For me, no matter what is in this catalog, the consolidation loco on the cover page reminds me that my re-entry into O scale was with an MTH PRR consolidation set and started me on a great creative journey.  

Any NP, GN, MRL or BN and I am screwed!!! Hello Chapter 7!! 

It's only the Ready-To-Run trainset catalog. 

I think you'll be safe.  No need to call Peter Francis Geraci...

Rusty

YEA - Catalog season is here again!  I have a new baby boy and can't afford a thing - but YEA new catalogs are coming out again!  It still feels kinds like the sears catalog Grandma would give us to make a Christmas wishlist from.

Now if only work didn't send me out of town every April and October...

I wonder if there will be a return of the Rugged Rails items with new paint schemes, LED lighting, and ProtoSounds 3.0 electronics.

Andrew

Yeah, you click on link and it says: nothing found

Keep in mind that the day isn't even half over yet. 

Andy is still asleep! :-)

Up and running now...

Wow...plenty of Christmas train sets, including Tin plates!  The Amtrak intercity Express looks inviting.   Nice picture of soon-to-be released smart phone App!

Nothing In it I can't live without.

Noticed all of the Diesel RTR sets have a caboose included.

Lots of LIRR, 2-8-0, operating box car, DD boxcar, water tower, billboard

Interesting how MTH and Lionel seem to be going in the opposite direction, marketing-wise,  in terms of sets.  Lionel is focusing on keeping prices down, with some Lion Chief sets having street prices under $150 this last Christmas season, and these new MTH sets going for $400 and up at MSRP. What are the likely dealer prices from Nassau Hobby Center and similar merchants? 

No doubt the MTH sets are higher quality in terms of the rolling stock and locomotives (but not the track ), and include a traditional transformer. All good things.

But this $100-200 spread in startup costs for families is a substantial cost difference.  Can hobby shops convince novices to spring for the difference to receive the additional features and quality?

The ILLINOIS CENTRAL PS-2-CD low-side 3-bay hopper paint scheme would be appropriate for the 1967-2000 time period.

I have to see the box cars with operating lights working in person.

Andrew 

You don't see many IC offerings that reflect that time period; ICG is useless and undesirable to me.  And since I grew up on the Main Line of Mid-America, I have to purchase a couple of those hoppers.

I too am fascinated by the box cars with the blinking signals but I wish they were done in the Premier line instead.  The only locomotives I have that are short enough to haul one of those boxcars and have it look normal, are my traditional Lionel steamers.  The road names would be a bit out of whack for that. 

-Tony

The AMTRAK Intercity Express would be great for people who have small radius curves on their track layout.

The PS-2 Center Discharge Covered Hoppers and Evans Products double plug door box cars come in new schemes for CSX, BNSF, NS, UP.

There are box cars with flashing lights to look like crossing signals.

There is both a Christmas box car and a Happy Holidays box car.

The Canadian National double plugged door INSULATED box car looks great.

A new CP Rail ore car to add to previous CP Rail ore cars made by Lionel and K-Line.

The Chessie System PS-2 center Discharge 3-Bay hopper has graphics and slogan for "Keep the Safety ball rolling"

An Illinois Central Mainline of Mid-America PS-2 center Discharge 3-bay hopper is good to mix into any train that is headed to Chicago on your layout.

Andrew

I noticed that they mention that their upcoming iOS app will only run PS3. Really hoping that's not the case. Someone needs to create a system that will let you control DCS, TMCC and legacy without having to drop close to $1000 in dedicated hardware. Every other scale seems to have figured how to do this. Personally, I'm very reluctant to "upgrade" to digital control if it means being locked into running locomotives from just one manufacturer. I was all excited about the MTH app because I assumed it would be like the DCS remote and allow you to run PS2/3, TMCC and conventional. If it's PS3 only I'd be better off sticking to conventional control. Would be nice if O gauge could get their act together and settle on one standard for digital control the way every other scale has. Guess MTH and Lionel have no interest in expanding sales beyond their current base. At least Lionel seems to have seen the light and has opened up their standards. 

My opinion is that Lionel has a better chance of capturing the young family with kids who want a train set.  The pricing makes more sense.  MTH makes a good product, but the price is way more than Lionels.  (Fastrack is much easier to work with than Realtrax.  I use both and there is no comparison)

Nothing caught my eye.

Not much in set choices is there?