Model Power FP7 Question

[mecgp7]

Not sure I am wasting time on this beast, but I took it apart and now can't get it to run. There is a short when I put the motor into the cradle which is part of the chassis. Does anyone know how the motor was originally isolated? The trucks are hard wired to the motor and the chassis. One motor brush contacts the chassis and the other is connected to the truck wires. The motor has a metal exterior and sits directly into the metal chassis with no room for  a plastic cradle or shims, etc. Very curious design.

[thomasjmdavis]

Don't know if this will help, but here's mine, which still ran the last time I had it on a track.-



The big piece of black tape is factory installed.  Overall, it reminds me of some of the European made chassis circa 1970.  All the wiring running over the flywheels and worms certainly presents the possibility of worn insulation.

Are the trucks correctly aligned- one set with gears to each side?  I have no idea if it makes a difference, but with the way everything is hard wired, and the chassis/body being metal, getting one in wrong way round might cause an issue.

[mecgp7]

Mine is a different version apparently. Not at all like the pics you show. I can make it work by isolating the motor, but I haven't come up with a permanent fix. I am really curious how Model Power did it

[spookshow]

Does yours look like this? If it does, it's the old "trainset" version.



-Mark

[Philip H]

I had forgotten they had and FP-7.  I wonder if its a good enough stand in for the FP-9s that KCS is pulling its business strain with. I mean I LOVE the Rapido FP-9's but I'm not exactly made of money.

[thomasjmdavis]

I can't see the photo in Mark's post for some reason (it happens once in a while, I probably need an update on something), but are we talking about this?-

http://www.spookshow.net/loco/trixf9a.html

I have one similar to that, purchased as part of an eBay parts lot,  the motor appeared to have literally caught fire, and the plastic bits around it melted. I discarded those thinking I might use the chassis as a dummy under a B unit shell, to discover that the frame is a couple scale feet too long (as per Spookshow's review).  Not sure what the vintage is, but it has a different shell than the one in Spookshow's article up above.  More like an F9 or FP9, which first porthole set back several feet, and an extra louver between the cab and porthole.  Also has second headlight and light up numberboards, and a winterization hatch on the rear fan.  The handpainted Warbonnet was done by a previous owner- doesn't pass the 3' test for me, but I admire his courage in even trying.  I have a second shell with the same configuration that I use as a test shell for F and E paint jobs. 

[peteski]

I can't see the photo in Mark's post for some reason (it happens once in a while, I probably need an update on something)
. . .

It is nothing you are doing - it is your browser protecting you.    It is the old http vs. https thing.
Click on this link to see the photo - that will work:  http://www.spookshow.net/loco/files/mpfp7mechold.jpg

[thomasjmdavis]

I had forgotten they had and FP-7.  I wonder if its a good enough stand in for the FP-9s that KCS is pulling its business strain with. I mean I LOVE the Rapido FP-9's but I'm not exactly made of money.

Mine runs ok, but it isn't as smooth as an Atlas or Kato.  Initially this didn't bother me too much, as I was intending it as a passenger locomotive, so I did not need it to crawl slowly around a yard or do a lot of switching.  With the metal shell, the weight is pretty good. I never tested it to see how many cars it would pull, but I would expect it to be better than most.

When I bought the one in the photo in my first response to the OP, my intention was to repaint it for C&EI.  Then I happened upon an Intermountain shell.  The IM is better molded (being injection molded) and has much better contour around the nose.  Although it isn't really obvious, I sanded around the nose and sides or the chassis a bit to fit it under the IM shell.  Then I really lucked out, and got a pair of IM FP locos for under $100, and the Model Power version went into the "sell or trade" bin, and the shell went on one of the IM chassis.

Now, so far, I have been lucky with my IM Fs and FPs, and have not experienced any of the zinc pest issues that I've seen reported. So, if you can find one in good condition, the IMRC FP-7/9 might be the best compromise between the so-so MP model and the high priced Rapido model.

[thomasjmdavis]

It is nothing you are doing - it is your browser protecting you.    It is the old http vs. https thing.
Click on this link to see the photo - that will work:  http://www.spookshow.net/loco/files/mpfp7mechold.jpg

Yep, sure enough.  As per my usual process, when I couldn't see it, I opened up the html console and took a look.  I missed it earlier in the code.  And the console interface must have been upgraded in one of the recent updates- it now has a section that is labeled "HTTPS-only mode" which will actually make the links easier to find, now that I know where to look.

[peteski]

Yep, sure enough.  As per my usual process, when I couldn't see it, I opened up the html console and took a look.  I missed it earlier in the code.  And the console interface must have been upgraded in one of the recent updates- it now has a section that is labeled "HTTPS-only mode" which will actually make the links easier to find, now that I know where to look.

Tom, you don't need to look at the console with the page source for the photo's URL.  Just click "quote" on the post with the invisible photos, as if you were going to reply. The quoted message will clearly show the URL pf the photo, so you can then copy it from the quoted text.  Then just hit "back" on your browser to cancel the quoting post.  That is how I do it when I need to extract some hidden info from someone's post.

[thomasjmdavis]

Tom, you don't need to look at the console with the page source for the photo's URL.  Just click "quote" on the post with the invisible photos, as if you were going to reply. The quoted message will clearly show the URL pf the photo, so you can then copy it from the quoted text.  Then just hit "back" on your browser to cancel the quoting post.  That is how I do it when I need to extract some hidden info from someone's post.

Thanks for the tip.  I never noticed that in the past.  I figured out the "console" thing on another website where I had the same problem.  But using the "quote" feature on Railwire is certainly simpler than what I've been doing, and will save me some time.