O-Gauge MTH Pennsylvania 9915 engine

do you have access to a bigger transformer?

Yes i will, I bought a Polar Express for my son this Christmas. The 6-31960 model with a CW80. So that should resolve it? The locomotive taking up too much power from the CW-40? My Lionel Pennsyvannia Flyer (6-30174) locomotive works great with it's CW-40.

worth a shot. 40 watts is pretty small. IIRC, the 1033 was the usual starter set transformer in the Postwar, it was 90 watts. and it wouldn't hurt to run some more feeder wires.

Adding a second terminal track and wiring it to the CW-40 could make a difference?

 

Out of so much researching I do I never information based off of how many feet until adding an additional terminal track and how much wattage a locamotive uses off of a transformer.

for a 4x8 you really need more than one feeder wire. put the second directly across from the first one. The 40 watt might still be too small, especially when you add cars with lights, more cars, accessories, etc.

Thanks I will add a wire to one of my fastract points on my 4x8 layout. I am expanding to a 5x9 table, the layout will get larger by Christmas. Should a third feeder get added?

the bigger the layout, the more feeder wires. I'd say start with 2-4. at 12 o'Clock,6,3 and 9. what this does is keep the train from slowing down, and having to adjust the throttle contently.

I do see my penn flyer slow down around the curve opposite side of where my first terminal track is placed. Thanks, you helped me a lot with your information.

Add a feeder wire every four to six track connections.  The length of the track doesn't matter, a three foot piece has as many connection points as does an inch and a half piece.  Its at the connections where voltage is lost.

For my long straight paths; isn't there fastrack in 30 inch lengths with no connections within the 30 in.?

I'm surprised no one has questions the electronics in the engine.

 

Is this engine a PS2 or PS3 engine? If so, these are not compatible with your transformer hence the spotty operation.

 

Best is to use an MTH Z-1000. More power, less $, will run just about anything under the sun. Lionel CW transformers are NOT recommended by MTH.

The engine runs fine if I use the engine and tender, I can also use a freight car. If I add a lighted caboose there is instantly a problem running the 9915 engine.

 

Looking up the MTH 9915 Pennsylvannia right now to see what type of engine it has. I bought this at a local dealer in my town (Trains and Things in Ewing, NJ) no documentation came with it.

So far this is what I found, it is in the center of the page.

 

http://marketplace.collector-m...er-W%25Ps-2.0-159429

 

Did not find any info yet on the specs of the engine.

The model is an MTH mth-30-1159-1, here is another link with the OG Forum: https://ogrforum.com/topic/mth-30-1159-1. Looks like it is a PS2 engine.

 

PS2/PS3 engines are not considered compatible with any lionel transformers?

MTH PS2 and PS3 engines are notorious for not being compatible with CW40/CW80 transformers and can do weird things. 

 

It is recommended to get an MTH Z1000 as it will literally run nearly every train on the market. I'm sure you could sell your Lionel transformers here on the forum to help fund the cost of an MTH unit with relative ease. 

Primarily the CW80. The CW40 may have too little capacity to run much more than a starter-set Lionel locomotive (MTH locos have larger motors). Larger transformers are fine, in particular the postwar-style transformers.

 

But a MTH Z-1000 will run either (or both) of them without a problem, and have power to spare.

 

---PCJ

To SJC and RailRide,

I do agree about the Z1000, I was told that the z1000 is perferred over the cw80. So that is why mth starter sets are much more money, better trans, loco with more features.

 

I am going to use the cw40 for now, the mth 30-1159-1 loco will run with it's tender and a box car. At Christmas when my son gets his polar express with cw80 I will use the 80 in place of the 40 and see the difference. Worse-case I'll look into a z1000. Trains and Things has always given me a good deal I cannot turn away from.

 

I am going to add an extra feeder, and add more after Christmas when teh layout expands. I first need to find plug-in connectors small enough to plugin underneith the fastrack. Home Depot sells plugs that are too large.

If the engine, tender and freight car run fine with that transformer, then engine/transformer compatibility is not the issue. Do you only have one lighted caboose? Maybe there is a short in the caboose.

I have two other caboose with a light to try. I'll try them out.

Fyi to all, in my reasearch of this train. The model is: mth 30-4023-1. The train that came with mth keystone express set. So this train is new from 1999. Not sure of the motor; if it is ps2/ps3. Sounds like it would be ps2 or prior?

The other lighted cabooses I have, used them and they also provide performance issues on the train. I thought of getting a z1000. Since there are compatibility isues with mth trains and Lionel transformers.

Every time I use the cw40, I have to hit the direction button 4-5 times every time in order for the train to move forward.

I bought the z1000 yesterday. The 30-1159-1 still acts up. I have to hit the direction button 2-5 times to see it run, when turning the speed dial the sounds do begin. Research showed me that the battery may need a charge. Since the train is from 1999 there could be a chance that the battery is almost drained. It is a white on-1605 battery. Not sure how long the train was on the shelf; trains and things demo 'ed the train first using a z4000 without a problem.

Once the train runs it runs great, I can even run a second train in my separate inner loop.

Tell me, with a 5x9 layout; will I require a z4000 in the future?

No. A Z4000 is overkill.  If you exceed the 100 watts of a Z1000 you can do one of 2 things - a second Z1000 or to save a bunch of money buy an old Lionel 135 watt brick off of eBay.  

-Greg

Thanks, based off of any fastrack 5x9 layouts I saw on the forums; I want to use one of those layouts and even add an elevated 40x60 over top. I think that is a crazy as I will get. So a z1000 should handle it all? I could even use a 'cw80 that comes with my son's polar express set for Christmas to use on the elevated track.