MTH Rail King Mohawk 30-1102

I just edited this post, I could also use an operators manual since the one on the MTH website is missing diagrams and some print has been cut off.

Joe its an early MTH with whistle only

That switch on the tender floor locks the reverse unit

try sliding the switch the other way

those old QSI reverse boards are pretty tough but it is about 25 years old

if board is bad ask on forum as they are around inexpensively

Good luck

Dave

Thanks Dave I'll give the switch a try.

I finally got around to re-testing and flipping the switch on the tender.  Engine starts in reverse and only runs in reverse even when the direction button is depressed or emergency stop button is pressed.  Something is obviously wrong with the electronics, any ideas or does anyone have replacement boards?

Joe, I have that early QSI reversing board......let me dig out this weekend and test it....if it works, you can get it for a song.....I’ll reply my findings on here, then we’ll go from there.........Pat

That is the first MTH engine I ever bought (new, from the old 3rd Street Depot in Niagara Falls).   Still runs great..... simple and RELIABLE.   Gets regular usage in my engine rotation.   PLEASE,  manufacturers,  more like this!!!  John A

I recently was given one of these locomotives.  Mine was old enough that it precedes the "30-" numbering system.  When I received it, the piston in the smoke unit was locked up tighter than Ft Knox. Because of the design, this means that the loco would not run, as the smoker piston is run from the drive system.

Tried penetrating oil to no avail. Tried moving it with hammer/punch. No joy.

Since it was free, I figured I had nothing to lose so....

I removed the smoke unit from the loco, and removed all electronics from the smoke unit.  Now I'm down to just the cylinder and piston. I put it into my vise and applied a blowtorch to the outside wall of the cylinder.  After about 1 minute, the piston broke free.

I then cleaned up the cylinder and piston with 220 sandpaper followed by 00 steel wool.

It WORKED!!!  I was able to bring it back from the dead!

I am guessing about the cause in this case, but I think it is a case of Galvanic Corrosion. If the cylinder and piston are fo different materials or even different alloys of the same base material, and they are in intimate contact with a smoke fluid as an electrolyte plus electric fields, they would chemically interact and bond to each other.

@Bobby Ogage

I fully agree with you that galvanic corrosion is the root cause.

I'm just REALLY happy that the heat trick worked to break it free.

Unfortunately, I don't think that there's any way to prevent it from happening again....except to RUN the train!!! What a burden!