MTH F3 or Lionel Postwar Celebration Series F3 - SAME PRICE !

[FEClionel]

OK guys I've narrowed it down to two engines. A Florida East Coast MTH ABA F3 or Lionel's Postwar Celebration Series 2356 Southern ABA remake. I will be running this engine via ZW in convential mode. I will be pulling a mix of postwar rolling stock and Postwar Celebration Series rolling stock. I know both are good runners but - which is a better bang for the buck . I like them both and each have pros and cons. I have never owned anything MTH - I want to purchase this weekend both are $499 - on sale this weekend.

[spankybird]

If this is the MTH that you are looking at, 30-2310-1 with PS2, with out a any question, the MTH is a better bang for the buck.


http://www.mth-railking.com/detail.asp?item=30-2310-1

It has full command control.

Even in conventional mode, you have engine sounds, cab chatter, Horn, bell, Speed Control, Remote Coupler.

And in all of these:
· Intricately Detailed ABS Body
· Colorful Paint Scheme
· Die-Cast Metal Chassis
· Die-Cast Truck Sides, Pilots and Fuel Tank
· Metal Wheels, Axles and Gears
· (2) Precision Flywheel Equipped Motors
· Locomotive Speed Control
· (2) Remotely Controlled Proto-Couplersr
· Proto-Sound 2.0 With The Digital Command System Featuring:
· Passenger Station Proto-Effects
· Unit Measures:40 1/4" x 2 5/8" x 3 3/4"
· Operates On O-31 Curves

Double check the item number and label to be sure it is PS2

tom

[Anonymous]

LIONEL all the way...do not aceppt a cheap imitation like MTH

[ChiefEagles]

Now where did the above person come from. Tom, you know I love both compaines but I really think the MTH is the best buy. FDNY [Fire Dept NY???], I think you are a little predigest.

[FEClionel]

Why is the MTH a better bang for the buck? What makes it better than Lionel with pullmores. I love FEC as yoiu can see by my screen name and the MTH 30-2310-1 with PS2 is the model I'm looking at.

[spankybird]

You should be able to answer your own question. Make a list of the Lionel features and compare them to the MTH.

[Anonymous]

Spankybird is correcto mundo! Buy the MTH and you'll get more value for your dollar.
BillFromWayne
www.modeltrainjournal.com

[ChiefEagles]

As always, when he ever posts, he asks a question, then he agrues with the answers. No need for him to ask the question. History keeps repeating its self.

[FEClionel]

Ok guys ithink your right! I got the MTH - my first MTH purchase its awesome!! I'm very happy - I just needed some reassurence about MTH since I have never owned any of there stuff. After I compared both and read the recent review in the Oct issue about the Union Pacific set I think the answer was clear. Plus its FEC - Lionel has never made an F3 FEC set. Thanks for all your help!!!

[FEClionel]

Anyway I hate to tell you all this but - I won't be running these in DCS mode and I will be running them on my holiday layout.

[3railguy]

FEC fan, unless you have a DCS controller, the MTH units will only give you little bang for the buck.

There are two things you should think about:

What operating system would you buy if you were to buy one in the future? The Southerns come with command control. Your postwar engines are easy to convert to command control for about $80. There is a wealth of TMCC aftermarket products where MTH keeps DCS technology all to themselves. Sounds like TMCC is for you.

The PWC Southerns are more robust than MTH. They have magnetraction, where MTH uses rubber band wheels. Sure rubber band wheels pull better but they break easy. I used to have a clean mouth until everybody started using the %^^* things. How many cars are you pulling? The PWC units pull nicely on an average size layout. The PWC units also have pullmore motors of the smooth vertical mount variety with ball thrust bearing. MTH uses mabuci can motors with sleeve bearings

These are the features in the PWC Southerns:

QUOTE: Dual Pullmor motors in powered unit, Command controlled, RailSounds with TowerCom and CrewTalk, Durable die-cast frames, trucks and pilots, Detailed molded bodies, Magne-Traction, Operating headlights and interiors, Directional lighting, ElectroCouplers on noses, Fixed couplers at rear, Metal ladders, Finished cab interior with engineer and brakeman figures, Postwar Celebration Series builders plaques

The only additional feature MTH gives you is cruise control and smoke? I'm partial to NICEGUY's comment except I'm backing my comment with facts and experience. To be realistic, the PWC units are for you if you are into postwar Lionel. $500 is a good deal if they come with the B unit.

[FEClionel]

Hey CheifEagles - the reason I asked the questions to their responce was to make a comparison. Why does the Lionel weigh more, why does it cost more, which one pulls better those are my real questions. Just hoping someone would answer that


3railguy - thanks for the answer. Now I feel I have made a bad choice - I really prefer magnetraction and pullmors over the MTH design. But I really love MTH offering FEC on an F3. Dealer says Ihave 48 to decide if I would like to trade. I'm only 24 and on a tight budget so this is a HUGE decision for me. I only own3 engines so this would be a 25% ofmy collection. Everything else I own is Lionel postwar and a fe PWC cars.

[Anonymous]

PREJUDICE??????? why should i be called that, after SO MANY people forgot how they really got into this hobby, with LIONEL, then went to MTH.
MTH is JUNK, nothing but a copycat artist.... I started with LIONEL, and STAYING WITH LIONEL, all the way.
And yes FIRE DEPT OF NYC, good guess, thats my JOB

[Anonymous]

I would only buy the Lionel model. I could never give MTH any of my money (I never have and never will) after finding out how they run their company. All they ever do is copy everyone else's products and then have the nerve to sue Lionel for the same behavior. I am personnaly buycotting MTH and encourage everyone else to do the same. As far as the sound system and smoke being good features of either model, my experience is they both get very annoying after a short time and get turn off anyway, so who needs them.

[ChiefEagles]

[:-^][:-^][:-^][zzz][;)] FDNY and buddy.
FEClionel, think about what 3rail says. Save up and go DCS. I did not want too in the beginning but did and now I am glad. It is real easy to operate and yu will love it. That can be a goal for you to save up for. Enjoy your new pruchase and good luck.

[3railguy]

FEC, I did not see your post where you bought the MTH set. The MTH set is nice.

[spankybird]

John, should also note that Magetraction only works well on steel track.

That's one reason I still use tube track.

[FEClionel]

I don't want to run DCS or TMCC - I run my trains on teh floor so no need for anything more than my ZW. I also only use O guage track - the rest of the time the items are on a shelf. I now think the Lionel ABA F3 would have been a better choice.

[Anonymous]

OH YES DCS...AFTER 2 YEARS, STILL TRYING TO WORK SOME BUGS OUT...WHAT GARBAGE.

PLEASE, MTH IS JUNK, GET WITH IT.

[lionelsoni]

How nice, a "civil" servant.

[FEClionel]

Yeah I think he needs to calm down about MTH. I like it - I once thought they were evil and a cheap knock off of Lionel - which they might be but they make cool stuff and alittle competition can be a good thing in a stagnent business market like toy trains.

[FEClionel]

Th real reason I asked was to compare - I like the MTH because it is cheaper than Lionel and has the graphics of my favorite railroad. I like the Lionel because it heavy and is a direct desendent of the postwar stuff. I'm just confused now - I like postwar because its the original and it has history. I like the new stuff because sometimes I think I need to collect "my trains" not someones from the 50's toys. Its hard being a poor recent college grad with little experience with deciding if I want new or old, lionel, williams or MTH. Its great to have all these choices but 15 years ago all I could dream about was postwar F3's but now that Lionel has reissued so many of their originals and now that MTH is making similair models its hard to decide. Which would you pick?
-Lionel 2343 Excellent Condition $500
-Lionel Kansas City Southern - LN $399
-Lionel Rio Grande postwar celebration series remake - $499
-Lionel Souther pwc remake -$499
-MTH FEC - $459

[ChiefEagles]

Hey FEC, I'm running DCS on the floor. Have not gotten my train room cleaned out to build layout. Using a spare bedroom right now.

DCS and conventional all at one time on carpet.
DCS is easy. FDNY, send me your DCS and I'll pay shipping. [;)]

[FEClionel]

ChiefEagles - which engine would you select?

[Anonymous]

I AM VERY CALM, WHATS THE MATTER? ITS OK FOR GUYS TO BASH LIONEL, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BASHING MTH YA CANT TAKE IT..
SOMEDAY, IF I MEET MIKE WOLF, I WILL TELL HIM WHAT I THINK.

[3railguy]

FDNY, the Lionel days as we knew them are pretty much gone now. Lionel, MTH, and K-Line is built pretty much alike in China with can motors, rubber band wheels, and futzy electronics. Atlas O is probably my favorite company.

There is no substitute for postwar. Postwar has feel, sounds, smells, and funkyness the new stuff doesn't compare too. Postwar rocks!

[lionelsoni]

I don't care who buys Lionel and who buys MTH. I for one am tired of the bashing and shouting. "Nice guy", please live up to your name.

[ChiefEagles]

I'd select the MTH. I will say, I have more Lionel engines [9] than MTH [2] and only 2 Williams and 1 K-Line. When I get the big layout built in the train room, I'm adding TMCC too. I want to run them both with remote. Did not think so when I got back into this last winter [trains stored for 20 years]. The more I studied, the more I was convinced to do DCS and then add the TMCC module. That way, you can run MTH, Lionel and K-Line [with TMCC] and Lionel and Williams conventional too. Good luck with your engines and the best part is, you enjoy what you are doing. God bless.

[3railguy]

Which would you pick?
-Lionel 2343 Excellent Condition $500
-Lionel Kansas City Southern - LN $399
-Lionel Rio Grande postwar celebration series remake - $499
-Lionel Souther pwc remake -$499
-MTH FEC - $459

None of us can tell you the right choice for you. However, these are my favorites:

1) Lionel 2343's because I love postwar

2) Lionel KCS F-3's. Like the FEC units, they have a very nice paint scheme. They come with command control, railsounds, magnetraction, etc. They work well in a postwar enviroment.

[FEClionel]

Question would you run a MTH new scale F3 like the FEC ABA or UP featured in CCT OCt issue with postwar cars?