremely impressed with this little mogul.  As most of your know, MRC/Model Power doesn't make these any longer, but I found a vendor with a few brand new still in stock.  I have a first run Bachmann connie that has similar running traits as well as a few BLI mikados.  All are stellar.  Besides slow speed creep, it's almost completely silent and has none of the annoying buzzing some steamers have, even expensive brass!  Extremely satisfied with this purchase!

P.S.  Sorry about the crappy iPhone pics.  I don't own version 20 or whatever is out now, lol!

[peteski]

I'm glad to hear that you are happy with that model.
Yes, those were pretty nice models. They have mostly diecast metal body and frame (so they are fairly heavy). Their 4-4-0 American also uses similar design.  Some of the early runs had no traction tires, so they were not very good pullers (especially the 4-4-0). But the later runs did have traction tires.  The other problem which hopefully you won't experience is that the drivers do not have positive locator (like spline) on the axle, so they could slip and get out of quarter. But that is not a frequent issue.  It usually happens when the loco is taken apart, or the running gear modified.

As for comparing it to brass locos, I wouldn't bother.  Most brass models are pretty much by design rather poor runners and very nosy. They have superb level of details, but the are pretty much made to be display models put on a shelf.

[ATSF_Ron]

Yep, I agree.  Most brass I've had was very finicky in running.  Although I had an amazing SP MT4 I wish I'd never sold!

[brokemoto]

They are excellent locomotives..  I have one from before MRC. As the tender was only half wheels live before MRC  I had to swap out the OE tender for a Kato USRA standard.  The result was an excellent creeper.  It pulled fifteen loaded MT gondolas and an MT wood caboose up a one per-cent grade at FIFTEEN SMPH; mirabile et dictu et visu!.  I do not know if the prototype could do that.

The MP eight wheeler did not have a traction tire but the mogul did, which was why you really needed the all wheels live tender.  I have eight wheelers from before and after MRC.  The traction tire does not make much of a difference on the eight wheeler but it really does wonders for the mogul.

[mmagliaro]

That Mogul was one of the two that Model Power made (the 4-4-0 being the other one) with a beautiful Mashima 5-pole motor in it.  The others all used a cheaper motor.   Those engines also have a silky smooth gear and rod mechanism.  If yours has all-wheel pickup on the tender, it will be magnificent.  I have one from the very first run with the axle wipers, and even like that, it runs great.   It's been a "someday" project for many years.  It will probably end up becoming an SP&S 2-6-0 "someday".

[ATSF_Ron]

Hi Max, I also have an earlier run mogul w the axle wipers.  While it WAS a good runner, a couple of years ago things got very jittery and seemed to have intermittent electrical contact.  I removed the trucks, cleaned wheels and wipers, disassembled the loco to access internals and cleaned as much as I could.  While that helped, I wouldn't say it's still a smooth runner.  I've heard of people putting Bachmann or Kato trucks on the tender to improve pickup.  It's still quiet and smooth, but not like the first year or so of running.  Short of replacing the trucks, do you have any other recommendations to improve electrical reliability?  BTW, yes, wheels are in gauge.

[peteski]

Hi Max, I also have an earlier run mogul w the axle wipers.  While it WAS a good runner, a couple of years ago things got very jittery and seemed to have intermittent electrical contact.  I removed the trucks, cleaned wheels and wipers, disassembled the loco to access internals and cleaned as much as I could.  While that helped, I wouldn't say it's still a smooth runner.  I've heard of people putting Bachmann or Kato trucks on the tender to improve pickup.  It's still quiet and smooth, but not like the first year or so of running.  Short of replacing the trucks, do you have any other recommendations to improve electrical reliability?  BTW, yes, wheels are in gauge.

The problem with axle wipers is that each truck 4-wheel only picks up power wheels from one rail (2 wheels). So the tender has 4-wheel pickup instead of 8-wheel pickup.  If the pickup wipers on the loco's drivers aren't well adjusted, then you have very short "electrical"wheelbase and not many wheels picking up power.  That is where well-laid track and clean rails become more critical.

Also most axle pickup strips use flat springy pickup undder its own tension touching the axle.  The contact are is small but the pressure assures positive connection.  The Model Power design has the pickup strip wrapped around the axle without much tension.  As I see it, that is a very poor design, and difficult to keep clean.

If you already checked (and cleaned) the pickups touching the backs the driver tires, then replacing the tender trucks with either Bachmann tender trucks or Kato caboose trucks (low-friction all-wheel pickup) would be the next logical step to improve the electrical  pickup.  Of course clean track is also very important.

[ATSF_Ron]

Thanks for that info Peteski. I’m careful about keeping track very clean. It helps my layout is indoors in a spare room. Didn’t know about the Kato caboose trucks. Do you know if they are still available from Kato?

[mmagliaro]

I'd never run one of those long term without replacing the trucks.  I test drove it when I got it, and it has sat in the box ever since waiting for its kitbash project.  Axle wipers are doomed to fail no matter what you do.  Not only do you only get half the wheel pickup, but they are inherently more prone to dirt and corrosion than axle point pickups.  So yeah, if you want to keep that older run, swap out the trucks and wire the "thumbs" from the trucks into the old pickup points inside the tender.

[peteski]

Thanks for that info Peteski. I’m careful about keeping track very clean. It helps my layout is indoors in a spare room. Didn’t know about the Kato caboose trucks. Do you know if they are still available from Kato?

Looking at the Kato USA new parts website there are no caboose trucks currently listed (that I could find).

[ATSF_Ron]

Thanks Peteski.  I do have a couple of the cabooses that I haven't used much.  Maybe one of them can donate its trucks...