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MTH HO PRR K-4: Dead or Alive?

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 11:13 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by kchronister

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

I wonder how the MR review will be?

We won't know it's quality for sure until it's been reviewed![:)]

But If I want a K4, I'll probably get a Bachmann or Bowser, because they're in my price range.[:D]


RU Kidding?

MR doesn't do bad reviews, too many ad $$$ at stake. The only thing you can go off is if a product launch this notable _isn't_ reviewed; I think that's a close as MR comes to saying "it keeerap".


Don'tcha remember the scathing review of the 1st run of Walthers Superliner cars with the bowed bodies??? I think if its a turd, they'll say its a turd, but just be very PC about it.MR gets its little digs in, you just have to read between the lines a bit. I caught the digs in the recent review of the T-1, did you?

Frankly I think they will. MR should not be beholden to the advertisers when they do reviews, after all, a good review on a bad product affects the subscribers, and where would they be without them?? MTH doesn't seem to advertise much in MR, now CTT might be a different story.

Personally, the title of this thread tickled me. Dead or alive? Doesn't this presuppose that the model is wanted in the first place??
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 12:51 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by kbfcsme

QUOTE: Originally posted by kchronister

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

I wonder how the MR review will be?

We won't know it's quality for sure until it's been reviewed![:)]

But If I want a K4, I'll probably get a Bachmann or Bowser, because they're in my price range.[:D]


RU Kidding?

MR doesn't do bad reviews, too many ad $$$ at stake. The only thing you can go off is if a product launch this notable _isn't_ reviewed; I think that's a close as MR comes to saying "it keeerap".


Don'tcha remember the scathing review of the 1st run of Walthers Superliner cars with the bowed bodies??? I think if its a turd, they'll say its a turd, but just be very PC about it.MR gets its little digs in, you just have to read between the lines a bit. I caught the digs in the recent review of the T-1, did you?

Frankly I think they will. MR should not be beholden to the advertisers when they do reviews, after all, a good review on a bad product affects the subscribers, and where would they be without them?? MTH doesn't seem to advertise much in MR, now CTT might be a different story.



I heard it from a similarly-placed (perhaps the same?) source as Crandell, thus I believe it.

Perhaps there are rare exceptions done pro forma... or it's possible that the policies are shifting under the current MR administration... But to me it's pretty self-evident that MR reviews are overwhelmingly fawning.

Maybe it's not "never," but it's with extreme rarity that an MR review offers anything but the most faint of criticism.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 12:59 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by rripperger

QUOTE: MR doesn't do bad reviews, too many ad $$$ at stake. The only thing you can go off is if a product launch this notable _isn't_ reviewed; I think that's a close as MR comes to saying "it keeerap".


I disagree. I thought their review of the Reading T-1 was pretty good about noting flaws, particularly with the sound system - haven't looked at it for a couple of days, but IIRC they dinged it and said it didn't give four exhausts per revolution, and commented that was not really what the serious modeler would expect. That's pretty critical reporting.


Leaving the matter of overall reviews aside, I will be very disappointed if they DON'T review this if/when it comes out. Furthermore, I think with all the hype, promotion and promises, if any MR review was ever "polar" this is one that should be. Frankly, it should either be "Holy Crap! It's everything promised and then some" or it should be "what was all the hype about?".

I say that because even if it's a very good model, it's not living up to all the hype. MTH doesn't have the option to put out a "good" model here, it's got to be great-plus... Let's say, for instance, it's comparable to the BLI. Maybe one has more detail, the other runs a hair smoother, whatever... For example, let's say it comes out and the basic difference is better chuff synchronization plus it has smoke... Oh. Yay. Wow.

To me, that kind of "parity" actually makes the MTH a loser. To come out _years_ later with all the hooplah at a not-inexpensive pricepoint, it had better be a major advancement over the BLI, not more of the same with minor pros and cons...

I don't envy Mike's crew on this one. With all the touting they've done and the lengthy development time, it better be dang-near perfect.

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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 2:39 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by kchronister

I say that because even if it's a very good model, it's not living up to all the hype. MTH doesn't have the option to put out a "good" model here, it's got to be great-plus... Let's say, for instance, it's comparable to the BLI. Maybe one has more detail, the other runs a hair smoother, whatever... For example, let's say it comes out and the basic difference is better chuff synchronization plus it has smoke... Oh. Yay. Wow.

To me, that kind of "parity" actually makes the MTH a loser. To come out _years_ later with all the hooplah at a not-inexpensive pricepoint, it had better be a major advancement over the BLI, not more of the same with minor pros and cons...
- Roger that.

QUOTE: I don't envy Mike's crew on this one. With all the touting they've done and the lengthy development time, it better be dang-near perfect.
- What makes this so interesting is that many of us are looking forward to other items hitting the HO market soon as well: Digitrax Sound decoder, the Tsunami diesel decoder, Walthers new kits, BLI's new F unit (yeah, like we need another F7!) etc.,. Many of us are still pleasantly looking forward to those releases. [:D][8D]

Yet, sadly, on the flip side because of:

1. The MTH vs.QSI suit.
2. Hype from MTH regarding HO DCS.
3. The flame filled MTH related posts on the forums.......[B)]

.....lots of HO modelers seem to be looking forward to the release of the MTH K4 as well.........only so they can immedietly find and exploit its shortcomings. I certainly don't envy Mike Wolf either. [V]

Inspite of all of the anti-MTH comments, generally most HO scalers that model diesels or railroads other than the Pennsy might not care one way or the other, especially since the QSI suit seems to have "faded away" though we don't know for sure. If the MTH K4 turns out to be a dud....then like Lionel did years back, Mr. Wolf would likely pull out of the HO arena. If it's a slight or moderate success, then he may pursue developing another model. In either case since DCC has become the dominant form of command control for HO and is much cheaper now..........he's got a tough challenge.

Strange how things turn out.
Had the QSI suit never taken place, many of us would likely have welcomed MTH into HO, even with higher prices, a proprietary system, and the battles with Lionel. Wolf might have even been encouraged to work closely with the DCC manufacturers to work out some of the compatibility issues that still exist between DCC and DCS.

Peace.

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by selector on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 3:04 PM
I will jump in at this late stage. Very briefly, regardless of how any of us feels about MTH and its products, we will all surely benefit in some tangible way if it turns out that they begin to produce a bunch of "Oh my gawd!" HO (even N) models. If they raise the bar, others will have to follow suit.

Darn, eh? [:-,]
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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 9:35 AM
Agreed Selector.

If MTH does raise the bar as far as "sound" then it prompts the other manufacturers to aim high as well. Indeed, a good thing.

HO Body detailing: That's an area where MTH has to compete with the current crop of HO competitors that raised the bar years back due to modelers demanding much greater accuracy on model locomotives.

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 7, 2006 4:44 PM
Update: Just heard today from Kirstin Martinez at MTH Customer Service that their HO PRR K-4 "will most likely not be in stores until late May to early June".
I hope she means in 2006.

She further stated that "Unfortunately with a new product line which involves not just new models but a new sound system as well, it is hard to accurately predict exactly when all aspects will be ready to go. It is the belief of MTH that it is better to have a product arrive late than have the product not up to the standards our customers have come to expect - of course we also know that on time and up to par is the best combination of all."
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Posted by TrainFreak409 on Saturday, April 8, 2006 9:55 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidvanwinkle

She further stated that "Unfortunately with a new product line which involves not just new models but a new sound system as well, it is hard to accurately predict exactly when all aspects will be ready to go. It is the belief of MTH that it is better to have a product arrive late than have the product not up to the standards our customers have come to expect - of course we also know that on time and up to par is the best combination of all."



Well, that's understandable. I would rather see a product ship late and be good than be shipped on time and be problematic. Although, however, she is right on target when she says that the best combination is "on time and up to par." Of course though, that is rather difficult to achieve with a new system, because no one knows what can occur in the development stages.

The same thing is going on in the computer world, with Microsoft delaying Windows Vista until late this year and early next year. It's a brand new system, so they are taking the extra time to work out certain issues that they will not have to resolve later.

Scott - Dispatcher, Norfolk Southern

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 8, 2006 10:37 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidvanwinkle


She further stated that "Unfortunately with a new product line which involves not just new models but a new sound system as well, it is hard to accurately predict exactly when all aspects will be ready to go. It is the belief of MTH that it is better to have a product arrive late than have the product not up to the standards our customers have come to expect - of course we also know that on time and up to par is the best combination of all."

Can't argue with that.[;)]
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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Saturday, April 8, 2006 8:51 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by davidvanwinkle

Update: Just heard today from Kirstin Martinez at MTH Customer Service that their ................it is better to have a product arrive late than have the product not up to the standards our customers have come to expect ........."


Yep. Soundtraxx's delay of the Tsunami "steam" decoder so they could "get it right" has indeed paid off. I've been hearing excellent reviews from some of the guys at the club I belong to.

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 8, 2006 10:18 PM
www.mthhotrains.com [tup][tup]

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