About the MFR


The Metaline Falls Railroad (MFR) is a proto-freelanced model railroad based on the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad located in northern Idaho and north eastern Washington State. For the very latest on the layout, please visit my YouTube channel and follow along with my Instagram account and Facebook Group.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

The little engine that DID IT!


My little Athearn GP15-1 did something tonight that it has never done to date...

...It made it through an entire operating session without stalling once!  I don't know how it did it, and it's never done it before, but (knock on wood) let's hope that this becomes the norm and not the exception because dang it, this little Geep has been a nothing but a huge frustration for me so far!

2 comments:

  1. Matt, its been my (indirect) experience (in my brother's fleet of Athearn's MP15s) that the electrical pickup on the trucks is not reliable, especially in turnouts where there are dead frogs or loose joints that mean one truck is often not getting power.

    Rather than rely upon the axle ends to conduct electricity, the solution is to add stiff spring wire that directly contacts the wheel tread (or backside if they aren't blackened).

    It's frustrating to have to make such changes, but they've greatly increased the reliability from what I've seen.

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    Replies
    1. I wonder if the RTR SW1000s suffer from the same problem? I have two that slow down for no apparent reason.

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