MTH 20-2894-1 Premier Pennsylvania PRR E-8 Levin

I am curious to know that on the catalog 2008 V2 there is no mention of ditch lights at all. In fact on catalog they show a pic of the engine and you see no ditch lights on it  unless they were altered by the owner. Here is the vid.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyK7IKjX9Js

 

Does anyone who owns this set can confirm if they are ditch lights on this set? May have a seller and interested in getting.

 

Thanks

01, why would you expect to see ditch lights on a 50's/60's era diesel???

This from the video posted.

 

Awesome model! I'm glad they got it right by sticking the ditchlights on it. I sure would love to see it come out in MTH's HO line too.

 

I was pleasantly surprised when I first opened these engines to see those ditch lights! On MTH's website it said nothing about them having the ditch lights. I was happy! : I agree these in HO scale would be sick too! Thanks!

Actual 5711 E-8 with the ditch lights.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIE9-a7uEOk

PRR, it's not so much the era rather than the actual model has them is what I was questioning. As you can see from the vid it seems to have them even though as Gerry pointed out MTH website does not mention they do have them.

A number of details, including the ditch lights, were added to these models after they were catalogued as a result of customer requests (including mine) to make the models more prototypical to the engines as they appear today, especially since they were being advertised as models of Bennet Levin's PRR E8's and not models of the engines as they were when on the PRR roster.

 

I have a set of these and they are gorgeous.

 

Here's an old video of mine in action:

 

 

Andy

 

K-Line made an outstanding A-A set of Pennsy E8's with a single gold stripe and Pennsylvania in large script.  This remains my favorite PRR diesel set up with TMCC and EOB.

 

Norm

So its safe to say all these MTH sets come with ditch lights? I would hate to purchase one without them.

 

Thanks

I should have looked up the MTH product number first then would have known you are referring to the Bennett Levin modeling of the Pennsy E8's.  And since they run under current rules (CFR 229.133) they have ditch lights.  Now I am not sure if MTH correcting incorporated these in their model.

 

But they were made after the NS OCS F-units which do have operating ditch lights.

01, why would you expect to see ditch lights on a 50's/60's era diesel???

Ans: because they are models of rebuilt units that are running on Today's Railroads!

Good luck in finding this set. Someday when I get enough money, I too would hope to aquire this unique & stunning set!

 

Yes - these models (20-2894-1) came from MTH with the ditch lights.  They were not after-market additions, just after-catalog-printing additions.

 

See the MTH 2008 Volume 2 Catalog Update for a complete list of the changes from the original catalog.  I see that the influence this forum is mentioned in the update as one of the reasons for the update.

 

Andy

Andy referenced this update:

"Pennsylvania A-B-A set, item 20-2894-1, will be revised to more accurately represent Bennett Levinﾒs restored Pennsy E8s that are operating today. In response to input from members of the OGR Forum and other modelers, these engines will feature prototypical nose lift rings, ditch lights, and more accurate pilots. Engine numbers were incorrectly shown in the catalog and should be 5711 and 5809 for the two A-units. Ditch lights on leading A-unit will flash alternately when activated; ditch lights on trailing A-unit will not flash, due to electrical restrictions of Proto-Sound slave units. For links to pictures of the prototypes during restoration, search on the M.T.H. home page for the item number of this set............"

01, suggest you add "Levin" to your title.  That way the forum members that have these, and there are a few, may take note and post their pictures that they have previously posted here.

Has been done. Thanks PRR

There were a number of members on this forum that nurtured this project along from what was originally cataloged.  MTH was very responsive and produced an outstanding set, including a fantasy Pennsy E8B unit!  Probably a hard to find item indeed.

 

Stack   

I was able to find a mth dealer who had one last set left. Wow. Talk about lucky. Got it.

I have this set. They truly are beautiful with the glossy paint. My only issue is the large gap above the pilot.

Update. I finally picked up the train set today. I did however noticed that one of the antenna bracket holders was snapped off. Some of the antenna was bent. But I guess not something a little glue wont fix. Just out of curiosity, I assume this is something I cant send to MTH to repair. 

Here are some of the pics of this set. She is a beaut. Obviously there were some MTH quality checks that were missed. But I still love this set. 

I noticed something odd with the set already. As I was testing it on the track I saw that on a O54 curve the B unit would lift & bounce on the track. So after further looking into it, I saw that one of the fake plastic wheels on the B unit as the turn was ending the plastic wheel would drop a little getting stuck on the inner rail. Its much like the problem with some atlas freights where the rollers would jam on the center rail. I would not be able to use a shoe ramp since the inner rail needs the space for the metal wheels to run through. So looking for some ideas. Thanks

you can bevel the inner edge of the Plastic ideler wheel . this should eliminate the derail. Otherwise you will have to go to a larger curve.

OK that is also what I thought. Also the curve above was for O45. But also had it happen on the O54 as well. 

 

 Thanks

Some of the antenna was bent. But I guess not something a little glue wont fix. Just out of curiosity, I assume this is something I cant send to MTH to repair. You could but MTH is using too delicate wire for the Antenna. MTH should have speced out the K-line thicker Piano wire for the Antenna. Piano wire is more resilient to bending.

IMHO, if there is just a few stantions broke, try to glue. but if you have a LOT of them broke, I would consider taking them to a superdetailer, have the plastic OEM stantions removed, use Cal Ascale E8 Brass stantions and a thicker piano wire for the antenna. The hard part is to match the paint.

Its actually those two spots where the antennas are bent. 

To give a status update, I contacted MTH and they issued me an RA# number to send back the shells only for repair or exchange. I'm glad I did not have to send the whole engines. So right now their turnarond time is 3 weeks.

I received word from MTH that they will be repairing shell rather than replacing since the set is so old. So I should assume that once repaired the shell and antennas will look new. Has anyone received their shells repaired by MTH and how was the work done including paint job? 

I have known Bennet Levin for quite a few years, even before he became a Commissioner in Philadelphia, PA. My wife Susie and I had the privledge to visit with Bennet aboard PRR #120, his former PRR Business car, at the AARPCO Convention in Hoboken, NJ many years ago.

 

And only a few years ago, those splendid PRR E-8s operated a rare mileage excusion that ran through Phillipsburg, NJ...only a few miles from the RMT office in Bloomsbury.

 

The RMT PRR BEEF diesels are numbered in recognition of Bennet's E-8s.

 

 

The RMT version PRR BEEF A-A Set (and B unit) is painted in a correct color match to the 'real' PRR E-8s...including lettering, EMD style builder's plate.

And the A-A set is complete with trainphone antennas-PRR style.

 

A few still remain in stock and are currently on sale.

 

Thanks.

 

Walter M. Matuch/RMT

 

www.readymadetoys.com

Wanted to get some opinions on this. Maybe I might be overreacting but I recently sent an email to get status on the repair of the shell for my prr train. so I inquired and figured t beibg so old they wouldnt replace shell rather repair it. So I made an assumption to the MTH person about the final repair leaving shells as if brand new since i purchased  set thru  an authorized dealer. This was he response I got 

" technician simply repaired the existing Antenna that is on your shell. We do not have any replacement parts or shells, so the repair he made is the best that we have to offer."

I took this response as saying that it is possible repair will not leave item as if brand new. 

 I made an assumption to the MTH person about the final repair leaving shells as if brand new since i purchased  set thru  an authorized dealer.

IT's a Bad assumption. You should not assume anything.

 

This was he response I got 

" technician simply repaired the existing Antenna that is on your shell. We do not have any replacement parts or shells, so the repair he made is the best that we have to offer."

I took this response as saying that it is possible repair will not leave item as if brand new.

It's possible. Your problem will be fairly common as long as MTH tries to cater to the scale side. The antenna should have been oversized piano wire like what was used on K-line and Lionel diesels that have the Prr Trainphone detail. The Bent trainphone is minimal on those models because of the heavier piano wire used. I go with robustness than good looks anyday. I had the same issue happen to me on the MTH PRR Pa-1's I ended up replacing the whole antenna myself and doing it right.

Sorry. I hit the submit button too soon. I as well do not like assumptions so I responded that I expect the repair to result the shells being as new since that was what I paid for. So before I jump to conclusions I will wait for them to come in. But I think you should never as a customer get a repsonse like that. Almost seems that they will do it half *** job.

I always inspect and test run new locomotives at the hobby shop.

 This is one way of preventing or minimizong these situations.

I knew this set being from 2008 was a rare set to find when I did. Obvisously I did not expect it to have these flaws which ultimately I can deal with since this set is rare and no other dealer had it. So I took a chance and ordered it. No way for me to do a test run since this was out of state. I am happy with this set so hopefully MTH does a good job.