Question about MPC Steam Engine

I cannot answer your question, but I am interested in obtaining a 8206 loco with its tender. If you are interested, please send me an email with price and condition.

I don't think they whistle, but I am not positive.

Catalog says it has a whistle, I think it will work with a Postwar whistle control, not at all positive.

Don, my MPC steamers with Mighty Sounds of Steam always worked fine with the whistle controllers on my all-original postwar ZW. IIRC, it was polarity sensitive, however; i.e. U terminals must be connected to outside rail. 

GN Man, thanks I will test it with a regular transformer, if I can dig one up that is. All that stuff is still in boxes. Don

It will work.  I had several of those and they are good running locomotives.  Somewhere I still have the buttons for them.  

Thanks Marty, I just oiled her up and tested her on a piece of GarGraves track. Whistle works and she run great. As I remember I only ran the engine one Christmas and never ran it again. Don't know why but just forgot about it. Don

The 8206 was MPCs first baby Hudson. A good runner but many of them wobble because of an off set driver(s).

The 1972 8206 was also Lionel's first use of those Baldwin Disc wheels dating from 1938 since 1949.

I saw that engine at my first train show and purchased it for $49.00.  

Replacing the way too thick traction tires with MTH ones will help the wobble problem greatly.

A small thing, but I always thought having the lighted classification lights on this engine was pretty cool. 

Hey Don, you should probably take off the tender shell and make sure the circuit board is well insulated from the frame.  That foam they used long ago does deterioated....

Marty

I have 2 of these and they run well, 1 came in my service station set, and another I bought separate. The smoke unit smokes great! Use Mega Steam!

 Yes it will work. I suggest the newer Lionel Sound Buttons if not using TMCC, The original button caused the circuit boards to when activating the whistle.

Also, I know of someone that can repair the circuit board if it is not working properly! I have had several repaired and they all sound great for the nostalgic sounds.

The early whistle buttons are red and usually fried. The good ones are #6-5906.

I took off the tender shell as Martin recommended and checked the board. It is still attached to the frame but there is a silver metal piece that is not attached. Was this normal or did someone try to make the tender heavier. The metal is right behind the board in the picture. Don

Looks to me like somebody tried to block off the cut out for the water scoop in an effort to enhance the acoustics and prevent sound from escaping out the bottom of the frame and forcing it all upward. Or more likely; they were trying to secure the water scoop in place.

For whatever reason it did not come from MPC that way.

Probably. In the early 70's, operators were still pulling primarily heavy postwar consists. Those MPC tenders are very light, and the 8206 has good pull thanks to the traction tire.