So it has been 5 years plus since MTH started using a wireless drawbar. I really miss the Old wired tether. my reason is with the Santa Fe Ten Wheeler I have that is Proto 3.0, the drawbar board was fried and a mother board in the tender. that costs me 200 dollars to replace and repair. My newest Ten Wheeler from MTH, George Washington, has to get a new tether and it didn't even go a scale mile yet, good thing it is under warranty. I have heard from my repair guy, Jim Osborne that in the last year he has worked on 4 Railking Steamers and the wired tether is the most replaced part on the engine. He has Bob1949 's Railking Imperial M1a 4-8-2 still sitting in his shop and has gotten that part finally. My Ten Wheelers have had issues similar to Bob's.
Another Reason that I lean towards the wired tethers is because the struggle of disconnecting the tether after running it an putting it away to transport home or to the club layout. That is why I have been buying Proto 2.0 Steamers from a guy in my club who is selling some off his stuff off and have purchased 3 Proto 2.0 locos from him. My friend Matt ordered a GS-4 and it was a pain to hook up the wireless tether, so I feel that the Ten Wheelers are the easiest engines to hook up.
I don't want to send a message to MTH until I think about some solutions. What if any ideas could be used to make some better tethers?
I think with Lionel using the wired tether on the new 0-6-0 might be a good idea and putting a plate between the tender and engine would be a good idea.
Thanks.