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10 replies

New enthusiast asking for some advice!

SM Stephen MOGR Forum Member

Hello everybody!

I am new to this forum and this hobby, I have been a viewer on the forum for about a month now but I decided to make my own account. I have always liked this hobby but have just recently have upgraded my involvement in the hobby one could say, so I have some questions that maybe some of you guys that have been doing this for years could answer

1. So I've bought a bunch of Lionel TMCC engines from the early 2000s, i.e Pennsylvania M1a, NYC L2a Mohawk etc. I really like the chuffing sounds of these engines alot, however they are limited by the two chuffs per revolution. Is there somebody who can upgrade the engines to get them to four chuffs and sync the smoke units with the chuffs? As I'm still pretty new to the hobby, I am no where near comfortable pulling one of these engines apart and trying it myself. 

2. Do you guys think that I should buy a cheaper used engine so I could try upgrading it myself to get used to some of the techniques? I figured if I mess it up (which is likely the first time) that I won't be down 700 dollars like the higher end engines I have. 

3. Lionel century club II Niagra (oh not this again)- I've always wanted one of these engines but when the century club II was around I was 10 years old so I never had any way of getting this engine haha. I recently bought a brand new engine that was sealed and never opened for less the half the price it was originally, which I consider a good deal. However I am completely aware of it's issues, plastic gears, drive shaft, etc. Is there a known solutions for this? Has Lionel offered more durable replacement parts so I could send it out to be swapped? Mine hasn't arrived yet but I'm thinking of sending it out preemptively to just never have to deal with the gear issues. Apparently from what I've read on here and other places is that this engine is an absolute nightmare to disassemble so I will in no way shape or form be trying that for my first time disassembling an engine. 

4. What passenger cars should I pull behind a Lionel TMCC Pennsylvania S2 turbine? I've looked this up and get conflicting answers so I haven't bought any passenger cars yet. I know this engine was almost exclusively a  passenger engine so it would look weird pulling freight. 

 

That's what I have for now, I know I probably sound like I have no idea what I'm talking about so please don't hate me for it, thats why I figured I'd ask you guys! 

Thank you!

Stephen

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Mike H MottlerMike H MottlerOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

I "second the motion" about gunrunnerjohn. He's working on a make-over project for me now; a project that is way beyond my more-or-less novice skill set.

At the outset of involvement with "the world's greatest hobby," follow the advice of Track and Field Coaches: 
"crawl, then walk, then run."  Rushing into a locomotive repair or upgrade when relatively unskilled and inexperienced often results in a ruined locomotive beyond fixing -- with no psycho-emotional "benefit" from the attempt -- except frustration and self-loathing.

Mike Mottler      LCCA 12394

 

P PH1975OGR Forum Member

Further to Mike Mottler's comment - especially if you intend to contact Gunrunner John - is that I've seen him post (kiddingly - I think?) that he charges $50 per hour for engines that are sent to him intact, $100 ph for engines that have already been taken apart and then re-assembled haphazardly, and $150 ph for an engine sent to him 'in pieces' (lol). Seriously though, the point is that it's a lot easier for any service man if the engine is forwarded to them intact. Good Luck!

SM Stephen MOGR Forum Member
Mike H Mottler posted:

I "second the motion" about gunrunnerjohn. He's working on a make-over project for me now; a project that is way beyond my more-or-less novice skill set.

At the outset of involvement with "the world's greatest hobby," follow the advice of Track and Field Coaches: 
"crawl, then walk, then run."  Rushing into a locomotive repair or upgrade when relatively unskilled and inexperienced often results in a ruined locomotive beyond fixing -- with no psycho-emotional "benefit" from the attempt -- except frustration and self-loathing.

Mike Mottler      LCCA 12394

 

Seems like gunrunnerjohn is really good, I'm going to email him today about my M1a and Mohawk. I was thinking about buying a used Lionel engine for around 200 dollars and taking it apart just so I can get used to the very basic functions of the engine so maybe I could advance in the future. 

SM Stephen MOGR Forum Member
PH1975 posted:

Further to Mike Mottler's comment - especially if you intend to contact Gunrunner John - is that I've seen him post (kiddingly - I think?) that he charges $50 per hour for engines that are sent to him intact, $100 ph for engines that have already been taken apart and then re-assembled haphazardly, and $150 ph for an engine sent to him 'in pieces' (lol). Seriously though, the point is that it's a lot easier for any service man if the engine is forwarded to them intact. Good Luck!

Thank you for wishing me luck! Both of the engines I wish to upgrade have about two hours run time on them so they are almost new, and they are definitely intact! Hahaha

SM Stephen MOGR Forum Member
Joe Congemi posted:

Any steel-sided PRR passenger cars would like fine behind an S2 turbine. All the manufacturers including Lionel have made various PRR passenger cars throughout the years so there are plenty of options.

Thank you! I'll be looking around for them, I've gotten multiple answers and i couldn't figure out which answer was correct haha

P PH1975OGR Forum Member

Stephen M - If you haven't contacted GRJ yet (or even if you have), you should always try to provide - either when Posting on this forum or when contacting someone by email - the ITEM NUMBER because every engine has different quirks electronically/mechanically speaking. So, for example, the Lionel NYC Mohawk 4-8-2 engine to which you referred is probably either 6-18009 (#3000) or 6-18064 (#3005).

Anyway, Good Luck!

SM Stephen MOGR Forum Member
PH1975 posted:

Stephen M - If you haven't contacted GRJ yet (or even if you have), you should always try to provide - either when Posting on this forum or when contacting someone by email - the ITEM NUMBER because every engine has different quirks electronically/mechanically speaking. So, for example, the Lionel NYC Mohawk 4-8-2 engine to which you referred is probably either 6-18009 (#3000) or 6-18064 (#3005).

Anyway, Good Luck!

Ok definitely will do! My pennsy M1a is 6-38056 and the mohawk is 6-38053. I think they are two amazing engines worthy of the four chuffs per revolution updgrade 

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Tags: L2a Mohawk, advice, Pennsylvania M1a, Lionel, Niagra, hobby
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