I have been wanting an MTH SP Cab Forward for a long, long time, but folks on the internet and on auction sites have always been asking for more $ that I could afford (and also for more than what IMHO these models are actually worth). I finally stumbled on one (#30-1144-1) in superb condition for $325. It's Proto 1, but that's fine with me since I run conventional only. Despite being 25 years old, it needed very minor TLC and was otherwise like new except for the headlight which I still need to fix. A couple observations: 1.) Traction tire replacement is a bit more fiddly than usual because the 4 tires are on the drivers closest to the cylinders instead of on the drivers farthest away, and so you have to work around the valve gear; 2.) a 9v BRC is slightly too tall and interferes with reinstalling the tender shell when the BRC is mounted in the stock, vertically oriented battery holder. My solution was to remove the battery holder and glue (I used E-6000) the BRC directly to the tender frame, lying it down horizontally. The engine runs fine on MTH O31 Realtrax (which is actually about O27 in diameter) and sure, it has ludicrous overhang, but I'm happy to accept that just to be able to run it!
Matt
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