Anybody care about the new MTH catalog?

Gentlemen,

   I look forward to both, but do not dwell on them like some people do, now if MTH started talking a about Command Control type switches and a new DCS hand held remote I would be dwelling on the new MTH Catalogue a lot more.

PCRR/Dave

Marty to be honest i think mth doesnt give a crap about "o" gauge i think there more into HO...

The Premier Erie Triplex (in black) would be awesome, although I was and still am hoping Lionel would make it - only because their sounds are awesome - but I would buy the Premier version.

Why is it that on this site there are Lionel supporters, MTH supporters and Independents, that have both; but I think (with no data to support this) that most here are in the Lionel camp.

Which seems to go against the current numbers when it comes to national politics where independents are more numerous. Again why is that when most if us are old guys set in our ways. Maybe that is the answer?

I've done almost a complete about face when it comes to buying locomotives. First, I went from steam to all diesel and second I have more MTH than Lionel. I have 1 ABBA F7 Lionel and 1 Weaver RS3. My MTH roster is 1 SW9, 1 GP9 and 1 SD70ACe. I am not a virtuoso with engine sounds so MTH sounds just as good as Lionel does to me. The prices of MTH scale diesel locomotives are substantially less than Lionel's. I am pretty sure that the MTH selection of Milwaukee Road engines is larger than Lionel's. Does this mean that I am shutting out Lionel? No! All this means is that MTH is filling my needs nicely at this point. This could change quickly as new products come out. So yes, I look forward to the release of the new MTH catalog each time, but I also do that for Lionel, Weaver and Atlas. I believe that tradition and loyalty have their place in this hobby but so also does innovation and competition. 

I'm also getting the bug for that bright and shiny stuff.

I've been told from the powers that be it is not likely, but again I would love to see a tinplate Polar Express.

I enjoy looking at the catalogs from all the companies.  Sometimes they offer items I like and sometimes they don't.  Either way, it is still enjoyable to browse through them all and the modern era second-hand market is always an option to find an item missed from prior years.

We will not be able to see it for 18 more days.

MTH will regularly produce SOO LINE items. There are many Soo Line locomotives, freight cars, and graphic schemes left to make for the first time.

Andrew

So tell me...  If MTH were to leave the O gauge market, who would you guys have to complain about?

Rusty

You can be sure that they would set their targets on someone else, Rusty.  Some people are simply not content unless they are complaining about or bashing some thing or some one.  And for a few I suppose that IS the hobby because they don't even have layouts to work on to express their creativity or provide some stress relief and relaxation.

I don't.

I'm anxious to see the MTH catalog.  I like any and all items that fit the theme of my layout, or tickles my fancy for model railroading.  I have numerous items from Lionel, MTH, Atlas and Williams.  I am always interested to see what each one has in their new catalogs.

Matt

Other than their Lionel Tinplate catalogs I have not looked at an MTH catalog in years.

I haven't bought much MTH in recent years, but I always enjoy looking at what they've been up to, in terms of product variety and innovation.

You own 90% of MTH's products?   WOW!  That's some collection!  

No shows, just meets.  Right Allan?

You got it, Chris!  See you there? 

I'm looking forward to seeing the catalog--Alaska RR and U.S. Army stuff only, though, so I'm really not expecting to find too much (unless there's something new in geared locomotives).  However, there's also the tinplate catalog, and I almost always find something to tempt my wallet in that one.

I like them both and I also like Atlas. I think each one has their pros & cons. I have diesels only, and have only one Lionel engine out of ten or so total, the rest are MTH. The main reason for this is that I try to stick to only one road name (BNSF) and MTH has had far more in that road name than anyone else since I got back in to the hobby a few years ago. BNSF is the 2nd largest railroad in the US, not far behind the UP and there is really not a lot out there in that road name. This is actually good too, makes it easier on the wallet!

Lionel does have another one for me in the newest catalog that I will most likely order pretty soon, that will bring the total for Lionel up to two. Atlas also has two BNSF diesels in their latest 2014 catalog that I have an eye on. My LHS is looking into ordering me at least one of those. Just kind of hoping MTH doesn't have a lot that I want. I need to route the train budget to some track and layout stuff.

Umm, I do not see the point of your post. "Nobody" means no one. How did you conclude this?

Gerry, no, actually I think we ….. Oh, look!  A rabbit!!

OK, I'll bite.

I am waiting for the MTH catalog but not eagerly, I'm afraid I'll find another thing I "Gotta Have" and the budget is already thin.

I always find something in the various catalogs I want / Need.

Like the new Weaver Troop cars.....

I'll care about the 2014 Vol 2 MTH catalog when it comes out so I can see what they are offering, besides a Premier UP FEF-3.

Stuart

MTH is doing great in promoting the tinplate trains and standard gauge which Mike Wolf once described as a niche market.  I suspect it could be a quickly growing market given the nostalgic appeal of these trains and their iconic brands.  I would think many of us who are drawn to O and S Gauge from the traditions of our youth may discover the trains of our parents and grandparents in standard gauge and tinplate.  I would like to see more standard gauge and tinplate at the train shows in the Midwest.

Yup.  I'll be at the April meet and the Tuesday's Thursday or is it Thursday's Tuesday?  And the same for me with the ARR pieces.  I can't pass up the Yellow & Blue!

What's new becomes old pretty fast nowadays.

Frankly, it seems the hobby is drifting away from model railroading, railroading's history and legacy and becoming more of a golly-gee-wizz electronic features hobby.

It's becoming clearer and clearer to me in reading threads over the past few years that the features are becoming more important that the locomotives.

I'm beginning to think Lionel, MTH or whoever could sell a hollowed out 2x4 with couplers and wheels as long as it had sound, command control, smoke oozing out of everywhere, swinging splinters and lit up like a Christmas tree.

Call me a Luddite if you will, but while these features are neat in some respects, they are not my driving force for being in the hobby.  Simple as it is, I consider my model railroad a railroad, not a noisy, smoky electronics nirvana.

Rusty

Always- I like to see everyone's New Catalog.  I buy from them all. They all have things I like doesn't  matter who's name is on it. I buy what I like.

Just my thoughts, but personally I think TMCC and MTH, then DCS and Legacy have played a big part in the revival of the O gauge hobby so to speak. The electronics and added features are what I think people today really want. The added competition and trying to out do the other manufacturers in electronics and features is great for the development of new and better products that benefit all of us.

Sure railroading is a big part of it too, but I think many want more than the trains we had as kids or dad's or grandpa's trains. Sounds, lights, smoke and couplers etc. just make the experience better for some of us.

Originally Posted by Rusty Traque: Simple as it is, I consider my model railroad a railroad, not a noisy, smoky electronics nirvana.

 

 

 

You tell em' Rusty! Because real railroads are never noisy or smokey!

 

god forbid that a train that LOOKS the part should ACT the part. What a rediculous idea!

 

Yea that is why lionel and mth make so many trains with out these features...hmmm

I dont know how many buildings i made or built from scratch on my layout but thats not the point ..My point is the people have spoken .  More people want these features ..

Originally Posted by RickO:

Originally Posted by Rusty Traque: Simple as it is, I consider my model railroad a railroad, not a noisy, smoky electronics nirvana.

 

 

 

You tell em' Rusty! Because real railroads are never noisy or smokey!

 

god forbid that a train that LOOKS the part should ACT the part. What a rediculous idea!

 

Yea that is why lionel and mth make so many trains with out these features...hmmm

Point taken.

BUT...  I don't not buy a model locomotive because they have these features, I just turn them off. 

AND I also don't go crying and moaning becauses a model locomotive doesn't have these features.

My decision to purchase is made by my desire to own a model of certain locomotive, not by any "bells and whistles" features.

Rusty

You wait.  If MTH includes these additional features that people supposedly want, next thing you know, they will complain about the price.

You just can't please everyone.

I think the timing isn't working out for MTH.  Their catalog will appear at York, but only after Lionel's big catalog has sucked a lot of the interest and dollars out of a limited market.  Moreover, preorders from Lionel are likely to be delivered in a more timely way.

Being a Pennsy fan MTH makes some unique PRR engines and was the go to source for Pennsy cabin cars.....but, the unique PRR engines are the electrics and I'm not sure I want to invest in modeling or buying a decent catenary system, and now that Lionel is making a plastic cabin car MTH has lost the it's appeal for me .....

Jojofry, if I wanted to insult or bash you personally, you'd really know it. 

You can always flag my posts to the moderators and ask that they be removed.

Rusty

I like the smoke effect features also and the more wiz bang stuff they can put in the locomotives, the better IMO. 

I like  Mth  but because of their lack of upgrading their O gauge line I have not bought one engine the past couple of years. Case in point-the NS  heritage units, they could have upgraded the tooling to better represent the heritage units as they are today but they did not, they did in HO. Most of the paint schemes were fine but the major details are wrong, it is just lazy IMO. 

Unless they wake up their portion of the O gauge market will continue to weaken IMO. 

I care about the MTH catalog. I ordered two locomotives out of the last one. Their freight cars have been much improved in recent times and are almost as good as Lionel's freight cars but they are cheaper and easier to convert to 2 rail.

Like Southwest Hiawatha I think the whistle steam is pretty cool and I would like to see MTH add that to their steam engines because then us 2 railers will have a shot at those features. The coal load thingy doesn't do anything for me. I don't base my purchases on what features the locomotive has. I choose what I want to buy because either #1) it fits in with what I am trying to accomplish on my railroad or #2) I just happen to really like that particular piece of rolling stock. For instance I have always wanted a UP FEF even though I don't model the UP. I have always liked the FEF as the one and only steam engine that was never retired. Maybe I can afford the new FEF if it is offered in 2 rail and can fit around my curves.

ALL OPINION.

So I am not panting heavily with my tongue on the ground waiting to see the new MTH catalog but I always enjoy looking at the catalog when it comes out.