What has happened to mth HO?

Im sure MTH has a new catalog in the works

They have not done a ho catalog since 2010, why now.

There is a 2015 MTH HO catalog on their website under 'Catalogs'.

What has happened to MTH in general? No new O scale tooling in a long time other than the yet to be released 44 tonner. I think the NYC Mohawk was the last newly tooled scale steam engine. S scale products are years late. HO products like the K4 are years late. They all but abandoned G. Maybe this was part of the MTH plan to coast and re-release existing product tooling with updated features/paint? I don't know. It's a shame. I really like the metal handrails on their HO diesels. It's a big selling point for me as I hate the cheap plastic handrails that most other companies do. There are tons of models they could do. There are a few other things that I could point to- like the total lack of response on Facebook where they used to be so good at interacting with customers that have me concerned about the health of MTH. Hopefully everything is fine and it's just a lull.

Their M-4 DM&IR Yellowstones are solid hits, as are their DM&IR ore cars.   I don't think I'd count them out on HO.   As JohnnySpeed points out, the metal handrails are much more robust than what is available on competitors.  The DM&IR cars and locos were introduced at the National Train Show in Portland in 2015. 

But the HO market is very competitive.  I'd take the BLI UP 4-12-2 over the MTH, as the BLI wins hands down in the detail department.  While I like the M-4, after having owned a Westside brass version (which I sold instead of painting it in my home road), it also lacks in detail.  

There is definitely niches to fill in HO, but it seems like they would rather duplicate what BLI does, and vice versa.  I have been hoping MTH would do a GN R-2 2-8-8-2 (and actively lobbied for it), but instead, we get K-4s, Big Boys and other done to death steam.

Regards,

Jerry

rtr12 posted:

There is a 2015 MTH HO catalog on their website under 'Catalogs'.

My mistake but even in the 2015 catalog that has allot of what I like most of it ( 75% ) has not hit the streets yet. The big boy which was scheduled to be released last fall is not even close and most likely not till next year at its earliest. 

It would be nice if MTH would let their customer base know what is going on, good or bad. 

It is forcing me to look at other manufactures like scale trains. 

I am O gauge, but I feel your pain. I have some items ordered in spring 2014 from both Lionel and MTH that are still not available. I gave up on the shipping schedules. I think the S gauge folks are having similar problems as well. I suppose the items will arrive someday...

It does seem like things from both MTH and Lionel have slowed way down in the last couple of years though. I pre-order everything and I think this is the longest I have ever waited for anything since 2011 when I got back in the hobby. Usually things have been showing up in about 6 months to a year or so. MTH was really doing pretty good for a while a couple of years ago, seems like I was getting most items with about a 6 month or so wait.

The did a bunch of catalogs in the last couple years 2013, 2014, and 2015 all have a catalog in their website. They've taken to the unusual way of promoting their HO models by advertising them individually. 

Seriously, why do you guys put up with these delays? I've bought a few MTH HO and have been happy with them. But I've quit ordering from them because of the chronic delays.

gnnpnut posted:

Their M-4 DM&IR Yellowstones are solid hits, as are their DM&IR ore cars.   I don't think I'd count them out on HO.   As JohnnySpeed points out, the metal handrails are much more robust than what is available on competitors.  The DM&IR cars and locos were introduced at the National Train Show in Portland in 2015. 

But the HO market is very competitive.  I'd take the BLI UP 4-12-2 over the MTH, as the BLI wins hands down in the detail department.  While I like the M-4, after having owned a Westside brass version (which I sold instead of painting it in my home road), it also lacks in detail.  

There is definitely niches to fill in HO, but it seems like they would rather duplicate what BLI does, and vice versa.  I have been hoping MTH would do a GN R-2 2-8-8-2 (and actively lobbied for it), but instead, we get K-4s, Big Boys and other done to death steam.

Regards,

Jerry

 

 

I agree, the DMIR Yellowstone was a big hit.    I ran it on a HO club LAYOUT at the Greenburg Train Show in Monroeville.

INHO it was the best HO engine at the show.

I should buy the ore cars.

Looking forward to receive the BLI C&O "orange belly" that is promised in November

Market........

cost to manufacture way up

cost to ship way up

Disposable income way down

Aging of the hobby....we don't 'need' as much as we thought we did.

Lots of factors.  G scale has had a huge down turn in sales....right when MTH invested in it....ouch...that hurts across the board.

HO is just 1:87 of the market.  

The big boy which was scheduled to be released last fall is not even close and most likely not till next year at its earliest. 

It would be nice if MTH would let their customer base know what is going on, good or bad.

David, you would have better luck to find your answers on a Wedgie board.  

Think Broadway Limited Imports is taking the market share of HO with their Paragon 2 and 3 engines and the Hybrid line.  Both steam and diesel.

As mentioned earlier, I have the MTH DMIR Yellowstone and it's an exceptional engine.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

The big boy which was scheduled to be released last fall is not even close and most likely not till next year at its earliest. 

It would be nice if MTH would let their customer base know what is going on, good or bad.

David, you would have better luck to find your answers on a Wedgie board.  

A wedgie board?  Painful and embarrassing.

I suggest using a weegie board instead.  Or the magic 8-ball.

Rusty

Rusty Traque posted:

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

The big boy which was scheduled to be released last fall is not even close and most likely not till next year at its earliest. 

It would be nice if MTH would let their customer base know what is going on, good or bad.

David, you would have better luck to find your answers on a Wedgie board.  

A wedgie board?  Painful and embarrassing.

I suggest using a weegie board instead.  Or the magic 8-ball.

Rusty

Just as painful and embarrassing.

Phonetics don't work spelling this one. it is OUIJA Board.

Ouija - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Last night I attended an operating session on the GN / DMIR on July 15, 1958.     The host picked up a MTH DMIR M-4 Yellowstone, and it was hauling ore between his staging yard at Kelly Lake, and Hi-Grade yard.   This was the first chance I had a chance to see one of the production engines up close, and see it operate.  All I can say is "WOW".   Very well done, great running, great sound.  This is MTH's latest steam locomotive release.  So, no, these guys are NOT out of HO, in my opinion, they are in the thick of it, and doing quite nicely.   

I wish that MTH would release the Great Northern R-2 2-8-8-2 in HO, in both black paint, and glacier, just like they are doing in O (but with postwar details).  Andy, you listening?    People like green boilered steam locomotives in HO too. 

Regards,

Jerry

Did anyone corner them at York at the DCS meeting perchance?

AMCDave posted:

Market........

cost to manufacture way up

cost to ship way up

Disposable income way down

Aging of the hobby....we don't 'need' as much as we thought we did.

Lots of factors.  G scale has had a huge down turn in sales....right when MTH invested in it....ouch...that hurts across the board.

 

Excellent overview.

IMO:

Sell what you can, pay off your cards, hold off on discretionary spending, the Titanic band is striking up a tune.

Face it, follow the dollar, the much discussed inventory glut  is alive and strong, sales just are not there, attendance is not there, restrictions as to limited scale shows or limited attendee's are going by the way side.  Our financial world is a bubble.  Medical costs and insurance is skyrocketing.  Add to that the attrition of those stepping into eternity, the customer base is diminishing.  The fact that kids have gone from sucking their thumbs to typing incessantly with their thumbs is only a further draw from the potential pool.

To further complicate things steam clients are no longer in the majority.  Most steam is road specific narrowing the interest group,  however most diesel models are used by many different roads with minor changes.  Importers can paint them up at the last minute to meet the most current list of signed on customers.

Do not think of the as being negative.  Negative IMO is when there is no alternative to unwelcome changes.  Rather consider how to better position ourselves in the hobby balancing practical expectations, attitude and family values.

I see a long term realignment to allow our hobby to continue.  It will look different from that which we have known but I see it alive down the road.