Pull out the MPC!

Unfortunately, i didnt have much to begin with so I sold most of it off last century when scale trains in 3 rail was growing by leaps and bounds.

Have always been partial of the FM train masters!

I was 12 when I bought the North Western when it came out.  Worked at a nursery to buy trains.

Love it! That's a GREAT lineup.

Stu

Those low-tech beauties won’t ever let you down!

JohnA

If more folks would be inclined to post some pictures, I could go dig up and unpack some more.

Here you go...all MPC except the LionChief Plus 2.0 Berkshire in the last photo.

Never had the red G.  The PC was our first and got the 4935 when it came out.  Had the Amtrak and cars for a while but sold them years ago.  Always wanted to take a mint series G and put the presidential cars behind it.

@HSD68 posted:

Had to move some boxes for a closet project so I pulled out some of the girls. Lets see yours.

I love MPC and while it gets shown no love lets face facts. Clean crisp graphics simple to run and easy to repair. Yes they are not scale but many of those big scale steamers will be dead when MPC keeps right on running. This Christmas I brought out my first MPC a PC GP9 that I converted over to simple TMCC. Simple smooth and it runs ! !

All of the engines in those pictures have been packed away for a long time.  The D&H  was converted to magnatraction tears ago.  It will pull anything but not as much as the FM.   I have a couple that I run but not having a layout we are stuck with running through the house on the floor from time to time.

Here's another photo for you HSD68. The B&O F3 on the left is a single motor F3 from MPC shown side by side with the "Neil Young" edition F3 from several years ago.

Despite the single motor, this MPC model is a robust puller and the original (and noisy) e-unit is still going strong. I've resisted the urge to upgrade my MPC's to more modern electronics even though I operate in a TMCC environment. There's something nostalgic about the original electronics, although maintaining those e-units is a challenge!

Here’s a recent acquisition that has wet my appetite for MPC. 1971 Illinois Central set.

I found the unpowered add on diesel, fun!

@franktrain posted:

Here’s a recent acquisition that has wet my appetite for MPC. 1971 Illinois Central set.

I found the unpowered add on diesel, fun!

Now that is a great looking MPC set!

How's it run?

here's my multi-unit head end power consist.

When I started buying my own trains, MPC was all the rage. They really did produce some great stuff!!!

A 783 Hudson:

A 785 Hudson:

A set of NYC & PRR 15” aluminum Passenger Cars:

As it happens, I was running my GP-9 around my test loop just yesterday.  It ran smooth as silk.  Much smoother than I remember.

Love all those D&H units.  The ones that I have were converted to magnatraction.  They still run like all of the  3 axle engines run, but will pull a LOT.  Like to run them with a piggyback train.

When I was a teenager, If you wanted a B&O coal train you had one choice, the 9110.  In the early 80's, you could find these at York for 2-5$.

Here is a few of them

@Sean007 posted:

Now that is a great looking MPC set!

How's it run?

Runs great! The 8254 unpowered unit was upgraded with a powered chassis by the previous owner so I can run with two motors.

I also picked up the 9200 IC boxcar that must have been changed out of the set for the 9301 mail car.

Here's a later issue1985 GP9 8587 the JC Penny Wabash special with prototype engine number 484 also with electronic horn.

Here's the first MPC catalog cover from 1970.

Have fun running and collecting your MPC they made some great trains.

Great thread. Can't kill 'em, easy to fix if you do, what's not to like.

I've considered upgrading some to ERR, at a minimum I may swap out the e-units for Dallee boards.

A lot of fond memories with MPC as me, my brothers and Dad had a lot of fun running and collecting these in the 1980’s.  Here are a few that I still run today among the DCS and TMCC/Legacy modern locos.  Solid runners, never an issue other than routine maintenance.

Forgot this BAR GEEP and matching caboose.

Look Ma... no Cab2 (just a handle on an old ZW transformer). An MPC set of NYC (what else ) F3’s pulling a consist of 15” aluminum passenger cars at “post war” speed!!!

Canada only,uncatalogued  OB with English /French inst.

Here are a couple of MPC repaints done 35 years ago.  They were N&W and PC junkers picked up real cheap. The WM short hood was cut off and sliced in half and a new windshield made.  Did some F's too.

Used to run a large, 3 track, 072 L shaped thing in my friends basement on the rug.  The MPC GP's and F's all run great together so you can run a couple on front and 2 or 3 as pushers on 80-90 car trains and have no problems.  Used to have small black rubber bands for any problem couplers.

I've only got a few engines with the fancy electronics (and I only run them conventionally), everything else is the dependable Postwar and MPC. I'm not set up for photos since I have a cheap flip phone and have trouble working it anyway - I'm a dinosaur!

I have a flip phone as well.  Just use a digital camera

Back during the 80's and 90's we always tried to have 500 different brand new MPC freight cars for people to pick from.

Here are a few of the piggyback cars.  Kind of like having your own store.

Here are a couple of the few I have from the early 80’s, when my daughter was younger. San Diego Zoo Car, and the Traveling Aquarium Car. Most of my stuff is earlier post war, or 90’s and later.

Some great 1970s and 1980s sets at Richard Kughn's Carail Museum.  Had a chance to see the museum at the 1993 and 2000 LCCA conventions.

Hi Jim Sutter

Do you still have any of that stuff from the store or is it all gone now?.

Jim, your train shop must have been amazing. Love the way you displayed the rolling stock. I’m an impulse buyer so being displayed like that would have been terrible for my wallet. Love the pictures.

I always enjoy seeing MPC stuff.  I wish I could get more into collecting and running it but I just don’t have the space to keep it all… I’d have to sell my HO off first!

HSD68, Sorry, every thing is gone. My wife and I had a good thirty year run. The only thing that's left are wonderful memories and I have a lot of them.

romiller49 Thank you Rod for that very nice comment.

@HSD68 posted:

Here are a few of the piggyback cars.  Kind of like having your own store.

Nice! I have the SP ones. Hard to beat MPC on a fun-per-dollar basis.

HDS68, I love your collection of MPC piggyback cars. Your Chicago Northwestern and your Illinois Central Gulf  where always tough to fine.

Well I have lot of MPC stuff as I only re-entered into the Lionel era after my sons were born in the early 70's.  So most of my new train buying was MPC.  In collecting I tend to go for the pre-war struff but I mostly run MPC...reliable, easy to fix, maintain.  Here is one I got just this Saturday at a train show in Plano, Tx.

Lionel MPC #8551 Santa Fe Alco  from 1973-75  This engine was only sold as a stand alone "A" unit.

Here is a little video with a short train, note IC boxcar is MPC as well.

Best Wishes

Don

Love mpc. Low cost and made in good old USA . Have a lot of mpc and post war. At 57 , my first trains were mpc and I still have them ! I will take some pics and post.

@jim sutter posted:

Mark Holmgren, I love your collection of MPC piggyback cars. Your Chicago Northwestern and your Illinois Central Gulf  where always tough to fine.

That belongs to HSD68! I was just saying I have the SP ones.