Here is the news you are looking for Tinplate Art. Just talked to a buddy of mine. He said he received a call today and his Brute Cars are waiting for him for pick up. I hope to see them early next week.
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Thank you for posting this!
I have been waiting for these for quite a while (like everyone else).
I will be calling "The Train Shack" tomorrow!
Excellent!!!! 
Thank You for the information, I should have my set on Tuesday 
Enjoy 
Frank
THANK YOU MUCH for the alert!
Whew - it has been a L-O-N-G wait - hopefully it was worth it.
I called my shop earlier today, and he had not yet received his invoice. I made a substantial down payment last year, so my wallet will not take a big hit!
My current six-car state consist measures about 123" in length, so these four 31" cars should be about 124" and , overall, better proportioned behind the Brute.
Should be an awesome set!
Need pictures of these bad boys!
Any more sightings?
The suspense is killing me - did your friend pick up his cars, and how do they look?
We need a full report!
Anyone know the early buy price? How many cars offered so far? Thanks, Ron!!!
Ron:
There is a three-car set (San Francisco, Chicago, & New York) plus the add-on New Haven coach. Available in both chromate and two-tone green finish:
The observation car shown below is Chicago.
Note: these cars are 30" plus in length!
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NEWS FLASH:
Just spoke with MTH's Product Information person, Regina, and learned ALL dealer orders have been pulled and are being shipped as I am typing this!
Another bit of exciting news:
According to one dealer, these cars also look good behind the "Super 381"!
Hi Art,
Nice picture......
"NEWS FLASH:"
Just spoke with MTH's Product Information person, Regina, and learned ALL dealer orders have been pulled and are being shipped as I am typing this!
Another bit of exciting news:
According to one dealer, these cars also look good behind the "Super 381"! 
"
BIGGER NEWS FLASH.....
My Brute cars have arrived at my local hobby shop. The Big Little Railroad Shop in Somerville NJ ( shameless plug for a great hobby shop ) So I will have them tomorrow
The wait is over
I would agree that the showroom cars would indeed look superb behind a super 381.
Sincerely
Your Friend
Frank
Originally Posted by Tinplate Art:
Ron:
...
Note: these cars are 30" plus in length!
that would be an 80' coach in 1:32 scale (#1 gauge), interesting.
...gsm
Hope you guys have plenty of clearance for these cars. My pics show the New Haven 1909 car next to a Lionel Classics State Set car. Couple of things we noticed is that while the interior (seats, doors etc...) is larger then the State Set, the sink and toilet are the same size. The wheels and flanges are naturally larger, but I wonder if the will go through a switch with out any problems. It does appear to be about an inch and a half wider then the State Car Set. Over all, it is a great looking car that is well built, with a nice even coat of paint. I think all who have ordered this set will be very happy.
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WOW!!! Even the coaches are Brutes. They look great. Maybe RAK can bring his to the next TCA meet for show and tell.
Steve Eastman
AWESOME! THANK YOU MUCH for sharing!
How were these packed in their respective cartons?
I am glad I have 84" diameter curves on my outer loop with no bridges or tunnels. The former waiting room in my depot/home is a perfect venue for these monsters!
Art, they are packed very well. Being as large as they are, they are wrapped with two sections of plastic. The cars are then packaged with the two lifting straps which are enclosed in a thick Styrofoam container. As long as you have the room they are easy to lift out of the Styrofoam. The box is close to 3 1/2 feet long.
Those look striking. The comparison between those and the "puny" state cars is dramatic. I didnt order these as I had stoped buying trains when they were offered. I may have to re-think that decision. That is if there are even any available. Oh well, live and learn.
Thanks for posting pictures!
I want to thank you guys for posting that these cars had arrived. I knew it was getting close, just did not know when.
The Train Shack called me today and told me they were in, so I ran out and grabbed them.
THEY ARE HUGE!
Unfortunately, I ordered the 318 Coal Train in PS2 while I was there, also...
RAK
Did the Coal train come with rubber stamped coal cars or just red ones?
Any videos of these cars behind the Brute?
Hoping my dealer will call today!
Originally Posted by F&G RY:
RAK
Did the Coal train come with rubber stamped coal cars or just red ones?
Rubber stamped with gold lettering. Real nice looking too.
Great news about the coal train!
The Coal Train is nice, but I had to prioritize: the Brute cars and the Armored Train.
We have four children and five grandchildren who occasionally need our assistance in these harsh financial times.
And...even with TWO homes, I am running out of space!
Wurlitzer,
Thank you for answering about the Coal Train cars!
I won't have it until next week, so there is no way I could have answered the question.
Now I know, too!
Glad they got it right. I have the cars and caboose from the last cataloque. Would have ordered this if they showed it correctly. I guess I will have to sell my PS-1 381.
My dealer called earlier today and told me my four Showroom cars had been shipped and should arrive by Tuesday, February 21. The weight of the three car set with its carton is 44 pounds! By comparison, the Brute plus its carton was about 51 pounds, but that also included the steel frame and particle board.
Brute Showroom Cars Ship
February 20, 2012 - M.T.H. Electric Trains has released it's long-awaited Lionel Corporation Brute Showroom Passenger Cars. These standard gauge passenger cars are based on the famous Lionel State Car design but enlarged in size to complement the Lionel Corporation Brute Electric released in 2009.
Featuring opening roofs that reveal a detailed interior, overhead lighting and a high-gloss paint finish in two-tone green or a zinc chromate finish to match either Brute Electric version, these massive cars will remind everyone who sees them how big and impressive standard gauge tinplate trains can be.
Additional Items
11-40017 3-Car Std. Gauge Show Room Set ♦ ♦ 3-Car Std. Gauge Show Room Set - Two Tone Green Car ...
11-40018 Std. Gauge Show Room Coach Car ♦ ♦ Std. Gauge Show Room Coach Car - Two Tone ...
11-40019 3-Car Std. Gauge Show Room Set ♦ ♦ 3-Car Std. Gauge Show Room Set- Zinc Chromate Car Names: ...
11-40020 Std. Gauge Show Room Coach Car ♦ ♦ Std. Gauge Show Room Coach Car - Zinc Chromate Car ...
