As I am thinking of purchasing this set I would like to hear from anyone who purchased this set as to its quality and performance.
Thanks Tony
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I have the PRR version when they first came out in PS2. I like it a lot. The interior has seats, etc, but lacks detail that could be overcome by adding figures, shades, etc. That said, much better than just the silhouette of the older Lionel version. As for running, pretty standard MTH PS2 performance, nice sounds and station stops. I swapped out the original sound file and used the Reading MU sound file since it had the station names of those nearby my house.
Chris: Thanks for your comments.
I have the Septa set that I picked up from York last October. Great performance, sounds are lovely. I like that MTH put a operating headlight in the tail car that can be turn on and off with a switch.
Hello Guys ---
The SEPTA MU "MP-54" SETS by MTH are INCORRECT. (a Frankentrain car) This was discussed at length here some time ago.
HERE is the LINK to the OGR Subways forum long THREAD of April 29, 2014 about errors in MTH's LIRR "Tichy paint scheme" cars, with photos, -- and ALSO -- my posts and photos dated June 1, 2014 further down on that thread about the MTH errors on their then released SEPTA MU Cars --
https://ogrforum.com/...53#30713143860103753
(as I describe herein again below) -- For information to THIS present newer thread here - this again, is what is visually INCORRECT with these cars:
(a) MTH used their Penny RR (PRR) "MP-54" Commuter Car scale model BODY wi9th its Clerestory Roof and End-of-Roof Headlights (normally known also with its two Porthole end face windows) painted in the SEPTA White with Blue & red stripes. The SIDES and ROOF of the carbody are Correct, just as they looked when SEPTA painted their ex-PRR MP-54 MU Cars in the White scheme in 1980.
(2) -- Where MTH screwed up is on the car body END FACES.
Instead of completely following thru with entire MP-54 Body with its proper porthole window end faces, painted in the SEPTA scheme -- (like ConCor Did beautifully on their scale HO models, which MTH used for their CATALOG images, heh) -- MTH some how was trying to replicate the competing READING RAILROAD Company's old MU cars -- which ALSO were painted in the same SEPTA white with red-blue separates stripe scheme as the MP-54's. In order to make the PRR MP-54 Body look like a READING MU, MTH installed the square end window end-face that they used on their ERIE-LACKAWANNA MU cars that MTH incorrectly also used the MP-54 Bodies to replicate -- to replicate those kind of rectangular windows on the end faces of the READING RR MU cars. EXCEPT now also, the storm door window is wrong -- its a TWO PIECE split window as used on the storm doors of ERIE-LACKAWANNA cars - and not the large single rectangular pane window used on the READING MU's and the PENNSY's MP-54 MU's.
(3) -- Finally, to make matters worse, they put READING RR MU 9000 Series numbers on the PRR MP-54 Bodies with ERIE LACKAWANNA ends
(4) -- And last -- the READING RR MU Cars had ARCHED ROOFS and were about 6 feet longer than the PRR MP-54's which have CLERESTORY ROOFS !
Therefore, what MTH created for their SEPTA MU Model was -- a PENNSY RR MP-54 Body sides and roof, but incorrectly having ERIE-LACKAWANNA modeled End Faces and SPLIT 2 piece storm door window installed on both ends, and having READING RR MU 9000 Series Numbers instead of 400 series numbers used on the SEPTA MP-54 Cars, and having a PRR MP-54 CLERESTORY ROOF instead of the Reading MU Cars Arched Roof !!
MTH should properly have done what CON COR did with their HO Scale PRR (Tuscan Red colored) MP-54 Model prototype, and under a new production run, CON COR (SEE BELOW) painted the MP-54 body shells properly in SEPTA colors and with proper 400 series car numbers --- for a fully accurate carbody ! Just as shown below in the beautiful HO Scale Con Cor Models !!
regards - Joe F
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You seem to have an axe to grind on these. I am sure you are correct in your assessment of the details, but at the same time O gauge trains are a business and I would venture that given the limited market for these cars a decision was made to keep tooling costs down. The fact that I don't seem to recall other O gauge manufacturers rushing in to make them seems to provide more evidence to the margins and tooling aspect being a limiter here vis a vis perfect fidelity
I have no desire to argue with you. My only reason for responding is that if I were a principal of MTH, Lionel, or WBB and was tempted to offer a version of these cars, or other commuter trains, comments like these would make me not bother as the costs would likely be too high to get every variation correct, and if I did not get it correct to the last detail, I would be pilloried.
Hello Ray --
I having worked closely with MTH since 1999 thru 2013 as the primary tech support consultant person for the bodies & interiors of all the NYC Subway Sets (and the wooden Q type EL car sets) MTH produced - and having lobbied for and insisted for complete body-accuracy in all sets as much as possible in "3 Rail" type track operation - I can state that MTH in fact did deliver the goods as I required and expected for my help. I have no axes to grind with MTH, heh !
HOWEVER -- so you will be informed - The MP-54 "SEPTA" Car bodies MTH produced, (like many "variations" of some similar classes of model subway cars), were created from already existing MP-54 Body TOOL & DIES - with existing individual separate TOOL "die plugs" for the car sides with roofs, and the separate end faces. The same cars MTH produced as their PRR MP-54 Cars in Tuscan, and their various LIRR MP-54 Cars.
THAT means that the simple removing of the end face plug design for one car style - ie; the legendary MP-54 carbody "owl eyes" front end-faces - and very simply installing the tool die plug for the ERIE LACKAWANNA car "square windows" end-face, thus, the body is now very simply changed to a modified car style for injection molding production casting. No extra costs at all incurred !! Therefore, that is what MTH did with the legendary Pennsy RR MP-54 standard MU body style --- to make its front end appear as a READING Railroad MU Car. But WHY create a "fake" body Reading SEPTA MU Car ???!!!! Instead of a SEPTA painted prototype Pennsy MP-54 MU Car (body) they already had ????!!!
To replicate the actual and exact READING MU Car, YES, heh - MTH would have in fact had to at much additional costs, create all new tools and dies for that proper and radically different appearing body and roof (as per my photos of the READING MU car in my above post)
INSTEAD of MTH more logically and prototypical, simply using the entire Pennsy MP-54 Body itself, as is, unchanged, and painting it in the same prototype SEPTA colors - with the proper PRR series 400 numbers for SEPTA -- to thus make a fully prototype and FULLY ACCURATE MU car that DID ALSO EXIST in said SEPTA color scheme, as it should have been produced...as seen in the Prototype photo and the con cor HO Scale model photos.
Who was responsible for advising MTH to try to replicate a READING RR MU car and its series numbers, by using a PENNSYLVANIA RR MU Mp-54 Car Body shell with ERIE LACKAWANNA MU Car end faces, is anyone's guess. It certainly was not me !
The MTH Catalog Photos (they used CON COR HO Models on HO track for it) of the SEPTA Paint Scheme MU Cars showed the body SIDES ONLY --- as a prototype Clerestory Roof MP-54 MU Car body. That is what I and countless others who ordered these cars expected and PAID FOR - along with having the expected proper MP-54 Body "owl eyes" end faces. (Just as Con Cor HO customers ordered, paid for and received !!)
And that in fact , however, is NOT what we received from MTH, as such it being a non-prototype mix of PRR MP-54 Body sides and clerestory roof, with ERIE-LACKAWANNA front end faces (square windows and split storm door window) and READING RR MU Car 9000 number series -- in a SEPTA Paint Scheme. A Frankenstein car !
regards - Joe F
