Can you , or someone that has a similar car that works of the track section, please post a picture of the BOTTOM of the car so I can see what it looks like? Or send the pic to me @ Jskve@aol.com Thanks, Jake
DSmith,
Could you please elaborate on how you motorized that MPC barrel loader platform kit in your video? I have a kit here right now unbuilt. I would love to be able to motorize it.
Roger
Hi Roger,
I used a solenoid to activate the barrel loader and a thin piece of music wire to act as a spring return. I bought the solenoid from an electroic supply company and I think it was rated at about 12 volts. I used a single 1 amp diode to convert my accessory power AC terminals to DC. When the solenoid is activated by pressing a button, the figure moves out and unloads a barrel. By adjusting the voltage you can determine how fast the figure moves out. When the button is released, the music wire spring causes the figure to return to the rest postion. Although the whole building is attached to a base, I’ll try and see if I can photograph it from underneath, that will give you the whole idea better than trying to explain it.
I have been looking at MTH log cars. Someone here said they are BIG. I looked at the MTH specs for the Premier version (typically 20-98591) and it is 12" long, same as the K-Line, if you include the couplers. Does anyone know how big the MTH Traditional version is? A typical number would be 30-79257. Their website doesn’t show the size of it.
I don’t have a picture of the underside, but I can describe the significant parts: there are 2 roller pickups, one on each truck that get power from the center rail. There are 2 sets of switches, one ABC, the other 1 thru 8. There is a 1/4" by 3/4" rectangular thing close to the center of the car that probably houses a magnet activated switch. Nothing much else shows. Since you already own one, I guess you want to compare it with one that works? If you post a pic of the underbelly of your car, I could tell you if it differs from mine.
OK, I found the length of the Railking (cheaper) version. It is 10 1/2" long.
Now, does anyone know if they both (Premier and Traditional or Railking) use motors for smooth operation, or does the cheaper one use a clunky solenoid?
There’s no difference what-so-ever between the Premier and RailKing versions - they’re identical - goes for both the log dump and the dump bin cars. I’m virtually certain both models (log dump and dump bin) use the same car base as well, and just change the dumping platform. Mine are buried right now, or I’d pull them out to absolutely confirm. MTH has a number of models that have “crossed over” from Premier to RailKing without any changes beyond road names.
Thanks for replying. I am looking to add a MTH log car to my layout, but I want to be sure it is the smooth motor operated type as someone here said. I managed to find a Railking 30-7648 available, and looked at its description in the 1999 Volume 3 catalog, and it says it is 10 1/2" long. The current description for the Premier model 20-98591 says it is 12" long. I wonder if the difference is that in 1999 they did not include the couplers in the measurement? All the pictures I have seen of the 2 versions seem identical.
On a related topic, we took a walk today along the seldom used railroad out back and saw a full size version of the MTH dump bin car. Wish I had my camera with me. It looks just like the pictures in the MTH catalog.
I’ve got a few of the RailKing Western Maryland log car and they are the same overall size as the Premier Western Maryland dump bin car (just a different dump platform), and operate with the same smooth dump action. Conversely, I’ve got a Railking CSX dump bin car that is identical to the Premier WM ones.
Nice cars, only problems I’ve had is that they’re best used on the longer O RCS or UCS track pieces - they have to be positioned exactly perfect on the shorter O27 sections (and are still finicky then). Since I’m using O27, my plan is to one day combine some O27 1019 sections into longer pieces. Other issue I ran into was in an area with two K-Line 42" switches back-to-back - somehow within the “S” curve the shoes were getting a brief shot of power and the bins were slowly tipping up with each pass thru. Finally noticed it when trackside stuff started getting wacked by the partially open sides. Never did figure that one out - pulled the layout down for a move.
Thanks again for the info. I ordered a Railking log car from Hiawatha Hobbies in Wisconsin. Better price ($31.99) than I would have had to pay for the Ebay bid I lost last night. I felt bad at first that someone beat me out at the last second, but now, not so much. Shipping ($6.95) is more reasonable also.
I have found that “S” curves are not compatible with many of my cars. The American Model Trains 1950’s passenger cars just can’t get along with S curves. It is a shame, as it limits how I can layout the track patterns.
My MTH Log car arrived today from Hiawatha Hobbies. No problems at all dealing with them. Thanks to all who gave me information about it. It does indeed operate smoothly, and is motor driven. It is almost the same size as the K-Line model. Just a little bit wider and taller.
I asked 3 dealers if it was compatible with the Lionel #364 Lumber loader. None of them knew. The answer is: almost. It dumps the logs into the tray, but I will need to slice off about 1/8" off the stakes on the dumping side, as they interfere with the stakes on the loader when it dumps logs into the car. I tried it using Lionel logs, but some of the logs MTH supplied look like they may work.
Curiously, the Lionel Log car #3361 shown in the catalog and on the log loader box, does not work well at all with the loader. It dumps below the level of the tray, and logs coming off the loader roll right off the other side of the car. This car is shown earlier in this thread.
I am looking to buy an MTH coal dump car. Does it come with coal? Or maybe simulated light colored gravel as is shown on the Log Car box?
No load comes with the dump bin cars. Glad you like the log car, you’ll be equally satisfied with the dump bin one.