New MTH O Scale Premier AEM-7 just released - Manual Pantographs

I got a heads-up call about this from my dealer. Again, no deal breaker for me but its annoying considering they advertised that it had motorized pantographs. Still, I look forward to picking up one. 

I can’t wait to see the model of 915.

MTH has been making models of the AEM-7 for at least fifteen years. They are beautiful models. I have several. They run well and have great sounds and lights. But it's time for MTH to offer a model of the ACS-64 Cities Sprinter electric motors that now run on the Northeast Corridor. The AEM-7s were retired years ago. Nothing wrong with continuing to offer AEM-7s but if you ride AMTRAK today, your train is pulled by an ACS-64 on the NEC. I think that's what most modelers would prefer to buy.

MELGAR

@MELGAR I would pre-order an ACS-64 if MTH came out with one. Maybe we will get lucky, and it will show up in the 2019 catalog.

@T1Titan_ZachF posted:

The issue with the sprinter is the lack of popular demand for it, and the licencing costs. But if bachmann and kato can do it, the likely hood of mth doing it is higher than it was before.

If people are still interested in purchasing AEM-7 models, why would there be a "lack of popular demand" for the ACS-64? It is no doubt a question of investment costs for a new model and perhaps licensing costs. But, as far as I'm concerned, powered pantographs are just another problem waiting to happen.

MELGAR

Interesting question Melgar,

The AEM-7 is nostalgia now, and that sells. I would like to have several MTH Models matching the numbers in my photographs taken many years on the NEC.

The Sprinter, while far superior in almost every way comparing prototype engines, does not have an appeal to me - maybe that too will come.

Paul

I won't buy another when you can still get the non powered pantograph AEM7's for a lot less money. I too wish an ACS64 loco would be built. It  seems like they just paint a model a  different color and road name  and people  are happy. I like  Electric loco's maybe I am the strange one.

Well, it is one sharp looking engine. Very temped.  BigRail

Did MTH make the correction in the blue color?

You O guys are spoiled!    Here is S land, AEM7's don't exist.  When I wanted one, I had to scratch build it (I'm not changing scales).  Even though there's more offered in S than most folks realize, that particular motor isn't available.  BTW, mine too has a nice light display: directional headlights, illuminated number boards and cabs, directional tail lights and working strobes, along with opening doors and MANUAL pans.  

I for one don't like powered pantographs. They are on most of my MTH Milwaukee  electrics. The Milwaukee ran front or back pans depending on conditions or location, not just the back pan like the GG1s. With powered pans I don't have that option. Don

scale rail posted:

I for one don't like powered pantographs. They are on most of my MTH Milwaukee  electrics. The Milwaukee ran front or back pans depending on conditions or location, not just the back pan like the GG1s. With powered pans I don't have that option. Don

Push the FOP soft key on the DCS remote and you can put up whatever pan you want. 

poniaj posted:

You O guys are spoiled!    Here is S land, AEM7's don't exist.  When I wanted one, I had to scratch build it (I'm not changing scales).  Even though there's more offered in S than most folks realize, that particular motor isn't available.  BTW, mine too has a nice light display: directional headlights, illuminated number boards and cabs, directional tail lights and working strobes, along with opening doors and MANUAL pans. 

And an amazing job you did on it too!

Jerry I really like your AEM7. I think it's beautiful. Could  you post more pictures of it? With I had  one  for display but the  time it took to build was probably overwhelming. Joe

shurlock1 posted:

Did MTH make the correction in the blue color?

Sure looks like the right color in the first picture of the post.  First ones were definitely wrong blue.  They had plastic grabs too that tended to break.

Saw this one at the LHS.  It was pretty nice for sure!

I have the older PS/2 model, but it is pretty well detailed, and they sure did include lots of lights.

Does anyone have any pics of the most recent release Ex: 915, 920, 942?

Thanks

I just received my Phase V AEM-7 #915 today. It is a beautiful engine overall and I am very happy with it, worth the purchase. I'll post pics of it soon.

SubwayLover posted:

I just received my Phase V AEM-7 #915 today. It is a beautiful engine overall and I am very happy with it, worth the purchase. I'll post pics of it soon.

 

Great! Please do!

poniaj posted:

You O guys are spoiled!    Here is S land, AEM7's don't exist.  When I wanted one, I had to scratch build it (I'm not changing scales).  Even though there's more offered in S than most folks realize, that particular motor isn't available.  BTW, mine too has a nice light display: directional headlights, illuminated number boards and cabs, directional tail lights and working strobes, along with opening doors and MANUAL pans.  

 

What an amazing model!  I sent you an email asking you a question, so please check it when you get the chance... 

  @T1Titan_ZachF posted:

SubwayLover posted:

I just received my Phase V AEM-7 #915 today. It is a beautiful engine overall and I am very happy with it, worth the purchase. I'll post pics of it soon.

 

Great! Please do!

Subway Lover, do you have pictures of 915? I would love to see it. 

Fred Brenek posted:

shurlock1 posted:

Did MTH make the correction in the blue color?

Sure looks like the right color in the first picture of the post.  First ones were definitely wrong blue.  They had plastic grabs too that tended to break.

Good evening all:

I also would love to see some more pictures, as it would be quite a big deal to me if they fixed the blue paint.  Now just offer it again in as-delivered configuration (without those hideous ditch lights) and you have a repeat customer here.  Indeed, the lighting effects are dazzling, especially in the dark.

As far as the pans go, I humbly submit that I (probably) could have told you that when the announcement came out.  The Premier E44 manuals said the same thing, and I knew it was nonsense.  To motorize AEM7 and E44 pans would be a significant design deviation, which I do not see MTH ever doing.  I am generally very pleased with Premier Electric offerings (minus some paint issues, see above), but the editing of their catalogues and manuals is quite flawed in many cases.  See this post, as there was talk of a fully die-cast body on the E44s, oops.

One final note with powered pans, I am with Don.  I think the mechanism is a cheap design and I have found it problematic with live wire.  I do not have uniform clearances under my wire, and it is a real PITA to have a heavy train grind to a quick halt after a pan loses contact.  I know Marty has had good success with them, but I pull the pan motors out of every unit I get that has one.  It is a cool effect, but not worth the hassle to me.  I have had near perfect success with the manual pans on the AEM7s and E44s.

poniaj posted:

You O guys are spoiled!    Here is S land, AEM7's don't exist.  When I wanted one, I had to scratch build it (I'm not changing scales).  Even though there's more offered in S than most folks realize, that particular motor isn't available.  BTW, mine too has a nice light display: directional headlights, illuminated number boards and cabs, directional tail lights and working strobes, along with opening doors and MANUAL pans.  

 

Hi Jerry:

That is an absolute beauty of a model.  I am not an S modeller, but I would love to see some pictures of how that came to be.  I would imagine there is some advanced 3D printing going on somewhere in your shop.  Extremely well done, sir.

@Pantenary I will take some photos with my DSLR this weekend and post them so you can validate the color.

Here's the pics of MTH's latest version of the Phase V AEM-7 #915:

Those look great!

SubwayLover posted:

Here's the pics of MTH's latest version of the Phase V AEM-7 #915:

This looks awesome!!! I will probably be getting one. I’m glad they changed the blue, it looks more realistic now than the darker blue that they used for the PS2 phase V ones. Do you also have any videos that you could post? I would like to see the sounds and the lights in action. 

Thanks!

Other than the color change, I'm not seeing a lot of difference.  The brighter headlight being an LED is nice on the new one, I may have to fix that on mine.

Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison?

Wait so do the pantographs operate with the controller or manually with the 915?

Also to run this could I but the App based controller for like $100 to run this with full functions?

Always loved Electrics. I wish more were produced in HO scale that's why I am doing more in O scale now.

shurlock1 posted:

Always loved Electrics. I wish more were produced in HO scale that's why I am doing more in O scale now.

In HO, I have the Bachmann GG1, Bachmann E60CP, Atlas AEM 7, Bachmann ACS 64. All four have a switch to run on track power or pantagraph overhead wire. All have DCC, only the E60CP doesn't have sound yet. There are plenty of electric's in HO.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Other than the color change, I'm not seeing a lot of difference.  The brighter headlight being an LED is nice on the new one, I may have to fix that on mine.

Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison?

You forgot the "chromed out" body as well.

When I opened up my 915 I noticed that the rear pantograph arm was bent. Luckily I was able to re bend it straight again without breaking it but each pantograph set seems to be very flimsy. 

@T1Titan_ZachF posted:

When I opened up my 915 I noticed that the rear pantograph arm was bent. Luckily I was able to re bend it straight again without breaking it but each pantograph set seems to be very flimsy. 

Good morning Zach:

I have worked with numerous MTH AEM7s, both the original models and current.  The older variety had pantographs that were quite sturdy.  They could be reshaped some if bent slightly, but for the most part they came reasonably straight and stayed that way.  The new models have pans that are very malleable, and typically arrive out of shape in some way.  For use under wire, you will also find the upper arm on the new pans has a great deal of lateral movement when underway, which requires a decent set of pliers to tighten up.  Even then, there is more lateral play than the older pans had out of the box.  Some play is actually quite prototypical, but not to that extent.  At times, attempts to make them perfectly straight drove me absolutely batty.  Regretfully, you have to settle for some degree of imperfection.  Not so easy for me. 

All that to say it is very common for the new MTH pans to come out of shape.  Be careful, but re-shaping them isn't hard and they will not break under such small adjustments.

Robert Cushman posted:

Wait so do the pantographs operate with the controller or manually with the 915?

 

Also to run this could I but the App based controller for like $100 to run this with full functions?

The AEM-7 has manual pans, they're not motorized.  I'm not sure what you mean by the second question.  If you're talking about the DCS Explorer, I'm presuming it'll run this just fine.

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Other than the color change, I'm not seeing a lot of difference.  The brighter headlight being an LED is nice on the new one, I may have to fix that on mine.

Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison?

 

You forgot the "chromed out" body as well.

In that case, I think the older one looks better, it sure has nicer chrome from what I see in the pictures.

Pantenary posted:

@T1Titan_ZachF posted:

When I opened up my 915 I noticed that the rear pantograph arm was bent. Luckily I was able to re bend it straight again without breaking it but each pantograph set seems to be very flimsy. 

Good morning Zach:

I have worked with numerous MTH AEM7s, both the original models and current.  The older variety had pantographs that were quite sturdy.  They could be reshaped some if bent slightly, but for the most part they came reasonably straight and stayed that way.  The new models have pans that are very malleable, and typically arrive out of shape in some way.  For use under wire, you will also find the upper arm on the new pans has a great deal of lateral movement when underway, which requires a decent set of pliers to tighten up.  Even then, there is more lateral play than the older pans had out of the box.  Some play is actually quite prototypical, but not to that extent.  At times, attempts to make them perfectly straight drove me absolutely batty.  Regretfully, you have to settle for some degree of imperfection.  Not so easy for me. 

All that to say it is very common for the new MTH pans to come out of shape.  Be careful, but re-shaping them isn't hard and they will not break under such small adjustments.

Agreed Nate, I guess it adds some on the road usage to the loco.