MTH PREMIER CN ES44ac DISAPPOINTMENT

I would not buy anything until you see it. Even in this BTO era I would not buy anything until I am satisfied on how it meets my criteria. 

Yep. I stopped buying MTH a long time ago. Only their euro line is worth looking at today IMO.

I'm betting that with the cost of tooling they would either make it the way they did or not offer it at all. If you think about how many engines were probably ordered (not many is my guess) versus how much it would cost to make new correct tooling, MTH would have been well under water on the project.

TrainingDave posted:

I'm betting that with the cost of tooling they would either make it the way they did or not offer it at all. If you think about how many engines were probably ordered (not many is my guess) versus how much it would cost to make new correct tooling, MTH would have been well under water on the project.

MTH should "modify" their tooling  of the latest ES44ACs currently used the major roads because the nose door is on the wrong side. It would be the right thing to do for their customers who keep MTH above water.  

Paul you are so correct, but very late to this parade.

First off I have been a HUGE MTH fan.  MTH lure me back to O-Scale back in 1990.

But Mike did NOT spend the $$$ to correct replicate  the Premier ES44's starting with the NS Heritage engines.  Much more than the door side issue is different in this phase of the ES44s.

Back on Feb. 24, 2014 I did a photo comparison of the correct Lionel NNS/KP ES44 to the MTH Premier NS/NKP ES44 model.  Te title of the thread is "NS/NKP Lionel Diesel Finally Arrived."  I will try to link it.

https://ogrforum.com/t...59#27334379182170759

OH, he did the Rail King versions more correct!  And the HO models are correct from what I have seen.

Ron

Ron, thank you- I'm not alone......... It is amazing how the MTH H.O. engines are always spot on. Even the grab irons on the snowplow!  

MTH upped the price significantly on the Premier E-8s but did not increase the detail level - the Union Pacific version did not add nose lettering or new and increased roof detailing.

MTH did a real nice job on the latest CPR FM Trainmaster. Correct headlites and bell hanger....

Al

One of the biggest reasons these types of things continue to occur, is there are so many in "O" who classify these as "toys" (yeah, cringe) and say close enough is good enough. They actually will put up a fight in defense of this terminology. (cringe again) Whatever- all it does is allow these types of things to pass on to the consumer, who actually wants first class scale models. This does NOT happen in HO!!! I have made modifications to most of my fleet as the result of this. 

Until we stop buying the toys they produce, and keep asking for more accurately scaled and detailed models, MTH will continue to produce product with these "close enough" practices.   HO and N Scale went through this period in a major way, and while today's models in HO and N more accurately represent prototypes there are still compromises.   

IMO, With the differences in the ES44's and the new ET44's there are a lot of opportunities to build more accurate, highly detailed scale models if we ask for it and MTH listens by building a little more flexibility in the tooling.

albertstrains posted:

MTH did a real nice job on the latest CPR FM Trainmaster. Correct headlites and bell hanger....

Al

Yes Al, MTH/Mike did a fabulous job with the new Premier tooled Train Masters.  Here are my two.

Pay special attention to the pilot deck heights!  They are different because they are prototypical for the PRR and Southern respectively.  They got it right!  Unlike what they did or did not do for the NS Heritage ES44s.

Ron

Paul,

So did MTH at least have the correct rectangular windshield for this ES44AC instead of the teardrop windshield from the earlier ES44DC? Did you get the 3-rail or scale-wheeled version?

Thanks,

Naveen Rajan

naveenrajan posted:

Paul,

So did MTH at least have the correct rectangular windshield for this ES44AC instead of the teardrop windshield from the earlier ES44DC? Did you get the 3-rail or scale-wheeled version?

Thanks,

Naveen Rajan

Yes Naveen. It is an exact copy of my KCS ES44AC with rectangular windshields, 3 rail version. It would have been nice to at least have the correct nose door without the window. MTH did U.P. door right. They should have copied that one. Go figure. I'm done...........