Uh Oh... I’m Starting to Like the MPC/Fundimensions Era Stuff...

Welcome to the Dark Side.

Chris Sheldon

I thought MPC was great in the 70s and early 80s.  I grew up with that and postwar.

I like the 'Limited' sets like the milwaukee limited.  I had that set in 1978 when it came out...  thats an SD-18...  limited sets usually featured the same sprung diecast trucks of the standard o line.

Then there is the Famous Americal RailRoad series...  FARR and Fallen Flags series.  All really nice sets...

In 1982 (ish) they did the SD40s that are not scale, but ran really good...  i have the samta fe.  It was single engine, then they went to dual motors...

I will attach some pics..

Here is FARR#1.  I had this too...

Farr#5

They did nice sets.  Then the fallen flags series was after this, but i was not in hobby then...  my return was in mid 1990s when we got sounds and command control...

It is interesting you post this.  Believe it or not, i was looking at all the old 9700 box car series and the 9400 series on ebay considering getting them again...

I purchased a lot of MPC back in the day and all my stuff is new in the box. Never had a layout so I can't recommend good or bad runners. A lot of people talk bad about MPC but I completely disagree. It was made in AMERICA and that alone makes it very cool to me.

C'mon in, the water's fine. 

Chessie Uboat which leads the MPC Royal Limited Set.

Ok,ok...  i can feel the fever building...  i bet all those mpc freightcars just need me too...

They sure ROLLED like the dickens with fast angle wheels!

johnstrains posted:

C'mon in, the water's fine. 

Chessie Uboat which leads the MPC Royal Limited Set.

You dirty dog!

I still have visions of the chessie u boat new in the catalog 74 i think...  it was radiator end forward pulling a train...

Papertrw is our leader when it comes to MPC.

Bam!  Take that...

Grand National too...

These were from '74 catalog...  some nice catalogs from 74 thru 1980...

Bought the Grand National set from Glen's Train Shop in Akron, Ohio many years ago.  Don't have one single item from that set now.  

Grand National is one i never got...  the fish that got away...  maybe some day!

I agree; MPC is fun and still mostly affordable. A Couple weeks ago I printed out all the MPC service supplements and set them up in binders. Also recently read the Greenberg for those years and Lionel : A Collector's Guide and History: Vol. IV 1970-1980 by McComas and Tuohy.

If you like conventional some of the stuff is definitely pretty solid. I was running my MPC Penn Central GG1 last week, nice heavy monster. Still don't like the weird Symington plastic trucks on the freight cars.

ericc

MPC was one of the main reasons I was able to get back in the hobby in the early 90's. With Postwar being out of reach, I was able to quickly build a decent collection without breaking the bank. The graphics were great. For me, nothing was better at the time then running a colorful mixed CP Rail freight. Even though my scale, command trains get most of the attention nowadays, I still enjoy having a "throwback" running session with my MPC (and LTI) trains.

I am beginning to hear Slim Whitman singing 'Cattle Call'.  I think my head is going to explode.

robmcc posted:

, I still enjoy having a "throwback" running session with my MPC (and LTI) trains.

Cool...

You can’t talk mpc era without the favorite spirits series billboard reefers.   Mine are packed right now but based on this thread I might get them out in the next week or two.

jhz563 posted:

You can’t talk mpc era without the favorite spirits series billboard reefers.   Mine are packed right now but based on this thread I might get them out in the next week or two.

Remember those weatherd reefers they did?  That was a different series, correct?

I thought i had a few of them.  But recall the beer cars also in the standard o series.

MPC Fundimensions really made some beautiful steamers and passenger trains.  Their improvements in decoration were significant.  A good choice in many ways.

Also,...I may just pull the tab on my favorite series billboard reefers.  Good suggestion

The Mt Clemens era made a lot of good trains. My only caution would be the MPC GP7s and 9s. Many were assembled with off set wheels and that makes them wobble. However 2 powered units nicely tuned will pull most trains. And the freight cars built during that time were the most colorful ever offered by Lionel. Some really nice passenger sets were also made.

Jim 1939 posted:

The Mt Clemens era made a lot of good trains. My only caution would be the MPC GP7s and 9s. Many were assembled with off set wheels and that makes them wobble. However 2 powered units nicely tuned will pull most trains. And the freight cars built during that time were the most colorful ever offered by Lionel. Some really nice passenger sets were also made.

Hi Jim...  i do remember how the geeps BOUNCED on the rails when you threw open the power on the old ZW!  Rubber tires...

My Dad made me a postwar power and dummy geep chassis and i would put MPC shells on them for running...  

Weathered Reefer Cars.

The MPC era was one of the major factors for the growth of the hobby in the 70s and 80s. New products came out regularly and were affordable. I remember scouring hobby shops and magazines for new releases and who had the best prices.  What a fun time!  I realize that they don't demand great resale prices, but who cares. They were and are priceless. My sons and I ran them for thousands of hours. Two ZWs and a KW along with 100 watt lights in the basement made the electric meter spin like crazy from November through March every winter. I too enjoy the latest scale and electronic marvels that we have today, but I sometimes miss the simple times.  What a great hobby! Thanks for starting this thread.

Earl 

Postwar and MPC. Found this Wabash (MPC) engine from a guy selling locally and was able to locate the passenger cars to match from a great guy on this forum.

I got the bug for mpc and went for the, southern crescent set. Chess is passenger set and blue comet. Nothing like adding color to the layout. 

I had that southern crescent set...  loved that one!

GregM posted:

Weathered Reefer Cars.

 

Awesome...  thats them

Super O Bob posted:

jhz563 posted:

You can’t talk mpc era without the favorite spirits series billboard reefers.   Mine are packed right now but based on this thread I might get them out in the next week or two.

Remember those weatherd reefers they did?  That was a different series, correct?

I thought i had a few of them.  But recall the beer cars also in the standard o series.

don't forget the tobacco cars!....good god the govt. would have a fit if they tried to do them in this day and age!!

Bill DeBrooke posted:

I am beginning to hear Slim Whitman singing 'Cattle Call'.  I think my head is going to explode.

Indian Love Call.  Cattle Call was Eddy Arnold's.

What, me worry?  

https://youtu.be/0FhQxZnSqc0

My favorite diesels were #8970-#8971 Pennsylvania Tuscan F-3's. They ran and looked fantastic. I loved all of my MPC trains. They were beautiful and ran great.

You guys have had me looking at MPC all nite on ebay...  how funny could it be we all go back to get some of this?

Then there are the service station special sets!

I always liked this one.

It’s hard to describe but I get a fever when I see these colorful boxed sets. This is the stuff that was available in multiple hobby shops at the time I got married and back into the hobby. I was pretty much unable to afford sets but could buy rolling stock and accessories some on layaway at the local shops. Although my main interest is in scale stuff now, I couldn’t resist the NYC Yard Chief set NIB this past spring for a decent price on eBay!  The set came with an extra transfer caboose and a free subscription in the Lionel Railroaders Club. What a great era!

When I got back into trains in 1977 I bought the Disney set I didn’t want to learn all about post war trains so I continued buying new stuff. I have 50 plus 9800 series and a lot of TOFC’s. Bought them because they were attractive and looked good being pulled by my MPC GG1’s. 

One of my favorite pieces of rolling stock from the MPC era. Boxcar from the MStL Service Station Set.

The blue on this one is very unique and a great contrast with the white lettering.

I had lots of MPC back in the 70's and 80's but my favorites were the 40' Hy cubes, I still have them and run them often. 

They look great behind any scale or semi scale locomotives. Mpc made allot of great trains and the best part is that you still an get them at reasonable prices. They also fit in well with trains made today.

Dave

F3 , fm, gg1, higher end steam of mpc were great runners. I tell you my old layout had grades and the mpc would out pull most postwar stuff because it had rubber tires!. Like the postwar trains ,the mpc just keeps on running. Some people really look down on mpc but it was made in America and will outlast anything they put out today for sure!

Anyone ever notice as we get older some of us tend to want to go back with what we grew up with.? I still go back from time to time and look through my collection of MPC era catalogs. Those were great times for me growing up, I used to take the catalogs with me to school, always seemed to have one near by just dreaming!!

I watched the old Lionel dying. And cheered when Quaker stepped to the plate. I have ran, owned, loved and hated many many MPC.

  The problem wasn't collector grade trains from hobby shops. It was some or the rtr starters.

It was all so different. I didn't care for the colors, plastic knuckles, plastic frames, plastic wheels, and DC only can motor rtr starter sets. (Avoid those or be ready to upgrade it to AC with rectification to DC in the loco( $5) or command or reversing board; & metal wheels for some cars.  Oh, and lead sinkers to keep the ultra light, no-metal cars railed if you use more than 4 or 5 cars in a train. Get used to PW up front and MPC to the rear or have the MPC stringlining into derailing on 0-27.

  Those DC rtr sets were not labeled well enough and many folks took them home and set them on thier postwar track only to have them let all the magic smoke out.(burn up).

I.e., Lionel failed to educate the consumer that these were not 'traditional' and many folks fumed over it.

   I wish it wasn't so, but that was the case.  IMO where the quality perception was (rightfully) questioned by the general public (at least here, only 20 min. from MPC Lionel home fyi). 

   So many got returned that k-mart dropped a nice Lionel operating display (I would run it for hours) and pushed Tyco instead. I nearly went HO seeing more quality and better looking equipment for my dollar. (Alas, I couldn't go through with it though I was very very tempted; near determined.). Even the last Marx sets looked to be thier equal at about 1/6th the cost. If Marx would have just put boogies on them they would have outsold those the second year.

Around 74-78 one of the Patriotic or Bicentennial Alco preorders was shipped with unannouced can motor and even the preorder folks got a major dissapointment. I'm not even sure the can motor had metal, lol.   The quality was so bad I watched my Gramps who had collected and pre-ordered Lionel since the 20s or 30s, cry because "his Lionel was dead". Gramps was an ordering hub, a "basement distributor" who Lionel also sent a couple/few "dealer only" thank you engines (one there are only 6 of period) .. He stopped preorders seeing MPC as a dishonest company he would no longer promote.

    It's hard not to be impacted by these facts. MPC did good, but MPC did bad; and when bad they were apathetic.  It rubbed off  

Alfred E Neuman posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

I am beginning to hear Slim Whitman singing 'Cattle Call'.  I think my head is going to explode.

Indian Love Call.  Cattle Call was Eddy Arnold's.

What, me worry?  

If I knew how to link you tube, you too could hear Slim singing 'Cattle Call'.  Either one would cause the same explosion.

Did someone say MPC?