I was wondering if anyone could tell me where I could send my MTH MONON F-3 DUMMY to get powered. It is from 2006 catalog. I would like to get it set up with p-s-2 and powered so I could use it as a separate engine or lash it up. Thanks in advance for you help, I figure with all of the creative people in here someone can direct me in the right direction. I was told that MTH does not sell the powered trucks.
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Probably the easiest and cheapest way to do it would be to find another F-3 powered unit with PS-2, of any road name, and swap shells.
Been looking for that and have failed.....therefore the post.....great minds think alike. The next question then would be.....the holes for the mounting screws should mount up even if they are of different years?
From what I've seen of MTH powered and non-powered units is that the non-powered unit is essentially the same as a powered unit sans motors and electronics. The trucks are mounted with retainers instead of the motor assembly. So the trick would be to find a four-axle powered unit (preferably a Geep) and carefully disassemble it, then re-assemble the components into your F-unit and install the truck side frames (this might require some drilling of the side frames. If you want to retain the smoke unit, some kind of stack manifold would have to be obtained/fabricated.
Just a thought.
I bought a spare RK 2-8-0 boiler to fit on a chassis I already have, it didn't fit without some Dremel work on the inside of the boiler.
I don't know about MTH dummies, but I bought an Atlas O GP9 dummy when they first came out and later decided to power it and install PS2.
Initially I used parts from a RK F3, trucks, motors, PS2 electronics, because the Atlas dummy didn't have the necessary power transfer gear assembly that meshes with the drive axles and the motor worm (someone also told me that Atlas wouldn't sell me the parts). I finally called them one day and got the parts I needed to reinstall the Atlas trucks (better detail) and to my surprise the MTH motor fit just fine.
Maybe all you need to make the trucks complete is something like the Atlas "power transfer gear assembly" (Atlas P/N 687076) here:
http://www.atlaso.com/partspdf...truck%20complete.pdf
and possibly some parts like the motor base and insulator (again Atlas) here:
http://www.atlaso.com/partspdf...assis%20complete.pdf
If someone could provide you with the MTH P/Ns then you'd be on your way.
A PS2 upgrade kit is going to run you approx. $200, more if you get someone else to install it.
I'd call MTH and ask THEM about the parts and if they're willing to sell them. They'll either say yay or nay! Having P/Ns might make things go easier, but I'm of no help with that. I have the trucks that came off my RK F3, but I'm in the process of making them 2-rail (as a testbed for a future project).
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