MTH Premier Bi-Polars, any known issues/problems, advice, upgradable to PS 3.0?

I have one and have noted several things on it. Its cab is higher than all my other electric's,  so the pantagraphs go higher than the others and can cause problems under bridges and tunnels or trees. they are very difficult to assemble with way to short wires on the plugs running between the 3 cab parts. The edges between the 3 cab parts get nicks and scrapes, try to find one that is out of the box without at least one chip on the edge of the cab. You need 3 hands just picking the heavy thing up after laying it on its side to get the plugs together, then putting it on the track can be fun with the pilots flopping around. Once on the track I love it. Great puller and good sound. It is a conversation starter at the museum when I run it.

Mine started acting very strange slowing and speeding up so I opened it up and noticed the tack strip was falling apart on the flywheel, about one third was missing. I just got the part and have not opened it back up to replace it.

Thanks Mark,  BTW, do you know if it is 3v or 5v PS2?

I do not remember. Sunday I will be opening it up and will remind my self to check.

I've had mine since they first came out and have had zero problems with it.  Not the same for the box-cabs, which lost the electronics on the slave unit (the back end "A" unit)  Haven't checked recently but a while ago the     odometer read 1,200 miles.

Paul Fischer

I have several and they are very nice - no issues - no reason to upgrade to 3.0..... these were a big deal when they came out... one of the forum cronies had a video of a pair coming out of a tunnel and that hooked me on this..... 

I have one in this video

I am waiting for them to die - I have great plans for 2-railing one.

I have one, its a fun engine, one of my favorites to run.  I remember having an issue a few years ago, cause I had to take it a part a few times, and that is a pain. If you purchase it please do yourself a favor and buy bent needle nose pliers, they help when plugging the tether in.  

Mine is PS2, 3 volt board and is one of my favorite engines. It traverses my O54 Gargraves and Ross turnouts with almost no overhang and the smoke unit does a great job.

I learned that the best way to pick it up off the rails (which I try to avoid doing) is to pick it up by the end units while pressing it in firmly from the ends.

To reassemble the 3 parts of the engine, I use a bent-needle-nosed pliers and insert the tether plugs first, and then push the flaps in. With a little practice it's no big deal.