MDC Critter

We use one to switch a couple of cars at a time in the quarry on the Operations Road Show layout. It's a delightful little eye-catcher.

The first thing you need to know is that the DCC decoder plug is a "decoder killer," the way they miswired it. The diodes for the constant lighting circuitry were installed in such a way as they will destroy the function outputs on any decoder you plug into it. TCS has a description of the problem on their web site, at

Aside from that, it's a very nice little switcher. It runs much more smoothly than I'd expected, and it is perfectly suited to the short cuts (two to six cars) we use it to switch. We've not tested its maximum pulling power.

It's a fairly simple locomotive, so there is not a lot of intricate detail to be rendered. What is there looks quite good. It's fairly screaming to be customized for a specific owner, with extra beacons, chains, toolboxes, exhaust modifications and similar stuff.

Some day, I'll wire in a new decoder and be able to say something about the lights.

-fm Web guy - Operations Road Show

Pretty nice, actually. The handrails have a nice small cross section but are easily mis-shapen, and easily straightened. It's pretty quiet, stalls easily (like all two axle locomotives) but it will do OK on good clean track. Detail is well done. Has the usual blue-white LED's for headlamps. As for DCC...I wouldn't know. I still use the post-war era cab control! I like the nostalgia.........

-John

What's a "Critter" and where can I view a picture of one?

Regards, Greg.P.

This particular "Critter" (MDC's name for it) is an HO model of EMD's Model 40, a small 300hp, two-axle diesel-electric switcher. Eleven were manufactured from 1940 to 1943.

You can find photos of the prototype at:

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  and the model at:

-fm Webmaster of the Pere Marquette Historical Society, at

Thanks, Fritz.

Regards, Greg.P.

Fritz Milhaupt wrote:

After such a long wait, you'd think they could get it right! :-(