MTH vs Lionel Parts

The MTH parts situation has been dreadful for many years, and is a major reason why I don't buy as much MTH as I used to. However, there are a couple of encouraging signs. They have just posted a book of parts diagrams for much of the MTH/Lionel tinplate line, and there are diagrams online for the Euro rolling stock. Of course, we don't know whether the diagrams will be backed up by actual parts. I'm putting together a big parts order for MTH in the near future, and I'll post on the results. 

If you drop Midge an e-mail over in parts and give her a product number and a description of the parts she will quickly get back to you and let you know if they have the part (s). If you want an immediate answer give her a call at 410-381-2580, ext. #516.

MTH keeps saying they are going to add parts diagrams to the new website, They have for tinplate so maybe it will happen soon? While you are waiting call or email Midge as RRaddict2 has posted above. I have ordered parts from Midge & MTH this way several times and had no problems, got the correct parts every time. Midge is very busy and sometimes it takes her a while to find everything and get back to you, but she has always gotten back to me every time and they have always had the parts I wanted.

Hopefully MTH will do like Lionel and list the parts online or do a catalog. The online is better because the prices are listed and you can either order direct if you don't have a dealer close by or have your dealer order. Lionel also beats them in service where it took 3 weeks for a non warrenty repair from Lionel vs 6 Months from MTH. The longest Lionel took on a repair was 5 weeks for my legacy 2 remote due to the tech being on vacation. I'm not anti MTH and My MTH locomotive stable outnumbers my Lionel 3 to 1 but he needs to improve his parts and service if he wants to sell trains.

Not to bash MTH but the parts ordering experience is horrible compared to Lionel. I ordered parts late Tuesday night and had the parts Friday morning. I love the ability that I can be at my workbench with my trusty Mac mini and look up the parts with a picture to confirm, drop it in the cart, and bam!  I'm done!  MTH needs to figure out how to get that experience so it make everything else work. Just my 2 cents

Mike Reagan did a wonderful job, with Lionel parts among other things.

I remember him chiming in on the forum to get information regarding certain items Lionel did not have a record of.

It nice to know after your warranty is up you still have excellent parts and service access should the need arise.

When I moved over to the ASC Tech side, one of the losses was I no longer deal with Midge, so I just enter the parts order and wait... and wait... and wait.  Five or six weeks later, the parts may come.

They have acknowledged there is a problem with the parts ordering, now I'd like to see them actually fix it.  I have to believe they're simply understaffed and can't process the orders.  The bad part of all this is it makes me more reluctant to recommend an MTH product to someone as I'm afraid if I need parts, it'll take forever to get them!

Here is my two cents. I love the MTH product in the time period BL (Before the Lawsuit) with Lionel.  Well made and very detail at that time and reasonably priced in my opinion. Midge is a great asset to MTH. However getting parts is from MTH is a nightmare.  Can someone that know Mike Wolf please sit down with him and talk him about the parts problem PLEASE.  A wise man once said that "you are strong as your weakest link". Current Achilles heel at MTH is the parts ordering and the website.

Yes I inquired about some parts over 2 weeks ago and no reply and I did have a out of warranty repair delivered last week after 6 months. 

Like Kris I still like MTH trains and they do look great. I let almost all of my Railking go, except the scale size. Now buy mostly premiere locomotives.

That's normal my Lo-V took like 9 months about 4 years ago lol. I have to give Lionel credit on 3 weeks.

rtr12 or someone else-- can you tell me where I have to click on the MTH website to see some of the parts lists/diagrams for the tinplate stuff, that the group says has been recently added?  Thanks!

I eagerly downloaded this, only to discover it's more of a top-level listing.  For instance, one of the most often replaced items is the gear that engages the motor worm, and they just list the complete motor.

It sounds like you inquired about your parts about the time of the York meet or right after. I did this last year around the time of the fall York meet and it did take a while longer than normal for Midge to get back to me. However, she finally did and she got everything I was trying to order and the parts were all the correct ones that I had ordered.

I had emailed this order to Midge and someone else called shortly afterward to verify my parts list and said Midge would get back to me, which she did, only it did take a while. I really don't think you have been forgotten.

I also think they are aware of the parts problems, Mike Wolf has mentioned it in his presentations at York before. I guess we can only hope they get things squared away someday and make ordering parts a little easier and faster. They did final get the new website up, hopefully they will continue improving it for parts.

It's under catalogs as Marty F stated above. Here is a link: Tinplate Parts

I hope they do, I try to order parts from dealers but it's hard without a diagram. MTH was doing a great job on listing parts earlier on but stopped for some reason.

There isn't much more frustrating than submitting "undefined part" orders only to find out a month or more later the "undefined part" is not available!

Mr. Mike W:  As one of your NASC's....PLEASE MAKE RESEARCHABLE PARTS AND DIAGRAMS OF PREMIER, RAILKING, HO, No. 1 Gauge and S Gauge A PRIORITY AT MTH!!!

Marty thanks for stepping up!  Your list is what MTH should have posted.  The only mechanical item in their catalogue with a halfway decent exploded diagram is the tinplate racing car, and most of its component parts are "undefined."  Sorry, try again MTH.  And how about inlcuding some of the steam motors this time??  

Thanks Marty, that's a great list and I have it saved on my desktop (so I don't lose it). You should suggest to MTH that they put this on their new website somewhere (in an easily accessible location) until they can get their parts system in order. I think this would be a really big help to a lot of people. And me too, later on when I forget where I put this list.

Even if they do get the parts system in order, this is still a great reference for the most often used parts and would be a good thing to include at the beginning of their new parts areas or references.

I just ordered my first MTH item the other month and since day 1 of owning it I have been waiting for my part because it was broken when I inspected within the first 5 minutes. Only the other day I got a reply back from MTH after I sent another inquiry asking what the situation about this is.

IMO it's taking very long for something simple, but I don't know the situation over there and like what others mentioned its known that it takes long(which I found out reading this thread).

Well this experience does blow maybe it's because of the nature of my work that 1-3 days turn around time is great, and others get really concerned about 5-7 days turn around time. I know they're different and I cannot compare both, but what would make it much nicer is to set expectations(not over promising). If I was told on the phone that you can expect a 60-90 day turn around time or something similar. I would of looked for different options, and at the very least I would not have that feeling of uncertainty and anxiety for the part to arrive. 

Hopefully they get their act together.

The gears for tinplate are in the Part List document Service sent out in the ASC update. 

OOPS! Just saw the Marty posted it.  G 

I don't see any mention of "worm" or "gear" in Marty's list.  And although I GREATLY appreciate him posting it, I'm not letting MTH off the hook that easily.

For example, six pickup rollers are listed.  [First: Boo on MTH for only putting two pickup rollers on a steam locomotive, with no easy way to add one to the tender.  Add some black gunk from the RealTrax center rail and you have an unreliable system.  How much are they saving by not adding a third roller?  Maybe $5 on a $1000 loco?]  So six different rollers are listed on the ASC update, no illustrations or application notes.  How am I supposed to know which one might fit?

With the parts diagrams on Lionel's website you see the innards, motors, gears, what you're paying for, and also the evolution that takes place with successive reissues.  I appreciate input from the MTH techs on this board but I feel that MTH should work harder to make this info available to current and potential consumers.

MTH vs Lionel Parts = There is no comparison. MTH's system is from the 70's and Lionel is Today.

I was able to order from Lionel a front boiler single headlight GS-2 / GS-6 to convert my GS-4, and also a U33C radiator section to convert an Atlas U23B to a B23-7. Order was placed on a Sunday and arrived Friday.

What's sad is that 80% of my stuff is MTH.

Ted, this is a common parts list.  I was just trying to help a few guys that needed some part numbers.  I am going to delete the list after I post this reply.  Certain parts are available at the tech level only.  MTH will install a gear for anyone.  

It was there, but it is the gears, not worms.  Worm is on the motor.

Not to argue GGG, but Marty must have edited the list after he posted it initially.  The version I downloaded from the Forum does not contain the "GEAR" excerpt from your post above.

My point (and the original poster's) remains valid:  We wouldn't need all this hugger-mugger editing and deleting if MTH made an illustrated parts inventory available to current and prospective consumers on their website like Lionel does.  

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this hobby for me is to see what actually goes into the trains, evaluate different mechanical designs, look for opportunities to improve them, and know that I can get the exact parts when, or even before something goes wrong.  I'm accustomed to being able to do this with Lionel since publication of the Greenbergs' repair manuals over 40 years ago.  Thankfully Lionel LLC has continued this tradition into the modern era (although parts availability for the short runs of current production won't ever approach what it was for Postwar or MPC.)  MTH needs to step up in this area.

Marty,

Just remember (with apologies to the cast of Wicked), that...

 "...no good deed goes unpunished!"

Ted, the list is what the tech guys use.  I was trying to do a good deed.  I suggest you contact MTH and complain to them.  Your complaint is valid and nobody on the forum has any power to correct things.  All I will say is that the tech guys also have to order parts and you have read comments.  I understand your complaint.

Lionel is good, no question.  I am also a Lionel tech.  I order my parts before Monday morning and get them on Wednesday.

Been trying to get a set of rollers for a RailKing F-3 for years. No luck so far!

For years, I find that hard to believe.  MTH has many F-3 rollers.  

Marty. then perhaps you can help me. Needing a set of rollers for one of the first RailKing F3's made... the NYC. Can't find a part number and never heard back from Midge when I sent her a photo.

Seriously, why do you guys tolerate this type of service from MTH?

It has been taking so long to get parts from MTH that its the last place I go for them anymore. When I do order I get extra everythings so no next time I may not have to order from them. Ive got quite an inventory. I love the speed Lionel ships parts and like Marty said, if I order them Monday I usually get them by Wednesday or Thursday. The only thing i hate about lionels parts is the $9.00 shipping charge even.

My late two-cents: years ago, the 90's, before I had the Web at home (had it at work, so...), I e-mailed MTH parts a few times, asking if they had such-and-such for a particular

item (usually for a project), gave a good description and the (typically) loco item #, and

a day or three later I would get a reply, yes or no (usually yes), the part was $XX and the

s/h was such and such. (I had no part number, but they did and actually looked it up; wow!) I would send them a copy of the e-mail, and a check, in an envelope (a check! in an envelope!), ATTN to the person sending the e-mail, and a week or so later the part was in my mailbox. 

Now, call me crazy, but the above described fast, efficient, civil and effective system is one that some of us (humans) might investigate as a way in which to more effectively handle merchandising and distributing goods and services.

There came a time (after 2 - 3 years) that my e-mails went unanswered and I began to move away from MTH. They had "progressed" beyond actually providing what I needed.

This entire thread reflects a situation, with this particular company, and with others in all fields, that can best be described as a "such-and-such fire drill".

I know, but they should have been in that Tinplate Parts book, they're probably one of the most common parts that fail. 

Gandydancer, can you email me the picture?

Marty, took these photos with my phone. If they're not clear enough let me know and I will retake them using my digital camera. I also photographed Reading T-1 4-8-4 today as it arrived at the Rockport Yards here in Cleveland on it's way to be restored. Thought you may like them.

That roller is obsolete.  It was early version that screwed all the way thru the truck from the inside.

Your options are to get a Williams version from WoB.  Or go with the later versions, but modify to use a long screw and small hex nut.   G

If you could send a better picture, it would work.  I have those.  Is that Reading 2100?