I've not converted any to DCC but since end of 1990s/beginning of 2000s have had and still have several of their 0-8-0, 2-6-0, and 4-4-0, locomotives, and one 2-10-2, and one 4-6-4, all quite reliable and nice running.
"The Athearn blue box of steam" is what I have called those IHC/Mehano steamers; sturdy, basic, reliable, and very well running for the price point.
And model train club has a 2-8-0 which was given to the club and I redecorated it for the club roadname; it has piled up a lot of hours and miles running for open houses.
It has been interesting over the last decade watching it run for 3 to 5 hours straight on open house days while the club members with their multi-hundred dollar limited-run locomotives had constant electronics problems: and then there was an SP Daylight GS4 which over course of time cooked several DCC sound boards when the pilot truck derailed and shorted on a couple different turnouts.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the 'old school' IHC/Mehano 2-8-0 goes and goes and goes and goes and ...
Super.
Yeah, it's surprising how much added weight can do, as it increases traction and also improves electrical contact if you're able to add weight to both loco and tender.
I painted a brass 0-6-0 for a friend, and not too long after doing so, he asked me if I wanted the loco. I asked him why he wanted to get rid of it, and he claimed that it wouldn't pull very much. I found that somewhat hard to believe, so asked him what he wanted for the loco.His reply was, "I asked you if you wanted it!" I responded (this was a telephone conversation) "Well, it all depends on the price."
"It has nothing to do with the price...do you want it or not?"
I want it, sure, but I want to give you fair value for it, too.""Well, in that case it's yours, as it's of no value to me."
I did get the loco for free, and made some minor cosmetic changes to it, but I also added weight to both the loco and tender. I then called him on the 'phone...."Hey, do you remember that loco you gave me, that wouldn't pull enough cars? I just finished pushing 19 heavy cars around the layout with it...seems pretty decent to me. Do you want a nice 0-6-0?"There was a pause, then, "No thanks, if it works good for you, you should keep it."
It is a sturdy little gem, and runs very nicely since I put rare earth magnets in the open frame motor....
I recently repaired a brass Consolidation for the same friend, and he had asked if I wanted it, as he was planning to get rid of it. I didn't really want it, as I have 5 Bachmann Consolidations in-service, and another three awaiting re-building to represent three specific prototypes.
However, I did agree to repairing it (it was missing some parts and didn't run all that well, either). I didn't bother taking any "before" photos, as it was quite a mess.Here's the re-worked version, which runs quite nicely...
I was surprised at how well it turned out, and was considering making him an offer, but decided to not do so until had had seen it.When I delivered it, he didn't believe that it was the same locomotive...I set it, loco only, on his layout, then asked for the throttle, while he fumbled to put the tender on the same track. As he was getting it on the rails, I started the loco and ran it down the track...he was dumbfounded, as it was running without the tender.I had added all-wheel pick-up (as I had done on several others of his locomotives, although he had not been aware that they could run tender-less.
Anyway, long-story short, he liked the loco well-enough that he decided to keep it...mission accomplished.
Wayne
Wow Wayne, that little loco can sure pull!
snjroyAs for weight, well, there is just not a lot of room for that in the boiler. They are made of light plastic... The best solution is to double-head the engines, which is really easy with DCC.
Double-heading in DC is even easier, as if the train actually "needs" more than one locomotive to move it, pretty well any locomotive will work just fine with any other loco...differing starting voltages excepted.
I'd say that all of my DC locos are compatable for double heading, and also for multiple operations in the same train - double-headed pullers and/or pushers, and mid-train helpers, too. I don't normally run long trains, but do run long trains to test performance limits.This can be an aide to establish tonnage ratings for each loco in-service on the layout, so that appropriate combinations can be made.
Lastspikemike...The Pacific has pizza cutter wheels (not RP 25) and rumbles over Code 83 track. Made in Slovenia....
I had forgotten about the pizza cutter wheels on the IHC loco. I bought two of them when they were first released, from Hobbies For Men, in Beacon, New York...$15.00 apiece. One went to a friend, although I don't know if he still has it.
To easily reduce the oversize flanges on the drivers, I removed the bodyshell, then hooked jumper wires to the motor. Holding the loco by its motor, using one hand, I brought the face (not the edge) of a cut-off disc in my motor tool to bear lightly against the bottom of the spinning driver flanges (to avoid getting the metal dust in the gears) holding it there only for a few seconds at a time (I didn't want to overheat the metal, as the wheel centres are plastic). I moved the cut-off disc from wheel to wheel, in-turn, until all flanges were an acceptable size. The wheelset in the lead truck had oversized flanges, too, but I simply replaced it with one more suitable, and likewise for the tender.
snjroy...As for weight, well, there is just not a lot of room for that in the boiler. They are made of light plastic... The best solution is to double-head the engines, which is really easy with DCC...
I manage to add weight inside the boiler and in the cab, too, along with brass tubing, filled with lead, for the loco's air reservoirs - this balanced the weight perfectly at the mid-point of the driver's wheelbase, the optimum for good pulling power.Yesterday, after responding to the thread on the original Proto tank car kits, I dug out most of my tank cars (turned out that I had only four or five of the Proto tank cars...fewer than I had recalled).Since I had the 16 cars out of their boxes (mostly Tichy, from kits...but there are another dozen-or-so elsewhere, lettered for GERN Industries), I decided to put them on a track in one of my staging yards. When they were all on-track, I realised that they were blocking some of other tracks. I had just weighed my IHC Mogul, so decided to use it to move the tank cars, plus a caboose, to a longer track.The 37 coupled-on, front-first to the drag, then pulled it out of the staging track....
...then along the second track from the backdrop, in the photo below...
...then through the crossover to the other track...
...and then part-way down this grade...
While the grade is roughly only 1.5%, much of the train is on a curve. However, when power was applied, the 37 dug-in, with no wheelslip, pushing the 17 car train up the grade, around the curve, and into a longer staging track...
By the way....
Don't be alarmed by the woman lying down on the platform in the second photo - she seems to have a proclivity for feigning a swoon every time someone shows up with a camera, even if that person is in an airplane. (Aerial photos courtesy of Secord Air Services.)
Hi Simon.
I believe that you are correct that BEMF doesn't neccessarily affect start up, but given the age of the decoders and the age/quality of the motors an upgrade to the decoders would certainly improve the performance.
Scott Sonntag
Does BEMF affect engine starts? In some cases, my steam engines ran a bit wonky with the BEMF activated, at all speeds, so I turned it off. But starts are a bit on the fast side with early Mehanos, DC or DCC.
Simon
I've got 3 IHC/Mehano's. 2 2-6-0's and an one 2-8-0. All have been converted to DCC with older Digitrax motor only decoders. All are hard wired conversions given their age. They have all been running for over 15 years
The 2-6-0's could benefit from a decoder upgrade given the age of the decoders which don't have BEMF so starts are a bit jerky at times. As Wayne pointed out both could also benefit from some additional weight, especially in the tender.
The 2-8-0 has run smoothly from the beginning and pulls quite well without any additional weight.
I have this Mehano, and when I used to set up a Christmas layout, it would run flawlessly for hours, around and around the layout, with no problems.
It's a smooth runner, great slow speed. Not sure of it's age, but it is not dcc ready. I have thought abought hardwiring a decoder.
Mike.
My You Tube
I had a Mehano Hudson and a Sante Fe. Both were smooth runners. Neither were plug ñ play DCC ready but I did convert both to DCC. They were hard wire installs. The Hudson I installed a sound decoder in the tender. The Sante Fe I installed a small motion decoder in the cab.
Both of mine were made in Slovenia.
CN Charlie
I agree, the quality of the decoder makes a difference, although I think all new decoders sold these days meet that criteria.
I installed quite a few of them in Mehano engines: they are not DCC ready, at least the early runs, but the motors are isolated, which means that it's just a matter of clipping and soldering wires. I believe the TCS Website has a few how-to instructions for Mehanos.
If you have a tender, there is plenty of room for a decoder and a speaker. If the engine only has a few drivers (for power pickup), I would recommend that you install extra wipers on the tender, for full 8 wheel pickup. That is probably the best improvement you can make on these engines.
As for weight, well, there is just not a lot of room for that in the boiler. They are made of light plastic... The best solution is to double-head the engines, which is really easy with DCC. My Mehanos don't get a lot of running time because of that... But they are great to get your feet wet into DCC.
I havent converted any to DCC. I have quite a few IHC Mehanos and all run smooth and quiet. Id recommend these locos. No reason to believe they wont perform as well if a decent decoder is installed.
PMR
I have an IHC Mogul, but it was not only a little light, but also somewhat reluctant to start. I usually ran it with a re-motored brass Mogul, which would pull both the IHC loco and a not-too-long train for 8 or 9 inches, before the IHC loco would finally kick-in, and as long as they were moving, they ran well together.I later re-motored the IHC loco, which cured the starting issue, so I decided to upgrade both of them, changing their appearance to make them more similar and adding weight to improve their performance. Like Dan's locos, mine are also DC.
Here's the brass one in its more-or-less original version, which was as a B&M B-15...(click on the photos to enlarge them)
...and the IHC loco, modified into a coal burner, with a few added details to reduce the Espee appearance...
I modified the 34's cylinders from slide valves to piston valves, added some details and replaced the brass cab with a Bachmann cab from a 2-8-0...
...then changed the tender a bit, too...
The 37, from IHC, also got a new cab and similar details, but I initially had some difficulties rectifying the tilted cab...
...the tender was modified, too...
I also added weight to both locos and their tenders, too, with the 34 now at 20oz. and the 37 at 17oz.They're both smooth runners, work well together (and with other locos, too) and pull surprisingly well for their diminutive size...
I'll second the comments on how nicely these Mehanos run. I have 4 moguls. Quiet and smooth, but fairly light on their feet. I'd add some weight in the tender. A keep alive would be great, but I run DC. Dan
Thanks Jim. That was about what I expected. Appreciate it!
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
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I have two IHC locos, a rear cab 4-4-0 and a camelback 2-6-0. These were my first dcc conversions, they're not dcc-ready, but only very basic low-watt, soldering skills are needed.
First I put my toe in the water by adding a control-only decoder in the 4-4-0, then a sound decoder in the 2-6-0, then upgrading the 4-4-0 to match. Both run very well through all speed ranges, but frequently stalled when switching despite clean wheels and track. Adding a Current Keeper to both solved that problem completely. Now the only interuption is when I run a closed turnout!
Jim
Hi. Just wondering how Mehano/IHC steam locomotives are. It is dcc ready. I'm not super concerned with the prototype details. Mostly wondering how they run and how hard to convert to dcc. thanks