Anyone else surprised/disappointed by the color of MTH’s Canadian Pacific Military Heritage engine?

It's not that easy to compare the pics with the catalog.  Do you have a side pic of your engine without the foam inserts that's similar to the catalog pic?

It is also on the wrong prototype.

- Crank

Mike,

The CP site states "CP 6644 wears the camouflage colours applied to Royal Canadian Air Force "Spitfire" fighter planes flown at the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944." The picture of the actual engine at their site (below) shows the drab green.

Frankly, I would try to return the engine to the seller especially if you were planning to have this engine lead other drab-green military cars in your collection. Your engine doesn't look like the one in the catalog nor the one in real life!

Wow, usually I see people complain about something that’s a shade or less off. This is not even in the ballpark.

The shade of green used by MTH is like 'FURX' green

Are u sure this isn't a lionel engine?  With that big a goof in color.

Yes it's usually a Lionel goof but this time the other guy did it. Quite unusual for them.

OMG, imagine how the olive drab CP 7020 Army green would have looked if MTH had made that one!!!  This is a really _bad_ outcome with the 6644 D-Day unit.  How disappointing to have ruined a beautiful paint scheme for those of us willing to shell out nearly $500 bucks for this particular CP engine knowing that it isn't the right prototype model (SD70ACe instead of the SD70ACU (SD90MAC rebuild).     These should be recalled immediately by MTH and repainted correctly to the colors that properly honour the D-Day veterans as CP intended and that we buyers wanted and expected.

Photo is from CPR.ca Media page of public use images

That's truly an awful color. 

It’s off a lot.  I would give the same advice to return it or see if MTH is going to address the issue. Unfortunately with their “closure” there may be no fixing it.

Just shows that it can happen to anyone. What the response from MTH is will be the telling part of this thread. This is a rare color mistake from MTH.

Looks like more of a lawn service tribute to me.

If the RCAF aircraft had been painted that bright green during the war I believe they would have been sitting ducks for anti-aircraft fire.  

Uh oh, looks like these were subbed out to the painters at the Lionel factory.

Just have Harry Heike weather it, you'll never notice.

@EMD posted:

The shade of green used by MTH is like 'FURX' green

Good observation.  Here’s the FURX green for comparison.

That color doesn't come close to what I ordered. Thanks Mike for the photos!

I have one of these on order & will be contacting my dealer today. My desire for this engine just evaporated.

What is interesting is that MTH has done such a great job with its other military paint schemes.

Just a heads up for those who ordered this.  MTH does not plan to correct the color.

I saw the real one 2 weeks ago in Unionville OH leading CSX eastbound intermodal Q166. Yes, that color on the MTH model is way off on that camo green. Also, 6644 is an SD70ACU which MTH should of put the paint on an SD80MAC or SD9043MAC mold to at least give the same type of design.

Got mine, also not happy with the green.  How does one go about contacting MTH to say something about it?  If they will take them back to repaint, or do a shell swap for the right color, I'm all for it, as long as I can see an example of the repaint first (Don't want it to come back looking even worse.).  If they will only do refunds, then I'm keeping it as I'd rather have one with the wrong colors over not having one at all.

@mike.caruso posted:

Just a heads up for those who ordered this.  MTH does not plan to correct the color.

Hey Mike, would you elaborate on the source of this info?  Was it a 'no' from someone who was actually empowered to say 'yes' ?

I sure wish the community could raise enough concern that MTH would actually give buyers the outcome they deserve.   Sad way to exit the business by leaving a bad taste with the customer... 

Bryan

Heard this from a major MTH dealer and Forum sponsor.

@Wrawroacx posted:

I saw the real one 2 weeks ago in Unionville OH leading CSX eastbound intermodal Q166. Yes, that color on the MTH model is way off on that camo green. Also, 6644 is an SD70ACU which MTH should of put the paint on an SD80MAC or SD9043MAC mold to at least give the same type of design.

Now I feel even worse.  LOL  what a shame, the real thing looks so awesome.  

@sinclair posted:

Got mine, also not happy with the green.  How does one go about contacting MTH to say something about it?

Hopefully MTH is monitoring their specific forum here on OGR and will respond.      Hullooo...Andy?  Rich?  Mike???

If they will take them back to repaint, or do a shell swap for the right color, I'm all for it, as long as I can see an example of the repaint first (Don't want it to come back looking even worse.).  If they will only do refunds, then I'm keeping it as I'd rather have one with the wrong colors over not having one at all.

@mike.caruso posted:

Heard this from a major MTH dealer and Forum sponsor.

Maybe if dealers would raise the issue loudly enough as well, perhaps an empowered 'yes' decision maker _at_ MTH can act.

@RidgeRunner posted:

Maybe if dealers would raise the issue loudly enough as well, perhaps an empowered 'yes' decision maker _at_ MTH can act.

Problem you have now is no one knows who will be in charge of MTH or it's released products much longer.  A new entity or MTH in some form?

@MartyE posted:

Problem you have now is no one knows who will be in charge of MTH or it's released products much longer.  A new entity or MTH in some form?

No one in charge?

I contacted my dealer ( Mr. Muffin), as I was considering exchanging this model for one of the other CP military units. Unfortunately all of the other models are sold out, and given that the tooling has been sold to Atlas, the chance of a replacement shell is zero. I believe this is a situation of take it or leave it.

The model's paint scheme looks more like a target than camouflage.

@rthomps posted:

No one in charge?

Yep.  Who will be dealing with it (although previous poster said MTH is not) so that put it to bed.  It is what it is.

@mike.caruso posted:

Now I feel even worse.  LOL  what a shame, the real thing looks so awesome.  

Mike - I have another question for you and/or anyone else who has received this particular MTH engine.

Does the horn on it sound anything like the horn on the Real McCoy shown/heard on your video?

Unfortunately I can't answer that.  I wanted to keep this as "new" as possible because I had a strong feeling I was going to return it.  So I never placed it on tracks, never removed any of the Styrofoam protectants, etc.  All I did was open the box, unwrap the cellophane, and then re-pack it.  

@MartyE posted:

Yep.  Who will be dealing with it (although previous poster said MTH is not) so that put it to bed.  It is what it is.

Here's what it is...

Wow!  That's awful!  And, what an awful outcome that you really have no recourse. 

I like the idea to have it weathered, and heavily!  I would do that if I were in your shoes.

Wow, what do you know, Quality Control first to go. Seems this was mentioned in another thread about the MTH products follow on and service after the "MTH Tooling acquisition".

This may be a little off target and not of much help, but with or without the invasion stripes, I believe the colors as applied by CP and shown in the MTH promo artwork constitute what the RAF called its Temperate Land Scheme camouflage pattern. If you watch the engine fade away against the winter trees in Wrawroacx's  video posted above, you can get a feel for how effective it may have been. And if you watch the trailing green containers, you can see how intemperate the MTH model's colors would have been.

- Mike

@mike.caruso posted:

Just a heads up for those who ordered this.  MTH does not plan to correct the color.

What a hideous locomotive! It looks like a Saint Patrick's day tribute. I think customers have every right to cancel these orders when it is such a strong deviation from the catalog, much less a deviation from reality!

MTH will not fix these because it would be difficult to do so when you no longer exist.  These are strong candidates for the repaint industry.

@RickO posted:

Uh oh, looks like these were subbed out to the painters at the Lionel factory.

Just have Harry Heike weather it, you'll never notice.

Ah...I think MTH owns this... 100%, at least for the next 8 weeks.

Paint the invasion stripes pink and yellow and it call it The Easter Bunny Express. What a disgrace to the veterans it is supposed to honor.

If this is the worst thing that happens to you in 2021, consider some of the alternatives .  Stuff happens.  Keep it, have it repainted or discuss options with your dealer.  Obviously some folks actually like it or will keep it for various reasons. Perhaps your dealer knows someone who wants one?  Or sell it on the Bay, as MTH stuff seems in demand due to panic buying right now.  Not perfect solutions, but some options that come to mind.

@Mike Casatelli posted:

This may be a little off target and not of much help, but with or without the invasion stripes, I believe the colors as applied by CP and shown in the MTH promo artwork constitute what the RAF called its Temperate Land Scheme camouflage pattern. If you watch the engine fade away against the winter trees in Wrawroacx's  video posted above, you can get a feel for how effective it may have been. And if you watch the trailing green containers, you can see how intemperate the MTH model's colors would have been.

- Mike

FWIW, the Canadian Pacific's book "Proud Colours" (by Adam Meeks) notes the Royal Canadian Air Force used the Spitfire as their primary fighter.   From page 68,

"The paint scheme for the World War II locomotive was based heavily on the camouflage patterns applied to Spitfires in the latter half of the Second World War.  After employing green and brown shades for the early part of the conflict, the colours were adjusted in 1942 to the iconic green and gray liveries that the planes wore for the duration of their services lives.  CP's team worked diligently to ensure that the RAF Ocean Gray and RAF green paints used on the locomotive were faithful to the original colours used during World War II.  The black and white striping matches the 18" widths specified for Allied fighter aircraft during the Normandy invasion, and safety appliances on the locomotive were painted RAF Roundel Yellow to echo the accents on the leading edges of Spitfire wings.  The road numbers and class data were rendered in WWII-era RAF standard font, and the locomotive received a unique identifier - CP 6644.  Numbered for the 6th day of the 6th month of 1944, the locomotive is literally in a class of her own."

Sadly, there was not similar diligence to the faithfulness of the original colours for this $500 version.