MTH PS3 Premier Challenger Delivery?

Since they announced no new American Steam for this year other then Ready to Run Sets, I'd guess it just is old data.

I'm betting that the shipping status is outdated.  Safer to plan on arrival sometime in late 2012 or perhaps even first half 2013.  Nothing official... just surmising from info I've picked gleaned while researching availability of the newly announced (2011 Vol 1) MTH Climax locomotives.

I think pretty much all MTH North American steam is/has been canned.

I hear different things from different shops.  The most usual story is that MTH is "catching up" and that we could start to see some American steam as June/July.  For all I know, that could be a pipe dream.  I've also heard that molds were broken/lost, that MTH is focusing on a more lucrative European market, or that they are searching for a new supplier.  Only MTH knows for sure.

One thing is certain;  if I don't see something... anything... start to trickle out by the summer months, I will seriously consider canceling orders for MTH steam and start looking elsewhere for product (Lionel, Sunset, etc.).  As much as I hate to pay those prices (I'm a RailKing kind of guy for the most part....), I'm not going to wait forever on pins and needles to continue building my layout.  I'm in a holding pattern at the moment, and have been putting off investing in TMCC/Legacy because I don't want to complicate my DCS layout at the moment, but if I can't get the products that I want, I won't wait forever.  The money I have set aside for MTH steam can easily be redirected to another brand.  Maybe I only get one 3rd Rail as opposed to 2 RK steamers, but I can live with that.  There is always the Sale forum here as well.  

In short, I think the times on the MTH site are largely bogus, and as mentioned here (and elsewhere) it could be a while.  I continue to hope for the best, but I'm considering alternatives more and more.  

-Eric

"Dogs and cats living together..."

Rusty

I agree with everthing Eric said , I gave up about 6 months ago

waiting for MTH products I ordered a very long time ago.I switched

to other compaines and love there products.I'm not going to wait anymore.

MTH makes great products but the mind is somewhere else, and there doing

what's good for them.So I'm Doing what's good for me.Eric your most likely not

going to see anything that you ordered for a very long time. I ordered a set of passenger cars from

MTH two and a half years ago and the came into my hobby shop a few months

ago. When they called me I told them to cancel I don't want it anymore.

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION I'M NOT BASHING ANY COMPANY

JUST TIRED OF WAITING AND WAITING.

THANKS, ALEX

I just got off the phone with Regina at MTH.  Regina is in the sales department.  The date of March 2012 is no good.  She gave no updated date.  The dates will be changed to TBA: To Be Announced.  Sounds like a long wait for my Challenger.

Seems to me that everybody (MTH, Lionel, Weaver, 3rd Rail, WBB) has delays in shipping at one time or another.  It just happens to be the luck of the draw that something comes out near the initial announced delivery date.

Rusty

In the game of life, we're never quite all on the same page when it comes to these issues.  But I can tell you this is definitely more than an "everyone has delays in shipping at one time or another" type occurrence... and it's more than MTH is just "catching up" with a backlog of orders.

Unfortunately, companies aren't always quick to solidify the "party line"... and as a result, stories begin to spread like wildfire.  This much I can tell you though...  I spoke to my LHS late last year when I was interested in ordering an MTH Climax steam locomotive cataloged in 2011 Volume 1.  I told them the MTH website currently indicated a shipping date of TBA, so they looked into it further.  As explained to me, they were told by MTH that one of their factories in China had closed and the tooling needed to be relocated to another factory before any steam locomotives would be produced.  In subsequent conversations with the LHS, I've gotten the impression that the tooling has been transferred and new steam production is now underway.  But that's only my impression.

So there ya go... whether you treat this info as gospel or with a grain of salt, take it for what it's worth.  But if it's even close to reality, then I'm thinking we're looking at a significant chunk of time to get the tooling in place and a new assembly process established at a new factory location.  That's why I mentioned late 2012 or even 1st half 2013 before we see some of this stuff.

Until we hear anything more official from MTH, only time will tell.

Hope that helps.

David

P.S.  BTW, I tend to believe there's a lot of credence in what my dealer was told by MTH when they checked on the Climax locomotive for me.  And when you consider the fact that MTH didn't even catalog any new steam locomotives in 2012, that tends to reinforce my thinking even further.  I mean really... they didn't even re-catalog some of the 2011 announcements in the new 2012 catalog... NOTHING.  So while I think the 2012 catalog's intro was carefully word-smithed referring to the lack of new steam announcements in 2012 Volume 1, it's probably the most we can expect MTH to say in writing at this time.

Rusty I agree with you its all the companies that do this.But not when you order

two or three different items and wait two or three years.To me thats totally crazy

waiting that long.Then after waiting that long they come out with PS3 which I have

two of and the sound is almost the same as PS2.Almost no difference.I like MTH

a lot but again just can't wait anymore.There focus is some where else. I also

heard from many hobby shops all different stories about what's going on with MTH.

In my opinion I don't believe this stories.MTH is a smart company there going to expand all over the world.

AGAIN JUST MY OPINION

THANKS ,ALEX

David, I think you are pretty much spot on.  I'm obviously not holding my breath, but it's frustrating because it seems like when it comes to me and trains, there always some fly in the ointment and lately it has been product availability.  HO wasn't much better - it seemed that everything I wanted had already been produced and shipped, and I had a hard time finding stuff.  However, at least with most companies the estimated shipping dates have some semblance of truth; in the case of MTH, it's almost like they simply gave up.  

There things aren't cheap - I think a lot of us actually need to budget.  Yes there is the occasional impulse/gotta have it purchase, but for the most part, I need to plan things out.  I don't know what my budget situation will be 18 months from now; things come up, and priorities change.  Unfortunately, everyone in the process gets hosed (me, LHS, MTH) when the budget gets pushed out that far and things get sideways.  As it stands, I have money set aside for the next 3-6 months.  Beyond that, it could wind up in kitchen renovations, sports gear for the kids, etc.  The list is endless, and my interest in trains will eventually wane in favor of more pressing (and tangible) things.  

Speaking form experience, having backlogs of orders and no product to fill them is almost as bad (possibly worse) as not having the orders. And the MTH "wordsmithed" catalog response  - well that's just a perfect description.  I'm guessing that if they came right out and told us exactly what the problem was and gave realistic ship dates, they would risk a lot of customer giving up and bolting to other vendors.... which is pretty much happening now anyway.  

-Eric

I pre-ordered the RK Imperial NP Northern out of the 11 V1 catalog.  It had a delivery date  that has recently been changed to TBD.  So there you go. I don't believe that there is any of the misfeasance implied in this thread.  MTH would make it and sell it if they could.  There's a real story going on; it's just that we're not really sure what it is.  We'll eventually find out, but meanwhile while we're complaining they're losing money.  I don't think that that's their business plan.  If you feel abandoned think about how they feel.

I don't necessarily think there's any malfeasance; MTH just needs to suck less at producing trains and estimating ship dates

 I'm sure it's no fun for them either, but it wold be nice to have a better explanation than "catching up".  If it could take up to two years, tell me straight up.  It could be that they truly don't know - I acknowledge that, but thats worse.  Or, it could be that they know it's going to be a LONG time and are hoping that "TBD" will at least keep some people on the hook.  I suspect my F-3 diesels will ship at or around the projected April ship dates, and I will absolutely honor that commitment.  If we get into summer and no steam is shipping at all (and it doesn't have to be my stuff...), I'll be looking elsewhere.  I'm already paying closer attention to the Sales forum.  Not a huge fan of the 'bay, so I tend to avoid that avenue.  

Trust me, we all get that MTH isn't happy about this, but they need to be careful, because this is ultimately how some companies fail.  I worked for a couple of startup companies that went under over the years; we always knew it was bad when we couldn't deliver product even though demand was strong.  You're not making money on trains that people "want" to buy, but you still have to pay your employees and suppliers.  It gets ugly, and I don't want to see it happen to MTH at some point.  

There's a post on MTH's facebook page that says they expect the RK steamers to be coming in the summer. I've seen that one before and I'll probably trust it as far as I can throw it, but thats the second or 3rd time I've seen that time frame posted. Hopefully that means they have some sort of operation going again to make these things.

I dont think its an issue of them giving up on O gauge... they're still delivering rolling stock, buildings and diesels on a semi-regular basis. At this point, I think we all hope that once the steamer production gets back up and running, they come out in rapid fire succession and just clear the backlog (I know that will probably just shift the backlog to everyone's visa card).

It would be nice if they could get something back in the catalog, even if its an updated re-release, just to show they're still in it. I haven't given up yet and I really hope they can get their operation back in gear, because they turn out some really nice things when they actually ship it.

Don't feel bad.  I've got an S Scale standard gauge Shay on order heading towards 4 years now by a well known brass builder.  It seems about every six months, the production schedule get set back another six months.

They're basically going to be built to order, so a deposit was required and it's not likely they'll be stocked anywhere.  It's also a model that I would have considered the least likely to be made in ANY scale, let alone S. 

The only thing keeping my interest up is it's a personal favorite and I have a history with the prototype.

Rusty

Hang in there! As much as I hate the very long times, I have accepted it as a matter of course. I check Ebay and I check forums such as these sometimes a sale or a trade or some other way and eventually you will have what you are seeking.

Real money being tied up against a uncertain future and other pressing expenses that must be kept up makes train items last. However I choose to keep a good attitude and hope that we will have a better future once China sorts out what they want to be for themselves.

I have had items on order for so long I forget and when the LHS calls and says a 200 dollar item just arrived, the wife aint happy. It's that simple. So I don't order unless I will be buying when it arrives. Or get it from other sources.

OK i want everybody to stop whining about engines not being delivered from catalogs from 2011. I have an item on order from the 2009 catalog that is to be delivered in about another 6 weeks or so. When MTH catches up and can build die cast items, they will. When they get here you will know. If you can't wait,cancel them then we don't have to listen to you guys whine. My God your acting like spoiled kids. It's only toys!!!!!!!!