MTH Blue Goose WOW.

hello guys and gals.........

WoW that sure is a handsome hudson !!

the woman who loves toy trains

Tiffany

I just unpacked our first one today.  It is very nice!

Dave

Dave - is there any difference between this and the previous version except the proto3? I have the 2nd issue, and it is a great engine, one of my favorites. Excellant runner and great sound. But don't see why I would get this one if it is not much different.

Looks like a beautiful engine

Alex

I agree that this locomotive is really really nice and to cap it all off MTH just came out with a product video of it.

Here it is! The sounds are so much better on this locomotive and the whistle is fantastic! MTH hit a homer on this one!

I think MTH hit a homerun with the whistle I love it

I have a scale-wheeled unit on order. Guess I'll be hearing from my guy in New Jersey pretty soon.

Nice whistle!  Eventually, I may have to upgrade my PS2 version.

MTH did an incredible job on all their ATSF Hudsons both streamlined and conventional.  After looking at MTH's version of the "Goose" a few years ago, I replaced the Weaver brass model I had.

It is an extremely well done version.

Matt - I wish I had the -2 version.  If you get a chance, put a picture up.  I'm curious to see if the pilot wheels are scale sized.

I had preordered the engine and passenger car set (20-3436-1) in October 2010, but after many delays and finally a ship date "To Be Announced", I cancelled my preorder.

Is this set shipping now also, or just the engine? (The MTH website still lists the set as TBA)

Thx

Alex

I don't know if it's prototypical or not, but that whistle is what I want to hear when I fire up a new steamer for the first time!

Alex,

They are shipping now.  We got ours Tuesday.

TSU Sam,

I'm sorry but I never saw the first production, so I don't know what the differences might be.

Dave

Don,

Like you I have a focus on the Milwaukee Road and a few other railroads that ran through Montana, Idaho and Washington. However, when I began collecting and operating O gauge in 1997 I had just come back from a trip to New Mexico. One of my other hobbies is Astronomy and I visited NM in search of dark skies to view the Hale-Bopp comet. I had a great time and took some day trips to view the awesome, rugged desert southwest. Having lived my entire life in NE Ohio and never having been out west - I was awestruck with the scenery!

Needless to say, my initial O gauge focus was the Santa Fe. Subsequent vacations took me to other states in the southwest and I added more Santa Fe to my collection, and a few UP, D&RG items too. During this time, MTH was consistently releasing Santa Fe items, including the Blue Goose during this period. I picked up the first run version up and I love it. Ironically, the Blue Goose was most often seen pulling the standard green heavy weight Pullman cars of the day. 

I know many people here shun the Santa Fe because most manufacturers have thoroughly and consistently brought out Santa Fe O gauge items for as long as O gauge has been made. For me, I like to collect and operate trains that are based in geographical locations that are attractive to me.

Andrew

>>I'm sorry but I never saw the first production, so I don't know what the differences might be.<<

Other then P-3,  wireless tether and I'm sure better sounds this third release of the goose appears identical to the two previous models.

Interesting that the nose top vent that should be dark blue to match the lower body is still painted wrong in powder blue..

The fantasy painted passenger cars look really nice.. 

Overall, its a great looking engine.. a definate shelf piece..

Joe 

I just watched the MTH product video.  Blue Goose, Shmoo Goose. I liked the BlueGRASS!

Doug

I dunno, it's hard to tell if it was painted blue or was stainless steel...

(From I slide I bought at the old Kansas City RR Museum in River Quay waaaay back in 1978...)

Rusty

Precisely Doug, you are just being more diplomatic and succinct than I am usually on these forums.

The drawbar length is O.K... if this was a RailKing model.  But it is not; nor is this the wunderkind preY2k era. Although  marketed as fit for 054, it is scale Premier and  it's appropriate consist is 18"-21" passengers, as how most willing to pay M.S.R.P. $ 1099.95 will probably want to run it. Won't give this one even a second look at York this October...

>>I dunno, it's hard to tell if it was painted blue or was stainless steel...<<

One thing about the Blue Goose, Only engine decorated that way and few clear photos of it exist.  Of those, only a handfull exist in color.

Of the few color shots I've seen, that area of the boiler front is either black, dark blue and maybe as you say, just dirty stainless. But its not light blue.

BTW, you posted an interesting photo. It seems to show a shield over the venting.

MTH modeled it open without that shield.

Joe 

Here are some B&W photos when still new with original shrouding.  Some of the pictures were from the tour to publicize it.  I think the grill was black with the metal in the center possibly stainless or light blue.

And what I think is a Baldwin Publicity photo.

Probably, one of the best pictures is on Morning Sun's Santa Fe 1940-1971 In Color Volume 1.

I believe we can classify the color as (drum roll please...) DIRT.

We have to remember that the grill and shroud forms a duct that runs back to the stack, probably as an attempt at a smoke lifter.

There's also a clearer builder's photo of the right side on page 208 of Kalmbach's MR Cyclopedia Volume 1: Steam locomotives that give a pretty good indication the grillwork is stainless steel.

Rusty

 >>>believe we can classify the color as (drum roll please...) DIRT.<<

Possible, but unlikely..

Using your analogy, that photo shows a spotless engine with a filthy black roof grate and no trailing residue around it. I believe it was a different color.

Joe 

Will definitely post photos when it comes in. Hopefully I'll be able to get it around the club layout without too much track re-leveling. I'm also looking into appropriate passenger cars for it (maybe 3rd rail will do an ATSF re-run.)

BTW, you'll note that in Rusty's photo, the skirting has been removed from the ccylinder and firebox areas as this was easier for maintenance. The unit definitely needs a clean-up here.

My understanding is that when the locomotive initially went out, it got wiped down and cleaned thoroughly (much like 3751 gets today before venturing out in public.) I also believe the siding, pilot trim and grill work was stainless steel. The impression I got was that ATSF was no stranger to stainless when they were using it on their passenger F-units.

I would love to know the history behind this locomotive. Why did they pick such a color? It seems to me a strange thing for Santa Fe to do. I know it was a backup engine for the Super Chief but why blue. I didn't represent any color that Santa Fe used and doesn't  match any passenger cars. It is a nice looking engine though. Don

Equally strange was Northern 3765 was slated to get the same treatment.

My guess the colors were to intended to be indicative of southwest Native American Turquoise jewelery.

Rusty

Actually, the photograph shows 3460 before being prepped for her trip to the great roundhouse in the sky.

Rusty

I have not read anything about what prompted the choice of these colors but I think your statement is as good a guess as any.

Andrew

Beutiful engine! You almost don't need cars behind it it looks good all by itself! Love the whistle.

I am interested in the sound volumn, my Milwalke

Hiawatha Hudson has nice sound but no volumn, Matt please let me know what the volumn sounds like.

John

I know it was a backup engine for the Super Chief

I don't know about that, but it was initially assigned to the Chief from Chicago to La Junta until somewhere in 1938 when "John Purcell (who became the ATSF's head of motive power in 1912) decided the power of 3460 was wasted on a lightweight streamliner.  The class which included five non-streamlined engines were then regularly assigned to the Fast Mail until the end of WWII.  After WWII the class ended up on the Antelope, Oil Flyer, Scout, etc.  

[All according to "Santa Fe Locomotive Development" by Larry E. Brasher.]

OUCH!

D'oh!

Was down in Rhode Island at B&F Hobbies on Wednesday when the UPS guy showed up with this locomotive.  Frank and I unpacked it all right there and, yes, this loco is quite nice.  Wish he had run it, but it went right on display. 

Peter

If someone is waiting for the cars there is a MTH older set on E-bay now. Don't know if they match the color but they are cheap and look great. Don

SJC....MTH has produced premier 4 car passenger sets in the past....namely the Superliner and Hi-level car sets....

Alan

You can still buy the five car set on E-bay. Don

There was ONE Santa Fe passenger car painted up in "Blue Goose."  It was experimenatal pendulum chair/coach #1100.  Except the silver was at the letterboard location and light blue along the windows.

I've only seen on GOOD picture of it, but the book I have is too fragile to stick in my scanner.

Rusty

FWIW, I have this to share from a very reliable source:

". . . the matching cars, which of course the prototype never had, BUT the are not entirely a fantasy.  Santa Fe had on the drawing boards a passenger set that matched the locomotive...just like the MTH painted version of the cars.  The idea was cancelled when diesels started to take over so rapidly." 

Alex

You mean these?

-Glenn

Here are 2 pix of a HO model for the Pendulum coach car. Looks like Gt Northern and CB&Q had prototypes also.

-Glenn