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Post by ScaleTrains.com on Jan 31, 2021 10:34:50 GMT -8
ScaleTrains.com™, Inc., a leading manufacturer of HO and N Scale model trains, announced the acquisition of M.T.H. Electric Trains® HO Scale and S Gauge tooling assets. Learn more from our announcement video: “MTH is recognized as a leading manufacturer of HO scale steam locomotives. The purchase of MTH’s HO products also allows us to broaden our product line into passenger cars, track, and more. We believe there is an opportunity to grow the S market as well.” said Shane Wilson, President of ScaleTrains.com. The acquisition includes steam and diesel locomotives, freight cars, and track in both scales. The HO tooling also includes turbine and electric locomotives, subway sets, passenger cars, and more. Engineering schematics for several all-new steam era HO projects were also received as part of the agreement. “ScaleTrains.com has a great reputation in the industry and the M.T.H. HO tooling will make a great addition to their already impressive HO lineup.” Stated Mike Wolf, President of M.T.H. Electric Trains. “S Gauge fans will find the ScaleTrains.com team loaded with talent and model railroading experience.” Both scales are being melded into ScaleTrains.com umbrella of brands including Rivet Counter™. Several molds have been transferred to the ScaleTrains.com factory and testing is already underway. Over the next few months design will begin to convert the models to accept the ScaleTrains.com motor and change to ESU-LokSound® electronics including DCC & sound. The first models are expected to be available in 2022. ScaleTrains.com is making significant investments in infrastructure to better service more brick-and-mortar retailers in the future. Although ScaleTrains.com is currently not accepting new retailers, dealers are welcome to send their contact information to retailers@scaletrains.com in anticipation of opening new brick-and-mortar accounts within the next year. M.T.H. Electric Trains will fulfill all outstanding customer HO and S Scale preorders. In addition, service and support for products sold by M.T.H. Electric Trains will be serviced by the current M.T.H. Authorized Service Center network. This includes part sales. Products manufactured by ScaleTrains.com will be serviced by Product Support in Benton, TN. For additional information, please contact Hollie Smith at Hollie@ScaleTrains.com.
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Post by ucfknight on Jan 31, 2021 10:42:20 GMT -8
MTH stuff, now with real electronics! Sounds good.
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Post by marknycfan on Jan 31, 2021 10:47:20 GMT -8
Well now I might be buying some Scaletrains products!
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Post by unittrain on Jan 31, 2021 10:50:54 GMT -8
GP35s please 😎
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Post by lackawanna1223 on Jan 31, 2021 10:51:11 GMT -8
I’m excited to hear there’s some steam era HO rolling stock that will be up to the rivet counter level in the design stage as well as the S scale acquisition. I have some of the S Helper rolling stock that I would like to use on a switching layout in the future. Nice to know that tooling is with a company willing to invest in it (fingers crossed).
I’d also be down if they upgraded the FA-1s. EDIT: I’ve got one of their USRA twin hoppers and it is a nice car.
Brian.
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Post by amtrakfl9 on Jan 31, 2021 10:51:35 GMT -8
I would love to see a Museum Quality or Rivet Counter NKP 765 out of this deal!
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Post by milgentrains on Jan 31, 2021 10:51:42 GMT -8
As my eyesight dims I keep thing that S scale may be the way to go. I'll sit back and see what happens.
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Post by middledivision on Jan 31, 2021 10:51:52 GMT -8
WHY? You like molded on grabs?
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Post by mdvle on Jan 31, 2021 10:52:33 GMT -8
I think the is a good thing for ScaleTrains, it gives them more product to generate a more even cash flow throughout the year, and obviously good for those who like some of the more unique items MTH offered.
But to me the far more interesting and potentially interesting part is the acquisition of the S scale tooling. I realize it is unlikely to happen, but it would be nice if the other manufactures looked at this as an opportunity to create a larger than HO scale option that follows the same accuracy ethos that we have come to expect in HO and which has been a struggle for anyone wanting something larger where the 3-rail scene has dominated with all of its limitations.
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Post by brammy on Jan 31, 2021 10:56:08 GMT -8
I assume this includes the MTH passenger car stuff?
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Post by mdvle on Jan 31, 2021 10:56:45 GMT -8
I assume this includes the MTH passenger car stuff? Everything is the indication.
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Post by migalyto on Jan 31, 2021 10:57:15 GMT -8
Wonder why they didn't acquire the O gauge as well? It would seem that that would of been a cash cow for them too! Unless someone else has bought that line.
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Post by Donnell Wells on Jan 31, 2021 10:57:18 GMT -8
Wow...quite the announcement! Did not see this coming. And S-scale to boot! Instantaneous marketshare increase! Well done ScaleTrains!
Sincerely, Donnell
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Post by mdvle on Jan 31, 2021 10:57:38 GMT -8
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Post by thunderhawk on Jan 31, 2021 11:01:18 GMT -8
As my eyesight dims I keep thing that S scale may be the way to go. I'll sit back and see what happens. I've scaled up some of my stuff to S scale and I find it about the perfect size. Detail shows up much better without the sheer mass of O scale.
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Post by mdvle on Jan 31, 2021 11:01:58 GMT -8
Wonder why they didn't acquire the O gauge as well? It would seem that that would of been a cash cow for them too! Unless someone else has bought that line. It might have been too poor a fit given the 3-rail emphasis and it's compromises
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Post by carrman on Jan 31, 2021 11:20:10 GMT -8
All I can say is that I hope this acquisition doesn't dumb down the accuracy of Scaletrains product line. Wasn't that long ago most MTH releases were lampooned for how toy like and inaccurate they were, and now one of the leading manufacturers has picked up the tooling for those same models. I hope this turns out well.
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Jan 31, 2021 11:23:13 GMT -8
Many congratulations to Scaletrains! This is great news. The fact of steam engines on the drawing board is especially interesting!
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Post by es80ac on Jan 31, 2021 11:25:46 GMT -8
Great, maybe we can see a rerun of the Little Joe electrics
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Jan 31, 2021 11:25:47 GMT -8
In the course of one weekend ScaleTrains now has become every Milwaukee Road's #1: SDL39, Little Joe, and Bi-Polar. :-)
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Post by ucfknight on Jan 31, 2021 11:28:27 GMT -8
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Post by Donnell Wells on Jan 31, 2021 11:28:44 GMT -8
This instanly thrusts them into steam products as many have already mentioned!
- UP 4-12-2 9000
- UP 4-8-8-4 BigBoy
- UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger
- DM&IR 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone
- SP 4-8-8-2 AC-6 Cab Forward
- SP Class GS 4-8-4 Northern (incuding a de-skirted GS6 YES!!!)
- C&O Class H-8 2-6-6-6 Allegheny
- Erie 2-8-8-2 Triplex
- PRR Class H10 2-8-0 Consolidation
- PRR K4 4-6-2 Pacific
- USRA 2-8-2 Light Mikado
- NYC L-3/L-4 Mohawks
- NYC 4-6-4 Empire State Express
- NYC 4-6-4 Dreyfuss Hudson
- NYC&St.L 2-8-4 Nickel Plate Berkshire[li]
[li]NW Class J 4-8-4 - Van Sweringen -8-4 Berkshire
- Barvarian Class S 3/6 Express
Diesel list includes:
- SD70ACe
- GE ES44AC
- GE C44-9W
- EMD GP35
- EMD GP38-2
- Alco FA-1/FB-1
- Alco PA1/PB1
- EMD F7A/B
- EMD F3A/B (premium line locomotive)
- EMD F3A (trainset locomotive)
- UP 4500HP Turbine
Electric Locomotives:
- Milwaukee EF-4 Little Joe Electric (excellent candidate for Museum Quality offering!)
- Milwaukee Bi Polar (another Museum Quality candidate!)
- PRR GG-1
- NYC R-17 Subway cars
- NYC R-21/R-22 Subway cars
Rolloing Stock:
- A host of freight and passenger cars!
I'd say, "A worthy investment!"
Donnell
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Post by carrman on Jan 31, 2021 11:30:28 GMT -8
Two phases of a decent GP35 are there also, and a MILW Bipolar electric.
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Post by thunderhawk on Jan 31, 2021 11:30:44 GMT -8
Great, maybe we can see a rerun of the Little Joe electrics MTH had already announced a re run of those in their last catalog. No idea what the status of those are.
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Post by SOMECALLMETIM on Jan 31, 2021 11:33:07 GMT -8
Most of the MTH HO scale freight cars are Tyco quality and the diesel locomotives like the GP38-2 and GP35 have issues. Going to need a ton of work to bring them up to a rivet counter status unless the plan is to release them in the budget line.
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Post by slowfreight on Jan 31, 2021 11:35:34 GMT -8
3 words: CSS Little Joe.
Yes, even though they're "too regional."
That's a distraction I'd gladly buy, and expect ST would do some mild detail upgrades when the tooling can handle recutting.
Much as I have happily amassed a collection of MTH O scale subways, I have stayed completely away from the HO subways because they are all A division, and I'm only interested in B division stuff. I'd be first in line to order a good pair of R68s, but not holding my breath.
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Post by migalyto on Jan 31, 2021 11:35:51 GMT -8
This instanly thrusts them into steam products as many have already mentioned!
- UP 4-12-2 9000
- UP 4-8-8-4 BigBoy
- DM&IR 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone
- SP 4-8-8-2 AC-6 Cab Forward
- SP Class GS 4-8-4 Northern
- PRR Class H10 2-8-0 Consolidation
- Van Sweringen -8-4 Berkshire
- Barvarian Class S 3/6 Express
Diesel list includes:
- SD70ACe
- ES44AC
- C44-9W
- GP38-2
Electric Locomotives:
- Milwaukee EF-4 Little Joe Electric (excellent candidate for Museum Quality offering!)
Rolloing Stock:
- A host of freight and passenger cars!
I'd say, "A worthy investment!"
Donnell So what do they do with the ES44, and the Dash9 tooling?
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Post by slowfreight on Jan 31, 2021 11:46:46 GMT -8
So what do they do with the ES44, and the Dash9 tooling? Keep some other dang fool from flooding the market with junk.
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Post by middledivision on Jan 31, 2021 11:47:09 GMT -8
Two phases of a decent GP35 are there also, and a MILW Bipolar electric. Decent but not Scale Trains Rivet Counter quality. This is very disappointing.
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Post by raptorengineer on Jan 31, 2021 11:51:13 GMT -8
so i'm wondering if they got tooling for MTH HO operating crossing Signals? be nice to bring them back.
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