MTH Club?

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

So, why not have at least one MTH Club.

What are your thoughts?

Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari

Arnold:

I run 95% MTH locomotives using DCS which I think is the best remote-control system in the industry. I have one Lionel, Legacy controlled which I run using the MTH handset, by patching a Lionel TMCC base unit into the MTH TIU using a cable that was designed for the hook-up by MTH for the purpose of allowing Lionel and MTH to work flawlessly together.

MTH always produced a superb product at an affordable price as compared to their competitors. MTH steam locomotives (I am a steam engine junky) are well detailed as well as having superb smoke units as well as sound system.

So, the bottom line as it relates to a MTH club...Deal me in.

Arnold, I am in the same camp as Randy.  I have mostly MTH, with one Legacy and one TMCC engine that I operate with the DCS remote.  I too like the details, price, flexibility, not just on engines but cars as well.  Most of my rolling stock is from MTH as well.

I don’t know what a club would entail, but I’m always interested in MTH.

While most of my engine fleet is Legacy, I have a lot of MTH rolling stock and really liked the fact that MTH was much more willing to invest in new tooling to bring new prototypes to market, and that they would usually offer their Premier rolling stock in two road numbers, something Lionel was the last to realize (that guys buying scale equipment would want more than one road number).  I also like that they have made it easy for shops and organizations to do custom runs, although it does make it hard to have to pick and choose which ones to get, at least until I win the lottery , but choice like that is a pretty good problem to have.

MTH's old MTHRR Club (and Atlas' Golden Spike Club) never really felt like a club, mostly due to the minimal content in the newsletter that came with it (the old LRRC at least had a quarterly with some content that didn't come across as advertising), but they offered many great items across all their product lines that prompted me to "join" almost every year at York (and sometimes multiple times in a year where I wanted items from two different lines).  This (not limiting itself to one product line) was always lacking in most of the Lionel clubs (LOTS being the exception).

To start a club similar to LCCA or LOTS would be a lot of work and would require a dedicated group of people that would be willing to put in a good amount of time over a number of years to make it happen, and would probably also need some form of support from MTH itself.  Just doing a quarterly magazine would be a big undertaking, let alone putting on conventions or organizing meets.  That being said, if such a club existed, and they had annual club offerings along the lines of what the MTHRR Club used to do, and if they had a quarterly publication with quality content (this is really necessary for the times when the annual offering or offerings do not appeal to an individual member), then I'd most certainly join.

Andy

Very interesting and thoughtful comments so far.

At this point, we are brainstorming ideas.

Even if we do nothing except brainstorm, IMO it's nice to share all of the positive we have experienced with MTH, one of our Fabulous Forum Sponsors.

If this interests a group of you, would suggest finding a dealer who still does a lot of MTH stuff, like Mr. Muffin as a possible sponsor.  Would also contact Andy Edleman and Rich Foster who represent the current iteration of MTH on a day to day basis.  Without some support, even if not financial, hard to conceive of how such a group would be successful operationally.  There are MTH groups on Facebook, another place to consider engaging and getting started.

I was a member of the old MTH Club until it dissolved itself a couple of years ago.  In fact, I had a membership number in the first five.

I've moved far past MTH (all except for a few box cars sold!) and, honestly, I'm not really interested in a new club.  The LRRC provides a good, on-going experience.

But, I wish you guys the best in getting something going! 

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Very interesting and thoughtful comments so far.

At this point, we are brainstorming ideas.

@Arnold D. Cribari

Arnold and Others:

Since I am retired, I have some time to devote to an endeavor such as an MTH enthusiast's club. If a periodical publication becomes a reality, I am willing to help with the production of the publication. I proof-read very well (my wife and son sometimes refer to me as a grammar nazi). Plus, I have been a past contributor to publications such as the "OGR Magazine", "The Horn Call" and the journal of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association with articles pertinent to each of the aforementioned.   

Also, I take this opportunity to nominate Arnold Cribari for the office of President of our new organization, if it comes to fruition.

@Randy Harrison posted:

@Arnold D. Cribari

Arnold and Others:

Since I am retired, I have some time to devote to an endeavor such as an MTH enthusiast's club. If a periodical publication becomes a reality, I am willing to help with the production of the publication. I proof-read very well (my wife and son sometimes refer to me as a grammar nazi). Plus, I have been a past contributor to publications such as the "OGR Magazine", "The Horn Call" and the journal of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association with articles pertinent to each of the aforementioned.   

Also, I take this opportunity to nominate Arnold Cribari for the office of President of our new organization, if it comes to fruition.

Randy, I am honored by your suggestion, but if I was President of a possible new organization, it is sure to fail.

I'm good at dreaming up ideas and initiating things such as Forum topics, but terrible at following through.  Also, I am not retired; am pressed, at times, in doing my life work; and can't devote the time to be president of anything, except maybe President of Dreaming Up new OGR Forum Topics. LOL, Arnold

Sounds like a great idea! I would be interested in joining

Bryce

It’s a great idea. I’m a member of the MTH Facebook group which is mostly a buy and sell group. There are some discussions from time but not like it was in the hay day of MTH. I was also a card holding member of the MTHRRC in fact I still get the email for new products. My fleet is mostly Premier Locomotives and Rolling Stock. They make a great product and I totally support anything MTH. In short Count Me In.

TCA has regional divisions.

Maybe they could have a National MTH division ?

CB&Q Bill

I'd be interested

Sounds like a great idea.  Count me in.

I am all in on MTH.  I switched from HO to O about 9 years ago and it was MTH that sold me on the change.  Great product at competitive prices.  I did not want to invest in two control systems so once I went with DCS my train hobby path was set

That said, and as much as I i liked the idea of an MTH club, there would be several challenges. What would its purpose be?  We already have this forum to discuss MTH topics, and I learned on this thread there is also an MTH FB page.  How would an MTH club compliment what we already have?  How would it be organized and who would run it?  Would MTH sponsor it?  Would the club sponsor or fund special releases for sale?  But we already l have forum sponsors that do that

The list goes on, but you get the idea.  If there were an MTH club I’d certainly be interested, but a lot of challenges would have to be worked out to bring it to reality

As someone who has mostly MTH with some Lionel,Atlas,K-Line,Weaver and Williams in there as well,I would love to see an MTH Club.I know I would be intersted in seeing one come to fruition.

@Scott R posted:

I am all in on MTH.  I switched from HO to O about 9 years ago and it was MTH that sold me on the change.  Great product at competitive prices.  I did not want to invest in two control systems so once I went with DCS my train hobby path was set

That said, and as much as I i liked the idea of an MTH club, there would be several challenges. What would its purpose be?  We already have this forum to discuss MTH topics, and I learned on this thread there is also an MTH FB page.  

Scott, I came from HO like you.  It was 11 years ago for me.  LionChief wasn’t out yet, and the hobby shop owner sold me on The entry level to DCS with the DCS remote commander.  I then moved to the TIU and remote.  I’m on the MTH Facebook group as mentioned above, but it is mostly a buy/sell group.  I have taken advantage of that feature there.

When I got back to O gauge trains in the late ‘90s all I was interested in was Lionel PW but when I saw the scale sized trains in the MTH Premier Line I was sold on that. I became a big MTH fan but I don’t dislike Lionel. I love some of the Lionel stuff. The Lionel trains I own have a special place in my heart because I had Lionel as kid. Eventually I went to 2 rail because even as a kid the center rail bothered me. MTH made 2 rail trains and most of what wasn’t 2 rail could be easily converted. Basically for many years MTH made the trains I was interested in buying. My OGR handle is named after my first MTH Premier locomotive.

I would join this club.

Maybe start things off small with a twice a year meeting at York? Just an idea.

I mentally pictured Arnold's club suggestion more as an informal group rather than a formal organization like LOTS , etc. Like the idea of The 48 Club here on the forum.

@PRRMP54 posted:

I mentally pictured Arnold's club suggestion more as an informal group rather than a formal organization like LOTS , etc. Like the idea of The 48 Club here on the forum.

Exactly!

Now we're talking; yes, Dave and Mark, informal is the way to go.

Maybe nothing more than an MTH fan appreciation club, doing nothing more than singing the praises of our Fabulous MTH trains.

We can do this by posting photos and videos of our favorite MTH trains and state specifically why we think they are so great.

Ten days ago I purchased from our Forum sponsor, JR Junction Hobby, these MTH PS3 Premier B&O F3 A & B units: And, a few days ago I purchased from JR Junction these MTH PS3 Premier NY Ontario & Western F3 A& B units:

I couldn't be happier with these locomotives. IMO, they look, sound, smoke and run great. They also run great through my 031 curves and 022 switches. They operate great on DCS.

The start up sounds are particularly good IMO. So is the detail. Arnold

Arnold, I also purchased the B&O F3 A and B, but from Patrick’s Trains in nearby Wheeling, WVa.  Yours and the NYO&W look great on your layout!!

That’s the Premier WM Russian Decapod along with the F-units.  I won it from Cabin Fever Auction of the MTH Warehouse sales.  Everything works perfectly on it, and a lot less $$ than the one I passed on at York before Covid.  Most cars are Premier also.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Now we're talking; yes, Dave and Mark, informal is the way to go.

Maybe nothing more than an MTH fan appreciation club, doing nothing more than singing the praises of our Fabulous MTH trains.

We can do this by posting photos and videos of our favorite MTH trains and state specifically why we think they are so great.

We can use the OGR MTH Forum for our inter-club communications, design a logo to add to our OGR Forum signatures to identify us as club members and I still like the idea of a semiannual meeting at York.

Arnold, I'm all in, especially for an informal group, at least in the beginning. Prior to COVID there was an informal group in which Mark and I participated. That group appears to have fizzled when Covid occurred. By participating in this Forum I kind-of know a group of "regulars" whom I have never met ... you are one of that group.

I can offer super cheap/free legal assistance, if needed. FWIW I am once again a Director  of the Fort Pitt Division, TCA.

Informal group of MTH enthusiasts using this great forum to share experiences sounds great to me!

I bought my first MTH  Amtrak Genesis Superliner Starter set for my son  as a Christmas present back in 1999 and over the years built a 8x12 layout. I am all MTH... pretty much all  Railking... I have many fond memories  playing with the trains with my now grown sons  and my deceased father over the years ...would be happy to be part of a Club.

Robert, I appreciate your enthusiasm for MTH and Railking, which I share.

It seems that organizing a formal MTH Club would be a daunting task, so most likely we will simply have an informal club, connect here om the Forum, and maybe meet in person at York or some other train show one day. Maybe we can meet in person for dinner at York. Arnold

This is a good place to show off our MTH trains.

Below is a short video of a Jersey Central steamer and passenger cars, which I recently got in a trade with a local train buddy:

The steamer is a Railking PS2 and the passenger cars are Railking as well, about 12 to 13 inches in length. The relatively small size of these trains is perfect for my switching layout with 031 curves.

The train is running beautifully on DCS. Arnold

Very nice engine and run Arnold.  
This is my favorite engine, a Premier PS3 Western Maryland Russian Decapod.  I got it from Cabin Fever Auctions when they were auctioning the MTH Warehouse products 2 or 3 years ago.  It has written on the bottom of the tender and box it was a pilot engine.  Everything was complete and worked great.  I had wanted one, but shied from the price when they were new.  I got a great price on this one!

There is mostly MTH in the background and foreground.

I didn't see anyone from the retailer's side of the hobby store counter chime in, so I will.

We have loved MTH Electric Trains since we became an authorized retailer for them in 1997.  In 2008 our sales numbers qualified us to become a MTH Mega-Station, one of only a thirty or so dealers in the USA and we were amongst the first "National Authorized Service Centers".  The best part about MTH is how the sales department treated their dealers.  Every MTH retailer is on a level-playing field and treated the same.  I miss the old days of knowing almost everyone at MTH on a first-name basis and they all were a pleasure to deal with.  People at MTH like Travis, Regina, Wendy, Midge, Jeff, Brendan, Rich, Andy and so many others were always professional and pleasant.  SO, if there's a new MTH fan club started up, COUNT US IN!

I miss the days of knowing all those folks at MTH as well!

For my money, Midge was the star of the show!