Hi all,
Charlie, thanks for the info the passenger car "stunt doubles." I have a set of the Daylight cars on order and will post photos when they arrive. However, last I looked the N&W cars were scheduled to ship before the SP's.
I looked closely at the photos of the 55 ton hoppers yesterday and I'm about 99% certain that they are computer generated. If you look at the panel just right of center there looks to be a small paint defect. It's easier to spot on the box car brown models, but it's there on all of them. Since the defect is present on all the cars it leads me to believe that they are computer generated paint masks layed over a photo of a single undecorated prototype.
On the MTH chair cars, I'll wait to see them before I buy two of them plus the diner. I hope they look much better than the brass cars in the catalog.
Charlie
MP 53 on the BNSF Topeka Sub
rjake4454I prefer the look of the MTH class J over the Bachmann spectrum version. I think I will buy one when I can. Of course, BLI has the best class J (the non excursion-regular service one that is) but its impossible to find now. I was just about to buy one 6 months ago at my LHS and somebody else beat me to it, so I settled for the modern glossy one, which is a fine engine, but with all that shine, your finger prints get stuck to it when handling it, not very practical. I really hope BLI releases another class J in blue line or paragon 2.
I prefer the look of the MTH class J over the Bachmann spectrum version. I think I will buy one when I can. Of course, BLI has the best class J (the non excursion-regular service one that is) but its impossible to find now. I was just about to buy one 6 months ago at my LHS and somebody else beat me to it, so I settled for the modern glossy one, which is a fine engine, but with all that shine, your finger prints get stuck to it when handling it, not very practical. I really hope BLI releases another class J in blue line or paragon 2.
I purchased the in service BLI J's but you can use dull coat with an airbrush to make the excursion version look much better. You would also have to remove the dual headlights.
CZ
CharlieFor the passenger cars in the catalog, they used Overland Models Powhattan Arrow, Challenger Imports for the Daylight, Precision Scale for the Empire State Express and Railway Classics for the 20th Century Limited. Locomotive wise, I won't be getting any MTH products but, I will get two Powhattan Arrow chair cars for an NS Business train. Charlie
For the passenger cars in the catalog, they used Overland Models Powhattan Arrow, Challenger Imports for the Daylight, Precision Scale for the Empire State Express and Railway Classics for the 20th Century Limited. Locomotive wise, I won't be getting any MTH products but, I will get two Powhattan Arrow chair cars for an NS Business train.
Thanks for the information on the origins of the cars in the ad. I was under the impression that they were probably brass cars in the catalog, but if a company uses fine detailed cars as an advertisement, I would expect the model cars to be very good. I have not reserved any yet since I want to see them before I purchase the N&W cars.
I hope they are at least up to the standards that BLI and Walthers has set recently for passenger cars.
Wow, those passenger cars look impressive. Thanks for the link. Go MTH
CAZEPHYR I hope you enjoy the SD70Ace models and give us a review of the units after you receive them and check them out. The remote uncoupling feature by using a function is interesting, but the size of the coupler looks to be fairly large.
I think I read that that's an O scale pic fpr reference, which might also explain the different hoppers.
I'm still waiting for the Daylight Coaches.
-Morgan
CZ - I'm not sure what's up with the #3985 in the catalog. It's coal fired, which puts it pre-1990, but as mentioned in another thread the smoke lifters were added for a 1993 excursion run. The stack? Who knows. I've got to think it's a catalog screw up.
7j43k wrote:"Looking through the catalog, it's as if MTH can't decide whether they're making toys or scale models."
7j43k wrote:
"Looking through the catalog, it's as if MTH can't decide whether they're making toys or scale models."
Ed - That one is easy to answer. They do both. It's the same with their O-scale offerings, which I've been running since the mid 90's. Their "Premier" line engines are pretty top notch. There are some that miss the mark and others that are a home run, but on average the Premier engines are very good. The "Railking" and "Lionel Corporation" lines are toy trains, although there are a few scale pieces in Railking that are made from earlier Premier tooling. Personally, I appreciate the fact that they are labeling the non-prototypical paint schemes with the I-Series logo. That makes it a lot easier for those who want to stay strictly prototypical.
MR4me - I too am waiting for an SD70ACe. I have the SP Heritage engine on order. I got to see the pre-production sample engine (the BNSF engine used in the web video a few months back) run in April. I attended the TCA York, PA, meet and took a tour of the MTH headquarters near Baltimore that was arranged by another magazine. The York meet is mainly geared towards O-gauge, but MTH showed off several pieces of HO. Mike Wolf showed off a board with sample shots for 11 different cabs and 8 hoods for the SD70ACe's.
During the tour I got to speak with Dave Kriebel, MTH's VP of R&D. He said the version of the operating coupler on the sample SD70ACe is a prototype and that the production version is smaller. In fact, he said it's about half way between a Kadee #5 and a Sergent. We'll see how it looks when it arrives, but hopefully that will be SOON!
BTW, on the MTH tour Andy Edleman (VP of Marketing) gave us a look at how they do their catalogs. On a lot of pieces they're able to put "decorated" images in the catalog even before they get a sample to photograph. They make CAD drawings (ala Atlas' catalogs), use prototype photos to creat a "paint mask" and then combine the two as a 3D solid model. I don't know if that's the case with the new 55 ton hoppers, but it might explain why some images in the catalog look better than others. Here's a photo that shows the sample images MTH displayed on how they make a catalog image.
"Dave,Here's a thread from Wednesday about MTH's e-mail announcement and their choice of steamers:"http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/155541.aspx
"Dave,
Here's a thread from Wednesday about MTH's e-mail announcement and their choice of steamers:"
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/155541.aspx
Thanks tstage. I totally missed that thread. There's some good info in there on 3985.
MR4meHello all. I am brand new to forums but real OLD to Model railroading, well not that old just 5 years into the hobby at the age of 34 years old. I was so excited when I received my email yesterday about me getting the SD70ACe from MTH in about 2 weeks time. I got two on order directly from MTH and I sent an email and got a fast reply. I really cant wait to see how the UP units came out in the end. I see a lot of topics on the other forum abouyt Athearns SD70ACe but thats too long for me to wait, plus some people made some strong points about Genesis handrails being VERY flimsy and the motor not being as good as it should be. So I will be happy to get the MTH and hope for the best. Anyone else waiting too?
I hope you enjoy the SD70Ace models and give us a review of the units after you receive them and check them out. The remote uncoupling feature by using a function is interesting, but the size of the coupler looks to be fairly large.
MTH certainly has listed many new products including the passenger cars which I am interested. I would hope they are as good as some of the pictures illustrated.
Real old to Model Railroading? Gosh, I have been in HO since 1956 or 1957, forget which. Everything is relative. Anyway I wish you good luck with MTH, I just don't play with them for various reasons. As for handrails, they have to be thin to be anywhere close to the real thing.
To answer you question, I am not waiting.
Bob
dave hikelI received MTH's weekly e-newsletter yesterday. It announced the release of their 2009 vol. 2 HO catalog. I didn't see a tread mentioning it yet so I thought I'd post.
Dave,
Here's a thread from Wednesday about MTH's e-mail announcement and their choice of steamers:
Wow! Although I had read the e-mail announcement about the locomotives, I didn't know that MTH will be producing a 5-car set for the '38 20th Century Limited Dreyfus Hudson. AND...not only a '38 version...but ALSO a '40 version!
Even though I'll wait for the BLI version of the Dreyfus to come out, I might be interested in the cars - i.e. unless BLI announces in the near future that they will be releasing some.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
"As much as I'm sure some will roll their eyes at me, I love that 4-12-2. Having seen and heard one operate the other day I was amazed and blown away by the unique sound of the three cylinders. And I suppose the real reason is that #9000 they mention at the fairgrounds is less than three miles from the house and I have memories of climbing all over it since my childhood (still do)."
As much as I'm sure some will roll their eyes at me, I love that 4-12-2. Having seen and heard one operate the other day I was amazed and blown away by the unique sound of the three cylinders. And I suppose the real reason is that #9000 they mention at the fairgrounds is less than three miles from the house and I have memories of climbing all over it since my childhood (still do).
San Dimas Southern slideshow
The catalog certainly has some interesting non prototype models in it along with some that are fairly clost to prototype. The Dreyfuss Hudson looks nice and would be better if my DCC could use the functions correctly on the model.
The single stack Challenger represents the Clinchfield after they received them from the Rio Grande and the single stack was installed by the Clinchfield. The Rio Grande models should look almost like the UP engines with the twin stacks. The UP 3985 has smoke lifters and a single stack also in the ad. That is interesting indeed. Could it be the MTH people are working on a new version the Union Pacific has not worked out yet? Some real thought went into this ad, but where did it come from?
CZ.
Yippee. (dripping in sarcasm) Much as those are cool, and look awesome, we won't see the coaches, and the engines have those infernal mostly compatible DCS boards in them.
That said, the NYCs loo really nice. And there's a sharp set of coaches to go with them. I think you forgot the action boxcars in the catalog.
I received MTH's weekly e-newsletter yesterday. It announced the release of their 2009 vol. 2 HO catalog. I didn't see a tread mentioning it yet so I thought I'd post. Here's a link: MTH HO vol. 2
Here are the highlights:
3 new steam engines
Challenger - 3 in UP, 1 Rio Grande, 1 ClinchfieldNYC Empire State Express Hudson NYC Dreyfuss Hudson - 1938 and 1940 paint schemes
Challenger - 3 in UP, 1 Rio Grande, 1 Clinchfield
NYC Empire State Express Hudson
NYC Dreyfuss Hudson - 1938 and 1940 paint schemes
1 new freight car
URSA 55-ton steel hopper in PRR, NYC, C&O, Clinchfield, and CCC&StLsame car also done in I-Series "never was" paint schemes for 11 other roads
URSA 55-ton steel hopper in PRR, NYC, C&O, Clinchfield, and CCC&StL
same car also done in I-Series "never was" paint schemes for 11 other roads
new I-Series "billboard" paint schemes on R40-2 reefer
3 new passenger car sets - Empire State Express, 1938 Broadway Limited, and 1940 Broadway Limited
Operating accessory - scale die-cast crossing gates
The gates are really spendy, but it looks like it might be worth it. The set comes with 2 gates with flashing LEDs, 2 under table slow motion actuators, a sound unit and optical sensors for up to 4 tracks
New transformer - 35 watt, 16VDC transformer with direction and momentum switches. It also has a seperate "MTH Brake" that's supposed to bring an MTH engine to a stop while maintaining power for sounds, lights, and smoke.