MTH Operating Fire House

I have had one on my layout for about 7 or 8 years now and never had an issue. I don't remember what size wire I used, probably 18 ga. It does come with it's own activation box. I have mine wired to the box and to my AIU so it can also be activated with the DCS remote also. It's a great accessory.

Great accessory, the "control box" is actualy just a momentary push button to activate the fire house. 18 ga wire should do fine.

I agree, a great accessory. However---do not let anyone (little ones?), turn the fire engine so that it goes into the fire house "front first" !!!

 

I had an older model where the fire engine got turned around "mysteriously", and when the engine went into the fire house, and the door closed, the next push of the button resulted in strange noises a little smoke, and a "fried"operating mechanism !

 

I now have another MTH firehouse--and "instructions" to the grandkids !

 

Charlie N

I have one of the original ones from 1998 I believe. I still works just fine.

Only problem I ever had was a bulb burned out. You have to remove something like 20 screws. Great accessory.

first one i had was dead out of the box.

 

the replacement has been fine, except it sometimes fails to cycle through to the finish after the engine reenters the house.

 

a big favorite among the small fry.

 

a better design would have been for the engine to circle around and reenter the station through the back.  it is kind dumb for it to get around the corner and stop.

 

i explain it by saying it was a false alarm.

 

We've had one on the club layout for years -- first model issued. It has worked very reliably. One shortcoming on MTH buildings is the activation switch (momentary push-button type.) Knowing the use it would have, I went to Home Depot and picked up some inexpensive door bell buttons for about $3.00 each. They do the job, look much better on the fascia, and can handle a lot more use over time.

 

BTW, we had the same opinion as Forrest. We're trying to engineer a dumpster fire next to the station that starts a smoke unit, then triggers the alarm and goes out after the truck arrives.

My MTH firehouse not working is responsible for how my small layout looks today. When I first started building, I got one on eBay, and it worked for maybe 6 times. Then it died, and I trashed it. The good news is, it took up a heck of a lot of room on my small layout, and now I have a animated amusement park in a lot of space it would have taken up.

 

I think the firehouse would have been better in it went around to the back, and re-entered. As it is, it parks at the side, then you can back it into the front. Think about building a "burning" building near that area. It appears to be a big hit with kids.

We have one on our club layout and I can not tell you how many hundred times the button has been pushed and it is just like a Timex watch, it just does not quit. Kids and adults alike love it.

Matt:  MTH makes a city-style rowhouse on fire as well as an IRS building on fire, either of which would fit next to the Firestation.

A good accessory. I put ,mine on a repeat cycle timer so it goes on periodically.

 

Dale H

The only thing is, if the IRS building is on fire, who in their right mind would try to put it out?

 

I've got both, and I've been thinking about a way to model firemen just standing around to watch it burn. 

 

I agree with what everyone said, the MTH firehouse works very well.  Only problem with it is that the overall travel of the fire engine going outside of the building is much too short, with the engine stopping just before it completes the turn down the side of the building.  They should have extended it to at least travel down to the opposite end of the building so it gives a better impression of going somewhere.  The "fireman" sliding down the pole is way too oversized (probably so he's more visible), and would have been nice if somehow he were designed to disappear while it travels back up to the upper level instead of mysteriously defying gravity by "sliding" back up the pole.

 

I'm actually thinking of kitbashing mine to make it single story and make it into a stucco-style building and get rid of the sliding fireman altogether.

Great accessory!  Had mine for about 5 years no problems.  I believe there are 6 wires to hook up all 18 gauge that came with the firehouse.  Get one and enjoy.  I also like the dog barking as the siren sounds off. 

1st ---> To SJC: It is a great accessory.  A lot fun.  Go for it!

 

2nd --->  to Captain:  Bulb just burned out and the MTH web site gave a warning about a gear when removing all the screws.  Is it difficult and do I need to purchase the bulb from MTH

Thanks

Thanks all. I've seen them in operation many times, just never owned one. I'd like to get a few more of the larger operating MTH accessories, such as the car wash, gas station, etc but the space on the layout for those large items is not there. The fire house will fit, although it would be tight. I'll be at the LHS later today and will see what we can do...

I have it on my layout, but am modifying it to fit my needs.  Since it is a little unrealistic from a firefighters perspective, I am making it a fire museum, specifically in honor of my dad who was our FD's historian.  I changed the engine (I am modeling 1961 and the truck I found is actually one that our department used ) and will be putting a sign up and changing the door in the future.  Also I will have a few antique trucks to put around it , simulating a truck show/muster. As for the operation, I have no complaints...as reliable as I would expect

Mine has also been trouble-free for years.  Like Matt, I use an inexpensive doorbell button to operate it.  As you can see below, I added some firefighter figures to the truck and around the station...and even the barking dog that laz1957 mentioned above!

 

 

That's a brilliant idea. That even validates the short travel path for the engine as it would be a demonstration/reenactment.

The trick is to place it on your layout so that as the truck goes around the side it disappears from site. That way it appears to have driven off down a hidden back street.

Mine likes to respond to a fire in the switch tower next door, but the guys in the tower usually put it out before the fire truck get there!

Thats the way I looked at it, it seems more believable.  I have often thought about buying another and trying to modify it so that the truck would go farther.  but there are other things I want to spend my money on

No luck on a firehouse today...my LHS mentioned they are out at MTH and likely won't be getting more in until they ship from the 2013 RTR catalog sometime in the fall/holiday season.

 

I did get a sharp 6-story building, a corner store, a rotary beacon and a whole lot of wiring! May pick up one more corner store since I still have room for one more. 

 

This fire engine is a 1927 American La France, the model is made by a german toy company, I would have to dig out the box to find the name.  But anyway the toy was made for the 150th anniversary at the plant.  These were given to employees, I found this on Ebay and being a well versed in fire memorabilia I had never seen one, I contacted another collector and he never did either and he has been collecting longer than I have been alive.  So I got it and the quality is top notch, very happy.  Scranton Pa used this piece , so being that I model this area I couldn't pass it up, it is 1/43 scale.  I drilled and added metal dowels for the truck to follow the path.  

Hi Dennis,  I g

just got an MTH Firehouse and find the wiring description confusing.  Can you help me?  

 

D & E to 14 VAC, light are on and work fine

 

A to 14 VAC & A to Activation Button  So two wires are used here???

B to Neg on transformer (same VAC as above)

C to Activation Button

 

Does this sound right?