Can someone contact MTH? 2 rail product interest

It appears that MTH has left our building!

for 2 rail that is. I bet there's a reason but I can only guess what that is. Might be stuck with Atlas reboots of existing MTH runs for 2 rail from now on.

Hopefully they see this and other posts and realize there may still be demand for their 2 rail.

it might almost be an opportunity , for a New company to produce a conversion service and  or details kits, to take the 3 rail (quote) scale equipment to 2 rail. 

MTH sold most of the premier tooling to Atlas. Atlas is the only source for now for 2-rail MTH diesels. It looks like Lionel got the steam tooling and they don't seem to have an interest in 2-rail equipment at this time.

I would love to see MTH offer 2-rail (3/2) versions of the Premier diesels that they still hold the tooling for.  For example, the SD35.  I have two custom-run 3-rail SD35’s on pre-order right now that I would have definitely ordered in 2-rail (to get the fixed pilots and full-length handrails) if they were offered.

IF MTH does not intend to offer any more 2-rail diesels, then I sure hope Atlas produces their 2-rail diesels (from former MTH tooling) in the 3/2 convertible configuration for those of us who want to run on 3-rail track!

@MTH

@Atlas O

@AGHRMatt posted:

MTH sold most of the premier tooling to Atlas. Atlas is the only source for now for 2-rail MTH diesels. It looks like Lionel got the steam tooling and they don't seem to have an interest in 2-rail equipment at this time.

Matt, please correct me if I am wrong but I thought that was true only for diesels. I thought MTH kept most of the Premier steam tooling? If Lionel got the -2 steam tooling that most likely we will never see it used. Nothing against Lionel but I agree that they just don't have an interest in 2 rail.

Again correct me if I am wrong but not all of the MTH diesels were done in 2 rail (or a -2 version). I don't believe the GP9 or GP7 was done in -2 nor the 44 tonner or the SD40-2. There were a lot of modern diesels that had a -2 version. I assume Atlas will release -2 diesels formerly from MTH but I doubt they are going to make the changes to the diesels that never had a -2 version so as to include a -2 version.

Unfortunately, it appears to me that MTH -2 locomotives are somewhat of a casualty of the MTH break up. Looking back I wish I would have bought more -2 steam especially the smaller steam locomotives because it seems even before MTH got broken up they started sticking to mainly larger engines. I am very happy I got a -2 0-6-0 from the 'Bay. It is a really smooth running engine but I wish I had one or two more and couple of 0-8-0s too.  I remember one time passing up on a Southern 0-8-0 because of the paint color. I should have bought it. Oh well, I can only hope that someday the -2 locomotives come back into production.

HI Phil.

MTH retained some of the tooling (based on some special runs they've been offering). Makes sense as Atlas had F-unit and GP7/9 tooling and I'm sure some of the MTH tooling for steam would be redundant for Lionel.

I know that MTH issued a lot of 3-2 locomotives without offering versions with scale wheels. Some, like the PHL Genset were offered, but canceled due to lack of orders (I guess my three pre-orders weren't sufficient--LOL). I have an SD24 that is 3-2 which I plan to convert.

The remnants of the original MTH are still in their growing stage. For now, it looks like Atlas is working to continue the Premier line, but I'm not sure what they plan with respect to scale wheel offerings. Time will tell.

Thanks Matt. Isn't it true that some locomotives came with the 3/2 trucks but they are not offered in a -2 version? What I mean is they do not have the full length handrails and fixed pilots but do have the convertible trucks. IIRC this is the case with the MTH GP9.

I’m only asking about the premier toolings that MTH has retained that were previously offered in two rail. I understand about the toolings that were sold to Lionel and Atlas. I just would like to hear from them about the possibility of doing a two rail run with those toolings that they still own in the future. I would have liked to see the AC4400CWs be offered, that’s why I mentioned them.

Understand, I'm sure, that the main difference is just the added on fixed pilots (yes and handrails, wheels, etc.). So although they are set-up to be available in 2 rail versions, MTH stopped all 2 rail offerings.

Now you and I understand that, but we don't know why they stopped? Pointing it out for everyone to see, might help our cause. So I thank you for this post.

@Hudson J1e posted:

Thanks Matt. Isn't it true that some locomotives came with the 3/2 trucks but they are not offered in a -2 version? What I mean is they do not have the full length handrails and fixed pilots but do have the convertible trucks. IIRC this is the case with the MTH GP9.

Yes. I believe the 3-2 truck configuration became standard among most of the Premier diesel locomotives. The exceptions that come to mind are the SD45's, Box Cabs (I have a couple of them), and 44-tonners, though I'm not 100% sure about the 44-tonners.

@bigboy25 posted:

I’m only asking about the premier toolings that MTH has retained that were previously offered in two rail. I understand about the toolings that were sold to Lionel and Atlas. I just would like to hear from them about the possibility of doing a two rail run with those toolings that they still own in the future. I would have liked to see the AC4400CWs be offered, that’s why I mentioned them.

The AC4400W tooling was sold to Atlas, so I suspect when there's an offering the 2-rail versions MAY be offered. Atlas' initial releases from the MTH tooling--AKA Atlas Premier--were offered both ways. The prices are much higher than the MTH offerings. They were equipped with Proto-3 boards, so DCC compatibility was included.

@AGHRMatt posted:

Yes. I believe the 3-2 truck configuration became standard among most of the Premier diesel locomotives. The exceptions that come to mind are the SD45's, Box Cabs (I have a couple of them), and 44-tonners, though I'm not 100% sure about the 44-tonners.

and the e8s, and .....

@AGHRMatt posted:

The AC4400W tooling was sold to Atlas, so I suspect when there's an offering the 2-rail versions MAY be offered. Atlas' initial releases from the MTH tooling--AKA Atlas Premier--were offered both ways. The prices are much higher than the MTH offerings. They were equipped with Proto-3 boards, so DCC compatibility was included.

Matt, I only ask about the AC4400CWs as they were one of the few GE wide-cab toolings not sold to Atlas. You can check the list of tooling sold to Atlas here and notice that it is not on there. The only other GE wide-cab offering that was not purchased by Atlas, as far as I know, was the Dash-8s, which makes sense as Atlas already has its own Dash-8 tooling. For further evidence that MTH still owns this tooling, see this announcement for AC4400CWs that they did just last August, way after when they sold the rest of the tooling to Atlas.

@Engineer-Joe posted:

Understand, I'm sure, that the main difference is just the added on fixed pilots (yes and handrails, wheels, etc.). So although they are set-up to be available in 2 rail versions, MTH stopped all 2 rail offerings.

Now you and I understand that, but we don't know why they stopped? Pointing it out for everyone to see, might help our cause. So I thank you for this post.

Yes, you get my point exactly. I'm trying to find out why they stopped offering these great 2-rail models and if they will be offered again in the future. I could always buy them as they are being offered now and do the work for a conversion, but it is nice to be able to get what you want right out of the box and to encourage with your dollar the manufacturers to produce more 2-rail ready-to-run equipment.

A niche market (2-rail) within a niche market(O-Scale).  Without warehouse space, MTH has gone to BTO pretty much.  Without knowing anything, I believe the minimum order for a custom run is 25 units.   I think your only hope would be to contact a larger dealer and see if they would be willing to commission a run (if MTH would still offer it).

Best of luck!

@bigboy25 posted:

Matt, I only ask about the AC4400CWs as they were one of the few GE wide-cab toolings not sold to Atlas. You can check the list of tooling sold to Atlas here and notice that it is not on there. The only other GE wide-cab offering that was not purchased by Atlas, as far as I know, was the Dash-8s, which makes sense as Atlas already has its own Dash-8 tooling. For further evidence that MTH still owns this tooling, see this announcement for AC4400CWs that they did just last August, way after when they sold the rest of the tooling to Atlas.

Yes, you get my point exactly. I'm trying to find out why they stopped offering these great 2-rail models and if they will be offered again in the future. I could always buy them as they are being offered now and do the work for a conversion, but it is nice to be able to get what you want right out of the box and to encourage with your dollar the manufacturers to produce more 2-rail ready-to-run equipment.

You're right. My bad.

I have MTH F3 ABA that I like, so I hope that they make more 2 rail.

A correction on the locomotives that didn't get the 3-2 trucks. The last issue SD45's and SD24's got them. I don't think the SD40-2's got them.