MTH 44-ton switcher? Expected delivery date?

I pre ordered one about 50 years ago it seems like and have given up. Somehow it seems to have fallen into the pit of Chinese production despair. MTH should do the right thing at this point and cancel if they still haven't been able to deliver. Shame, I really wanted that in a Premier PS3.

MTH website says October.

Previously it said July.

Maybe Christmas.

Maybe not.

I still want one in New Haven.

I think canceling it would be a surprise and unlikely considering they've had a mock up at York lately. The mockup may have even been fully operational. It sure looks great. My understanding is the new boards are the hold up.

I've got a Long Island 44 ton on order and have since they were cataloged. I see October is now listed on the website, October of which year is the question. They say 2016......

I'll just say the more and more it gets pushed back the more and more I'm tempted to buy the Williams version.....

Disagree with you, Scott.  It is common knowledge that MTH is working on a board to fit into this and into S gauge.  Better shipment gets delayed and the kinks worked out, than otherwise.  I note you can get the same effect as an MTH cancellation by canceling your order.

RJR posted:

Disagree with you, Scott.  It is common knowledge that MTH is working on a board to fit into this and into S gauge.  Better shipment gets delayed and the kinks worked out, than otherwise.  I note you can get the same effect as an MTH cancellation by canceling your order.

RJR

I deserve and accept your admonishment. I have my order for a Western Md placed with Mario and will stick it out to the very end. I just wonder if MTH is doing themselves a disservice by constantly setting dates and missing them. Rather than saying April then May then June then October just set the date far enough out that they can reasonably meet it. Guess I've been in aerospace too long. We get crucified for repeated date slipping.

S

The WM is what I have on order.  I agree that it would be a good idea to state realistic dates.  On this project, it appears that even realistic estimates would have been way off.  There must have been some problems to be ironed out.

I'm not in a rush to get it, since I already have a job running all my locos intermittently.  But I do check the life expectancy  tables.

I have a Pennsy on order, I had several MTH locomotives delivered months after the original expected delivery date, they will eventually arrive. 

The Best made Plans of mice and men!

They said summer time at York,  they did not mention the year.

I hope it gets here by January 20.  If not, there might be a price increase.

It'll arrive when it arrives.   Being way off on delivery dates is nothing new in this hobby.  Been waiting on a Pennsy version since pre-orders were first being accepted.  

- Greg 

The mth 44 t was a knee jerk reaction to the wbb version that surprised many. Mth got caught with their proverbial pantelones down and are trying to catch up as well as cover other scales with this model. Too many pokers in the fire. They need to focus.

Btw I am also surprised wbb didn't release more paint schemes and take advantage of their market lead.

My recollection is that both MTH & WBB announced them about the same time.  But WBB had plenty of conventional control units available to fit and MTH, dedicated as it is to command control, had to design a new board to fit.

Oh, it's this month. Andy E has a six pack of "Sammy" riding on it! 

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

The mth 44 t was a knee jerk reaction to the wbb version that surprised many. Mth got caught with their proverbial pantelones down and are trying to catch up as well as cover other scales with this model. Too many pokers in the fire. They need to focus.

Btw I am also surprised wbb didn't release more paint schemes and take advantage of their market lead.

Have to disagree. What basis do you have to say the MTH 44 Tonner was a knee jerk reaction to WBB? I believe you will find MTH had this product in the works for quite some time.

If you noticed the April catalog did not have more 44 tonners in different liveries. That was a smart decision to get the ones already announced delivered before showing off additional options. I would bet a case of your favorite beer we will see more liveries in the upcoming October MTH Catalog.

I'm looking forward to getting one of these and having it custom painted.

Paul

All good waits come to those with things...

Horseshoe is correct.

After all the years of not having a scale 44 tonner MTH announced they would make one shortly AFTER WBB announce at York that they would produce one and had the prototype on display.

Jim

Jim, how does that prove MTH did not have this in the works prior to the WBB announcement?

Paul

It doesn't, but it proves that WBB was way ahead of MTH on announcing and making one. Quite a coincidence that the MTH announcement came out shortly after the presentation at the TCA museum.

MTH repeatedly said before anyone announced a 44 ton that they would make it once the boards set. I imagine they sped it up a little after WBB but Mike Wolf had said over the years, at the TCA museum that it will happen.

Mike Wolf also said they would make a Milwaukee S3 Northern.

They are on the water.  More announcements will be made soon.

I have the Western Maryland on order. WBB, although very nice, was not on my radar because I only run command control on my scale layout. Upgrading the WBB would just be more money and time to get what I want. If this engine looks and runs well MTH is going to have a winner. There were not a lot of changes in the body's of the different versions produced for many railroads. I'm hoping MTH  will consider producing some with fixed pilots and kadee coupler options.

                                       JG

originally posted by Railrunnin: 

Have to disagree. What basis do you have to say the MTH 44 Tonner was a knee jerk reaction to WBB?

Prior to the April 2014 York  WBB  annoucement of the 44T all we herd is web talk and what MTH customers were asking MTH about this model at MTH's booth 3 YEARS [Richard] PRIOR! I firmly believe MTH Was just "yessing" the crowd at the time to Shut Em up!

I believe you will find MTH had this product in the works for quite some time.

Oh really O' Reilly? If it was just the "electronics" that was missing [mind all that MTH ps3 and MTH HO have been out for over TWO years at the point of WBB making their Surprise April 2014 York announcement] Why did it take over a year AFTER the WBB announcement to produce a prototype?  What was SO difficult in the electronics that MTH couldn't fit in a O scale 44 Tonner Body? 

Sorry but many of US in O scale O gauge/ are aware it takes 1 year to 18 mo to make tooling for any new loco and that was about the right time between the WBB April 2014 announcement and the MTH Prototype showing up at the York April 2015 show . By August 2015 the WBB's 44 Tonners have hit the streets!

Oh and MTH still has that Knee-jerk reaction to this day with the Lionel Surprise announcement of the SD60E.

I got an Idea MTH, How about your organization research your roots back in the 1990's and start making models of popular locos that have not been produced in O gauge instead of paying "follow the Leader" such as :

• GE U25C [ you have the trucks and underbody]
• GE U28-U36B [Use a Modular Body Styles to reduce costs]
• GE B36-7
• GE C36-7
• GP40-2 Phase II,
• Fp7,
• FL9 
• SD7
• SD60M Tri- Clopse
• ALCo C636
• ALCo C430
• ALCo T6
• BLW S12
• BLW RS12 [B-B trucks]
• BLW DT 6-6-2000 [ the Non- Turbocharged Transfer Unit]
• CNJ "Double Ender" or "Janus" DR 6-4-2000

To name a few......

JR Junction posted:

They are on the water.  More announcements will be made soon.

Really? If so, I'm even more excited!