Hi Nicks Trains,
I have several clients who have taken a shine to the MTH European models. One is a gentleman who grew up in Switzerland and remembers being with his father guarding the Gotthard Pass during WWII and watching the Crocodile electrics climbing through the spiral tunnels. Another has traveled in Europe and seen some the engines MTH has modeled in museums and in excursion service. Others have purchased some of the engines, particularly the French steamers, simply because of the amazing level of detail.
The MTH models, some of which are 1:43.5 and others 1:45, are scaled to match the taste of 0 scale modelers in their respective countries. In the UK and France 1:43.5 is the preferred scale where as in Germany and several other countries 1:45 is considered the "correct" scale. Most European prototypes are/were smaller than their American contemporaries. For instance, the LMS Princess Coronation 4-6-2 engine was just under 74 feet long with tender, where as the PRR K-4 Pacific was 84 feet long. In 1:43.5 scale that makes the Princess Coronation 20.4in long vs. a 1:48 K-4 at 21in. The 1:43.5 Princess Coronation "looks" like its about the same size when in real life it was much smaller than a K-4.
