It's still in beta testing but I'm guessing they are making good progress. Looking forward to adding this capability to my layout when it's finally released. Guess I'll finally have to break down and get a tablet
Goodness, what a pain! Diesels are the easiest to ship safely too. Hard to believe they are so badly packed that they're getting destroyed! One thing I do know with USA three axle engines, that it's important to make sure the trucks are properly padded so they can't move around too much. Stuff packing up on top of the motorblock to help ensure that front floppy truck doesn't snap off as I have heard happen in the past.
And for all those wondering, this appears to confirm that 2013 Catalog WILL be released. This item now appears in their product search as being in their 2013 catalog:
So it looks like they are updating their website and will just be a matter of time before the catalog is published. My guess in the next couple of weeks. MTH has told me directly to expect the 2013 catalog in March so stay tuned!
I'm honestly not surprised that most of their dealer network doesn't keep stock, especially the bulk of their existing network which is made up of primarily O gauge dealers. I'm a full dealer now and I don't keep stock on any product outside of TIUs, Remotes and repair parts...it's just not worth it.
Not being able to find product to see in person is the main reason I post so many photos of the various models I have on my website. Most mfg websites have precious few photos and any they do have are small and low resolution. You really can't get an idea of just how good they look without high-res, big, close-ups of them. I have tried to take and post up-close photos in series of the sides and tops of most of the engines I have.
If you have a dealer that is telling you "we are only going to send your engine back to MTH if you need repair" then I would think twice before ordering with them. To me that is part of the service they are supposed to be providing to you and if they either can't or are unwilling to service what they sell then that is a complete failure to perform even the basic level of help to your customer. These guys must either could not be bothered or honestly (and more probable) have no idea how they work or can perform even basic repair.
That is why I went the additional step to become a dealer, so I could more effectively help those that come to me for help. Any sales outside of that is an added benefit but not the real driver.
MTH may very well offer to sell direct on new product releases. It's something USA trains has done since the beginning and Aristocraft only just recently. If they go that path they will likely still have wholesale sales to dealers as they have with some of the items they have sold direct on blow-out.
They are sold out of a lot of their One-gauge offerings, but they do still have some things in-stock. If you are looking for something in particular I'd be glad to look it up for you.
Have to share this recent acquisition... Had the extreme good fortune to get my hands on this custom KCS dash-9. I never purchased the factory painted version of this engine because the red was so pink. At any rate, the color matching on this engine was spot on and detail superbly done. It's a one of a kind so there were no others done by this person that I'm aware of.
For reference, this is a photo of the factory version:
It was not long after the Triplex was produced that the economic collapse occurred which pulled the rug out of largescale sales. It was also not long afterwards you saw the big G scale retailers that relied on sales volume for their existence close-up. The Triplex was a big seller in O gauge and they have had more than one production run of that model in that gauge. I'm pretty sure MTH went down the list of some of their bigger sellers in O gauge to produce first in One Gauge. The thing that actually amazed me with the Triplex was I probably got more email inquiries from people asking pre-purchase questions about that engine then any of the others combined. I got a lot on the Big Boy, but the volume of interest in the triplex surprised me.
Interesting insight on the 1:32 and the European market. That may very well be another big reason why MTH went 1:32, maybe figuring their products will have a more overall marketability that way. With regards to production of the same prototype models, on the surface it might seem like an issue but when you look and really compare the models available (price point, scale and features) I have seen them as being in different categories.
USA Trains(1:29): Big Boy=($3500), | Hudson=($2k) |
Accucraft (1:32): Big Boy=(~$2200)| | Daylight=($3000-no sound or smoke)
MTH (1:32): Big Boy=($1000), | Hudson=($650)| Daylight=($750-full sound, smoke, lights)
Only one version is avail of, USRA Mallet, Challenger, Triplex, Aristo Mikado, Aristo Pacific, Aristo 2-8-0 to name a few. There is really a very limited selection of steam models to choose from. Accucraft as continued to make new and different models but they are mostly $3k+
Given the difference in price-point, features and scale, I feel any cannibalization of sales is minimal. The market for $3k+ engines is a lot smaller than the sub $1k versions and in the latter market there is no overlap in steam (some in diesel, but they are in different scales). If there was one thing I would say that probably does hurt the companies in the market some is the fact you have two different primary scales being produced. You have a certain amount of people buying one or the other but limiting the mixing of the two. I think as time has gone on I'm seeing more and more people buying both scales and running both on their layouts as I do.
I can understand the attraction of the adherence to true-to live prototypes and for myself I did a number of things on my own layout to achieve what I could given the space I had available. I will say that of the individuals I have corresponded with in Europe, they do seem to generally have a higher level (higher end) product running on their layouts. I regularly see pictures, of finely crafted 1:32, Pennsy T-1s, K4s and associated rolling stock. On the tightness of layout curves I was like you in wanting to run big engines and have them look as realistic as possible. I think the reality with many in the hobby tho is that the use of yard space is limited and is also a compromise with their spouses so they have even less space avail. The rest are just more far more relaxed on what they want to run and how they run it as the sales of the Aristocraft Eggliner proves. Aristo seems to sell alot of those little guys and people seem to love'm. While I have never had any personal interest in them, I have purchased a couple of LGB fan powered 'flyers' that I get a big kick out of running. So much so I fully outfit them DCS digital control! As silly as they are and as impressive as a 3 big boy train pulling 100ft of coal cars is, I got more questions on the the little fan powered LGB than anything else.
I've ordered quite a few of the GE version and out of that number i had one that had a bad receiver in the main base and needed to be RMAd. Pulling the antenna out of the remote so it was external gave it the kind of range I needed outside with the receiver in the house. As I recall the receiver has an antenna too that can be pulled out of the case which can provide even better results.
Keep us posted on how you make out. I'm pretty certain the GE is out of production so finding another that works well would be nice for future reference.
A remote control that serves as an emergency cut-off to the entire layout in the event of an accident. I have found through time this is one of the best aspects to running track power is that in the event of a derailment I can instantly stop all trains at the same time as every second counts to limit/prevent damage.
Another version that I have found that seems to work good too is the Clarion Outdoor outlet control (model: HW2190L)
Big Boy discussions continue in Southern California
Published: February 25, 2013
POMONA, Calif. - Discussions between Union Pacific and the Southern California Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society concerning UP Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014 are continuing in California. Union Pacific has said it has been approached by and is working with a third party interested in restoring and operating a Big Boy. The company would like to reacquire No. 4014 for possible restoration and return to service in time for the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike in 2019.
Sources close to the matter indicate that Ed Dickens, who heads Union Pacific's steam program, was back in Southern California recently to confer with some, but not all, of the board members of the chapter regarding the restoration of the locomotive. The sources indicate that discussions are continuing and moving forward.
No. 4014 was donated to the Southern California Chapter Railway & Locomotive in Pomona in 1962 after operating 1,031,205 miles in revenue service. The chapter maintains an extensive railroad exhibit at the Los Angeles County Fairplex that includes UP 4-12-2 No. 9000, the only survivor of its type; Santa Fe 4-6-4 No. 3450; and Southern Pacific 4-10-2 No. 5021, also the only survivor of its type. The display includes several smaller steam locomotives, UP DD40X "Centennial" diesel No. 6915, rolling stock, and the Santa Fe depot from nearby Arcadia.
It has been reported that some chapter members are in favor of having the locomotive back under steam again, which means returning it to Union Pacific. Others are adamant that the removal of the Big Boy would weaken the position of the chapter as a viable museum and will negatively impact attendance to the museum.
Damn that is expensive! No way am I going to drop that kind of money on one. I think there are likely a number of factors built into that higher price... currency value fluctuations, higher energy costs, rising labor costs in China/emerging markets and probably most importantly right now, lower sales volumes.
At this point USA trains is the only high-end steam I would consider buying in the future. I like the build quality, heft, detail, pricing and ease of dismantling/repair. For high-end product it's hard to beat in my opinion.
One of the things I did (and I think I got the idea from Chuck) was to take and file down the flag off the post, paint it black and give it the same look as the posts on the challenger version. (which I think included filing it down some to reduce the height but dont recall.) I originally just removed the green flags but went back and added them but modified. Really like the new look with the posts added back.
On the amps, I've converted other LGB two axle engines to DCS Protosound and you can expect the same low amp draw with the LGB like the others mfg engines converted.
At the largest trainshow we did, we ran 8 loops of trains, with 16 powered engines @24v with only one power supply drawing only 16amps. (display didnt capture in the pic correctly but it shows 24.2v)
This is everything that was run:
3- 100ft trains, 3- 10+ passenger car trains and two 4-6 car passenger trains at high speed.
Article I had not read before. Sounds like it would be in concert with the 150th anniversary of the transcontinenal RR completion. My guess is they will make this happen.
Not sure on the minimum curve but I would imagine it could take as tight as you could want having only 3 driving axles.
I honestly most likely won't be springing for one of these unless they are priced pretty low. My days of spending big bucks on a single G scale engine are pretty much done. (now if it was a UP9000 that might be a different story )
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MTH new 2013 catalog
in General Discussion
Posted
Any of the existing MTH dealers can sell their One Gauge product line, including myself. There are plenty out there.