New MTH S scale catalog at York?

I think I heard that too. But remember, everything in S Gauge should have the suffix "ish."

It will probably be in French or German.

There is mention on the NASG website that the MTH S gauge catalog should be available by York.

MTH posted on facebook (when asked) that the catalog is being worked on and will not be ready by York. 

MTH has announced that the O gauge V2 catalog will be good to go at York, but there was no mention of the S gauge catalog. 

My money (quite literally) is on later in the year.

Ben

No MTH S gauge catalog at York in two weeks.  

Maybe someone could start a thread on what will be in the Spring catalog. To which I'd reply; piggyback flats. That's the MTH S club car for this year. I'm sure a catalog will be along eventualy. They need to catalog the piggyback flats.

Reply from MTH on Facebook today:

 

MTH Electric Trains I do not know Mr Swafford. I would think late Summer, early Fall. There will be a 2015 S Gauge Catalog, but there is not a release date yet.

While we might not get a catalog at York, maybe we can get some intel on what additional pieces of S helper rolling stock have been brought online.  I think it's safe to assume the flat cars will be in this catalog because of the C&NW club car.

Maybe someone can pry more info from Mike Wolf or Andy E at the show.

Ben

I am interviewing Andy Edleman of MTH at York for the S Gaugian Magazine.  I will be interviewing Matt Ashba, Director of Lionel Product Planning as well.  

Sure enjoy the speculation while waiting for a new catalog...any guesses on a new locomotive or two?

Well, I have the answer as to the new engines and freight cars that will come out next from MTH because I got answers to my questions for the interview next week with Andy Edleman at York.  Sorry you will have to read about them in the S Gaugian when it comes out unless MTH releases the information earlier.  They will be exciting!

 

The catalog will carry the title 2015-2016 when it comes out late in the summer. 

Bill

Are you saying we will have to wait till the July/August issue to get that answer?  That is kinda a long way off there buddy...

Ben

Should we have defibrillators at the ready?

 

Rusty

I am dizzy with anticipation.

June-July 2015 in "Internet Time" = A millennium.

 

This is the instant age, 'ya know.

I've synchronized my sundial.

 

Rusty

I just wrote the publisher to see if I can finish the interviews next week to get them in the July/August issue.  Last year they came out in the September/October issue.  I know that is late, but I am just a writer and can't determine when things are printed.

 

Matt Ashba's of Lionel sent me his answers to my interview questions also.  Key points on Berks, cancelling Berk sets, mechanical reefers, FlyerKing, and scale offerings included. You guys will be interested in these too.  

Bill

We know you have no control of the release timeframe for the information - thanks for stepping up and taking on the challenge of conducting the interviews. 

Ben

Roundhouse Bill the writer - Ha!  More like Bill the sly fox S-gaugian marketer.  My check has been sitting on the study desk to send in for a year's prescription . If I make it out for a 2 year one - can you get this in the July/August issue (hint, hint, wink, wink).

 

I say this all in jest.  Although I am sending in my check.  

Yep, you're right...I do want people to get and read the S Gaugian. I believe it is a high value item for S hobbiests.  And I work hard to write articles I think will be helpful for them.  

People probably don't know that guys who write for the S Gaugian do not get paid to write for it like they do for Classic Toy Trains.  It is done for the love of the hobby.  

i have been a long time subscriber to the S Gaugian and really appreciate the effort and results. Recently I have seen comments attributed to major suppliers about the softness and apparent lack of interest in purchasing S products. I suggest that is because of a lack of effective outreach on their part. Both Lionel and MTH have my e mail and I get newsletters from MTH and ads from Lionel. I think they should use these lists to send targeted solicitations direct to us potential purchasers and even allow us to buy places in the production run. Since the manufacturers appear uninterested in marketing this way perhaps S Gaugian can use their subsciption list to solicit interest. 

We cannot purchase what the suppliers do not produce. Lack of new products is the reason S sales are down. Almost all my purchases recently have been retrofitting older conventional models with TMCC. It is really a shame Lionel cannot find a way to license and sell Legacy retrofit kits for older engines. Not to mention that Lionel has not produced engines and track sensors for the LCS system for us S purchasers. Perhaps SHS should offer a 30" radius turnout to match their wide radius sectional track. It seems to me Lionel and MTH are not trying very hard to get the real level of interest in S. 

SHS is no longer in business.  It was sold to MTH.

 

Rusty

Sorry, my mind was thinking MTH but my fingers typed SHS.

Thanks,

Since the manufacturers appear uninterested in marketing this way perhaps S Gaugian can use their subscription list to solicit interest. 

___________________________________________

 

Tom:  The S Gaugian solicits interest with the magazine itself in its articles and advertising. How would it use it's subscription list to do more?  I don't think they should sell the list to other entities.  

One way would be to include a printed sheet of paper in the mailing envelope. The manufacturer could pay for that insert which would describe a possible new model and ask us to go to a website to vote yes or no, purchase or not purchase. This does not require selling the subscriber list. I am sure there are more potential sales of well made S engines and equipment than what the manufacturers are soliciting.

For example I am a member of some winery clubs. They are very creative and aggressive in reaching out to sell new production, futures and left over old production direct to consumers in parallel with their regular distribution channels. The train makers could learn a lot here. 

I have a sense the three rail products sell themselves where S gauge is under marketed. I only need so many Challengers and Y-3's. I would buy a lot more engines if they were available, such as the SD40 in another thread. I would even pay 50% in advance to enable production, provided there were a firm delivery date sometime in a reasonable window like 24 months. 

 

Unfortunately I don't think MTH or Lionel would ask for a vote.    

 

When I interviewed them at York both said they received endless suggestions from train people on what they should produce.    

 

Since they are business organizations that have to turn a profit it appears to me that the development cost for new tooling for a new product is the real driver.  That is probably why we see Gilbert shells and Lionel's new types sold in so many road names for several years till the market dries up.  

 

MTH will likely produce only one new engine next year and it will be a diesel.  Why, its cheaper to tool up especially if they can put it in a SHS shell.  They are configuring a smaller DCS system to go in S diesel engines.

 

 

 

  

Bill - if by new engine you mean something not in the s helper portfolio  - something brand new - then I hope MTH takes a look at the SD40(-2) thread!!!

 

Ben 

Not likely. Probably a reissue of an SHS SW or NW switcher.

The S Gaugian, a magazine I look forward to, reaches only a small percentage of S Gaugers and would not be representitive of what is wanted or desired by the S Gauge market.

Or the F7's.

 

Rusty

I  was thinking SW8 and more F3's (different road names). But you are probably right that they will move to F7's and then go back to F3's in two years.  FWIIW F7's are very popular in the O scale world.  If they choose their road names carefully they could sell a bunch of those.

So..................When can we read about the news from MTH and Lionel?

 

Regards,

Frank

Well, I know what both MTH and Lionel had in mind to produce or not produce at the time of the York meet.  I hope it comes out in the July/August S-Gaugian.  I am waiting on the publisher to tell me if he could fit the interviews in.  I asked him to take out my Roundhouse Column to make room.  No word yet. 

Not much of an exclusive for the S Gaugian if the confidential info you have now is released by other means by the time the magazine comes out.  Hope you are successful Bill

Ben

Yep Ben you are right....They could release the information any time they choose.  My obligation is not to release it before printed in the magazine.  Until they release it I am a writer, if they release it I am a toy train hobbiest.

Bill

You have the right perspective on that, as a paying subscriber to the S Gaugian, I would like them to get the relevant information out in a timely fashion. 

We will all see what happens.

Ben

Like so many other manufacturers; they may have said York, but did not say which York.

 

Wayne