MTH HO

Panther97 posted:

Is MTH done manufacturing HO trains?  My buddy wanted to buy a DCS system and some MTH trains for his HO layout.  I haven't seen an MTH HO catalog in a long time.  I told him that may be a bad idea at this point.

No

EBT Jim posted:

laming posted

I have on-hand four of the recently released re-tooled Atlas Alco S-2, each with factory DCC/LokSound installed. All are undecorated and all were purchased new-in-the-box for something ....

Did those undecorated S-2's come with the separately-applied detail parts uninstalled? So you can apply them yourself after painting and decaling?

Thanks. Jim

IN the interest of "fair and balanced" reporting, I offer the following:

My HO scale Atlas "Gold" Milwaukee Road S-2 pictured in this thread arrived safe and sound today. The painting and printing is superb, as expected. However, for the first time I noticed there was no interior or crewmen. 

Looking again at my undecorated Altas S-2 engines revealed they also do not have interior/crewmen inside the cab. However, typically, such details are included in the detail pack supplied with most undec units. (Detail packs that I have yet to unpack for the undec units.)  So, I really didn't think much about it upon receiving the undec S-2's.

WELL...

There is NO interior or crewmen with the HO scale Atlas Alco S-2's.  Period.

Just wanted those of you interested in the HO Atlas line to be aware of that. (However the HO Atlas Alco HH600/660 DOES have interior and crewmen!)

Now, understanding this beforehand would NOT have been a deal breaker for me on any of my HO Atlas S-2's... for I will add crewmen at the least.  HOWEVER, I have noticed that I am now "spoiled" to the model manufacturer's that supply crewman (at the least) and crewmen/interiors at the most!  Such is the price of the sophistication of our toys by the manufacturers!!  We get so spoiled so quickly!

Now you know, the REST of the story.

Andre:

Thanks for the information regarding the S-2. I bought the version which was released as a fundraiser for the Maywood Station Museum in Maywood, NJ. The model is decorated as the NYS&W 206 which is on display at the museum. A picture of the model shown on the museum's website is shown below. 

I haven't even taken my S-2 out of the box yet so I hadn't noticed if the cab was detailed or not. Your post has me thinking. Perhaps detail parts from the high hood unit would be suitable for the interior of the S-2's cab? Here's the link to the high hood unit's parts page. It lists a number of parts for the cab interior:

http://shop.atlasrr.com/c-794-ph142.aspx?pagenum=1

Bob

c.sam posted:

What are the differences between 'early' and 'later' MTH offerings? I like that the steamers are die cast but is that a real plus in HO?  My BLI PRR T-1 is quite heavy and has a good reputation. Are there any pieces to avoid?

How about the F3's & F7's  and PA's?  

Hello.  The title of this post is "MTH HO".  I started reading hoping to learn more about them and have posted two inquiries asking questions relating to MTH's HO line. From what I can see, the discussion started off asking if MTH still produced HO items and immediately devolved into the legal shenanigans of Mike Wolf's lawyers.  Then several of you guys started discussing the respective merits of Atlas, Bowser, Walter's and others with no more mention of  MTH's models.

I've posted twice asking about MTH's locomotives and see no info suggested. I'll stick around a little while longer...

Thanks

Sam,

Early MTH Ho had problems with DCC but ran fine on dcs as my Mohawk (2007) attests. Since around 2010 MTH corrected the problems with their locomotives running with DCC. Although not perfect to satisfy some Ho modelers. 

Todays locomotives are great IMO. The F3, F7's run great together, they consist  (lash up) just fine although the two units are in different zip codes which can be corrected with the kadee coupler. The sound in most locomotives are just fine and better then most. All or most diesel locomotives come with automatic  couplers which can be changed out to Kadee's that are provided by MTH in the box. 

I just received a MTH Ho ES44AC and you have to see it to believe. The detail, sound, paint and they even pushed back the automatic coupler so it don't stick out as before. 

They also just came out with a engine ( gp38-2 ) in their new lower priced Ho items. The prefix is 85-xxxx, the regular line starts with 80-xxxx. The engine does not have all the seperate details as the others, they are molded on. The engine looks great though with the same electronics as their other engines. Check them out and he run and sound great.

Have seen them for as low as $136.00

Any other questions Sam, email me.

Dave

I'll wager folks would like to see some photos of that one Dave!

c.sam posted:

c.sam posted:

What are the differences between 'early' and 'later' MTH offerings? I like that the steamers are die cast but is that a real plus in HO?  My BLI PRR T-1 is quite heavy and has a good reputation. Are there any pieces to avoid?

How about the F3's & F7's  and PA's?  

Hello.  The title of this post is "MTH HO".  I started reading hoping to learn more about them and have posted two inquiries asking questions relating to MTH's HO line. From what I can see, the discussion started off asking if MTH still produced HO items and immediately devolved into the legal shenanigans of Mike Wolf's lawyers.  Then several of you guys started discussing the respective merits of Atlas, Bowser, Walter's and others with no more mention of  MTH's models.

I've posted twice asking about MTH's locomotives and see no info suggested. I'll stick around a little while longer...

Thanks

Sam:

• May I suggest that you go to the following link, where you will find about 10 pages of MTH related information.  http://model-railroad-hobbyist...3A11&sitesearch=
• Here is a brief comparison for a MTH vs. a BLI SP GS-4.  MTH wins in pulling, BLI wins in detail.  http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/19793
• Here is a very recent review on a MTH non-decoder equipped GP35.  http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/15406

Regards,

GNNPNUT

As Ive said before, the MTH HO locomotives I've seen have been really nice.  The passenger consists are equally fabulous.   I know MTH/Mike Wolf has angered some with legal issues, but the sad truth is that there's probably not a product any of us own and like that hasn't seen it's parent company do something similar at one point or another.   I shudder to think how many times Pepsi has sued Coke, and vice-versa.   I'm not going to stop drinking either one.... unless RC becomes more prolific... because everyone knows it's better!!!  

Matt01 posted:

I was just a teenager when it started. I was spending my money from an after school job putting DCC decoders into my engines, with guidance from the nice man that owned Litchfield Station. Soundtraxx was starting to make really cool stuff. Then Mike Wolf legal team started his garbage with everyone.

We have a large  show coming up Mar 4 & 5th near the Asheville NC Airport that is the best regional show for us. Broadway Ltd has a branch retail/mail order store (Factory Direct Trains) nearby and usually a lot of items available. I'm hoping to see some MTH equipment on tables to have a close look at. Would like to have a smoking Alco PA sometime...

Rusty Traque posted:

My LHS just put out the new brochures for the HO DM&IR Yellowstone (2 different classes) and the GP38's.

Rusty

Did one of the DM&RI have a grey boiler?????  3rd Rail did a grey boiler in 3 rail and 2 rail some years ago and I missed out on that one.

Well just went to the MTH website and the yare now shipping the yellowstones with the grey boiler.

http://mthtrains.com/news/578

Just purchased the new MTH DMIR Yellowstone with Elesco Feed Water heater.  The detail is exceptional.

Have not run it as of yet, will comment as soon as I do

Just received a Penn PA A-unit yesterday from Trainworld. Ran it for a few minutes only but was impressed with detail, lighting effects, sound and slow speed operation as well as pulling power. Not my first MTH HO diesel but I had to try out a fan driven smoke model- it did not disappoint. Ran it DCC but I have run my other MTH HO models through my DCS TIU with my O scale remote and they performed as advertised. The length and quality of the PSA announcement was also quite pleasing on the PA unit. At $150 on sale I am glad I bought one.

Vern

I had ordered the DM&IR Yellowstone and got i two weeks ago, It looks beautiful, ran it for 5 minutes and I cold hear the smoke fan over the sound of the loco and then when you sound the whistle you can hear the speaker cone bottom out. I had to return it since these 2 things will ultimately drive me nuts

Got to run my MTH HO DMIR this weekend at the Greenburg Train show in Monroeville, PA and was extremely satisfied.

Slow speed was exceptional along with the synchronized sound and smoke.   Ran it in the DCC mode.

Have to admit that it drew quite a crowd that was very impressed with it's operation.  I'm now very close to selling off all of my O gauge collection and putting up an HO layout, probably with Kato unitrak.

I passed up an opportunity, to my dismay,  to pick up BLI's Rolling Thunder base/sound unit for only $150.00

Considering BLI's Milwaukee Road S3  Cab#261(brand new tooling) which may be available this month ( Rolling Thunder ready).

daylight posted:

 

I passed up an opportunity, to my dismay,  to pick up BLI's Rolling Thunder base/sound unit for only $150.00

 Considering BLI's Milwaukee Road S3  Cab#261(brand new tooling) which may be available this month ( Rolling Thunder ready).

Did they have a Rolling Thunder system running at the show?

Thanks, Jim

Jim, no they did not.  They also had three of the first releases that can take advantage of the system.  2 Pennsy and 1 Norfolk & Western Y-6b engines.  However these have a system problem that can be rectified in a few steps.  it's on the BLI website.  It's corrected on all future releases

c.sam posted:

c.sam posted:

What are the differences between 'early' and 'later' MTH offerings? I like that the steamers are die cast but is that a real plus in HO?  My BLI PRR T-1 is quite heavy and has a good reputation. Are there any pieces to avoid?

How about the F3's & F7's  and PA's?  

Hello.  The title of this post is "MTH HO".  I started reading hoping to learn more about them and have posted two inquiries asking questions relating to MTH's HO line. From what I can see, the discussion started off asking if MTH still produced HO items and immediately devolved into the legal shenanigans of Mike Wolf's lawyers.  Then several of you guys started discussing the respective merits of Atlas, Bowser, Walter's and others with no more mention of  MTH's models.

I've posted twice asking about MTH's locomotives and see no info suggested. I'll stick around a little while longer...

Thanks

Getting back to the MTH theme, I have three of their HO scale steamers, two which are fine, and one, which I bought used, which will have to go back to MTH for servicing (it doesn't "chuff" anymore, but the other sounds work). 

I also have a set of Alco FA-1/FB-1 diesels which are DCC ready.  I installed ESU Loksound Select decoders in them.  My only complaint about the MTH diesels is their insistence on using green marker lights.

What I like about them over their competitors is:

1:  No wired tether between the locomotive and the tender.  All electrical connections are through the drawbar;

2:  The traction tires are on the geared drivers.  On my Broadway Limited steamers they put the tires on the drivers behind the geared drivers.  As a result the siderods wear out because of the load being transferred through them from the geared drivers to the ones with the tires.

3:  I use DCC (NCE at my club).  In 128 step mode the MTH engines' speed matches the steps in scale miles per hour (I measured this and it is true).  For the other brands you can have different engines going at different speeds even though they are at the same speed step.

Stuart