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Post by jlwii2000 on Jun 24, 2019 19:52:17 GMT -8
Not sure why this isn't more talked about but MTH Electric Trains just released a killer HO 2019-2020 catalog. Inside are so many wallet killers such as the CSX Honoring Vets and First responders locos, KCS Vets scheme, UP Vets scheme and Powered by our people scheme, George Bush Funeral Car and more in HO. www.mthtrains.com/…/catalog_…/2019_ho_v_1/index.html |
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Post by GP40P-2 on Jun 24, 2019 20:23:41 GMT -8
Not talking about it because their stuff is mostly gimmicky? A "Happy Halloween" GE ES-whatever, really?
Actually thanks for posting that, as there are a few items of interest buried in there once you get past the nonsense.
I need to check your videos and see if you have done any on their steam locomotives. Some of those look like they have potential.
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Post by riogrande on Jun 25, 2019 0:37:16 GMT -8
I'm not into all the vet this and vet that and first responder collector type stuff. No interest in it. My interest is in modeling typical trains during my era and location.
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Jun 25, 2019 1:57:59 GMT -8
Just took a look through the catalog. Looks like Lionel but in HO scale.
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Post by riogrande on Jun 25, 2019 3:25:17 GMT -8
I took a spin through the entire catalog - nothing for me there. I do not own any MTH rolling stock as they have never made anything I really need. Some of it is cool like the SP GS4 daylight steamer and passenger cars but TBH, I just can't afford every "shiny" thing that comes along and I have too many trains as it is. I need to focus on finishing the basement and building a layout so I can run those I do have.
Regarding the "veteran worship thing": I grew up in a different era and it seems a bit over-the-top. My dad served 22 years in the Air Force but in his day, we didn't worship military people; they were just doing their jobs and we had decent standard of living although he couldn't afford luxury cars like military people can now, but he has been well provided for in his retirement. I know the Vietnam war vets got a raw deal but the pendulum has swung far to the other side and everyone here fawns over ex-military like the are little gods and offers them discounts etc. My wife just shakes her head. She worked 3 1/2 years for a guy who had been in the Air Force for 20+ years and the moment he found out they were going to send him to the middle east, he put in his retirement noticed and went to work for a company where he could name his salary - the govt paid for him to get a PhD before he put in his notice. The govt paid college tuition for two family members to earn degree. All those sweet benefits must be pushing the national debt up even higher.
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Post by gevohogger on Jun 25, 2019 3:33:25 GMT -8
Just took a look through the catalog. Looks like Lionel but in HO scale. Yes, exactly. The existence of MTH in the hobby industry is the only thing keeping Broadway Limited from occupying the bottom of the barrel. Even their logo is hokey.... I'll stand tall today and say, MY wallet is safe! |
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Post by jonklein611 on Jun 25, 2019 4:12:12 GMT -8
Their streamlined passenger cars are surprisingly high in quality. I'd put them half a peg down from Rapido for those, the rest is debatable but some folks love their locomotives.
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Post by talltim on Jun 25, 2019 4:19:14 GMT -8
I'm not into all the vet this and vet that and first responder collector type stuff. No interest in it. My interest is in modeling typical trains during my era and location. Me too. Not being American the patriotism doesn't do it for me (although I do like bicentennial locos)
Plus vet to me means a vetinary surgeon...  Having had a look through the catalogue everything is either too new or too old for my two timeframes. Only thing that grabs me are the subway cars for the New York Cross Harbor layout I might build in the distant future.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2019 4:37:31 GMT -8
No thanks. MTH doesn't have the authenticity, IMO, that I look for in my HO scale models.
As for the veteran thing...military service abounds throughout my family. No one puts it "out there", however; like today. They looked at it like a job. My uncle had two ships sunk out from under him in the North Atlantic by U-boats (not U23Bs!!!) If he were alive today; he'd have the same "eye roll" that a lot of older veterans around here do with this stuff. All of them but one served in WWII. The youngest had to stay home. Another Uncle got the silver star from Patton in North Africa. But, you would never hear him talk about it...the only way we know about it is his DD-214.
On the other side (still off topic here a bit); Countless accounts can be found of today's soldiers being given a "raw deal" in relation to their care after coming home from Iraq. Benefits being exhausted; inept care being delivered to them from hospitals around the country; etc., My father (36 years USN; WWII; Korea; Vietnam) would regularly take up the mantle (VFW; DAV) for these service men and women when he was around.
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Post by simulatortrain on Jun 25, 2019 5:01:48 GMT -8
Sorry but there's very little in this catalog that doesn't scream "toy." Look at the XXL gaps between bodies and trucks. Might as well go with swinging pilots and add another rail at this point. Why are we still looking at plowless SD70s? Can't forget the heritage boxcars, just to solidify that they're not here for modelers.
So. Many. Lettering. Errors. I realize it's all Photoshop, but for the millionth time, Arial is not Helvetica!
You couldn't pay me to own a toy equipped with DCS. I'd kill my own wallet just for thinking about it.
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Post by gevohogger on Jun 25, 2019 6:12:11 GMT -8
Regarding the "veteran worship thing": I know the Vietnam war vets got a raw deal but the pendulum has swung far to the other side and everyone here fawns over ex-military like the are little gods and offers them discounts etc. I served in Desert Storm; in my opinion it was during that conflict where much of the current over-the-top "veteran worship" started. At the risk of taking it political: Remember "Support the Troops"? That was code for being against the government and against the war, but here's some homemade cookies for a service member in the Gulf. Many of us winced at Support the Troops especially when we saw it someplace like CNN which was notoriously opposed to what we (the US) were doing there.
I do have my service to thank for my railroad job, of that I am certain. In a recruitment room of about fifty applicants, they only hired seven of us; three ex-military, a couple or three rural farmhand types and one young woman... No foamers. I probably would not have made it without my background.
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Post by TBird1958 on Jun 25, 2019 6:23:27 GMT -8
Somebody else here said this....
MTH =
Mike's
Toy
House
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Post by rockfan on Jun 25, 2019 6:43:13 GMT -8
No mth for me, there's a lot of other manufacturers that make quality products that get my money.
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Post by NS4122 on Jun 25, 2019 6:47:53 GMT -8
I took a spin through the entire catalog - nothing for me there. I do not own any MTH rolling stock as they have never made anything I really need. Some of it is cool like the SP GS4 daylight steamer and passenger cars but TBH, I just can't afford every "shiny" thing that comes along and I have too many trains as it is. I need to focus on finishing the basement and building a layout so I can run those I do have. Regarding the "veteran worship thing": I grew up in a different era and it seems a bit over-the-top. My dad served 22 years in the Air Force but in his day, we didn't worship military people; they were just doing their jobs and we had decent standard of living although he couldn't afford luxury cars like military people can now, but he has been well provided for in his retirement. I know the Vietnam war vets got a raw deal but the pendulum has swung far to the other side and everyone here fawns over ex-military like the are little gods and offers them discounts etc. My wife just shakes her head. She worked 3 1/2 years for a guy who had been in the Air Force for 20+ years and the moment he found out they were going to send him to the middle east, he put in his retirement noticed and went to work for a company where he could name his salary - the govt paid for him to get a PhD before he put in his notice. The govt paid college tuition for two family members to earn degree. All those sweet benefits must be pushing the national debt up even higher. Seriously, you think it’s over the top to honor people who have served their country and who have in many cases been grievously wounded both physically and emotionally and in many cases given their lives? What combat veterans have experienced will stay with them for the rest of their lives not to mention their families as well. While everyone who served is entitled to veterans benefits whether they saw combat or not, It is those who put their lives on the line that are the focus of all the well deserved attention. It is grossly unfair to judge the entire military because of those who game the system. By the way, combat vets with disabilities are still getting a raw deal. |
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Post by spsf on Jun 25, 2019 6:55:53 GMT -8
Disclaimer: I realize that this board tends to lean towards the prototype modelling aspect of the hobby, so this will probably be considered heresy to say:
There's a certain segment of the hobby- -some call them the collectors--that eat this kind of stuff up. The products might be hokey and gaudy to most, but if it pays the bills for said manufacturer, they should produce the products. They're just trying to stay in business.
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Post by riogrande on Jun 25, 2019 8:11:09 GMT -8
Seriously, you think it’s over the top to honor people who have served their country and who have in many cases been grievously wounded both physically and emotionally and in many cases given their lives? What combat veterans have experienced will stay with them for the rest of their lives not to mention their families as well. No, I don't disagree with you there. Not at all. It's true, those who game the system do tend to sour people like my wife, who worked for a USAF vet a was shocked all the stuff they took advantage of including state support or their handicapped child without means testing. She could give you an earful. Obviously those who put their lives on the line deserve our support; in the area I live, it's just a bit nutty like I've never seen it. |
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Post by riogrande on Jun 25, 2019 8:16:39 GMT -8
There's a certain segment of the hobby- -some call them the collectors--that eat this kind of stuff up. The products might be hokey and gaudy to most, but if it pays the bills for said manufacturer, they should produce the products. They're just trying to stay in business. This is true. And a company can produce products and if there is a market for them, more power to them. I think the comments here are in reaction to James Wright's surprised there wasn't more ga ga reaction over MTH here - you hit the nail on the head Janek, this forum isn't much into the MTH stuff as much as other forums. |
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Post by bnsf971 on Jun 25, 2019 8:19:00 GMT -8
Disclaimer: I realize that this board tends to lean towards the prototype modelling aspect of the hobby, so this will probably be considered heresy to say: There's a certain segment of the hobby- -some call them the collectors--that eat this kind of stuff up. The products might be hokey and gaudy to most, but if it pays the bills for said manufacturer, they should produce the products. They're just trying to stay in business. I think it's the "staying in business" part that many participants on this forum object to. |
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Post by ambluco on Jun 25, 2019 8:20:24 GMT -8
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Post by brakie on Jun 25, 2019 9:34:42 GMT -8
All to sadly for those that never served or never seen combat have no idea what military life takes from you nor how walking with death at your elbow 24/7/365 days is like..
Anyway back to choo-choos. I don't own any MTH but been looking at their CR GP38-2s and to my eye it loos a tad of.
I own a BLI DCC/Sound SW7 which I'm will please with.
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Post by middledivision on Jun 25, 2019 9:36:19 GMT -8
I took a spin through the entire catalog - nothing for me there. I do not own any MTH rolling stock as they have never made anything I really need. Some of it is cool like the SP GS4 daylight steamer and passenger cars but TBH, I just can't afford every "shiny" thing that comes along and I have too many trains as it is. I need to focus on finishing the basement and building a layout so I can run those I do have. Regarding the "veteran worship thing": I grew up in a different era and it seems a bit over-the-top. My dad served 22 years in the Air Force but in his day, we didn't worship military people; they were just doing their jobs and we had decent standard of living although he couldn't afford luxury cars like military people can now, but he has been well provided for in his retirement. I know the Vietnam war vets got a raw deal but the pendulum has swung far to the other side and everyone here fawns over ex-military like the are little gods and offers them discounts etc. My wife just shakes her head. She worked 3 1/2 years for a guy who had been in the Air Force for 20+ years and the moment he found out they were going to send him to the middle east, he put in his retirement noticed and went to work for a company where he could name his salary - the govt paid for him to get a PhD before he put in his notice. The govt paid college tuition for two family members to earn degree. All those sweet benefits must be pushing the national debt up even higher. "Sweet benefits" for putting your life on the line. There is a huge difference between worshiping and honoring our veterans. As the son of a WWII United States Marine, I take offense at your remarks. We owe a debt to our veterans that can never be repaid. Worship? No. Honor and respect? Hell yes. |
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Post by riogrande on Jun 25, 2019 10:25:10 GMT -8
"Sweet benefits" for putting your life on the line. There is a huge difference between worshiping and honoring our veterans. As the son of a WWII United States Marine, I take offense at your remarks. We owe a debt to our veterans that can never be repaid. Worship? No. Honor and respect? Hell yes. Lets not take things out of context please. My wife's remarks are related to the man she worked for who decided to retire instead of being faced with being deployed to Iraq. If you are offended by her observations, It might be better for you to talk it out with her and maybe things would make more sense (cut out the middle man). In case you missed it, I too am a son of a vet (Korean war and Vietnam eras) and I'd imagine many here are children of war vets and we all honor and respect our fathers. No one has a monopoly here. As I mentioned before, things were different in past years - these people did there jobs quietly and without expecting special recognition. As someone pointed out, since 9/11 things have changed, and much of it good to be sure. |
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Post by GP40P-2 on Jun 25, 2019 10:37:10 GMT -8
So whatever happened to that company that introduced itself at the NTS lat year, with all of the hokey commemorative boxcars? Did they crash and burn as fast as we all thought that they would? Too much competition from MTH and others?
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Post by lvrr325 on Jun 25, 2019 10:46:03 GMT -8
MTH stuff does not hold it's value.
My distributor had some GP35s as closeouts and they weren't even bringing the closeout price on eBay at the time.
I would guess the commemorative units will do better - until someone else comes out with a better model of them. Then they'll tank too.
I'm not sure I'd take them to sell if they were free at that point.
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Post by stevewagner on Jun 25, 2019 12:43:06 GMT -8
I do have six MTH passenger cars I like very much: a five-car set of models of the Empire State Express stainless steel cars built by Budd in 1941, plus another one that wasn't included in the set. These are very nice indeed, not at all to be confused with some of the other passenger cars the firm has done, including some smooth-sided cars I think are shorties. If I could have afforded it when they were available, I probably would have bought one more Empire State Express car. I'll fill in with some old AHM/Rivarossi models, some of which are accurate, once properly detailed.
Again, given sufficient funds, MTH's matching Hudson locomotive would have tempting. I do have an old AHM/Rivarossi Hudson with simulated stainless sheathing that I bought used; its major flaw is oversized wheel flanges.
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Post by jonklein611 on Jun 25, 2019 12:52:14 GMT -8
I do have six MTH passenger cars I like very much: a five-car set of models of the Empire State Express stainless steel cars built by Budd in 1941, plus another one that wasn't included in the set. These are very nice indeed, not at all to be confused with some of the other passenger cars the firm has done, including some smooth-sided cars I think are shorties. If I could have afforded it when they were available, I probably would have bought one more Empire State Express car. I'll fill in with some old AHM/Rivarossi models, some of which are accurate, once properly detailed. Again, given sufficient funds, MTH's matching Hudson locomotive would have tempting. I do have an old AHM/Rivarossi Hudson with simulated stainless sheathing that I bought used; its major flaw is oversized wheel flanges. Similar experience with their N&W streamlined cars. |
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Post by markfj on Jun 25, 2019 14:04:47 GMT -8
I appreciate the effort MTH puts into their company and products, but their model trains just aren’t for me. The MTH people I’ve met at various train shows were nice and their booth and display area always seemed crowded. They must be doing something right to keep the business going.
Thanks, Mark
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Post by roadkill on Jun 25, 2019 14:05:08 GMT -8
The only thing MTH ever offered that I have interest in is both the Empire State Express cars and the Powhatan Limited cars. Never did get around to buying any tho, and it's getting hard to find them in the secondary market. As to holding value IMHO MTH's N&W passenger cars seem to be rather valuable if that evil auction site is to be believed. The N&W cars that were offered in Pevler blue sell for some pretty good pirces.
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Post by jlwii2000 on Jun 25, 2019 15:53:21 GMT -8
"Sweet benefits" for putting your life on the line. There is a huge difference between worshiping and honoring our veterans. As the son of a WWII United States Marine, I take offense at your remarks. We owe a debt to our veterans that can never be repaid. Worship? No. Honor and respect? Hell yes. Lets not take things out of context please. My wife's remarks are related to the man she worked for who decided to retire instead of being faced with being deployed to Iraq. If you are offended by her observations, It might be better for you to talk it out with her and maybe things would make more sense (cut out the middle man). In case you missed it, I too am a son of a vet (Korean war and Vietnam eras) and I'd imagine many here are children of war vets and we all honor and respect our fathers. No one has a monopoly here. As I mentioned before, things were different in past years - these people did there jobs quietly and without expecting special recognition. As someone pointed out, since 9/11 things have changed, and much of it good to be sure. I am still serving and retire late next spring. I personally have not had my life on the line many times, personally I think the firefighters and police run into more frequent threat of death on a regular basis than many folks in my branch of the military at least. But there are many, many who do face danger regularly or at a minimum time away from their families. I don’t need my butt kissed, I’ll take my pension which is large enough to live off of for a family of four and slip quietly back into civilian life. I do have my service to thank for my railroad job, of that I am certain. In a recruitment room of about fifty applicants, they only hired seven of us; three ex-military, a couple or three rural farmhand types and one young woman... No foamers. I probably would not have made it without my background.
A few years ago I was hearing how many military, I'm assuming ex-army, were having a difficult time finding jobs. But that may have been partly due to paranoia about PTSD or a troublesome employee so they were maybe avoided. It may be a real problem for some. But it may depend; someone leaving the military as an officer and with an honerable discharge may be a very good candidate for any number of jobs, especially as a government contractor for the DOD or other agencies. But OTOH, maybe people like ex-army in some cases may be disadvantaged. I used to work for a government contractor in an IT job supporting another government contractor for the same agency but they were not-for-profit. Part of their mission/contract was to hire and train "Ability One" classified candidates to be QAQC software testers, Software Engineers or Business Analysts. Some of these individuals did have some form of PTSD. In fact one day when I was at work I heard a sound someone breathing heavy and it escalated into a nightmarish sound. People in the office were getting up to see what was going on. Turns out one of the Ability One people abruptly quit and left and another, who was their friend was having a panic attack in response. EMT's arrived a little while later hauled that person out on a stretcher. A while later that same day, yet another person in that group had a panic attack and was also hauled away. They returned a few days later and went back to work. But at a place like that, you do worry about an active shooter scenario. I’ve got a couple of degrees under my belt but I’ve already been offered a few good jobs including one as a CFO (all non government jobs) and I’m not even retired yet. I don’t think the stigma still sticks, at least not for me and my USAF service. I took a spin through the entire catalog - nothing for me there. I do not own any MTH rolling stock as they have never made anything I really need. Some of it is cool like the SP GS4 daylight steamer and passenger cars but TBH, I just can't afford every "shiny" thing that comes along and I have too many trains as it is. I need to focus on finishing the basement and building a layout so I can run those I do have. Regarding the "veteran worship thing": I grew up in a different era and it seems a bit over-the-top. My dad served 22 years in the Air Force but in his day, we didn't worship military people; they were just doing their jobs and we had decent standard of living although he couldn't afford luxury cars like military people can now, but he has been well provided for in his retirement. I know the Vietnam war vets got a raw deal but the pendulum has swung far to the other side and everyone here fawns over ex-military like the are little gods and offers them discounts etc. My wife just shakes her head. She worked 3 1/2 years for a guy who had been in the Air Force for 20+ years and the moment he found out they were going to send him to the middle east, he put in his retirement noticed and went to work for a company where he could name his salary - the govt paid for him to get a PhD before he put in his notice. The govt paid college tuition for two family members to earn degree. All those sweet benefits must be pushing the national debt up even higher. I agree to the point somewhat, it can be a culture of people twisting and taking advantage of any possible thing. However, the job offers aren’t always associated with government jobs. I am looking strictly non government because I’m ready for something smaller in size where there can’t be so much waste. <br><br> As for MTH, they have a place in the market. Currently, they're the only company offering pre orders of the first responders and vets units from CSX. They are very smart to do this. They're one of only two companies who can make the right version of the GEVO anyway, at least to some extent. I get it that their dimensions are a tiny bit off, but I haven't found better pulling Tier 3 GEVOs and they run very smooth. Every company has it's pros and cons. |
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Post by westerntrains on Jun 25, 2019 18:10:25 GMT -8
People ridicule MTH for their Halloween and Christmas engines, but some of the same people have Godzilla on their layout, huge pumpkins on flat cars and witches on engines, not to mention snow men and santa claus.
Most people just don"t like MTH. They find or make up things just to validate their point. I like the wire hand rails myself. Yes, somethings are oversize, but no model is perfect.
It's just a toy train, period.
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