Dad’s Mogul

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This is a train I put together for my Dad’s birthday. He has a small train set to go around the Christmas tree. Really just a circle of track with a power pack. I thought he would enjoy a nicer steam engine with sound to show off. He’s not a “serious” model railroader, does not use DCC, and likes his trains to be as simple as possible.


I wanted to get him a train that included some (literal) bells and whistles while also requiring no additional learning curve. The engine is a RTR Roundhouse model with a factory installed MRC sound decoder. It runs surprisingly smooth for a 20-year-old engine, and the colorful paint scheme is great for a holiday display. 



The MRC sound system was key in deciding to go with this engine. The engines produced in the mid 2000’s came with a radio remote to control some sounds. Since my Dad doesn’t have a DCC system, the remote allows him to blow the whistle and ring the bell without buying a new controller. There aren’t as many sound options or prototypical effects as on a more modern sound decoder, but the limited selection is perfect for his needs.


The only modification I made to the engine was to paint the drivers, originally unpainted metal, gray with white tires. 


The passenger cars are decades-old AHM/Pocher models I found for cheap on EBay. They received all new B&O paint, metal wheels, and McHenry knuckle couplers that dropped into the talgo style pockets. The spruced-up cars look much nicer than their vintage lineage would suggest. 





With the paint work finished, I lettered the cars using a Microscale set. I didn’t follow any prototype exactly, but focused on making a colorful consist that would look good around the Christmas tree. The finished consist complements the engine very well. 


The Roundhouse RTR steamers (there was a 2-8-0, 4-4-0, and 2-6-0) are unappreciated in my opinion. They filled a niche for small inexpensive steam engines that is largely missing from today’s offerings. It’s fortunate that i was able to find one on the secondary market for this project.



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