Art's Review of the Showroom Cars

For comparison:

 

My five-car 1998 MTH State set had ZERO paint defects, though still made in China.

 

My extra MTH "Michigan" State car also had NO defects.

 

Luck of the draw, or better quality control? 

Art,

 

One of my cars also had some paint damage to the roof, at one end (even though there was a thin piece of foam between the roof and the car end-I assume to prevent this).

 

Is the correct procedure to contact MTH directly for the touch up paint?

 

I like the size of the cars-I don't think they are too large (compared the state cars to the 381 and it looks stubby). 

 

An "eye of the beholder" type of thing, I think, sir.

RAK:

 

MTH service supplied some green touch-up paint and hardener for my Brute. It had to be carefully mixed in the ratio prescribed and applied PROMPTLY to the surface being painted. NOTE: The paint and hardener have a very short life-span in their containers!

 

RE: "Eye of the beholder theory":

 

BOTH my wife and I perceive these cars to be a tad TOO large for the Brute, and 84" diameter curves! I agree it is a matter of individual taste. 

 

My Brute, sans traction tires, had NO problems pulling these cars. 

 

SORRY, but NO traction tires on my tinplate! 

Interesting that anything would look too large for a Brute.

In answer to the question asked by Art about the size of the cars on another Showroom cars thread.

 

I think they look really good behind the Brute. In reality The Milwaukee Road Bi-Polar the engine the Brute was modeled after is 76' long. The Showroom cars are modeled after steel sided passenger cars which are generally 80' in length.

 

The Brute being a little shorter than the cars is correct. Both the engine and cars are compreesed for Standard Gauge. STG by taking the distance between the rails scales up to aroung 1/26. To be in scale the cars need to be almost 37 inches long and the engine a little shorter. The cars would have to be a little fat because the Brute is a little fat. Remember it is almost Buddy L gauge with the wheels tucked well inside the frame.

 

MTH again did it right.

For the flaws. It seems more of a packaging problem than a manufacturing problem. Either way MTHs fault.

Well, this is America, so bigger is better.  But I gotta say, there is a limit somewhere. Jim's comment, "Remember it is almost Buddy L gauge..." puts it in perspective.  There was a reason Joshua never produced the Brute or these big cars.

 

I'm just getting my standard gauge layout up and running, and I have the Super 381 pulling the full 6 state cars, and let me tell ya, it's impressive, but at the same time it kind of overpowers everything else.  A little on the big side, scale-wise, to everything else on the layout.  To my eye the Ives and Flyer sets (Black Diamond, Presidential) are the best, big enough to be impressive but still graceful on the 84 and 72 curves.

 

MTH is just seeing how big they can push it.  The laugh's on me: I bought a Brute too.  But I won't be running it much, and I'm not getting the big cars.  My layout isn't a Buddy-L or Keystone "Ride-on" set up. 

 

Just my opinion.  I thought I really wanted the big stuff, but I've lost interest, it's just cumbersome.

 

Now if I expanded the layout into the back barn, with some 60' straightaways, that might change my mind.

 

Glad the cars came in and are impressive. It's been a long wait for you all.

 

MTH needs to resolve their packing/shipping issues, however. I think it is pretty lame to provide touch up for a new train at that price level.

I understand Jim's reasoning and logic, but I also agree with hojack: These cars are CUMBERSOME!  

 

My wife says she is glad I did not sell my six MTH state cars, as she likes them better behind the Brute than the Showroom cars! At one point today, I actually wanted to put them up for sale on the buy/sell board. 

 

After running them for awhile, I decided to keep them, but they are still CUMBERSOME!

 

Perhaps I should have anticipated their HUGE size, and so in the end, it is "My bad"!

As MTH often makes add-on cars, I wonder if there will be a baggage car, combine, or diner...

Art I has similar problems when I purchased my last state car add on cars a few years ago. Paint was chipping off in some spots and had already been touched up by the roof ventilators. Talked to Mike at York and he said to send them back and if they had any left then they would replace them. I kept them as I read from his tone that there wasn't going to be any to replace them. I think the Chinese manufacturer he is using doesn't prep the tinplate well before painting and it continues to be a problem.

There will NEVER be touch-up on ANY of my trains, new or old!!!  I would rather have paint loss than touch-up, especially on $500 passenger cars.  They would have been on the first mail train back to the manufacturer!!!  The manufacturer makes you wait over a year, and then has the balls to send you a brush-on touchup...UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Well said Ron. I agree completely. I don't believe in touch-up either. How many people would touch-up a new brand new automobile? I would guess not many.

I have never put paint and brush to my old trains either. If I put a scratch on one, it just adds character! I'm tired of worrying about scratches. It takes the fun out of running my tinplate.

It's not a new one.  Think "Ives".  I think it's part of the tinplate experience.

 

 

I am going to touch mine up too.  My Brute has a bit of worn paint where it is articulated (it has run for two days straight at two different Cal Stewart meets).  I will touch that up, and the passenger car roof end.

 

The missing paint is minor-I got this set to run, and will do so until I to old and feeble to put it on the track.

 

If they come out with more cars, I will get those two.

I feel bad for Art...as these cars were long anticipated!!!

Ron:

 

I sincerely appreciate your input, and I have asked MTH for a full refund. They suggested a "repair" (touch-up painting?), which I declined. 

 

I am awaiting a call from an MTH executive.

 

Obviously, the foam protectors for the roof ends were applied while the paint was still tacky, and subsequently small paint chips came loose when these foam pieces were removed!

 

TOTALLY unacceptable, and as a dialysis patient, I do not need this aggravation! 

I just have always hated touch ups...and these cars are their TOP OF LINE...no excuses!!!  I have passed on a lot of VINTAGE trains because the owner or factory got CREATIIVE!!!  My Milwaukee State Cars are flawless, so there is no good reason the Brute Cars should not be.  BUT...DO NOT LET THIS AFFECT YOUR HEALTH...not worth it Buddy!!!

As a cancer patient hopefully going into remission, I would take Ron's advice to heart as far as the MTH issues which in this case to you it seems the cure they suggested was worse than the issue. I see that you posted selling them which I think is shameful and seemingly arrogant to patch the issue on MTH's part. Don't let it get you down, I hope they sell successfully and fast for you and then you can put the whole thing behind you and roll with the ups and downs..it may be a blessing in disguise in terms of other opportunities, or at least I hope so for you.

THANKS to Ron and Electroliner for your concern! 

 

I should not have to accept inferior merchandise from ANYONE! 

 

I am NOT happy with these cars that I have waited for so long to arrive, and then find avoidable paint defects! 

 

I will continue to run my six blemish-free MTH state cars behind my Brute and be satisfied with that arrangement.

I am just glad I did not sell my state cars, as was my original plan! 

"I should not have to accept inferior merchandise from ANYONE!"

 

Amen to that regardless if they are toy trains or televisions or automobiles. These days you have to be your own consumer advocate or be given doubletalk  or half measures as a remedy.

Glad to see you got a full refund.

Kind of. The Ives was made in the first part of the 1900's, and painting technology was not much past the brush application state. They were also toys aimed at kids, and the expectation was lower. Look at any Lionel or Flyer from that era as well. They have runs and drips.

 

However, there is nearly 100 years of development in manufacturing processes, and these cars (as is most modern tinplate) are geared toward adult consumers, and cost more than a lot of people earn in a month.

 

Contributors to this forum most likely are lucky enough to be in a position to consider the purchase of these cars, or other non essential train purchases of equal value, however, in this day and age, these should be free from damage upon arrival. After that, a nick added by the owner may add character, and maybe irritate the owner a bit, but I don't consider a new product of any kind that comes damaged as pre packaged with character. It should not occur, and honestly, quality issues like this have been around since the LTI days with MTH.

 

Art, you have a few things going on. The cars may not have been what you expected size wise, and then the nicks, so you may experience a little buyer's remorse. I do that on big ticket items, and sometimes, it goes away, sometimes not.

 

If you think you may adapt to the cars, maybe try to work out a deal with them that includes a refund of sorts and the touch up, if you can live with that, if not, try to return them. Sorry the long wait was a bit anti-climatic.