MTH Catalog Delayed

Obviously it means they are in dire financial straights, their factories in China are going away and will now be making arms for North Korea (well that may not be too far fetched) , Lionel is crushing them, the O-gauge market is dead and HO isn't enough to support them and that they are about to be taken over or go the way of K-Line

Or S*** happens and not everything revolves around  York schedule they had stuff to take care of and it will be online anyway by or near York

I'd only worry when they say there will be no catalog

It's only the hard copy catalog.  There's been a lot a drama expended over it already and it only really affects "1st kid on the block" York attendees. 

The online version goes up April 18.

Rusty

Discussed in some detail here:

https://ogrforum.com/d...nt/15649413460063045

Bob

Thank heavens someone else shares a similar sense of humor to mine.

Believe or not its been this way for years. I can remember when the catalogs arrived at MTH the day before Mike and his employees were coming to York or they got there after Mike and his employees had left for York and somebody stayed behind and brought the catalogs to York later in the day. 

I'm hoping all is ok - MTH is terrifically important for our hobby and I (like many others) wish them the best!  Will check out catalog online while waiting for the paper copy.

Their lack of new U S offering's gives me some concern. And the set catalog was a complete thumbs down. Also lack of parts esp. boards, although Lionel has a lack of boards too.. Nobody from there is saying anything.

Maybe Lionel and MTH catalogs will be combined ??????  LOL

I think the catalog will arrive in time. Just wait it out as jimmy said

Venkman: Or you can accept the fact that this Train company is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.

Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?

Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff!

Venkman: Exactly.

Stanz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the sky! Rivers and seas boiling!

Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes!

Winston Zeddmore: The dead rising from the grave!

Venkman: Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats, living together! Mass hysteria!

Mayor: Enough! I get the point! And what if you're wrong?

Venkman: If we're wrong, then nothing happens. The pre-orders are just due a week later, that's all.

Maybe MTH is going to print a cat in which they are going to make/import what is printed there of!

Model train manufacturer Mike's Train House (MTH) has recently been purchased by an extremely wealthy Burlington Northern & Santa Fe (BNSF) rail fan that wishes to remain anonymous. Due to lack of availability of BNSF items in the model train market today, some changes are currently being made within the company causing a delay in the printing of the company's spring catalog. Beginning with the delayed catalog, and from there forward, only BNSF locomotives and rolling stock will be manufactured in the MTH O gauge lines. All steam and diesel locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars and European equipment currently in production will take on the BNSF colors and logos. Due to current contracts with Lionel, LLC, all tinplate will remain unchanged (note: many of these items are currently available in orange). No changes will be made in the company's HO gauge line as the new owner has an O gauge layout and has no interest in HO model trains.

Relax kids, it's just that the proofreading is being outsourced to a country that actually knows the language. They just haven't found one yet.

Unfortunately some day the free paper catalog will cost us extra so they can cut costs. Probably only club members will receive the catalog included in the member ship dues.

Paper catalog may go away - I suspect MTH would be happy if no one complains and everybody is ready to accept  the electronic copy.  I can do this, but really do like to have a paper copy (and not just one I print myself).  I remain anxious to see what will be in the new catalog.  Would really like to see some new big steamers!

Good Day,

Well, I heard from Maxwell Smart that the owner of the BNSF railroad was a big Santa Fe and Frisco fan. So he is dividing up the BNSF and creating 3 new railroads. The railroads will be the named:

Santa Fe

Frisco

Burlington Northern

The new color schemes have already been selected. (See below)

Regards,

Swafford

I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen.  If you've purchased a new engine recently, you already can see what happened to the owner's manuals. 

You guys are panicking over nothing. I spoke with Andy about this, the catalog is much larger than the last few and the printer needed more time to get it printed. It should be on-line York week. If you can read this forum you can see the catalog on line York week. So it is really isn't a big deal. The important thing is that it is a much larger catalog.

Scott Smith

MTH is producing O, HO, and soon S.  They're also producing Lionel Corporation tinplate.  All these different scales.  And what about the competition from other manufacturers such as Athearn, Walthers, BLI,Lionel, and American Models?  MTH may have  innovative electronics, but I'm not impressed with their model selection.  It also appears there is quite of bit of overlap in the models currently being offered.  How about something different?  For example, quite a few OGR forumites were requesting scale models of GE 44 tonners and 70 tonners. 

Hmm...interesting in a couple of ways.   Guess I'll have to help MTH line-up a new printer. 

Mike Wolf himself has stated over the past couple years that the American O Gauge market is stagnant and that MTH current focus is on HO Gauge and European O Gauge. I would think he knows more about his business than the folks on this forum.

So the MTH catalog is delayed a couple of weeks.  Geez, given the angst of some posters, you'd think the world was coming to an end......

Yet something else delayed by/from MTH. I'm not surprised.

You mean yo tell me it isn't?  

What?  No Orange???

New owner is agreeable to adding Frisco and even changing the name to SFFBN, but he MUST have orange!

We have two business models here: Lionel focusing ONLY on O-gauge and MTH into everything. Time will tell whether or not one model is better than the other or whethr it does not matter.

My view is that, in a cash-starved economy, Lionel is doing the smarter thing.

These catalogs are very nice with great color pictures, I can only imagine what they cost to develop & print (a lot!). Allan, I'm guessing you have an idea of costs, being in the magazine business. I am always amazed by how readily they pass these out at no charge.  Lionel already has a $5.00 price on the back of their large catalogs (probably not covering actual cost?), not sure about their others.

I like the printed version, just hope they keep printing them and don't go to all digital versions (even if they do start charging for printed copies).

I'm not going to guess at a cost figure because it can vary a whole lot depending on a number of variables, but you can be darn sure those full-color catalogs MTH (and Lionel) produce cost them a pretty penny.

I prefer the printed versions because they are fast and easy to reference--now and in the future--but can certainly live with an online version while waiting for the printed copy.

Truth be told, I can easily wait for any version, printed or online, because there's really nothing much that I want or need.  It's nice to be really surprised with something in the "gotta have" category from time to time, but I don't hold my breath waiting for it.

Can't wait for the new MTH or Lionel catalogs.  I remember anticipating the annual Sears Wishbook and JCP Christmas catalog when I was a kid.  The model train catalogs are much more exciting!

I like the printed catalogs-its hard sitting on the hopper with a laptop on my lap-that is why the catalogs come in paper

Mrmuggs hit the nail on the head!  That is the exact reason the printed catalog is worth its weight in gold.  BigRail

I had a Lionel RTR copy on the train coming home from the hospital, four folks had it and were amazed that they still made catalogs besides so many a year. Only one fellow in our group knew they still had the catalogs, kinds gets you wondering.

Matt will give you an email tomorrow, it was an experience I do not want again.

John

Thanks for sharing that with the rest of us.

Bob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2u6P88C0fQ

'Nuff said...

Rusty