MTH S Gauge Catalog Live Early and what do you think?

Are you sure it's the O-gauge 2020 V1 catalog?  I'm having problems finding it.

I don’t see it either?

As this is posted to the S scale forum, I believe he is talking about the S scale 2019-2020 catalog.

Good point.  The link came up in the right column of the forum, so I just clicked on it, assuming that since this is the OGR forum it would be O gauge.  Ok, back to sleeeep.

Well...

Im happy to see the cabooses are back, I still think the SHS extended vision caboose rivals anyone’s in any gauge (in plastic).  It’s nice to see the switchers in the catalog.  

I guess, given the 6 year void, I kinda expected a thicker catalog.  For them stickin with it, I hope there are some things in the catalog that work for you.

Ben

The catalogue offered more than I expected also. It was great to see the locomotives offered with both scale and high-rails wheels although the rolling stock, including cabooses, does not. One has to choose either scale or high-rail for those. The cabooses are enhanced with LED lighting, including LEDs for the marker lights--a nice touch. The 2-bay, fishbelly hopper is the newly tooled item mentioned by those who had heard about something new. Don Thompsen and Mike Ferraro had planned on introducing this model before the Sanda Kan disaster hit, and MTH is the one to finally bring it to market.

The choices of road names seems well thought out--some for East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast. It's impossible to please everyone, but there seems to be a number of "standard" names plus a few more unusual names to delight those who have been looking for them for many years.

It has been a long wait since 2013, and the choices are nowhere near as wide as O gauge; but it has always been that way. MTH did a nice job with these offerings--SHS quality, a new item, and very reasonable pricing.

I've only had a chance to go over it quickly, so my verdict: It's OK. After you get past the first 10 pages of the wonders of MTH.

A fair amount of "leftovers." 

Anybody notice the "Order Now" pricing?  Wonder if it applies to dealers, too.

Francine will be happy with the Reading F7's and hoppers.

Speaking of hoppers: Note the "New Tooling" caption.  This was one of the last cars SHS announced before Sanda Kan fired them, so I wonder if the tooling was already completed and just waiting to be used or if MTH did develop them from the drawings. 

Either way, it's nice to see them available.  If anything called out for 6-car sets, it's these hoppers.  But I guess MTH is feeling a little burned with the PS2 6-car sets.

NW2's and SW8's with 6 roadnames each:  Wow, that's a lot of switchers for one catalog.  As all my SHS switchers seldom see daylight, I'll pass.  Although the EMD Demo SW8 is worthy of consideration.

F7's: 6 roadnames.  Well, I expected another run of F3's.  Four years ago I would have jumped on the Burlington units, but I have to reluctantly pass.

EV Cabeese:  About time.  Should have been with the original release in 2013.

Rusty

I have to admit that there is more than I expected. While my favorite Erie wasn't represented, that's OK. I'm working on painting and decaling 4 diesels, so at least I can continue those projects. My layout theme allows me to run anything I like that ran in Ohio. Shockingly, I have a good selection. 

I'm probably looking at an ABA of C&O F7s, 2 B&O NW2s, 2 NKPs, 2 EL SW8s. I'd like to grab the GNs too just because but I'm running out of budget. Especially with the new hoppers and cabooses.

I REALLY wish theses were DCC ready so I could drop in an ESU Loksound. Both motor control and sound are superior to DCS, but what are you gonna do? At least they put up a catalog. I hope others decide to order enough to encourage MTH to increase the frequency and scope of S products. If this catalog flops who know what they may do.

More than expected but same old, same old. Think I'll be in for a few fishbellys but that's about it.

Rich

Wow - no smoke or electric operating couplers !     Art

Good to see a new catalogue, looks like an interesting selection

Colin

Rusty Traque posted:

Anybody notice the "Order Now" pricing?  Wonder if it applies to dealers, too.

Yes, but the links don't work. I haven't found a way to find any of these products on their webpage. Perhaps they will be up tomorrow which is when they said the catalogue would be posted.

katy409 posted:

Wow - no smoke or electric operating couplers !     Art

There simply isn't room inside for smoke units.  The cab bulkhead meets the inside of the roof:

There's even less room in the switchers.

As far as electric couplers, MTH blew about 2 years trying to develop them to fit on the former SHS models.

Rusty

Boring unless you haven’t been in S the last 10 years.

Otherwise S-Helper engines, rolling stock, and track all over again with MTH power supplies and DCS.  Once had so many NW, SW and F units (all three types done well by Don and Robin) that I sold several so I’d at least get around to running the others.  

S - starved for new, satisfied with old.  

Rusty Traque posted:

Francine will be happy with the Reading F7's and hoppers.

Rusty

 

They look interesting to me also.  I know nothing from DCS, can I run them on straight DC or, short of that, if gutted will the MTH motors operate on DC?

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

The MTH catalog states they will work on AC, DC, DCS, DCC.

The motors are DC.  Nobody uses AC motor anymore.

Rusty

Sgaugian posted:

Boring unless you haven’t been in S the last 10 years.

Otherwise S-Helper engines, rolling stock, and track all over again with MTH power supplies and DCS.  Once had so many NW, SW and F units (all three types done well by Don and Robin) that I sold several so I’d at least get around to running the others.  

S - starved for new, satisfied with old.  

We have known this since 2012. MTH has said repeatedly that if we want NEW tooling then we need to buy the existing tooling products that they put out first. I disagreed with this logic then and now, but I don't make the call. If these don't sell well I wouldn't be surprised if this was the last S scale catalog from MTH.  I'll be buying my fair share. Hopefully others do too instead of just making excuses.

Buying your "fair share" for any reason other than you really want those items and are genuinely excited about them is taking the bait and buying the con.  If they see continued plentiful purchases of retreads then on the balance sheet that makes us a high-margin milk it until that changes market segment and product line.  "The beatings will continue until behavior improves" (changes) kind of thing.  Were you buying tons of Flyonel retreads when Lionel introduced TMCC Mikados in 2005?  No.  Were you buying a ton of retreads when they expanded those into the Pacifics and on down the line from there.  No. The fuse had been lit by the spark of something new -- not "fair shares" of remakes.  And if a mfr. doesn't see revenue from selling retreads, then yes, they will have to ask themselves if that market is worth it anymore, but at least that creates the opportunity and chance for something new getting done.  Otherwise its kick the can until we stop buying.  And if they deem it no longer worth it, then that's the case.  And you have to ask yourself then as well if its enough be and stay happy with and excited about.  No excuses.  

Dave

I understand your perspective. As I mentioned, I argued with MTH about their strategy. The cold hard truth though is that they get to set their strategy.  And the simple fact is that if these products don’t sell well I wouldn’t be surprised if they exit the scale altogether. Is that a better place to be? 

Everyone gets to decided that for themselves. I guess I’m lucky that there are several products that I’m interested in. 

With 45-50% of the former SHS line still to be re-released, it will be quite some time before any true newly tooled freight car or locomotive appears.

Still to be re-released: Standard flat car, bulkhead flat car, single sheath outside braced boxcar, double sheath boxcar, stock car, ribbed side hopper, offset side hopper, panel side hopper, war emergency hopper, covered two bay ribbed sided hopper, 3-bay PS2 covered hopper, SW1, SW7/1500, 2-8-0 (I think that's all.)

Rusty

Rusty Traque posted:

With 45-50% of the former SHS line still to be re-released, it will be quite some time before any true newly tooled freight car or locomotive appears.

Still to be re-released: Standard flat car, bulkhead flat car, single sheath outside braced boxcar, double sheath boxcar, stock car, ribbed side hopper, offset side hopper, panel side hopper, war emergency hopper, covered two bay ribbed sided hopper, 3-bay PS2 covered hopper, SW1, SW7/1500, 2-8-0 (I think that's all.)

Rusty

 

SW9

Yep Rusty,

Even though today is my last day of work, retiring, I have to have the Reading F7s and maybe the hoppers and another caboose.

Gotta have it.

Francine

Nice to see the offerings in the new catalog. I'm finally going to take the plunge and get the gear to tap into all the DCS features to welcome a couple of new DCS engines. The excellent SHS tooling lives on!  May also check into running Legacy engines with MTH app.

I'm running my MTH F3s AC conventional, and for those that have not tried the MTH diesels yet, (in my opinion)they are really fun to operate, even without full DCS capability.

Mike

I know a lot of people don't like the repeats from MTH, but at least they are offering model/RR combinations that haven't been done before. Ex. SHS did B&O SW9s. MTH is doing B&O NW2s which were never done. So any B&O modeler that didn't paint and decal their own SHS NW2 might be interested in the MTH model. Another example is the EL... SHS did SW1s, and SW9s. MTH is doing SW8s. 

If you think about it that's quite clever. Sell RR schemes that have a customer base, but sell models they were never offered, but with the tooling MTH has.

So in effect, MTH IS offering models that haven't been done before. 

Let's give them credit when they deserve it shall we.

Its my observation that whenever a new catalog is released (same happened with the last Lionel/Flyonel release), folks seem to divide up into three camps - glass half-full; glass half-empty; and those that don't see a glass at all, just the puddle...  I suppose some/most of that reaction is based on expectations and even though most of us in "S" think its the S-uperior scale, I'm not sure there's the market for lots of new stuff (or re-released 'old stuff' in new paint).  Nevertheless, kudos to MTH for hanging in there.  It looks like they've spent some time and effort getting their DCS-based system packaged for S and the new hopper car tooling (and a couple of re-releases) will likely get the plastic card out of my wallet. 

Flyer 52 posted:

May also check into running Legacy engines with MTH app.

Mike, I can help you with that when you are ready. 

Guys, is there any information on delivery dates for the items in this catalog?  Lionel gives you a hint with theirs.  Remember how long we had to wait on the F3's?

MTH has been slow on catalogs and product delivery.  One can only hope they will come through quicker.

Chuck K posted:

Flyer 52 posted:

May also check into running Legacy engines with MTH app.

Mike, I can help you with that when you are ready. 

Thank you Chuck!  I remember when you did this and wrote about it here on the Forum.

Mike

Anyone figured out how to order items from this catalogue yet?

One week after posting the catalogue, one still cannot order any of these items from MTH online.

I called MTH today and placed my order over the phone. Basically it is a reservation at the 'order now' prices. They contact you once they are in stock and charge you at that time.

Considering you won't receive the item(s) until 2025, a week or two is but a blink in time

Brendan

Brendan posted:

Considering you won't receive the item(s) until 2025, a week or two is but a blink in time

Brendan

Right, and that's why I was please to find out you pay nothing up front!

Sooooo.....middle finger to the dealers?? MTH is doing pre-order pricing essentially and you order direct from them.  This is odd.  

Ben

MTH has been selling on the bay for a long time now and the dealers probably do not want to risk money on the product. I doubt you will see much of the catalog made !

Gunny

Are they planning on fixing the catalog links? I don't feel like calling in an order...

jonnyspeed posted:

Are they planning on fixing the catalog links? I don't feel like calling in an order...

The salesperson said they would be working by the end of this week.

Well, they are working now but there is no way to place an order...

I spoke with Will Holt of the NASG at the Indy show and he said MTH is supposedly aware of this problem and would have it fixed soon.

He also mentioned that the 2-8-0 had to have the drive train reworked and 'should' be cataloged next year. I'm not sure I believe that as this catalog clearly says 2019-2020. We shall see. For now I just want to be able to place my pre-order from this catalog.

*** Edit***

Broke down and called MTH. Regina suggested I email my list to her. So I did. Maybe I'm nuts to think they'll make everything I've put on order, but we'll see...