Any experience/reviews on MTH MTH Premier 4-4-0 Empire State Express?

I don't have one but if that is one of the latest ones they have a more scale tender and PS3 and had good response. The earlier versions had tenders that were too large.

The new tender is actually based on the one from the real 999; the earlier production used the same tender from the the H-3 Pennsy 2-8-0. Ugh.

 

I have the earlier engine. The new engine has several improvements besides the correct tender--like a wireless drawbar.

 

My enigne is a very nice scale rendition of this beautiful engine. Many of the improvements I suggested when the first version came out were implemented, such as replacing brass parts with steel-colored parts (brass parts on engines in the 1890s were considered "old fashioned." The 999 was meant to be a cutting edge speedster for her day, with only the most modern appointments). The Russia Iron coloring is quite nice, as is the "stained wood" cab. It's got all the features we've come to expect, like class lamps and marker lamps, cab light, moderate cab detailing, sliding windows and opening roof hatch. She's a smooth runner, but not particularly fast. She also has operating valve gear, which is a neat plus. She can easily pull the four-car consist of MTH 1890s passenger cars, and looks good doing it.

That's a pretty good-looking engine with really long legs, but ... the boiler is humped up more than the prototype, presumably for the mechanism. The Lionel Generals were really bad in that respect. I might be tempted to have one if the boiler was more accurate. I'm not that concerned with exact scale in 3-rail, but I still like good proportions.

Huh?? The boiler is perfect. You must be thinking of the "restored" engine (and I use the term lightly).

 

Here's what she SHOULD look like:

 

 

 

is the PS3 alot better?  what all does the PS3 have over 2? more features and control? better sound details?  looks like the engine puffs better in sync with sound.

Chris

 

Nice loco.  Looks good and pretty true to the prototype.  

 

I noticed it does five chuffs per revolution of the drivers- or am I counting wrong?

Yeah, looks like slightly more than 4; maybe 4.2 per rev. That can be corrected, I beleive.

It probably can, but it sounds nice, nonetheless. I'm seriously think about  getting this little jewel . . . 

Oh! My mistake! The "restored" (or "replica"?) engine has a different boiler?

 

But the Lionel Generals are truly awful with the grossly humped-up boiler.

New boiler, smaller drivers, electric headlight, new cab, smaller pilot, different steam dome...I'm actually not sure exactly how much of the original 999 remains in the restored engine.

 

I have the first release of it, which I think is classier looking than the later version.  It has many many miles on it, and still performs flawlessly.  I don't care that it doesn't have the exact same proportions as the real one or that there are a few rivets missing.  It looks so good that you forget about that stuff.

 

The only criticism I would have is the low sound volume, but I'm sure part of that is the small tender that the speaker is housed in.  Just a tad more audio power would have helped.  It looks great pulling some wood sided passenger cars and pulls more than you would think for such a small engine.

Have the PS3 version; beautiful, runs well, sounds good. 

 

Yes, the saved/restored 999 was modernized during its working life, and retired as

a branch line loco with smaller drivers, different boiler, electric headlight, and so on.

 

I wish that the museum would repaint it in its "as retired" look and number; the original paint scheme on the loco just looks silly and sad (I've seen it in person.) The loco had a long and productive life span, and should reflect history, not wishful thinking. But, then, we live in a botox culture. Heaven forbid that we should look as if we had had experiences.

 

"Not much of the original survives..." Hah. I would be delighted if we had that much of

a J3a Hudson in a museum.

Thanks everyone!

 

I just ordered one.  I think MTH made some versions of this model with the normal 80" drivers rather than that the "land speed record" 84 inch ones, but I was unable to find one of those from a vendor I trust at a price I was willing to pay.  So its the big drivers and their slightly strange look. 

 

I agree about the paint: I can't really change the drivers but I imagine the paint will go fairly quickly after I get it. 

From the local  museum.

 

I have the PRR D16 version of the same lock and I love it. Very smooth runner, smokes well, and with the high drivers she can creep along very realistically.

I have this engine too. I didn't pre-order it because I didn't think it was going to have PS3. When it came out and I found out it had PS3, I scrambled to find one. My LHS was able to get me the last one out of MTH with scale wheels. Sometimes you 3 rail guys don't realize how lucky you are. With the 2 rail stuff they only make so many and when they're gone they're gone. I never see the scale wheeled steam on the secondary market. Anyway...I really wanted the one with the smaller drivers but MTH was out of that and I had to settle for the green one with the larger drivers. After a while it really grew on me and I now love this engine and would never sell it. She runs great and sounds good. She's got a unique whistle too. Lee, I think you will be happy with the engine. Good luck with it.