MTH Draw Bar limitations...

I really can't see how the drawbar make a difference your anaconda steamers have a drawbar also. I think its a weight issue. Maybe the transition from level to incline is to sharp.

Clem

Hi GG1man, Here my experience. I was excited when mth got rid of the anaconda . However the little board with the pins is terrible. I have one engine dead after 2 runs. 1 runs sometimes and then it won't run at all. I bought the newest bigboy and had so much trouble connecting the engine to the tender that I never put it on the track and sold it for a 400 loss. Needless to say I won't be buying anymore of them. John

I've (and plenty of other folks I know) had nothing but problems with this thing. My Railking Imperial 0-6-0 seems to have a long standing issue that I believe revolves around the drawbar. Everything has been replaced - several times - but the drawbar still seems to be the source of issues when going up/down/left/right. 

With the drawbar and the "quick stop" problem with new PS3 locos, I'll stick to Postwar or other manufacturers steam engines. MTH lost a good steam customer in me. 

Just eliminating variables. Was the tension wire pushed to the opposite side of the slot, before plugging the drawbar in.

Yes it was and the connector was well seated.

Which connector comes out?  Tender side or engine side?  The spring on engine should allow the drawbar to angle down or up, but if no strain relief that could be an issue.  G

SJC posted:

I've (and plenty of other folks I know) had nothing but problems with this thing. My Railking Imperial 0-6-0 seems to have a long standing issue that I believe revolves around the drawbar. Everything has been replaced - several times - but the drawbar still seems to be the source of issues when going up/down/left/right. 

With the drawbar and the "quick stop" problem with new PS3 locos, I'll stick to Postwar or other manufacturers steam engines. MTH lost a good steam customer in me. 

Wo did the work on 0-6-0?  MTH?  G

I believe the draw bar is the problem if after a stall you tap the draw bar and things get going again. I have had that on two steam engines and the problem was at the engine connection and not at the tender connection. The fix in each case was a tiny amount of epoxy to secure the engine end connector. In your case I would experiment with different draw bar lengths and so on to try and trouble shoot a little better. The epoxy fix has worked for me but it's a pretty extreme fix.

That drawbar is the main reason I don't buy MTH steam engines. Sold the ones I had, and haven't even considered buying a new one for years.

GGG posted:

SJC posted:

I've (and plenty of other folks I know) had nothing but problems with this thing. My Railking Imperial 0-6-0 seems to have a long standing issue that I believe revolves around the drawbar. Everything has been replaced - several times - but the drawbar still seems to be the source of issues when going up/down/left/right. 

With the drawbar and the "quick stop" problem with new PS3 locos, I'll stick to Postwar or other manufacturers steam engines. MTH lost a good steam customer in me. 

Wo did the work on 0-6-0?  MTH?  G

Local MTH techs. Several, actually, have tried to get it right.......

I put it on the layout last night, some issues but it seemed to run OK. Will try it some more. I have every intention of gutting it and turning it into a conventional engine in the near future. 

SJC posted:

GGG posted:

SJC posted:

I've (and plenty of other folks I know) had nothing but problems with this thing. My Railking Imperial 0-6-0 seems to have a long standing issue that I believe revolves around the drawbar. Everything has been replaced - several times - but the drawbar still seems to be the source of issues when going up/down/left/right. 

With the drawbar and the "quick stop" problem with new PS3 locos, I'll stick to Postwar or other manufacturers steam engines. MTH lost a good steam customer in me. 

Wo did the work on 0-6-0?  MTH?  G

Local MTH techs. Several, actually, have tried to get it right.......

I put it on the layout last night, some issues but it seemed to run OK. Will try it some more. I have every intention of gutting it and turning it into a conventional engine in the near future. 

Cruse Commander, at lest you will have your coupler control and it wont cost an arm and a leg.

YyI initially had operational problems with the drawbar connection but being a simple guy I looked for a simple solution.4" zip strips cinched from the tender tongue to the drawbar ended the spontaneous stalling I was experiencing completely. However that being said it seems to me MTH could engineer a better more stable linkup

Hey Tom, true genius is always proven by it's simple solutions. I'm going to try it.  

Aw shucks!

My PS3 drawbars have worked very well. I did have one engine that I bought used and it had tremendous issues.

I finally located a problem with the tender connector. One of the pin location had two wires going to it (I suspect this was done as a cost saving measure to avoid using another wire nut), this connector is really designed to only have one wire per pin location.  I changed that wire location to a single wire and connected it to the two wires that were previously located there.

This engine has operated flawlessly since the repair.

H1000

I'm glad you had such great luck with yours H1k, it's not a terrible design when it works. The problems seems to show up often enough to warrant some attention.

I learned more about these issues from this web site then I ever heard from MTH. Everything here and more could of been put together in a neat little attachment and sent to me via an e-mail.

If that would of happened there would be no need to go to the general public for it.

Ignoring a problem never makes it go away and a truthful response from MTH would of more then satisfy me.

Oh well, that's why this site is so popular.

I have posted things to look at.  Wire Strain relief, pins that come out of connector, wires that come out of contacts, and wires that are not crimped fully or have a break under insulation.  It is a continuity test from tender through harness, drawbar, engine harness, engine end.  When properly strain relieved the connector on engine end doesn't come out, unless connector damaged.  In those cases I have used a drop of super glue to keep it fixed to drawbar connector.  G

WOW Who knew? I have been having trouble with my proto 3 too. So I just put the tie on it and it didnt die on me like it was doing. Thank you guys.

srfulton posted:

WOW Who knew? I have been having trouble with my proto 3 too. So I just put the tie on it and it didnt die on me like it was doing. Thank you guys.

Great, it looks like my thread is doing some good. Thank you OGR!

GGG posted:

I have posted things to look at.  Wire Strain relief, pins that come out of connector, wires that come out of contacts, and wires that are not crimped fully or have a break under insulation.  It is a continuity test from tender through harness, drawbar, engine harness, engine end.  When properly strain relieved the connector on engine end doesn't come out, unless connector damaged.  In those cases I have used a drop of super glue to keep it fixed to drawbar connector.  G

Hi G, I'm sorry but where did you post all this good information?