Repair certification classes

Have an MTH authorized dealer sponsor you to go and make reservations with your sales rep to attend the classes

Unfortunately, the training class for August is full. There are no immediate plans to hold another class in 2016. MTH is looking at moving as much information as possible to the website so service training can be done online. We feel this is a much more effective way to reach a broader base while still providing excellent training resources.

Due to the nature of the industry and the shrinking of the "mom & pop" stores that used to be so prevalent, MTH has decided that the requirement to be affiliated with an authorized MTH dealer is temporarily suspended. This doesn't mean just anyone can be an MTH ASC. It is up to the Service Manager to decide based upon past experience, shop conditions, service history, and other criteria. 

I will be going next week to class.  This will be class number 6 for me.  I try to stay up on whats needed.

Marty, do you do strictly O gauge or have you received training on MTH HO scale as well? I need to go to MTH for more PS3 knowledge but last time I spoke to Rich he wasnt sure they were going to be doing it since they moved the HO scale repairs to Michigan.

So MTH, since the sponsorship is no longer required do MTH service techs have the ability to open their own parts account?

Matt, the HO has been in Michigan for about a year.  Any MTH Tech that passed the school has his own discount parts account.

Matt,

Yes. The procedure would be to hold a credit card on file to charge against for parts. Again, the decision to become an Independent ASC  is up to the service manager based upon a certain set of criteria (appropriate test facilities - track, DCS, etc, adequate space, previous experience and some other factors). If you are already an ASC but your store affiliation is going away due to whatever reasons you can contact MTH to see about becoming an Independent ASC. There will be a bulletin coming out at some point in the near future explaining what changes are occurring regarding this. 

MTH

I will send Rich an email this afternoon 

School number 6 is history.  A great job was done by Jason.

Wish I could have gone again.  I had planned to go, but somehow the signup information wasn't available to some of us ASCs already active.

Hope they do more in the future.  Hands on and the ability to talk back and forth is far more educational than any online information will ever be.  Also the personal connections you make in person aren't the same.

Jim

Jim Sandman posted:

Wish I could have gone again.  I had planned to go, but somehow the signup information wasn't available to some of us ASCs already active.

Hope they do more in the future.  Hands on and the ability to talk back and forth is far more educational than any online information will ever be.  Also the personal connections you make in person aren't the same.

Jim

Very true Jim.  G

The class was full when I asked or I would have done it.

MTH posted:

Unfortunately, the training class for August is full. There are no immediate plans to hold another class in 2016. MTH is looking at moving as much information as possible to the website so service training can be done online. We feel this is a much more effective way to reach a broader base while still providing excellent training resources.

Due to the nature of the industry and the shrinking of the "mom & pop" stores that used to be so prevalent, MTH has decided that the requirement to be affiliated with an authorized MTH dealer is temporarily suspended. This doesn't mean just anyone can be an MTH ASC. It is up to the Service Manager to decide based upon past experience, shop conditions, service history, and other criteria. 

I would like to take the class online so i could repair my own trains. There are no service centers in Indiana so i have to repair my trains myself.

I would like to take the class online so i could repair my own trains. There are no service centers in Indiana so i have to repair my trains myself.

That really wouldn't be practical. The class includes hands-on, supervised repair of real products, as well as instructor/student discussions and interaction.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

I would like to take the class online so i could repair my own trains. There are no service centers in Indiana so i have to repair my trains myself.

That really wouldn't be practical. The class includes hands-on, supervised repair of real products, as well as instructor/student discussions and interaction.

I'm confused.  Why is this not practical?

In person and hands on is the only way you will ever learn anything.   You will also learn from people in the class that may have run across something you have a question with.  I have many Lionel and MTH repair manuals that I use also.  Being an MTH or Lionel tech also gives you special access to information not available to the public. 

The "best" technological option is to have an interactive webinar--meaning everyone in the class would have to have a camera/monitor and microphone so EVERYONE could see/hear/speak to everyone at one time.  Also, while expensive it would be invaluable that everyone have the exact same engine physically that they could practice on as the demonstration was being given.  This is cheaper and far more practical and possible than traveling hundreds of miles paying for: transportation, hotel, food and associated expenses.

Having said all that there is NO SUBSTITUTION FOR IN CLASS INTERACTION/PARTICIPATION.  But, from a practical standpoint, more people may be able to participate from their own home. 

You may not learn as much is a web based training class, but you can get a fair percentage of the information.  After all, many folks come here for information and get lots of it.

Like JOHN C. says, for many people the trip to MD and several days lodging, not to mention being out of work, just isn't practical.

I note that Lionel stated they're going to web based classes, of course I see no evidence of that actually happening...

John C.,

The "best" technological option is to have an interactive webinar--meaning everyone in the class would have to have a camera/monitor and microphone so EVERYONE could see/hear/speak to everyone at one time.

Really? Riddle me this:

• Who pays for cameras, microphones, conference bandwidth, etc.? MTH or the attendees?
• How do the attendees repair broken items? Does MTH ship them to the attendees in advance or does MTH send someone to each attendee's location and break some of the attendee's own stuff?
• How are boards and other electronics handed to the attendees so that they can actually see and feel what key components are like?
• How does the attendee get parts to effect a repair?
• How does each attendee test a PS1/PS2/PS3 board? Do they purchase from MTH the appropriate test fixtures in advance? Be aware that those test fixtures cost the equivalent of the airfare and hotel charges to attend an in-person course.
• I suggest that, before you propose a solution to this non-problem, you first experience the current in-person course.

Further, having someone actually get up off their **s, make the effort and take the time to attend a class, weeds out those who aren't serious about being a tech.

I know every one is in to this web based training.  But you do not know what you do not know until you SEE it. (IMHO).  All these business plans look great on paper, and save money, then in actual operation they don't pan out.  Remote workers, internet based training, consolidation, etc..  The list goes on.   You certainly can do the lesson plan, but.....  G

I don't disagree that the hands-on training is better, it's just that everyone seems to be going the other way.

I will point out that IBM used on-line training in the 60's, I took some on typewriter terminals.  Of course, I also spent a lot of time in full-time courses at training centers. 

IMO, the on-line training is better suited for a targeted topic, like a specific product training session.  It's probably not optimum for a generalized course.  One big problem with on-line training is you don't get instant feedback to questions on the topic.

I like to learn from the people who know what they are talking about.  Does anyone think I enjoy the 400 mile one way  ride to Columbia Maryland?  I have done that 6 times over the years.   I do not enjoy the drive,  but I do want to stay up to speed repairing MTH trains.  A costly week.  No regrets.

Same situation with driving to Canfield Ohio.  That drive was 1200 plus miles round trip.  Long ride but the school was worth it.  What I learned first hand from Mike Reagan has done me well.  I can not comment on how online classes might be as it has not been a situation.

The test equipment obtained at the schools has served me well.   

I have learned many things from very knowledgeable OGR Forum Members.  After you are on the Forum for a while, you will know who to read and who is blowing smoke.  Many problems can be solved here.  

Barry Broskowitz posted:

John C.,

The "best" technological option is to have an interactive webinar--meaning everyone in the class would have to have a camera/monitor and microphone so EVERYONE could see/hear/speak to everyone at one time.

Really? Riddle me this:

• Who pays for cameras, microphones, conference bandwidth, etc.? MTH or the attendees?
• How do the attendees repair broken items? Does MTH ship them to the attendees in advance or does MTH send someone to each attendee's location and break some of the attendee's own stuff?
• How are boards and other electronics handed to the attendees so that they can actually see and feel what key components are like?
• How does the attendee get parts to effect a repair?
• How does each attendee test a PS1/PS2/PS3 board? Do they purchase from MTH the appropriate test fixtures in advance? Be aware that those test fixtures cost the equivalent of the airfare and hotel charges to attend an in-person course.
• I suggest that, before you propose a solution to this non-problem, you first experience the current in-person course.

Further, having someone actually get up off their **s, make the effort and take the time to attend a class, weeds out those who aren't serious about being a tech.

I understand what you are saying Barry.  I'm with you.  But, it would be cheaper for one to provide all those things for himself versus: transportation, lodging, food and using how many days off work to do it?

The companies have the capacity to do those things on their end and microphones and cameras are inexpensive these days.

There is no denying that in-person is best, but the offerings should be given both ways.  Many folks on here, not me, are very smart and mechanically gifted, and seeing this stuff via interactive webcast would be sufficient for them.

No perfect world.  No perfect way.  I only wish that MTH was going to have a class relatively close to central Indiana because a good friend of mine wants to go, and I'll be glad to pay his way to learn the conversion stuff!  I'll have "free" labor!  :-)

John c.,

The class is not for the "masses" or for hobbyists and it isn't theoretical education for the sake of simply learning something newt. It's for people who intend to charge money to other people for doing MTH repairs, and they need  to both demonstrate commitment and get the best possible education regarding the subject matter by attending an in-person class.

Put yourself in your engine's place for a moment. Would you want a doctor to operate on you if he or she only attended online surgery classes?  

The other alternative is having the instructor go to the students to save money.  I did a seminar on PS-3 Upgrades out at Steve Nelson's (Mr Muffins trains) when I had had some other reasons to go to Indiana.  The other alternative is York.

MTH does a seminar on Upgrades and I could certainly do one on the finer points of Upgrades and Troubleshooting if there was such interest.  But only the manufactures can do a certification.

Problem I see, is the people that would need to create the on line training course have full time day time jobs and no time to do it.  Then you get caught up in a downward spiral.  No training for Techs, less trained techs, more factory work, but harder to keep techs, reluctance to accept billable work, longer wait times, blah blah blah.    Unfortunately trapped between a rock and a hard place.  

Only way it will change is when folks stop buying product because it is not supported.  Would you buy a car from a manufacture that tells you to bring it back in Aug during our down time since it is out of warranty or 5 years old?  Or else take it to so an so who was last officially trained over 7 years ago.  G

The best way is to learn from the people who know.  My recent school was taught by Jason and Don.  Don is the head MTH tech and in my opinion the best tech I have seen at MTH.  I go back to the very first school MTH did.  On line classes sound cool and is very trendy.  Forget it, that will never stand up to in person hands on.  

Upgrades are another story.  What George did with his class is a good way to learn.  

Just a thought. maybe you guys who have taken the classes and really know your stuff and have the patience to teach could create a repair school. Maybe hold a seminar once or twice a year. Say at a big train show events like say york. Charge an enrollment fee to cover your time and costs. You could have  online enrollment with a small questionnare too help get the right particapants. Maybe more hassel than its worth,but just a thought. 

I would not have a problem doing that, but again no cert comes from it.  G

Certified doesn't mean qualified.

No, but certified means you have access to tech resources at MTH.

Wait till some of these folks burn up the $100+ board due to a little mistake (experience talking) and all of the sudden the $60 you was going to make becomes a loss.

Jim, it all looks like fun to some people.    It is work to stay tuned.

I think the willingness to travel to location and attend the 2 plus days of classes demonstrates a level of commitment to the repair tech. Online courses are not the same as being there and seeing and feeling. I'd be hesitant to send my stuff to somebody who watched some videos and now feels "qualified" to dismantle and repair my $1500 steam engine.

Jim Sandman posted:

Wait till some of these folks burn up the $100+ board due to a little mistake (experience talking) and all of the sudden the $60 you was going to make becomes a loss.

 

Been there, done that, burned the T-Shirt!

You haven't really learned until you've paid for a repair

More like - "Been There Done That - Burned the Board - Lost My Shirt".

 I do like that shirt though GunRunner.

Well, it actually caught fire doing the repair, so in a way I lost it on the repair.

Casey Jones2 posted:

Certified doesn't mean qualified.

And qualified does not mean certified.  G