MTH Operating Reefer Car Question

quote:

20-94231

You might get more responses if you state what the car is, instead of just the MTH number. Most folks won't take the time to go look up the number to see if they have it to answer your question. I don't have that road name for the operating reefer but have it in another road name and it works great. One of the Mega Steam curved needle point bottles for putting smoke fluid is an almost must for adding smoke fluid. I installed a ERR Mini Commander so I could use it anywhere on the layout and not just on a activation track.

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking everyone would click on the web address provided in my post to read and see what the car is all about.

The car works great but as Paul noted getting fluid into it is not easy. Also never leave the boxes inside the car when you are putting it away. They will fall out of position and then you will have to disassemble the car to get them out. Always 'empty' the car of crates before storing. Ask me how I know.

Works great. Mine is set up on a siding where it can be activated when the track is off.

The work great! I have the Hoods and PRR operating reefers.

--Greg

Would they work with a Lionel Operating Track?

Thanks
Jim

When you click on your link, there is a "camera" icon next to the "find it" icon. Click on the camera icon, when the window comes up, dbl click on the screen and you'll see it in action.

I had several of those type of cars (Coors), they operate as shown.
Be aware that If I remember correctly, It unloads one crate at a time. Meaning, activate the unload track, wait until it unloads, door closes, then repeat for another case of goods tossed out.

quote:

Would they work with a Lionel Operating Track?

Jim: as long as it's the 5-rail one. The car has a sliding shoe. I've used a Lionel PW full 'O' 5-rail track and also a PW O27 5-rail track and both work.

- walt

Thanks, Walt.

I have a little Fastrack layout, and I see that its operating track is 5-rail. I'll give it a go (any problems, I'll just put a Lionel tubular operating track on my siding.

Jim

quote:

Jim: as long as it's the 5-rail one. The car has a sliding shoe. I've used a Lionel PW full 'O' 5-rail track and also a PW O27 5-rail track and both work.

- walt

I hope it's okay to revive this older thread, but I wanted to share a video of this car and an odd trait I noticed plus ask a couple questions as I see the previous responses were from folks who seem to have experience with this car.

 

So I picked up an MTH El Capitan Operating Reefer on a great deal from Mario's Trains (gotta give him a little plug for the free shipping).  When the car first starts up there is a slight 'pop' noise.  At first I thought I had blown the light bulb because I'm testing the car with an 18v z500 brick, not the recommended 14-16v from the manual (maybe that's the completely wrong thing to do)  

Upon closer inspection it seems to be coming from the smoke stack when it starts, as I think the video shows.

 

So on to my couple questions...

1) Do you think the popping noise is a result of the higher than recommended voltage?

2) About these operating car smoke stacks...is there such a thing as too much smoke fluid (manual says only 6-8 drops), and how many operating cycles do you think that lasts?

3) Do these operating car smoke stacks have a wick & bowl like the engines?

 

The stack seems to butt into a plastic base, so I was not sure if there was even a wick involved here, or if the heating element is the only thing inside the little stack.

Hope I can get the video attached (windows media player), and sorry for the 'Batman evil villian's lair' tilt

 

This is a very sharp operating car in the bright red with the El Capitan logo, but I mostly enjoy the action...like the way the smoke hovers around the ramp after cycling (sorta visible on the right side of the ramp in the pic).

 

This thread already helped me with info about the rc conversion, and the angled needle tip suggestion (I was tempted to consider making a small access hole in the top of the reefer and covering it with a rubber plug).

Thanks,

Robert

 

A smoking reefer ... interesting ...  Thanks for the video!

This one probably would have been right at home in the latest 'reefer madness' thread...the Freak Brothers car was hillarious by the way.

 

Hope some folks may be able to shed some additonal light on the operation of these mini smoke units.  It does look a lot like cooler fog were it not for the smell of this JT's "nada"...whoo

Cheers,

Robert

This smoke effect is used in the Coors Silver Bullet Reefers also, they smoke well.

I'm afraid I don't recall the construction...

You would think MTH would buy that poor guy a long sleeve shirt! It looks like it's cold inside. JohnB

Thanks for the reply Russell.  From some poking around here on the forum and on the web, my best guess is it's a 'seuthe' type smoke unit.  I hunted around for a description of this car's smoke unit with no real success...did find this page:

http://www.mth-railking.com/service/maintenance_&_troubleshooting/Routine_Maintenance/Smoke_Unit/smoke_units.html

 

I could not find a blow-up/parts diagram for an operational reefer to confirm this, but based on the description in the link and pics on the web, I'm guessing this is a seuthe type.  That would seem to explain the 'popping' on start-up as well as the 6-8 drops spec for the recommended amount of smoke fluid.  From what I've read, getting the smoke fluid level just right is key to smooth operation  and good smoke from a seuthe smoker...I'm guessing I may have overfilled it a little.  Hoping someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

You would think MTH would buy that poor guy a long sleeve shirt! It looks like it's cold inside. JohnB

 

  Yeah guess he's a typical 'working stiff' John

Thanks guys!

I really hate the design and location of the refilling tube!

 

Yes, as mentioned, it's entirely too close to the roof, making refilling a challenge.

 

6-7 drops: the problem I have when trying to refill is that I can't see how many drops are being released.  I bought the Mega Steam curved needle/bottle but 2 things: it seems like I will have to cut off some of the bent section to get it inside the pipe, and even if it fits nicely, I still have the issue of not being able to see how many drops are actually making in.

 

- walt

Does anyone know where I can purchase one of these Cars at a good price (MTH 20-94321)?

 

Fredstrains

I have the Coors Reefer(not light beer) and Tropicana Reefer(which I use orange scented fluid). Yes, it is a pain to put in fluid, and I don't put in the max load amount, always 1 shy, just afraid of jamming. I do have mine hooked up to work on Super'O', with their power rails, and the delivery is onto the Lionel Milk Platform, which can also be used for the obvious Lionel Milk Car. The only problem with My set up is that you would have to move the deliver load away from the car as it is unloaded. The MTH platform has a ramp that does this. I thought this was a great idea with the smoke use, kudos to MTH. The Santa Fe car looks very nice also.

I'm interested in these cars but need to know the footprint of the ramp, in particular the width of the ramp and the distance from the centerline of the track to the outer edge of the ramp.

 

Thanks

I'd have to agree with you Walt, it's problematic at best, and I have already spilt a stray drop or two inside the car trying to fill it with a regular JT's Megasteam dropper.  I played with the dropper to figure out just how far to fill it up to make the 6-8 drops, but then there's the challenge of trying to get the full dose into the seuthe stack.

 

An indexed dropper with a skinnier tube would allow a little better angle on it, and make portioning easier.  I'm glad you brought up the needle dropper and confirmed there's guess work involved there as well.  It seems that's the case even when you use them to dose engine stacks.

 

I guess the seuthe style requires a minimum height pipe by design?, but not knowing how much is already in the tube its equally vexing guessing how much more to put in...I'd really be tempted to make a small hole in the roof for inspection and fill access if I thought I could make/obtain a plug for the hole that would not stick out like a sore thumb.  A clear channel on the side of the stack to check fluid level or a high temp clear glass stack would be even better.

 

Super'O', I'm planning to get some orange scented megasteam for this one, since the crates are 'fruit' instead of dry ice loads...and because I'm really getting tired of the 'nada' scent smell.

 

Nels, my ramp measures 4 & 1/16" wide by 4 & 7/16 long, and from what I can tell Realtrax straight pieces are about 3" wide or 1 & 1/2" from center rail to outer edge.  You could probably find or make one suitable to fit your dimensions.

 

Still really like the car and it's effects, and think I will dial down the voltage and run it off a z750 to see if that makes it less inclined to 'pop' the fluid.

Robert

What about drilling a hole in the roof over the filler tube?   I have not done this but it sure is tempting!  

Hi Dave, that was my first thought.  If I come across a suitable small, flat rubber plug or cap, I just might give it a shot.  I was thinking that a hole might be better concealed with a small solid plastic pipe stack or fake vent, but may look odd if there was a vent pipe sticking up in the middle of a reefer, hmmm.

 

The other complication is the inner shell, but it looks like there might be access at the roof's edge...

 

 

A small roof hatch would have been a nice touch but not sure it would be considered prototypical.  The other thought was I really wouldn't want it to smoke out a hole made in the roof...so that led me to think rubber.  MTH seem's to have placed the seuthe pipe where the action of the unloader best stirs the smoke both inside the car and out the open door which makes for nice effects, but difficult filling.

Robert

Does anyone know where I can purchase one of these cars at a good price?

MTH 20-94321?

 

Thanks,

 

Fredstrains

I was thinking of drilling a tiny hole for a needle smoke filler right above the smoke unit, it probably wouldn't even be noticeable. I don't know you'd even need to cover it.

 

Mine came NIB with the bracket for opening the ejection door laying in the bottom of the box, so the first step was to disassemble it and glue the bracket back on.  I made sure it won't be coming off again!

Hey John, bummer you had a 'some assembly required' unit  but glad to hear it worked out.

 

The needle sized hole sounds like a happy compromise...I would not think it would allow too much if any smoke to leak out from that size hole.

Thanks,

Robert

 

PS Fred, have you tried using MTH's "Find It" button on their website?  Might necessitate some calling around to double check inventory since that appears to be an '07 model.  They are far too proud of the ones I've seen for sale on fleabay.  I was able to find the 'Pink Girl' Heinz there for my assortment of food themed reefers for next Christmas' layout...but still paid almost list for a true barely used/like new one.

I paid almost list for the car, $90, but it was brand new in the wrap.  Of course, the disappointment came when I saw the door open and the little piece dropped out.  However, it was pretty easy to stick back on, and I'm pretty sure it's staying!

 

I think I'll convert this to TMCC so I don't have to have an operating track section.  Since it already has the roller, it looks like an easy conversion, the operating track appears to just trigger the action, something that is easy to do with a $40 TMCC board from ERR.