I wish to purchase a Southern Pacific Cab Forward HO scale.
My Delimma is which to buy, I like the Intermountain which has great detail and LOK sound on Board. or MTH which is probably more robust for 24" and 26" radius layout.
Has anyone had experience with either or both locomotives they would like to share with to help me make a discision which I should buy.
.
which Cab Forward should I purchase I like the detail and the LOK sound of the Intermountain but is the MTH more robut on layouts with Radius of 26 inch
Has anyonr had experience with either or both Locomotives
I don't have either. But be aware that MTH is no longer in business. Some parts of the company have gone to others.
I believe the wiring for LEDs in MTH engines is backwards from everyone else, cathodes and anodes reversed. So, decoder replacement is not just plug in.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I personally wouldn't buy either of them in your situation. I don't own the MTH. I own the BLI, Intermountain (1st run - have experience with 2nd and 3rd runs as well - don't own them) and a couple of brass Cab forwards.
I would avoid the Intermountain with tight curves, ditto for any brass, so that leaves BLI, Rivarossi and MTH. I dont like the details on the MTH and Rivarossi so that leaves BLI. I have three of these from the first run (remember QSI decoders?) - they run flawlessly and are great pullers. They have been in constant use for nearly 20 years. You might want to check the radius recommendation for the BLI. Rivarossi is another option that should go around tight curves.
Opinions vary quite a bit on this so expect some conflicting advice..I am basing my reccomendations on my experience running these locos on my layout with 30" minimum radius.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
willojl@hotmail.com I wish to purchase a Southern Pacific Cab Forward HO scale. My Delimma is which to buy, I like the Intermountain which has great detail and LOK sound on Board. or MTH which is probably more robust for 24" and 26" radius layout. Has anyone had experience with either or both locomotives they would like to share with to help me make a discision which I should buy.
Keep in mind first that these are very different cab forwards. The MTH are an earlier model with a different cab. If you do get an Intermountain, make sure it's from the 3rd run. IMRC is making another run but hard to see when they will finally see the light of day.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 willojl@hotmail.com I wish to purchase a Southern Pacific Cab Forward HO scale. My Delimma is which to buy, I like the Intermountain which has great detail and LOK sound on Board. or MTH which is probably more robust for 24" and 26" radius layout. Has anyone had experience with either or both locomotives they would like to share with to help me make a discision which I should buy. Keep in mind first that these are very different cab forwards. The MTH are an earlier model with a different cab. If you do get an Intermountain, make sure it's from the 3rd run. IMRC is making another run but hard to see when they will finally see the light of day.
or you can say "**** it" & buy a red box rivarossi & put DCC & sound in it
I'll ditto the later generation Intermountain. The first ones ran way too slow. I have the later one and it is great. Great detail and performance on 30 inch radius.
MisterBeasleyBut be aware that MTH is no longer in business.
I thought the employees took over the company?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyI thought the employees took over the company?
I Believe Scale Trains acquired the HO and S side of the business.
https://www.scaletrains.com/mth-acquistion
Some rolling stock is already trickling out that was fromer MTH product.
Regards, Ed
Hi,
I have Intermountain AC-12 (third run), I bought it in 2014 for 276 USD at MB Klein, and installed sound very recently (Soundtraxx Tsunami 2).
This is exceptionally detailed model, but requires at least 24" radius - second truck is not movable (like the original, I think). It is very heavy (despite plastic locomotive shell), so it will very probably pull any train you put behind it. It has very strong NWSL motor (24,5 mNm). I replaced this motor with coreless one because this motor can be controlled much better in slow speed steps, but original motor is durable and strong - no question about it.
I had some technical issue with this model (factory fault), and was pleased by customer service at Intermaountain. So, if you appreciate detailed, nice running and strong model, and have radius large enough, I would recommend Intermountain.
Here you can see a video of my locomotive with sound installed, and some pictures showing speaker baffle and speaker I used below video with explanation text.
Kind regards,
Hrvoje
Spalato68and was pleased by customer service at Intermaountain
Russell
Sorry I'm late to the party - as usual.
My advice, other than the akwardness in appearance when cornering that's associated with fixed rear driver models, front in this case, on all but the most relaxed of curves, is that the Intermountain is the best plastic steam model made. Infact the best outside the highest end of brass that's been made. As many have said the 1st run needs to be avoided but the NWSL equipped ones are also fabulous runners. I have one which I have posted coupled to my recent run Sunset AC-9 and honestly they are very, very closely matched. So buy that one. I would avoid the Rivarossi as the Intermountain sans sounds and DCC can be had for similar money and in this day and age I'm sure you'd be disappointed with it's appearance, in particular the microscopically small drivers. MTH, other than better articulation, doesn't offer much to challenge the Intermountain.
Keep in mind the MTH version is an earlier Cab Forward SP model if time frame matters. If it doesn't, the IMRC and MTH are both nice models, but if you do go for an IMRC Cab Forward, make sure you get one from the 3rd run. The first two runs had some vexing issues that weren't resolved until run 3.
I got my MTH Cab Forward for $200 a month ago so I can't complain for that price. Brand new and works great. Same with an MTH Western Pacific GS-6 for $100.