Owners of 6-18011 Chessie T1

Not familiar with your engine, but the 6-18010 PRR Turbine has the same issues. Since the PN#s are so close, I'd assume they're the same vintage.

 

Gilly

I have the Reading T-1. Same engine different roadname. None of them came with traction tires. I sent mine to Timko's for a can motor and a to put grooves in the drivers for traction tires. The engine now runs great.

Bill,

 

I have the Chessie T-1 and also the Reading T-1. Yes the Lionel T-1s did slip because Mike Wolf did not have tires installed. Do you remember when Mike worked for Lionel back in the late 80s? But let me tell you, I have pulled at least 40 + Die Cast Hoppers with the Reading T-1. It will bring all the engine driving skills you can muster. Once the engine gets the cars rolling it will pull. I converted my Reading T-1 to TMCC and love running it as it makes you work to get the train moving. My layout is flat so if you have grades I would think the T-1s would bog down and slip.

 

Skip

RRVics,

 

Do you remember what Timko charged for the work on your T-1?

 

Skip

The total price was about $400, but in addition to the motor and traction tires, the price included TMCC, Railsounds and fan generated smoke unit.

I have this engine---how do I upgrade to TMCC?!

 

Bill Hudson -

I have the NYC Mohawk of the same production run, and as far as I know they are
identical from the waist down in their mechanicals. Mine will pull pretty well,
and with no traction tires, and I dislike the tires anyway. I have no grades, but
I do have curves. Also, this loco has pulled a long-ish train (8+ cars) on an old club
layout some years back (072 curves, no grades, old-style tubular track) quite well.
I will spin starting off, but this can be realistic, anyway, from time to time. It's
rather enjoyable to have to "drive" it. But if yours won't do anything much, that's
not enjoyable.

It's a slippery loco, all right, but that yours and mine are so different is puzzling. I don't question your results; it's just odd. They're very well built; need a can motor.

Maybe I should get mine converted, too. I do most things myself, but a good conversion
on a long-since-paid-for piece is tempting. $400 for the Full Monty? Hmm.

Hey folks, check out the 'Bay for this engine.  Seller clearly states there are traction tires on two wheels.  Wonder if he/she looked, or simply repeated the traction tire feature listed on the box end flap.  My apologies on the ebay reference; I have not yet learned how to post a hyperlink.

 

You really have to be careful these days on such details.

 

FYI, my track is O72 Gargraves.  Could that be a factor in my traction problem?

Bill -

My track is also 072 GarGraves, and the Mohawk above seems OK with it (within the
limits described).

I have the Reading version, converted to TMCC. It won't pull 40 cars up a 2% grade. Neither would the real one.

This is an engine that has been on my "to buy" list forever. I finally picked a new-in-box one a couple of months ago. I currently have it pulling my circus train, 1 boxcar, 5 flatcars and 3 18" heavyweights without a problem. 

 

I also have the NYC Mohawk that I've had since 1990. I have pulled 6 20" Williams aluminum passenger cars with it without an issue.

 

I have tubular track with 072 curves (level).

 

I consider these engines great buys considering you can get a NIB one for about 1/3 of what they cost 20 years ago.

Timko does Railsounds, TMCC and Smoke Unit Upgrades as well?????? I thought they just did can motors, traction tires and DCS..

 

 

Frank upgraded my READING T1 but without traction tires.
It is a great puller

Rex is right, the real T-1's had to have a helper on the Locust Summit grade with 20 overloaded hoppers of raw coal. Even with the booster cut in, it was a slow ride up the hill with the helper giving it's all on the back of the train. Coming back down was a thrill of a different kind. I rode this route with a friend on the Reading and Northern, had six empty newsprint cars and four loads, which all had the retainers turned up. Once we tacked on the empty bulkhead flatcars from the forest plant, it was a slow ride from Ashland to the Mahanoy tunnel, with two SD-38's on the point. Coming down from Barnesville to Tamaqua was another thrill ride, as the SD's didn't have dynamic brakes. On our club layout, there isn't much that the Lionel T-1 won't pull, but we have no grades and wide curves, up to 88" diameter.Since this was my first large engine purchase, I run it and enjoy it.

 

I have the NYC Mohawk that I paid

 

$945 for back in the early 90's and a Reading T1 that I admittedly got a exceptional deal on on Ebay reciently for $225. Both go up my 3% grade pulling a 6 or 8 car train without me ever even thinking of slipage. Incidently they go around my 19" radius or 38" dia. at the center rail curves OK. This is the absolute minimum as with the TV and radio off you hear the flanges a little.

San Fernando Valley CA.

Yep, he does it all.

 

John

Train Doctor said:

the real T-1's had to have a helper on the Locust Summit grade with 20 overloaded hoppers of raw coal.

The photo I have (somewhere) shows two K1 2-10-2's on a 20 car load on that grade, one on the head end, one shoving.

 

PENNSYK4, What Railsounds 4.0 did you use, Northern Sounds? How is the static noise for you? I am having issues with my upgrade sounds.

 

mark