What year did MTH stop Protosound and start Proto2? Be nice to know when looking at locomotives to know "if it's later than yyyy, then it's Proto2 ..."
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To the best of my knowledge the changeover occurred in the latter half of 2000.
Rod
So it would be safe to assume anything earlier than 2000 is Protosound?
Protosound 2 first appeared in the 2000 vol 2 catalog.
When considering an older engine purchase, use the MTH product locator to verify what you are looking at. 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan:
So it would be safe to assume anything earlier than 2000 is Protosound?
That would be a pretty safe assumption.
I'm trying to figure out from my inventory listing what is what without having to locate and dig out the actual boxes ... the MTH listings will be a helpful check.
The first Proto 2 engines were PRR 4-4-2's and a streamlined P5a electric and the weed sprayer train. These were early 2001 when released.
Originally Posted by Chuck Sartor:
The first Proto 2 engines were PRR 4-4-2's and a streamlined P5a electric and the weed sprayer train. These were early 2001 when released.
Did you mean PRR 4-6-2? The Railking PRR K-4 was the very first PS2 engine to appear in my hobby shop, which I purchased and still have.
It was a scale E-6 4-4-2. 20-3038-1 from 2000 V1.
That is unusual, in that the catalog shows it as having Protosound, but the Product Locator shows PS2.
Maybe you've just located the first "cutover" model produced!
The very first PS2 engine was the E-6 Atlantic PRR in 2000 as Chuck has stated. I have one.
