The MTH Lines

MTH Lines, therefore, is, and will be, second only to the Lionel Lines as collectible standard gauge tinplate. Shiny and new, and at a more reasonable price point than the genuine Lionel collectibles, the MTH Lines will be with us for the foreseeable future!

Hmmm, what happened to Ives, American Flyer, Dorfan, JAD, Rich-Art, Jerry Brown, Harmon, Jim Cohen, Waterman Loco Works, Classic Model Trains, and many, many more?  I love my MTH, and really appreciate Mike reviving standard gauge, but there are lots of collectible trains. (And the number of original designs for standard gauge by MTH is minimaL.)

TRUE, but in terms of sheer volume produced, MTH has led in total production. Simply more of it out there.

And then there is the incomparable Brute and the Showroom cars.

I would love to know the numbers that Mike (and Williams before him) built compared to the number of original articles still in existance for things like 400E's, 381's, 408's', State Cars, even 1764E's (and there are a pile of those made by RichArt, Cohen, Pride Lines too).  For 400E's alone, I'll bet there are several thousand Mikes' variants.

And we all know the approximate numbers on Ives Transition sets like the Prosperity - maybe single digit originals, maybe a couple of hundred MTH Repros. Same goes for Circus trains, and the many other passenger sets and Ives AF/Lionel transition freight cars.

And of course we do know the numbers on the original Brute and Super 381E - one each.

Jim

Whatever the actual numbers of repros, they would not be "out there" at all if not for Mike, and Jerry Williams before him.

If only MTH would've stayed around a bit longer(or like forever). Regardless, I love tinplate but I also have been more recently focused on DCS and TMCC- specifically passenger cars. Then, one day, it hit me- MTH made some great tinplate, whether with Lionel on it or not, and they had proto 3! I usually plan out into a years time of things I would like to acquire. While I know it's still out there on ebay, I haven't really looked but I may give it a glance. I'd love to run some nice prewar tin behind some of the beautiful producs MTH produced

Mike Wolf had a genuine passion for tinplate and he will be missed!

@SGMA1 posted:

Hmmm, what happened to Ives, American Flyer, Dorfan, JAD, Rich-Art, Jerry Brown, Harmon, Jim Cohen, Waterman Loco Works, Classic Model Trains, and many, many more?  I love my MTH, and really appreciate Mike reviving standard gauge, but there are lots of collectible trains. (And the number of original designs for standard gauge by MTH is minimaL.)

I agree with Kirk 100%!  Mike made some wonderful tinplate trains but others did too and I think it's likely that in the long run such trains as RichArt's Cascade Bipolars and Jerry Brown's Streamliners, among others, will be to Collectors significantly more valuable than most MTH tinplate.

Bob Nelson

Again, the sheer volume of MTH will likely make it a more accessible product at a lower cost than the limited runs of JAD, RichArt and the other less prolific talented producers. Their relatively limited production will always command top dollar for the lucky few.

My story is as follows: Never could afford an original Lionel state set in like-new condition so MTH fit the bill with accurate and well-crafted reproductions, new and shiny out of the box at a fraction of the cost of an original. Same with the Blue Comet and also the 200 series freight cars. Now, I realize the originals were the inspiration for all these wonderful MTH Lines reproductions, and many collectors prefer them and the patina and signs of use, hopefully by a happy child, and that is also fine! But when my MTH Lines state cars pass by, I am a pleased operator! Those state cars are currently pulled by my Lionel Classics 2-400E in the video below:

PS: There are a number of LGB 1920's Orient Express and other LGB seated figures in all three cars.

NOTE: Back in the 1970's I did purchase and restore (re-wheel, replace missing parts and rewire) half a dozen original boxed standard gauge sets with #8, 10 and 318 locos mostly pulling freight sets. I had a genuine appreciation for those more humble engines and cars which I could afford while raising three young children at that time. Alas, interests changed, and these were sold at a local TCA meet, and shortly after that began my immersion into the world of LGB, and it would be years later before I would purchase a large quantity of the Lionel Classics standard gauge, starting with the black 390E repro and the three red 312 series passenger cars. Later came the state and Blue Comet sets and even the two-tone brown 408E, though I never had the brown state cars, always prefering the green ones!