Come on MTH! Make the ALCo S4!

prrhorseshoecurveOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

The last several years MTH has been riding on Lionel's coat tails when it comes to product announcements. This year I can see MTH reannouncing their S2 Diesel Switcher, to ride on Lionel's announcement along with this forum's mumbleings of the units MSRP costs.

Instead of the same old MTH s2- why not up the anti and announce the ALCo S4 in Premier lines? it's essentially the ALCo S2 but with the AAR type A switcher trucks instead of the ALco blunt end trucks found on the S2. Really MTh you will not only sell your switcher to people who want an ALCo type switcher but to the modeler's collectors/prr fans who already have the ALCo s2 but not an S4! How about that?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_S-2_and_S-4

9/17/1410:39 AM

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StuartOGR Forum Member

Several years ago at York I had suggested to either Rich or Andy the idea of doing the Alco S-4, for the same reasons you have. No new tooling needed, just swap the side frames on the trucks.

Stuart

9/17/141:52 PM

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John KorlingOGR Forum Member

I seem to recall that another spotting difference is that the S2 had the bell behind the exhaust stack and with the introduction of the S-4 it was relocated to the front of the hood.

A minor thing, for sure and if accurate, but that would be a very easy mod.

9/17/143:10 PM

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Bob DelbridgeOGR Forum Member

Or at least offer some sideframes and trucks to convert engines like RS2 and RS3s to RSC2 and RSC3s. I know only a handful of RRs had them but that hasn't stopped MTH (or Lionel, or Atlas, or 3rd Rail) before.

Even Seaboard owned a few S4s (#1482-1491), just do it.

9/17/143:38 PM

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D500OGR Forum Member

At the risk of rotten tomatoes, and I'm only a bit serious, as I realize where you are

going...RMT makes an S-4/Bang (the Marx ancestor was an S-4), with AAR trucks, 2 can motors, accurate-ish, and it's cute as a button...add PS2 (you may need a shoehorn, but

the motors ARE in the trucks) and there you go!

Splat! OK, I know. But still. The working-man's S-4. I may add ERR cruise commander to mine. One day.

9/17/143:47 PM