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MTH ho Little Joe

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  • Member since
    June 2005
  • 68 posts
MTH ho Little Joe
Posted by elauterbach on Sunday, July 19, 2020 5:57 PM

Hello

Has anyone had any success in increasing the pulling power of the ho scale MTH Little Joe? Mine will literally only a freight car or two. Not a bad looking engine but the weakest engine that I have ever had.

thanks

Eric 

Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,249 posts
Posted by tstage on Sunday, July 19, 2020 6:55 PM

Eric,

Two things:

  1. Have you tried adding weight to the chassis?
  2. Do you know for sure that all the axles are rotating?

I had a locomotive one time that ran "okay" but ran a LOT better (and with more pulling power) when I discovered that only one of the two trucks was receiving power.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, July 19, 2020 7:05 PM

According to the review I read a few moments ago, the cast-metal body shell is pretty-much already full, but with a weight of 1.5lbs., it should be a fairly decent puller.

Tom's mention of non-powered trucks may be a good starting point:  perhaps one of the driveshafts is disconnected.

Wayne

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 1,345 posts
Posted by ATSFGuy on Monday, July 20, 2020 5:50 PM

Is there a hobby store in your area? Have you taken it back and explained the problem to them?

Do you still have the locomotive instructions?

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • 68 posts
Posted by elauterbach on Saturday, July 25, 2020 4:52 PM

I was able to get the other truck gear engaged and now it will pull a decent sized freight train. I did have to remove the weight from the front and rear unpowered trucks and fix a few track connections to keep it from derailing. it is a very picky engine. The  problem is that the heaslights do not go on. The cab and marker lighs do work though. I run only DC, so I am at a loss on how to fix that issue. does anyone have any thoughts?

thanks

Eric 

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