M.T.H. Tinplate 840 User manual

By M.T.H. Electric Trains
®
®
Tinplate 840
Powerhouse
PLEASE READ BEFORE USE AND SAVE
OPERATOR’S MANUAL

CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT:
Not recommended for children under 10 years of age. M.T.H. recommends adult supervision with children ages 10 - 16.
As with all electric products, precautions should be observed during handling and use to reduce therisk of electric shock.
WARNING:When usingelectricalproducts,basicsafetyprecautionsshouldbeobserved,includingthefollowing:
Readthismanualthoroughlybefore usingthisdevice.
M.T.H. recommends that all users and persons supervising use examine the hobby transformer and other electronic equipment
periodically for conditions that may result in the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons, such as damage to the primary
cord, plug blades, housing, output jacks or other parts. In the event such conditions exist, the train set should not be used until
properlyrepaired.
Donotoperateyourlayoutunattended. Obstructedaccessoriesorstalledtrainsmayoverheat,resulting in damage toyourlayout.
Thistrainsetisintendedforindooruse. Donotuseifwaterispresent. Seriousinjuryorfatalitymayresult.
l
l
l
lDonotoperatethehobbytransformerwithdamagedcord,plug,switches,buttonsorcase.
Table of Contents
Assembly ..............................................................................................................3
Smoke Stacks.........................................................................................3
Water Tower..........................................................................................5
Base and Stairs.......................................................................................5
Skylights................................................................................................ 5
Basic Operation....................................................................................................6
Maintenance..........................................................................................................8
Service & Warranty Information...........................................................8
Limited One-Year Warranty..................................................................8

Tinplate 840 Powerhouse 3
Assembly
Smoke Stacks
1. Carefully remove the number 840 Powerhouse and styrofoam packing from the
contatiner.
2. Make sure all three hoses from the
smoke unit are sticking up from the
roof. One hose in each hole in the roof
should be visible. If the ends of the
hoses are inside the building. Reach in
through one of the openings below the
skylights and thread the hose through
the openings in the roof for the
smokestacks.
3. Make sure the special locking
screws for the smokestack are aligned
so that the straight sides of the heads
are facing each other.
4. Thread one hose into each
smokestack.
5. Make sure the ends of the hoses
stick out of the top of the smokestack.
A pair of needle-nose pliers may be
needed to grab onto the hoses and guide them through the top of the smokestacks.

4Tinplate 840 Powerhouse
Assembly
7. Turn the smokestack locking screws ½ turn to lock the smokestack assembly into
place.
Smokestacks (cont’d)
8. Place the MTH sign down over
the smokestacks until it fits snug.
Be aceful to not scratch the painted
surface of the smokestacks.
9. Carefully insert a smokestack
cap into the end of each hose
sticking out of the tops of the
smokestacks. A pair of needle-nose
pliers may be needed to hold the
hose while attaching the
smokestack cap.
10. Once the cap has been
connected to the hose, insert the cap
into the smokestack. The hose may
have to be pulled back down the
smokestack slightly to help ensure the smokestack cap fits tightly into the smokestack.
Reach through the skylight openings to grab the hoses if necessary.

Tinplate 840 Powerhouse 5
Assembly
The water tower is attached to the
roof using tabs and slots. The
location of the tabs and slots are
keyed.
1. Locate the slots on the roof and
align the tabs on the water tower.
2. Carefully insert the tabs down
into the slots.
The number 840 Powerhouse can be
lifted and set into the green base. If
you elect to use the base, the stairs
can be attached by aligning the pins
on the underside of the stair
assembly to the round holes in the
base.
Water Tower
Base and Stairs
Skylights
Two removable skylights provide
access to spaces originally intended to
hold a transformer. The skylights can
be installed or removed by sliding the
skylight toward the front or rear of the
840 Powerhouse.
The skylights must be oriented with
the bumps on their edges aligned with
the slots on the roof.

6Tinplate 840 Powerhouse
Operation
The #840 Powerhouse is equipped with an interior light and a smoke generator.
Operating voltage is between 10 and 18 volts.
The interior light is on anytime power is applied to the threaded terminal on the side of
the superstructure.
The smoke generator can be turned
on or off by opening or closing the
switch next to the threaded
terminals in the switch bank
attached to the side of the
superstructure.
To operate the smoke unit, add 25 -
30 drops of smoke fluid. Drip the
fluid into any one of the three
smokestacks. While any of the
three stacks can be used for filling
the smoke generator, it is
recommended that only one stack
be used for filling at any given time. DO NOT add smoke fluid to all three smokestacks
at once in order to prevent overfilling of the smoke generator. Excessive smoke fluid in
the generator will inhibit smoke operation.
DO NOT operate the smoke unit without sufficient smoke fluid in the generator
chamber. The wicking in the smoke generator will harden if operated without sufficient
fluid. This can cause the heating
element to burn out.
The smoke fluid tubes may become
clogged with condensed smoke
fluid from time to time. If this
occurs (as evidenced by diminished
smoke in any one of the stacks),
gently blow into the smoke fluid
tube. If desired, an empty squeeze
bottle could be used to force air
down through the tube(s).

Tinplate 840 Powerhouse 7
Additional switches are provided on the switch bank for con trolling other accessories on
a layout. The accessories can be connected to these knife switches by connecting the
accessory controller wirres via the screws on the switch panel. See the specific wiring
instsructions included with your accessory for more infomration on wiring.
Operation

How to Get Service Under the Terms of the Limited One-Year Warranty
For warranty repair, follow the instructions below to obtain warranty service.
1. First, e-mail, write, call or fax an Authorized M.T.H. Service Center in your area or M.T.H. ElectricTrainsto
obtain Repair Authorization. You can find the list of Authorized Service Centers on the M.T.H. website,
www.mth-railking.com. Authorized Service Centers are required only to make warranty repairs on items sold from
that store; all other repairs may or may not be done at the store's own discretion. Otherwise, con tact M.T.H. (fill
out the Service Contact form in the Service Section of www.mth-railking.com; send US mail to the ad dress listed
below; tel: [phone]; fax: [phone]), stating when the item was purchased and describing the problem.
If you contact M.T.H., you will be given a return authorization number to assure that your merchandise will be
properly handled upon its receipt.
2. CAUTION: Make sure the product is packed in its original factory packaging including its foam a nd plastic
wrapping material so as to prevent damage to the merchandise. The shipment must be prepaid and we recommend
that it be insured. A cover letter including your name, address, daytime phone number, e-mail address (if
available), Return Authorization number, a copy of your sales receipt and a full description of the problem must be
included to facilitate the repairs. Please include the description regardless of whether you discussed the problem
with a service technician when contacting the Service Center or M.T.H. for your Return Authorization.
M.T.H. products are warrantied for one year from the date of purchase against defects in material or workmanship,
excluding wear items such as light bulbs, pick-up rollers, batteries, smoke unit wicks, and traction tires. We will
repair or replace (at our option) the defective part without charge for the parts or labor, if the item is returned to an
Authorized M.T.H. Service Center or M.T.H. Electric Trains within one year of the original date of purchase. This
warranty does not cover damages caused by improper care, handling, or use. Transportation costs incurred by the
customer are not covered under this warranty.
Items sent for repair must be accompanied by a return authorization number, a description of the problem, and a
copy of the original sales receipt from an Authorized M.T.H. Train Merchant, which gives the date of purchase. If
you are sending the item to M.T.H., fill out the Service Contact form in the Service Section of
www.mth-railking.com; send US mail to the address listed below; call 410-381-2580, or fax [phone] to
obtain a return authorization number. If you are sending this product to an Authorized Service Center, contact that
Center for their return authorization.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights that vary from state to state.
Service Department
M.T.H. Electric Trains
7020 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, Maryland 21046-1532
Service & Warranty Information
Limited One-Year Warranty

Tinplate 840 Powerhouse 9
ALABAMA
ARIZONA
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
FLORIDA
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
SOUTHERLAND STATION
HUNTSVILLE
256-533-4720
[email protected]
ARIZONA TRAIN DEPOT
MESA
480-833-9486
[email protected]
www.arizonatraindepot.com/
DOLLHOUSES, TRAINS & MORE
NOVATO
415-883-0388
[email protected]
TIN PLATE JUNCTION
OAKLAND
510-444-4780
[email protected]
MIZELLTRAINSInc
WESTMINSTER
303-429-4811
[email protected]
www.mizelltrains.com
SHELTONRAILROADSYSTEMS
SHELTON
203-924-8761
[email protected]
NEWENGLANDHOBBYSUPPLY
MANCHESTER
860-646-0610
[email protected]
K R R B MODEL TRAINS INC.
NEWARK
302-292-2779
[email protected]
www.krrb.com
DEPOTHOBBYSHOP
LAKE WORTH
561-585-1982
[email protected]
www.depothobbies.com
COLONIAL PHOTO & HOBBY
ORLANDO
407-841-1485
[email protected]
WARRICK CUSTOM HOBBIES
PLANTATION
954-370-0708
[email protected]
www.warrickcustomhobbies.com
FRANK'S TRAINS & HOBBIES INC.
OLDSMAR
813-855-1041
[email protected]
www.allhobbies.com
READY TO ROLL
MIAMI
305-688-8868
[email protected]
www.readytorolltrains.com
BIKE&CHOOCHOOCONNECTION
SCHAUMBURG
847-882-7728
[email protected]
Y.O.R.K.TRAINS
MUNSTER
219-838-9999
[email protected]
SAMUELSON'STRAINSHOP
VALPARAISO
219-462-2708
AMERICA'STRAINYARD
BATON ROUGE
225-926-5592
WHEELS,WINGS &THINGS
LUDLOW
207-532-6277
[email protected]
ENGINE HOUSE HOBBIES
GAITHERSBURG
301-590-0816
[email protected]
J&BTRAINS
HAGERSTOWN
240-420-4930
HOBBYTOWN U S A
FREDERICK
301-694-7395
PURKEY'S TOY TRAINS
SYKESVILLE
410-549-6061
[email protected]
THE TRAIN ROOM
HAGERSTOWN
301-745-6681
NORTHEAST TRAINS
PEABODY
978-532-1615
www.netrains.com
BRASSEURELECTRICTRAINSINC.
SAGINAW
517-793-4753
[email protected]
www.traindoctor.com
PARTICIPATING RETAILER LIST
AUTHORIZEDSERVICECENTER
www.mth-railking.com
7020 Columbia Gateway Dr. - Columbia, MD 21046
Information: 410-381-2580 Fax: [phone]

10 Tinplate 840 Powerhouse
MISSOURI
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA
OHIO
PENNSYLVANIA
SWITCH STAND
SAINTLOUIS
314-781-4458
[email protected]
MARKTWAIN HOBBYCENTER
ST.CHARLES
636-946-2816
[email protected]
www.hobby1.com
TREASUREDTOYS
SALEM
603-898-7224
[email protected]
www.treasured-toys.com
RAILROAD SPECIALTIES
HUDSON
603-882-5566
[email protected]
www.electric-trains.com
TRAINS & THINGS
TRENTON
609-883-8790
[email protected]
GRANDCENTRALSTATION
KEARNY
201-955-6200
[email protected]
HOBBYMASTERS,INC
RED BANK
732-842-6020
[email protected]
HOLLY BEACH TRAIN DEPOT
WILDWOOD
609-522-2379
[email protected]
COASTTRAINS ANDCOLLECTIBLES
WALL
732-556-9005
[email protected]
www.coasttrains.com
J & B TRAINS, INC.
MAPLE SHADE
856-414-0092
[email protected]
HOBBY SHOP
MATAWAN
732-583-0505
hobbyshopnj.com
ATLANTIC RAILS
HAMMONTON
609-567-8490
[email protected]
www.atlanticrails.com
COUNTRYANDSTUFF
ANDOVER
973-786-7086
[email protected]
RIDGEFIELDHOBBY
RIDGEFIELD
201-943-2636
COLUMBUS TRAIN STATION
COLUMBUS
609-518-1800
AURORA RAILS & HOBBIES
EAST AURORA
716-652-5718
[email protected]
AMERICANA STORE
TIVOLI
845-757-4246
[email protected]
NASSAU HOBBY CENTER, INC.
FREEPORT
516-378-9594
[email protected]
KROSS HARDWARE
WEST BABYLON
631-669-3069
[email protected]
CITYDEPOT,INC.
NEW HAMPTON
845-374-3010
[email protected]
www.citydepot.com
DRY BRIDGE STATION
MOUNT AIRY
336-786-9811
[email protected]
www.drybridgestation.com
THE FREIGHT YARD
SMITHFIELD
919-934-6229
[email protected]
TRAINS LTD.
CHARLOTTE
704-566-9070
[email protected]
www.trainsltd.com
THE ROUNDHOUSE & BACKSHOP
CARY
919-465-0810
DIXIEUNIONSTATION
MASON
513-459-0460
[email protected]
www.dixieunionstation.com
RICK'STOYTRAINS
TOLEDO
419-478-0171
T&KHOBBYSHOP
BRIDGEPORT
740-633-6607
[email protected]
www.tkhobbies.com
TRAINS-N- THINGS
CANTON
330-499-1666
[email protected]
PARMAHOBBY
CLEVELAND
216-741-6440
[email protected]
GLEN'STRAINSHOP
AKRON
330-253-6527
E & S TRAINS
AKRON
330-745-0785
GRAND PACIFIC JUNCTION
OLMSTEAD FALLS
440-235-4777
[email protected]
HUDSON TOY, TRAIN & HOBBY
HUDSON
330-653-2997
[email protected]
DAVIS ELECTRONICS
MILFORD
513-831-6425
[email protected]
www.davistrains.com
SANDY'S HOBBY'S & COLLECTIBLES
ELYRIA
440-365-9999
[email protected]
ERIE RAILWAY DEPOT
TROY
937-440-9972
[email protected]
CLEARVIEW TRAIN & HOBBY
LORAIN
440-277-4488
[email protected]
www.clearviewtrainandhobby.com
FAIRCHANCE PHARMACY
FAIRCHANCE
724-564-7817
[email protected]
www.hhs.net/fairchance

Tinplate 840 Powerhouse 11
THESTATION
NEW CUMBERLAND
717-774-7096
[email protected]
BUSSINGER TRAINS
AMBLER
215-628-2366
[email protected]
www.icdc.com/~btrains
CHARLEROI SWEEPER CENTER
CHARLEROI
724-483-3397
AMERICAN HOBBY CENTER
ALIQUIPPA
724-378-3930
[email protected]
CRANBERRYHOBBYDEPOT
CRANBERRY TWP
724-776-3640
[email protected]
ALLENTOWN TOY TRAIN SERVICE
ALLENTOWN
610-821-0740
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
ALTOONA
814-942-4345
JIM'S TRAIN SHOP
HOMER CITY
724-479-2026
[email protected]
YE OLDE TRAIN & CHRISTMAS
SHOPPE
BOYERTOWN
610-369-0755
www.yeoldetrain.com
TOBY TYLER'S HOBBY CENTER
PITTSBURGH
412-653-5030
[email protected]
BUSTLETONTRAINSHOP
PHILADELPHIA
215-698-7266
CHESTNUT TOYBOX
PHILADELPHIA
215-545-0455
[email protected]
THECABOOSE
LEHIGHTON
570-386-5352
www.thecaboosehobbies.com
[email protected]
EMERALD TRAIN & HOBBY
GREENWOOD
864-223-2247
MODEL RAILROAD & HOBBY SHOP
MEMPHIS
901-384-6500
[email protected]
www.modelrailroadandhobby.com
HOBBY TIME
AMARILLO
806.352.9660
[email protected]
TRAIN DEPOT
MANASSAS
703-335-2216
NORGE STATION
WILLIAMSBURG
757-564-7623
[email protected]
NUTBUSH EXPRESS
VICTORIA
804-696-1902
[email protected]
TOYTRAINCENTER
RICHMOND
804-288-4475
TS GHOBBIES
WARRENTON
540-347-9212
[email protected]
www.mnsinc.com/tripi/tsg.htm
CHESTERFIELD HOBBIES
MIDLOTHIAN
804-379-9091
[email protected]
www.chesterfieldhobbies.com
DAVISHOBBYSUPPLIES
PORTSMOUTH
757-397-1983
[email protected]
www.davishobby.com
LOCUSTGROVETRAINS
LOCUSTGROVE
540-854-8955
[email protected]
www.locustgrovetrains.com
PATRICK'S TRAINS
WHEELING
304-232-0714
[email protected]
www.patstrains.com
SOMMERFELD'S TRAINS
BUTLER
262-783-7797
[email protected]
www.sommerfelds.com
G B T V & TRAINS
GREEN BAY
920-496-9697
[email protected]
GRAMPA'S TRAIN SHOP
RICE LAKE
715-234-2996
[email protected]
THE TRAIN STORE
WAUKESHA
262-650-6675
HOBBY OUTLET
FONDDULAC
920-924-3770
[email protected]
CREDIT VALLEY RAILWAY COMPANY
STREETSVILLE
905-826-1306
[email protected]
www.cvrco.com
TOY TRAIN WORKSHOP
CUMBERLAND
613-833-3125
[email protected]
www.toyt rainworkshop.com
THE TRAIN ROOM
FERGUS
519-787-3280
SOUTHCAROLINA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
ONTARIO
CANADA