No MTH O Gauge Catalog at York

Perhaps the company finally decided to take the extra time to proofread and correct mistakes in the catalog before releasing it and depending upon the customers to find them and point them out.

Yes, I'm being facetious lest anyone think I'm being serious and causing any of my fellow forum members to have a conniption.

Bob 

Hey Gerry:

That is pretty interesting. I wonder if it is a "Printing" problem? If so we should still be able to view the catalog online. Not that this will lead to any speculation here on the boards

I've been coming to York for 20 years now, and as best as I can remember, MTH has ALWAYS had a new catalog at York since about 1996. Maybe earlier.

I suspect you're right about the online version, but there's just something about the paper.......... 

And besides, if we can't use cell phones (a different thread), how can we walk around the halls and ask the dealers questions about what a particular catalog item does or doesn't do?

IMO, this is a really big mistake by MTH.

Gerry

I can't wait to see if future MTH "S" catalogs will have buildings and people figures. I have a small "S" layout, and these items are really needed (Plasticville too large).

Heavens! 

It is truly the Mayan apocolypse... 

The end of days... 

Insert world shattering event here...

Rusty

There is some more info here https://ogrforum.com/d...nt/15649413456940246

The catalog will be able to be viewed online the day York starts.

Bill

Keep in mind that it could very well be a "mistake" that's out of their immediate control.  Could involve scheduling or other matters with the printer, or half a dozen other things.

NO BIG DEAL!

You can see the catalog online, in full color, on Thursday, April 18, and nobody--and I do mean nobody--will miss out on buying or ordering anything even if they don't personally see the catalog in any form whatsoever for several weeks after its debut.

Perhaps MTH will even have a jumbo monitor at their York booth that could be set to automatically "scroll" through the online catalog pages in a repeating manner.  I imagine that would draw even more people to their booth.

It's interesting that Lionel has continued to push its C1 release closer and closer to spring York.  Now MTH's paper catalog will miss spring York.  Last year my LHS had the MTH catalog to give customers before Lionel's shipped, Lionel did have them at York.

And you're STILL going to have to wait for any new products not in stock to be manufactured, shipped and distributed. 

Getting a peak at a new catalog for a couple of extra days isn't going to change any of that.

Or, are folks upset that the mere mortals who don't go to York would now be able to view a catalog at the same time?

Rusty

The following is from Andy Edleman, VP of Marketing for MTH:

The catalog is too big to get it finished in time for York.  It will go to press the week of York and should be in our hands by the end of April.  We will have the catalog online by Thursday of York week.

We will have the new tinplate and S Gauge catalogs available for distribution at York.  Like the O Gauge catalog, they too will be online by Thursday of York week.

Well, it sorta depends on IF there is anything NEW in it, new prototype, new molds, etc.., or is it going to show fantasy stuff like the McKeen car, to be ordered but canceled?  I would not have missed not getting recent years' catalogs, sadly, for they

did not meet the above criteria.  Nor did their competitors', fairly.  The Williams ten

wheeler was the last breath of fresh air.

OK Barry, I'll one up up on speaking with Andy today. Andy told me about an hour ago one of the biggest reasons the catalog is delayed is the fact that it is much LARGER than the last couple of catalogs they have put out. So let the speculation begin.

Scott Smith

or is it going to show fantasy stuff like the McKeen car,

Why do you state that the McKeen car is a fantasy item ?

Bill,  probably a tonge in cheek comment about teasing us with a really unusual and interesting prototype and then cancelling it several months later..

I saw the McKeen car on "Tricked Out Trains" on the Travel channel last night.  They were lucky to save it.

Scott,

It's a bit of a stretch to say that "too big" is very different from "much larger", however, if you need something to "one up" me with, that's fine by me...

I'm just glad Andy gave us some facts that probably prevented a firestorm of conspiracy theories from exploding all over the forum.  BigRail

On another note...still waiting for my Premier Club car from 2012.  Joined right before the first of the year and still haven't seen it.  Delays appear to be the norm at MTH these days.

 having dealt with offshore printers before, and the delay in or lack of quality in rapidly produced Chinese crap, seems that deadlines are more important in china than accuracy .ask Key, we are at a crossroads in supply and demand economics. Henry Ford said if I don't pay my workers enough to by my product then I'm gonna lose business. every body said he was nuts he laughed all the way to the billionaires club. I ordered a Hiawatha and a blue goose on  feb. 26 2011 finally got them feb 28 2013 both run flawless and look great worth the  wait  but could have die cast them in my shop in Ne. but only foreign bids are accepted cause of lower labor costs,rather have more americans working and earn less profit. guess that's why I'm an antique  and my educated son thinks I'm in business to employ people and  not make money I earn PROFIT RESPECTFULLY NOT OBSCENELY He says don't you know labor is expendable we have been teaching this at the sacrifice of our society and very soon no one will be able to buy squat 

Much bigger? Is that to mean greater quantity, better selsection, actually contain US STEAM or are they making the catalog with bigger pages, and type for us?

Perhaps MTH is moving to NC.

I just trying to give you a little grief Barry. Actually I am thrilled with a larger O-Gauge catalog. I am also looking forward to getting a new tinplate catalog as well.

Scott Smith

Seems much ado about nothing.

(S-scale. H-m-m-m. But, usually the bridesmaid, seldom the bride.)

No Catalog, I'm not going to York.

No, the world will not stop spinning on its axis. And Pennsylvania will not be sunny and 72 degrees 365 days a year. And I will miss you at York, Eddie G., because I surely plan to be there. But MTH isn't looking good to me with this oops. And I will be able to see the catalog online.

I do feel sorry for the dealers who have the catalog at York and take orders there. I suspect they are less than delighted. I've certainly taken the catalog to dealers at York and placed orders.

Such is life. I'm looking forward to a great York and this really doesn't change it.

Eddie G., I feel sorry for you. Look me up at Friday's and I'll buy you a beer. After all, anyone with a grandchild in their avatar............ 

Gerry

Looking for typos, photo and description errors has become a semi-annual tradition with the MTH catalog.  The challenge varies with each release but is generally greater than finding Waldo, seek-a-word and Highlights pictures - the candle or hoe might be hard - but much easier than those Magic Eye pictures.  What bugs me the most is that many of these mistakes are easily recognizable and could easily be avoided with proper proof-reading.  Have a number of employees read the draft forward and back, get spouses, or a well respected English teacher/writer to look over your work before you send the approved final draft to the printer.

Larger catalog or not, this is a managerial problem.  Your company puts out two major catalogs per year each six months apart.  The release dates have been tied to York meets which have dates established years in advance.  Why wasn't someone at MTH in contact with their catalog printer to know what the lead time was required to produce and ship the catalog in time for York release.  Secondly, if the lead time was known or submission date established by the printer was missed by MTH staff, then again MTH management dropped the ball.  The only reason that MTH probably would receive a pass would be if their printer had a major breakdown.  But from the reasons we've seen posted above referring to the delay being tied to the size of the catalog, we come back to blame MTH staff.

I don't recall the number ever being announced.  Maybe the number of catalogs MTH hands out at York is small compared to their mailing count.  However, we've heard countless times about the financial pressures on company's within this industry.  Trying to control costs is important to their bottom line.  How much will MTH end up paying to ship these catalogs to club members who normally would have picked them at MTH's York booth?

Most if not all the above are avoidable mistakes that cost MTH in dollars and reduced professional and consumer image.

Big deal...

It's a catalog, for Pete's sake, not a life saving organ transplant.

Once the catalog's online, folks will be carping about what's not in it, wondering why they did this instead of that, complaining the prices are too high, there's no XYZ railroad stuff, going on about what they're going to order (or not) and swearing by, at, or off of MTH.

And we'll still have to wait for who know how long for the stuff to be produced.

Rusty

Hope their server will be up to the challenge.

Will they have the car with the cover photo for sale at York.

 Probably not big news to most here, the G gauge catalog is delayed also. It will be an online only catalog I was told.

You've done a darn fine job of summing it up, Rusty!  I can absolutely guarantee that you are right.

Just wondering......this couldn't be an elaborate/early April Fools joke?

Peter

York # 58, here I come!

I don't go to York, though I would like to, so I don't really care if the catalog is delayed a week or so. I imagine that York attendees are only a small portion of their customer base, though a vocal one here.

I am particularly interested to see what MTH did with the SHS line.

Umm..  if its a brand new item in a catalog that is just been released that morning the dealers aren't really going to know anymore than what you (and they) just read in the same catalog.

There probably won't be any new ground broken in this catalog, except for DCS/DCC compatibility.

We'll probably see a selection of F3's available in 4-6 roadnames.  What will be interesting is if there's any mechanical changes or if MTH offers separate SKU's for HiRail and Scale wheel products. 

I expect a return of about half the freight car line at this point, with a few more announced later in the year, plus the rerelease of S-Trax.

Much more than that would be a surprise for the first catalog.

Rusty

I heard that Allan got the proof copy for his birthday, and will have it copy at the OGR booth!

Yes, they will Jim.

Really enjoyed getting the catalog at York, and it is disappointing not to have one.  I can't see why the size of the catalog would have anything to do with its availability for on-time delivery at the key O Gauge meet.  In any event, I will make do with the online version - certainly not the end of the world not to have a paper version.