MTH GREAT NORTHERN Y-1 ELECTRIC

GN Y-1 electric (cont)

It has headlights, marker lights and interior lights.  There is interior, just basic seats and no crew (correction: there is an engineer on the right side).

For an electric, it's pretty long compared to the other engines.

Beautiful Y-1 (Motor), but why so, so much Grease?????...........Brandy

Thanks Brandy,

Yep, I may have put too much on, although the results aren't bad.  It got all the gears covered with just a little excess.

Hey, I was in a rush to get her on the tracks and running (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Beautiful job that MTH did on this loco; I recall that some of them were sold to the PRR

after the GN went all-diesel.

Big electrics are just so impressive. Sharp. 

I'm waiting for my 3rd Rail (believe it or not! me! scary!) NYC R-2 freight motor; electrics are just so suave.

D500,

You're right on being sold to Pennsy.  If I recall, Pennsy was impressed with how well they were maintained.  I saw, I think, 3rd rail, bringing them out for Pennsy: surprised they didn't make some up for GN.  Of course, I'm also surprised MTH didn't make any of their's in Pennsy!

Video (under Conv throttle):

Cool: sometimes on curves, when the motor gets some resistance, flange noise against the rail is initiated.

If smoke starts coming out the top, I know I'm in deep trouble!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be

NICE LOCO!!!! I'd love to find one someday......Congrats!

Last month, I purchased one new in the box at stouts auction.  Did you have a problem with the battery? Might didn't work, so I posted on the forum and someone said replace the battery with a regular 9 voit and it workedfor a week but now it stopped. 

You should NOT use a "regular 9 volt" battery, as MTH 2.0 models have RECHARGEABLE 9 volt batteries. Thus using a "regular 9 volt" battery will not get you ver far.

I read in the posts that radio shack has a battery, I am planing to stop on way home. By the waty "I didn't get far"!!!!

Reading the manual, I was a little concerned about the battery.  I put it on the track and left it in neutral for awhile but she worked fine.

The manual says to leave it in neutral for 6-7 hrs to charge up the battery if it is low.

Make sure you have no other engines on that track.

I've also heard one shouldn't use a regular 9 volt battery.

You're right on being sold to Pennsy.  If I recall, Pennsy was impressed with how well they were maintained.  I saw, I think, 3rd rail, bringing them out for Pennsy: surprised they didn't make some up for GN.  Of course, I'm also surprised MTH didn't make any of their's in Pennsy!

The GN Y1's became the PRR FF-2 class. 3rd Rail made GN Y1's in the "as-delivered" dark green scheme with high mounted headlight, and they also offered PRR FF-2's. 3rd Rail later also made a few (less than 30, I think) orange/green GN Y1 units with the correct lowered headlights and high mounted high-voltage m.u. "stinger". I have one. All of the Y1's had these features by the end of WWII, before they were painted in EB colors to match the 1947 Empire Builder. Look at any prototype color photo of a Y1 to see what I mean.

MTH has offered the PRR FF-2 twice. In the second run, they also offered the GN Y1 in EB colors with the lowered headlight but the m.u. stinger is still missing. The first Tenshodo brass HO models of the Y-1 in EB colors had the same issue. 

FYI, the "streamlined" GN Y-1A #5011, rebuilt in 1945 with FT cabs, was also sold to PRR to be used for parts.  The cabs were used to repair a damaged E-7 and the rest of the components supported the FF-2 fleet.  I would still love to see this model done in O scale!

GN man,

Thanks for the great update.

Sounds like you may be a member of the GNRHS.

Been one since 1978, #427

I have two of these by Sunset.  For a long time I just had one, but could not find many photos of singles, even pulling short trains.  MTH did a real service by making electrics in die cast.  I have a P5, and it is quite handsome and heavy.

Bob2,

Post some pictures of them.

thanks.

sam

Very nice engine. I love the GN although the Pennsy is my favorite. I have the Pennsy FF-1 which is similar. I love it. My Pennsy L-5 came with the same type of screw on frame. I  does keep the forward and rear trucks from getting smashed in the box. Interesting that the FF-1 which is similar to yours doesn't have the frame. MTH doesn't recommend charging a dead battery with track power. They recommend plugging in the separately sold charger to the engine using the connector on the engine. I recommend replacing the battery with a BCR. I have on in every one of my MTH Proto 1 & 2 engines. Eliminates replacing batteries and having to precharge before running. It's a small one time investment. About $25. Hope you have many happy hours running your new engine.

BCR is the only way to go:  http://www.jandwelectronics.com/

Thanks for posting where to buy the BCR.

I'm guessing it is a set of capacitors.  Nice, having it the same size as a 9 volt battery for ease of installation.

Very cool.

You are correct,  both the 9V and 3V replacements are essentially capacitors.........  sometimes the simple ideas are the best!

I didn't read the manuel, (real Men), I just posting on the forum and received offers to repair it.  I will try that tonight. Thanks for the tip.

One of the nicest color schemes in railroading. Very nice engine.

Good news/Bad news.

Just uploaded the Y-1 into my new DCS system.

Bad news: I thought the pantographs were motorized, bummer.

Good news: with the cast body, this baby pulled 15 passenger cars with no wheel slippage.

GN Y-1 runby video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be