MPC made a 4-4-2 Diecast Steamer in a number of roadnames through the 70’s. One of the earlier ones is the 8142 C & O considered to be the first engine to offer the much debated “Mighty Sound of Steam”, and some of these models also offered the problematic whistle 1 year before it was featured on the 8206 NYC reissue of the PW 665.
Anyway, these 4-4-2 engines are great runners and pullers, BUT for whatever reason MPC only gave them a 2 position e-unit, and thus their demand was limited.
I remember in the mid-70’s the retailer The Train Station in Mountain Lakes finally started to break up Broadway Limited sets, as everyone wanted the Pennsy Passenger Cars and nobody wanted the engines.
I recently picked up a battered and worn 8142, and it runs rings around many other engines (big ans small), and it smokes like a champ.
Could these engines be upgraded to a full 3 position e-unit??
I have one of these engines (8800 Lionel Lines). It was a good runner until I sent 110 volts AC through it when I was 10 years old. It still runs, believe it or not, but not very well. [|(]
I don’t see why you couldn’t upgrade one of these steamers to a three-position E-unit, though.
Hello Ken! The short answer to your question is yes they can be converted to a Three-Position E-Unit as they will fit inside of the chassis and you can use the Red or Green winding of the motor field but not both and this will make the motor run like a single wound version. If I remember correctly all you have to do is solder the yellow wire from the reverse unit to one of the field windings and the other part of the winding is soldered to the top Brush on the Brushplate and the blue & green wires from the reverse unit are also soldered to the Brushwells on the brushplate and this should complete your conversion.Hope this helps.If you need anything else.Let us know, Take Care.
To clarify things, I think the locos you are referring to are actually based upon the postwar 2026/2037 (etc.) offerings RATHER than the ubiquitous 4-4-2 steamers being offered by Lionel in its starter sets today. Those current ones are, as I understnad it, based upon the elongation of the the postwar “Columbia” 2-4-2 locos.
Anyway you look at them, they are great looking little guys and terrific runners!
You can wire both halves of the field winding, in series, not in parallel, using only the single wires of each color and leaving the common terminal open. This will reduce the speed of the locomotive, which you may find desirable.