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The 6-18315 Virginian (from the 6-11934 set) has TMCC, RailSounds, MagneTraction and a Pullmor motor. As does the 6-18353 Pennsylvania.

As Chuck mentioned above, there's also another Virginian as part of a Conventional Classics set with MagneTraction and a Pullmor motor.

I believe the LionChief+ Rectifiers also have MagneTraction, but with can motors.

TRW

Last edited by PaperTRW
illinoiscentral posted:

Saw an MTH non-powered PRR E-33 on the bay, just $100, that nobody bid on, and relisted, so you might be able to get it for $100+shipping ...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32321...mp;item=323219186139

Thanks Mike, but I already purchased the MTH E33 Railking version that was on sale for $98.98 + $15.90 shipping.  The Premier locos are too long for my taste and for my O31 curves.  Not that they couldn't handle the curves, I just like the shorter versions more. 

Last edited by Former Member

Received my MTH E-33 today.  Wasn't planning on an MTH loco but the price was quite right, just under $100.00.  After testing it, I opened it up and converted it to run on overhead power.  

IMG_6302

Not sure why the sound didn't come through when I loaded the video to Youtube from iMovie, so I added some tunes.

https://youtu.be/vHy0PGZVVKM

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Last edited by Former Member
Dan Padova posted:

Received my MTH E-33 today.  Wasn't planning on an MTH loco but the price was quite right, just under $100.00.  After testing it, I opened it up and converted it to run on overhead power.  

IMG_6302

Not sure why the sound didn't come through when I loaded the video to Youtube from iMovie, so I added some tunes.

https://youtu.be/jwMrZEfr8_I

Nice one! Great price. And painted and numbered correctly as built.

Jim

I think I might be a little late to the game with answering your question. 1st, that MTH E-33 is one nice looking electric! congrats on the pick-up at that price!

My father has a Lionel Virginian E-33 (1-8659) from the MPC era produced in 1977 & 1978. The engine has Magnetraction & traction tires. The Magnetraction is not as strong as Postwar engines or locos that I have but it's there. I assume the traction tires were added later but I'm not sure. That said, my father also has a New Haven E-33 from the Lionel MPC era which also has magnetraction and traction tires.

In regards to 1990s Lionel E-33s, I believe a 1995 or 1996 catalog had a Virginian set, with the engine in the correct color scheme, that has traction tires- I believe.  

My E-33 from the 6-11934 coal drag set does not have traction tires.

  The magnetraction was not very strong new compared to old, but acceptable new... but today has absolutely no perceptible magentic pull left, though stored on rails and has less hours than any other loco I have. ...one more reason I buy used PW, even the magnet quality is compromised for that penny.

@StevefromPA if your two rectifiers have MagneTraction it might have been added after purchase by a service station, or it's an uncatalogued feature.  In my experience NONE of the MPC-era rectifiers had MagneTraction as an original feature.

Sometimes the rubber tires themselves are the cause of the wobble.  In other cases, it's the zamac (non-ferrous) wheels that have casting seams, or are drilled off-center that are responsible for the "wobble."  A Postwar power truck 2028-100 is the definitive cure: MagneTraction and no wobble!  Throw in a matching postwar armature, set the thrust play, add a couple ounces of ballast to the fuel tank, and you've got a great running train!

Last edited by Ted S

@Ted S That's exactly what I was thinking. When I first cleaned  up the New Haven & Virginian E-33s, I found it very odd that they still had MagneTraction because they were MPC era AND had the traction tires. I don't believe that they would've had the money back then to make alterations such as adding MagneTraction- it is possible that the LHS owner at the time did it prior to selling.  Also, as @Adriatic stated above, the MagneTraction isn't as strong in the aforementioned rectifiers as opposed to post-war. That said, my father hasn't mentioned any alterations to these engines from our LHS(yup, it's . still around!) and that Virginian was one of his prized toy trains as a kid, followed closely by the New Haven. Unfortunately, the people who would know if it was altered(the father of the LHS and my grandfather) passed away within the the the last 5 and 2 years, respectively. I'm not sure if my dad would know if our LHS made any alterations but I will ask him. What I do know is he valued the Virginian so much that he barely ran it as even my grandmother said, "but I bet he didn't let you touch the Virginian" haha. If I get more information, I will provide it.

Last edited by StevefromPA

@Robert Cushman If you set your TIU output to Variable voltage, you can control it with the MTH remote as a conventional loco.  In other words any LionChief Plus will respond to track voltage the way a postwar loco would.  But so will every other loco on the same track.

I agree that the LionChief remote is very toylike; it’s a shame Lionel didn’t make it feel like a more serious piece of equipment.  But it provides reasonable independent control of the loco.  Personally I don’t like the ergonomics of the DCS remote, and I place more value on independent operation.  So I would probably use the remote that came with the loco.  My $.02,.

Last edited by Ted S

Personally, I like the LC+ remote.  Both of my LC+ locos also have Bluetooth and I have used my iPhone to operate each.  While the Bluetooth operation has some very nice features, like uncoupling with one motion of the finger and smoke and sound controls, the speed control dial on the LC+ remote is easier to operate, for me.    

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