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For pulling power, MTH is the clear winner. It is heavier and has a much bigger motor. The MTH is diecast and heavy, while the Lionel is plastic and light weight.

For proportions, the Lionel looks slightly better to my eye, but that is subjective.

Both seem to have similar levels of detail.

 

Last edited by RoyBoy

I have both.

The MTH version, with its diecast construction, certainly wins out on heft and pulling power, but the extended smoke box over the cylinders has always bothered me. It extends back too far toward the cab, eliminating the air space that gave the early Americans their distinctive thin-boiler look. I’m not sure why Samhongsa designed it like that for MTH 20 years ago.

The Lionel version doesn’t have that issue, but it also doesn’t look like a model of the General specifically. It lacks that squared-off smokebox at the front of the locomotive. And, yes, it is almost all plastic and a bad puller.

As AMCDave noted, both are way overscaled. Based on loose dimensional data I have, the MTH model scales to roughly 1:38.

I have toyed with the idea of modifying the MTH model ton at least give it the right smokebox look, but I have never done that extensive of a modification of a diecast shell. Has anyone else tackled this project?

Last edited by Jim R.

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
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