Really?  I guess we'll have to see what the details are.  I believe weathering has been done by another manufacturer.

I'm interested.

I am interested too.

Actually, MTH  offered cataloged weathered "stuff" albeit structures before the other manufacturer.

But what I find ironic is that I don't believe that other manufacturer's stuff sold that well/quickly.

BUT, what is most ironic is using "Signature."  That other manufacturer had a "Signature" line and catalog years ago.  In fact my Backshop was from that line and catalog.  Signature stuff "had" a lifetime warranty!

Ron

I just find it weird that they would say it's not something that is being done.  I guess that's salesmanship.

Pricing and ordering will be up tomorrow. All these items are MAP pricing

I love it.  Greatly enhances the realism in my opinion.

Art

Not for me, no way, no how.

Ditto.  I like all of my stuff to have that factory fresh off of the showroom floor look, well, with dust that's collected on it.

very interesting..... might grab one.

What is MAP pricing?

Manufactures Advertised Prices.

I watched the video and find it "interesting" that two of the examples shown of dirty, well-worn locomotives were a PRR K4s 'Torpedo' and a NYC Dreyfus Hudson.  Each of these locos pulled top of the line passenger trains and as such they visited the wash racks frequently and were kept as clean and shiny as possible. 

And the statement about proprietary airbrush techniques, that rates a double. 

Didn't get that dirty on just one trip, I'd wager...

Rusty

To each his own but it's not my cup of tea either. I like my equipment to look like it just rolled out of the paint shop. 

Rusty - took the words - or photo - right out of my mouth. The Century and ESE Hudsons got absolutely (and beautifully) filthy during and after WWII. I have a Century Hudson

scheduled for just that treatment.

====

As for the MTH Signature series - oh, yes, I'm interested. In Lionel's too, but the locos

that they have offered so far are not on my Buy list.

Actually MAP Pricing is Minimum Advertised Price.  It is a tactic that is used to prevent sellers from advertising below it.  It has been present in the musical instrument industry for quite some time and the legality of it has been questioned.  That being said, the manufacturer is NOT allowed to dictate what an item is actually able to be sold for in the store.  For example, I can sell a Fender American Standard Stratocaster guitar for $250 (Let's say cost is $800 and MAP is $999) if I wish.  I just can't advertise it online for below $999.

It will be interesting to see how weathering goes over. It seems that those who like it are quite comfortable, out of necessity, doing it themselves. And there are many of us who like things clean and shiny

Lionel has done several of these over the year, including the War Horse series, I don't remember any being big hits.

I love the look of Lionel's weathered steam from the catalog.  Unfortunately, my first attempt at weathering was to use shoe polish on my Texas Special F units.  I like it both ways but have since refrained from doing it myself.  

Not for me either, I have not developed a taste for weathering. Still like the new look here too.

Given the choice of buying a weathered model vs. regular out-of-the box model I would choose weathered, but I am not going to buy a weathered model of a roadname just because it's weathered, i.e., it has to come in a roadname I operate and collect.

I think a lot of steam engines got that way during the war, and after when they were being pushed aside by diesels and relegated to the backwaters, or scheduled for scrapping. During the heyday prime years of their operation, though, it wasn't so. The railroads knew you weren't going to generate passenger traffic using filthy equipment. Lots has been written about the special efforts railroads made to keep their crack passenger trains spiffy.

I'm amazed at how many attempt to sell their weathered trains. The answer is always the same. One must plan on keeping their, "Dirty trains" for life or give them away at prices that they are ashamed to admit to.

God Bless,

"Pappy"

This statement in Charlie's post also got a whattttt? from me as I read the details.

Jim

Which locomotives actually got covered with the most rust and grime for the longest time?

Andrew

Not Really. I'd do it myself if I wanted something weathered. Whats' next, weathered freight and passenger cars to match the engines? Maybe it should be the other way around, weathered rolling stock first? 

I want my trains clean and shiny.  That is the toy train guy in me. 

I saw these weathered MTH engines on the production line. Quality weathering but I am a clean and shinny guy too.

JohnB

I have to ask, what is the proprietary airbrush techniques??? Does he/she hold the air bush upside down, sideways when he sprays, or maybe how he mixes the type of paints upside down, sideways when he mixes?  what manufactures of paint does he use that no one else uses. Have they made an Exclusive agreement with the paint manufacture for a special formula that the paint company cannot sell to other artist? No, maybe is is a super fine color pigment invented by the person?  Nah it clearly says techniques. maybe  they use some kind of compressed that, nah, I give up.

I am puzzled, I sprayed a lot of models in my life from N Gauge train to a 44' Titanic model, I know a lot of very talented Matte artist in the film industry whom I worked with, they all had there own style and Techniques, if I were to tell them if they would think they could somehow  create a  proprietary style on their work,  well if they understood what it meant they be laughing so hard they would probably hurt themselves, Then they call the folks in the white coats to come take me away. Flat paint/semi gloss/egg shell have been used by airbrush models since the invention of the dang airbrush as sealers of a finished model. I am sorry I do not get it at all, I guess if I did I be running to the patient attorney's

A very old professional airbrush/Model maker/ guy who now has seen and heard it all.

I think they will sell lets face it.You have some guys who like dirty looking trains.Trains in real life got dirty.Ran all type of weather and going to big factorys or caol.I could go on and on.Me just let your train set a while and that you have it.Some dust will do the trick every time.And you can always whipe it off.

I just took a look at the catalog and I didn't realize they are making so many.  Grimy looking engines and passenger cars just look terrible real life or not. They could cut all the prices in half and I still wouldn't pull the trigger on one! 

I'm interested. I'd like to run some older engines on my modern era RR. I think the weathering would add realism.

 Just look at what Industrial Models efforts sell for. I like to see layouts like Norm's, Laid of Sick, Toy trains on tracks, HW's, etc, etc. They add weathering and it looks very realistic to me. I understand it's not for everyone.

Really?  Before the Lionel Commodore Vanderbilt offering in 1999?

Bruce

Interesting concept but I don't see myself buying them. There may be a market for them and I hope Mth does well.

 I do not think that MTH is producing them weathered, they just may be some over runs or items left over from previous runs just as lionel is doing it. I bet there are no more then five per engine that is weathered. I could be wrong though. 

How about delivering the product they do sell in a timely fashion and focus on that !! instead of bringing out more items they cant deliver on ! been waiting one year for PRR bb-1 i ordered which were offered before..i.e. no new tooling ! never again. what a way to run a company...crj

I would think the HO line would do all right, not sure about the O gauge stuff.

Not for me ...

I tend to agree with Pappy's point.  There are some guy's who do a great job of weathering and is really amazing how they can make rust or fading look like the real deal. I think a buyer needs to give some serious consideration to re-sale.  Weathering and graffiti now mater how good it's done is a tough sell and you could take a substantial beating on the price.