Lionel vs MTH cab forward

[TurboOne]

Hey guys, does anyone here own the MTH cab forward ? The new Lionel one look great, but it is just a picture so far. The MTH is for sale at a much lower price on ebay. Is there a big difference ?

Thanks

Tim

[Anonymous]

Tim,

I have run the MTH Cab Forward and it ran well, but it was a Proto 1 version (it lacked the sound, synchronized chuff, selectable chuff, speed control, ability to be operated in command with DCS, and all the other niceties that PS-2 provides.

If you are seeing these at low prices it is probably due to the fact that they are PS-1's (PS-1 is a now antiquated QSI designed system).

I am hopeful that MTH will release it in PS-2 at some point.

Comparing it to the Lionel Cab Forward would be hard, as the Lionel one does not, to my knowledge, exist yet.

Understand that I am biased towards MTH when I say this, but I have done a lot of comparisons between similar locomotives.

Given to similar locomotives-one MTH with PS-2 and one Lionel with TMCC/Railsounds 5.0-and assuming that both are in excellent shape:

-The MTH will always run more smoothly at a slower speed than the TMCC version (usually the MTH will run smoothly at 2 scale miles per hour, the Lionel between 4 and 5 scale miles per hour).
-The sound in the TMCC steam locomotive will be deeper (but this is not always correct).
-You will be able to modulate the whistle on the TMCC locomotive.
-If a steam locomotive the MTH can be programmed to chuff at the correct rate (four per each pair of cylinders per driver revolution, assuming a simple type locomotive). The Lionel will chuff twice per driver revolution (except for the 0-8-0). Lionel's adjustable Chuff rate is for tone (labor/drift). The sound is impressive but the two chuffs per revolution detract from it (I have to modify my Lionel locomotives to get the correct chuff rate).
-If a diesel, the Lionel will have four audible throttle notches, the MTH eight.
-The MTH will have 120 speed steps and will operate in Scale Miles Per Hour. The Lionel will have 32 speed steps that are non-linear and are not standardized from model to model.
-Smoke will be adjustable from moderate to very heavy on the MTH. It will also be consistant. Smoke on the Lionel models has been getting better, but they are not yet consistant or adjustable.

Comparison subjects were: Lionel Pioneer Zephyr and MTH Premier Zephyr, Lionel NKP Berkshire and MTH Premiere A2 Berkshire, Lionel GG1 and MTH GG1.

The above comparison holds true (at least for me) accross the board, even with non-similar locomotives.

I would expect the above to hold true for the Cab Forward, unless Lionel surprises us and:
1) Improves Odyssey or replaces it with TAS EOB
2) Provides the correct chuff rate
3) Continues to improve their smoke unit

[AlanRail]

until the Lionel Cab Forward makes an appearance any comments are pure speculation. However, if the past is any basis, if you like the Lionel picture then the actual model is usually a lot nicer.

MTH's model was a different engine type anyway from the one Lionel will be making; AC6 as opposed to te AC12.

So again comparision is different. More importantly because of the low sales of the first one it is doubtful MTH will be making another one. But this hobby always surprises me!

Alan

[Anonymous]

having reached retirement,I am interested in setting up a Model Railroad in my Garage at home in South Africa.
We do not have many Model Train supliers in SA , so will be relying on importing from the US.
Please can you advise me whether to consider Lionel products or MTH products as a range. which would be the better choice ?
Thanks. Cedric.

[TurboOne]

[#welcome] Cedric, glad you stopped by. I am biased, but I like both. Trains are a great hobby, and I am into the fun more than the "realism". You might want to post your question seperately as to get more responses. Just hit new topic and write it. More people will see it and boom you have got more advice than you could shake a stick at. Get both catalogs, and have a blast.[:D]

Tim [8D] [:)] [8D] [:)] [8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cedric

having reached retirement,I am interested in setting up a Model Railroad in my Garage at home in South Africa.
We do not have many Model Train supliers in SA , so will be relying on importing from the US.
Please can you advise me whether to consider Lionel products or MTH products as a range. which would be the better choice ?
Thanks. Cedric.

Cedric,

I started with Lionel around sixty years ago, was an avid toy train addict for about fifteen years, went in the Marines and dropped the hobby, and just came back to it about five years ago. There is a lot of corporate maneuvering going on in the toy train business right now. Lionel's quality control varies wildly, and price is not always an indicator. My opinion is that MTH is more consistent, but the quality is not as good as Lionel at its best. Mike has brought out a Premier Line that is competitive with the best I have seen with Lionel; frankly, I have not bought any Premier yet because it is pretty pricey.

You are going to be depending on mail-order. I would never mail order another Lionel, having been burned pretty badly on a piece of trash complete train set that I bought a while back. I have mail ordered a bunch of MTH, and always been satisfied. On the other hand, there is high quality Lionel (not always the most expensive) available, and they can build a nice train. What I would suggest is that you work out a surrogate here to look at the Lionel products before you buy. And monitor these boards--they have alerted me to a lot of inferior products and a few superior ones.

[Anonymous]

Hello, I own and have run the MTH Preimer SP AC-6 Cab Forward, I'll share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ugly, first, a) as built internal wiring wore through at the drive shaft, their was no place to restrain the wiring out of the drive shaft's way, it just plain wore through. b) the engine is front/back tippyand on less than perfect track work it will climb the track and derail. Bad, second, the engine is just plain ugly, black and ominous. Good, last, the problems described as ugly are fixable, a) I added a cable restraint bracket and repaired the internal wiring, b) added moldable lead weights, concealed location, to the front and the engine no longer resembles a play ground children's teeder/toder board.

The engin pulls great, looks good next to any daylight.

[8)] -ck

[powernailer]

I'm looking forward to the cab forward. I've been with Lionel for every. A couple of years ago I was at the Chicago show and seen an engine I really liked, but it was a MTH. Oh well, I'll try it. Drove home the 3 and 1/2 hours with all the anticipation of a little kid, I'm in my late 50's. Got home, down the steps to my full basemnt of trains, put the engine on the track, hit the trottle, and away it when. Looked pretty good, ran pretty good, but it had this strange like whisper, like a whistling. Could not figure it out. Called MTH and the guy on the phone says I'll tell you how to fix it. The engine was only a week old, what happen to warranty work? I still have the enginecause I have tried to sell it with no luck.. You know what, I'll wait for the Lionel cab forward, than decide. All the Lionel I've seen lately looks really good. I'll make my deceision at the time.