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Seeing how the soon to be released One-Gauge Big Boy is selling out, Will MTH please consider making a UP FEF-3 in 1:32 scale  and re-run the UP passenger cars and possibly more cars such as baggage & dome? You already have part of the tooling done such as tender, cab, drives etc??!!

USA Trains is making a FEF-3 in 1:29 scale.

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MTH posted:

We are not going into Live Steam.  Not only are we in too many different product lines now, but I fear our insurance would go through the roof after hearing about this one.

2017:  GS-4 and Cars coming

GS-4 & Cars in 2017 

MTH if I may make a few suggestions concerning the GS-4? Now don't get me wrong here as they're a beautiful model but have a few bugs.

First if making the SP Daylight livery could you please get the red color right??!! The previous red was more a fluorescent pink!! I had the original SP GS-4 Daylight and a set of 9 matching cars and I sold it as the red/pink color looked terrible.

Second make the drive wheel centers metal like on the Big Boy & Triplex. Plastic is terrible for maintaining a round wheel. I had a AFT GS-4 that wobbled so bad it darn near tipped over at track speed.

Third switch the plastic frame over to die-cast metal for more weight.

Fourth use a beefier motor and improve the cooling. The original motor mount bracket must be altered to allow sufficient cooling otherwise the motor will overheat and destroy itself.

Fifth how about making the main & connecting rods out of metal instead of plastic?

Sixth do away with the articulated drive...I understand why this was done but I feel it's not needed...after all who really runs these things on 2' diameter curves? If concerned about sharp radius operability then go with blind drivers on the center 2 wheels.

GS-4 & Cars in 2017 

MTH if I may make a few suggestions concerning the GS-4? Now don't get me wrong here as they're a beautiful model but have a few bugs.

First if making the SP Daylight livery could you please get the red color right??!! The previous red was more a fluorescent pink!! I had the original SP GS-4 Daylight and a set of 9 matching cars and I sold it as the red/pink color looked terrible.  MTH: No problem we will get the red color correct this time.

Second make the drive wheel centers metal like on the Big Boy & Triplex. Plastic is terrible for maintaining a round wheel. I had a AFT GS-4 that wobbled so bad it darn near tipped over at track speed. MTH:  This is possible but will have to get the price on the new tooling first.

Third switch the plastic frame over to die-cast metal for more weight. MTH:  This was checked and is what we call a "Project Canceller", which mean the cost of two new tools kills the project due to cost of the tooling.  The 1 Gauge market is now too small to afford new tooled projects or project requiring a lot of money to make new tools.  This is the reality of today's market.

Fourth use a beefier motor and improve the cooling. The original motor mount bracket must be altered to allow sufficient cooling otherwise the motor will overheat and destroy itself. MTH:  We will investigate this one and will find a solution.

Fifth how about making the main & connecting rods out of metal instead of plastic? MTH:  Very possible and will look into it.

Sixth do away with the articulated drive...I understand why this was done but I feel it's not needed...after all who really runs these things on 2' diameter curves? If concerned about sharp radius operability then go with blind drivers on the center 2 wheels. MTH:  Again this one is a "PROJECT CANCELLER".  Complete too much money.  All new Main Frame tooling.

MTH posted:

GS-4 & Cars in 2017 

MTH if I may make a few suggestions concerning the GS-4? Now don't get me wrong here as they're a beautiful model but have a few bugs.

First if making the SP Daylight livery could you please get the red color right??!! The previous red was more a fluorescent pink!! I had the original SP GS-4 Daylight and a set of 9 matching cars and I sold it as the red/pink color looked terrible.  MTH: No problem we will get the red color correct this time.

Second make the drive wheel centers metal like on the Big Boy & Triplex. Plastic is terrible for maintaining a round wheel. I had a AFT GS-4 that wobbled so bad it darn near tipped over at track speed. MTH:  This is possible but will have to get the price on the new tooling first.

Third switch the plastic frame over to die-cast metal for more weight. MTH:  This was checked and is what we call a "Project Canceller", which mean the cost of two new tools kills the project due to cost of the tooling.  The 1 Gauge market is now too small to afford new tooled projects or project requiring a lot of money to make new tools.  This is the reality of today's market.

Fourth use a beefier motor and improve the cooling. The original motor mount bracket must be altered to allow sufficient cooling otherwise the motor will overheat and destroy itself. MTH:  We will investigate this one and will find a solution.

Fifth how about making the main & connecting rods out of metal instead of plastic? MTH:  Very possible and will look into it.

Sixth do away with the articulated drive...I understand why this was done but I feel it's not needed...after all who really runs these things on 2' diameter curves? If concerned about sharp radius operability then go with blind drivers on the center 2 wheels. MTH:  Again this one is a "PROJECT CANCELLER".  Complete too much money.  All new Main Frame tooling.

Thank you MTH!!

I can live with the articulation!

Kudos on getting the red color correct and metal drive centers and rods!!

I'll be looking forward to the next catalog and ordering the GS-4's and passenger cars! 

Friend of mine suggested some black passenger cars to go along with the GS2's perhaps? 

Now if I could talk you fine folks at MTH to make us some 1:32 scale DDA40X's that would be great...I know buyers for 15+ of them 

 

Last edited by Casey Jones2

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