More on Lionel HO

[rogruth]

An online search shows. Model power bought Tyco.(Tyler company. Former owners of mantua). If I know how to post a link with my iPhone. I would. Search Tyco wiki for a quick history .

Thanks, Robert.
I wasn't sure .

[G3750]

They published a catalog for 2017, featuring a pretty extensive line-up of gear. How much of it has been produced I couldn't tell you, and I haven't seen a 2018 listing. I've seen some of the older pieces in the shop in Hagerstown, and they look brilliant. But of course, from my perspective, that's the knock on MTH...stuff looks great but performs less than that, especially out of the box.

https://mthtrains.com/sites/default/files/catalog_files/2017_rk1_v_1/index.html

Often considered a loop in the garden, but at this point I'd prefer some outdoor O-gauge...

You are exactly right. A friend of mine who owns a large number of MTH PS-1 Pennsy steamers has said almost the same thing. Beautiful shelf queens he calls them. I had the exact same experience with my PS-2 Reading Alco S-2 switcher. Gorgeous exterior and awesome when it ran (about 50% of the time under DCS).

George

[chuck]

Mantua was founded/owned by John Tyler. Company operated out of Woodbury Heights, NJ. They started to market ready to run sets under the name Tyco (TYler COmpany) and the individual stuff (including kits) under "Mantua". They gobbled up other toy companies and then were gobbled up by other entities in the 70's and 80's (including Sara Lee).

The train business was purchased back by the Tyler family in 1977 and they re-entered the market under Mantua label. Mantua was acquired by Model Power which was in turn acquired by MRC. I believe that they (MRC) still make/market "Mantua Classics" with DCC and sound.

[christopher2035]

MTH makes S & G ???? lol

I know they technically do, but you never seem to see much product out there.

[chuck]

I've seen some of the S rolling stock and only heard feedback on the HO stuff. On the later if you were already into MTH DCS than you might be inclined to get MTH's stuff. If you weren't, you tended to avoid it. While the MTH stuff could be operated as DCC, it was like running TMCC stuff under DCS. you lose access to the features tied to that system. It was also something else that could/would break. When you factor in way more product and features from a lot of vendors you have to ask "why bother?"

[healey36]

When you factor in way more product and features from a lot of vendors you have to ask "why bother?"

I guess mostly because it looks cool as hell. Take a look at the MTH Big Boy or GS-4 in their 1-scale, or whatever they call it...those are impressive-looking pieces of gear. How does it run? No idea, but it looks great compared to anything else out there. I never run anything via any command system, so that's unimportant to me...

[Mitch]

Chuck, MTH and Lionel have made their S engines with both DCS/DCC and DCC/Legacy. There would only be a very few options that would not be available if using DCC. The problem is this: Lionel makes only a token amount of product, ie: some very modern engines, but S scale cars from the 40s and 50s, while MTH sucked the public in with plenty of expectation, but provided nearly nothing. I mean, like it took them 6 years to come out with the EMD engines brought out in '39. I think more folks would want modern stuff as opposed to the same old F models from 80 years ago. MTH did make plenty in HO, but they're never gonna be the king of sales in half O.

[chuck]

Sorry guys, I wasn't addressing "Garden Scale" as it's not much of an issue in this area with the long hard winters we have. I love the way those big trains look but you need the physical climate to support running those trains outside or a renovated theater/barn/warehouse with the space to run them indoors.

Most of my remarks are aimed at HO. Lionel's Lion Chief/BlueTooth and HO FastTrak may actually work out sales wise, time will tell.

S Gauge was perking along with American Models and S-Helper until the previous upheaval with manufacturing in China. Those guys had to scramble to get new manufacturing set up. MTH bought S-Helper which is better than folding completely. About 6-10 years ago some of the larger shows in SE Michigan featured S layouts and had significant new product offerings. Now it's O and HO and the only "S" is AC Gilberts Flyer (aka the old stuff).

[rogruth]

I always liked the dimensions of S scale especially compared to Lionel post war and previous to the "scale" stuff available today.
The size of much of the modern scale trains requires larger curves than I have space for. BUT S scale was just not available in my area.
Dealers did not bring it to our local train show and most did not carry it at all. I still prefer to put my grubby little fingers on train stuff
that I am going to buy. The only used stuff in S available at the shows was AF in not always the best condition. So I went with what I
knew just as I did using O-27 style track because it was lower and IMHO looked nicer than O-31.

[CWBurfle]

There is very little "S" gauge available at the local shows I attend too. I have a few Gilbert American Flyer pieces, and would like to upgrade some of the rolling stock that are parts of factory sets. It seems when I do find the cars, they are damaged.

[chuck]

I always liked the dimensions of S scale especially compared to Lionel post war and previous to the "scale" stuff available today.

Agreed. When I started to get interested in O again back in the mid nineties there was some of the new S gauge stuff appearing at the train shows. It was scale, it was easy to see/handle, and it didn't require a massive commitment in space to build a nice layout. My wife was less impressed as I already had standard, O, HO, and N trains. I had a bunch of legacy O/O-27 trains and one Standard Gauge set from my great grandfather.

[christopher2035]

I've always liked S. I keep saying I'm going to get a pw flyer set & put it on a small board one day.

[G3750]

I always liked the dimensions of S scale especially compared to Lionel post war and previous to the "scale" stuff available today.
The size of much of the modern scale trains requires larger curves than I have space for. BUT S scale was just not available in my area.
Dealers did not bring it to our local train show and most did not carry it at all. I still prefer to put my grubby little fingers on train stuff
that I am going to buy. The only used stuff in S available at the shows was AF in not always the best condition. So I went with what I
knew just as I did using O-27 style track because it was lower and IMHO looked nicer than O-31.

My NMRA division out here in the Pittsburgh area always had a very nice S scale modular layout that would be displayed at the annual Jamboree. S seems to be a perfect size, coupled with 2-rail track. I was very impressed and toyed with the idea (for about 10 minutes) of doing the Weirton Museum's layout in S. Unfortunately, the lack of steel-related buildings and accessories put a damper on it. MTH buying S-Helper was the coup-de-grace. I need the museum's trains to run, not sit there and look good.

George

[healey36]

I've always liked S. I keep saying I'm going to get a pw flyer set & put it on a small board one day.

Don't go there, lol...

[jlong]

I think Lionel made a good choice. The difference between Model Power HO and MTH HO is Model Power runs. Good thing Lionel declined on buying out MTH HO.