The MTH Electric Trains HO scale bipolar features pantographs that raise and lower, remote opening couplers, and sound effects. Equipped with the MTH Digital Command System (DCS), the locomotive runs on direct-current (DC), Digital Command Control (DCC), and DCS layouts. Watch us run the locomotive on the Model Railroader club layout.
Video: MTH HO scale bipolar electric
By Angela Cotey | April 29, 2011
| Last updated on November 3, 2020
Watch this HO scale locomotive from MTH electric trains run on the Model Railroader club layout
is this great loco available in dc in Australia
@Roger from NJ, yes it is a poor puller. Despite its weight, the wheels just spun at my local club layout when pulling a consist of about 20 freight cars. However, it pushed them with no problem, which means weight is coming off of the drive wheels when it pulls. I can't fully explain this behavior since I am not aware of any other locomotives in my fleet that have this problem.
It will operate from powered catenary. The sounds, however, are very loud for an electric loco. It sounds like a diesel, and although you can turn the sound down, under DCC control, it means ALL the are turned down (like the horn and the bell). Maybe under DCS you can control the individual sounds, but I'm operating them on DCC, so I can't comment otherwise. Very nice detail, supr-smooth running loco, decent amount of control under DCC.
very nice engine its a pitty Icant use it on my marklin layout
Great Locomotive! I think I might try to buy it soon, but will the operating pantographs work correctly on standard DC layouts?
Excellant, I wish it was just a bit longer.
An interesting Locomotive. Thanks for the in operation look.
My only question – Will it operate from the pantagraph, or it the electric pickup only from the rails?
A really nice engine. I just wished it hadn't DCS…
Looking forward to the June issue. I am very interested in the remote opening coupler and on information about how to source this type of coupler and how to equip my existing models with it.
That is nice and also looks great thank you.
awesome
Very beautiful engine and performance
Looking great
I agree it sounded more like a diesel to me. A low key one at that. But I'm sure all of that is adjustable. Didn't hear any electric motor whine at all. All in all, I'm glad it's here. Been waiting for someone to produce this model in affordable plastic for some time. Should have been made a long time ago. One of the Milwaukee's rare and unique form of power.
Where's Athearn with all this?
Dana I enjoy your reviews but I find I can bearly hear the engines sound thats being reviewed. Your voice is fine. how about more volume on the reviewed engine
Beautiful Paint and proper length .It seems to run smothly when looking at the video.. Keep it comming MTH….
All of the colors look beautiful !!!! Milwaukee Road lives on …even if some of its orange has faded. Love the DCC controlled couplers.
Rogers comment about the electrified portion of the Milwaukee Road is incorrect. It was the largest in the USA involving two major sections in the west Seattle being one of them. I do agree with him tho that the bipolars and the Joe's by MTH could be better pullers. They are both beautiful well made locomotives. My hat is off to MTH. My main complaint is the MU capability of both locomotives. Its impossible with other manufactures locomotives, so it seems. I've had no luck so far. This is an area of concern that has not been addressed by MTH or MR.
I might be wrong, but either the orange color of the Bi-Polar is too bright, or the cars are too dark. Which one is the correct color?
Nice new haircut, Dana!
What should be orange on the bipolar appears as yellow on the video and doesn't match the proper orange on the cars behind.
The Joe model I have can't seem to go faster than five scale mph and I was wondering where the fault lies. Now I suspect it is in the model after reading these comments.
Looks much more powerful than the others above indicated.
Use traction tires as standard equipment?
Great looking model. I'll bet that not all of the real ones were exactly the same color either. The same goes for the matching cars as well. The weather elements have a great effect in real life, so why not in our models. Many modelers go to great lengths to simulate the real weathering effects on their models.
(Good Video)
Great but a little short. Why not mount a camers on a flat car sometime and take all of us on a train ride?
Sounds more like a diesel than an electric, but I love the way it runs without pantograph wires. Now that's efficient!
I don't know how many wheels pick up juice, but this might be a good case for "Bullfrog Snot"? Good looking loco.