The title says it all...I'm considering purchasing an MTH or Lionel Bi-Polar but would love to hear the experiences from the OGR team before purchasing the beastly engine. Thanks!
Sunrise
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I have 3 Lionel Bi-Polar locomotives and all look and operate just fine.
Hands down my favorite model. I prefer the MTH version from the 1916 era; however, for multi-unit operation the Lionel model is my favorite. Simply put, I cannot get any PS3 engines to lash up and maintain their programming from one session to another, whereas Legacy lashups are pretty easy and operate well. fyi, Lionel chose the re-bult early 1950s era version to model, which has some streamlined curves. The MTH model is more "Victorian" or steam punk looking.
I still have my original MTH Bi-polar. It still runs great after at least, 20 years (I think it is more like 24 years old).
Both. As mentioned, Lionel's is based on the streamlined rebuild in 1953, of which E-2 survives in St. Louis. Mine is the first TMCC one, in UP colors. I picked it up thinking I could shoot it all black for that 1919 look, but the body style is all wrong. Now looking to swap it for a Non-UP style, either brand. Decent engine, definitely appreciate the control switches being below a removeable hood panel. No smoke unit. All the Lionel TMCC features you'd expect.
I also have a MTH bipolar, PS2 version in 1940s? colors. Silver stripes on noses. The original body style, though none perfectly replicate the as-delivered 1919 look, without the famous crooked-box logo. These were not used in the Mountain division until after their 1953 rebuilds, but the PSA clearly states "Welcome to Harlowton [MT]." MTH's has a smoke unit to simulate the oil fired boiler for steam heat. I can tell you from experience this is not an easy locomotive to work on internally. It's diecast and a decent puller, though I get some slippage and struggles in conventional running on slight inclines if I'm pulling my full 10-car GGD Olympian Hiawatha set.
Overall two styles of the same historic locomotive, neither will satisfy the rivet counters but either will look good running a layout, preferably through some some mountain forest scenery.
