Considering the MTH Premier AC4400cw recently released. Anyone have this and what do you think?

Still looking for some feedback from anyone who may have purchased this.

I have a CSX version and love it. I believe the modern GE models from MTH are some of their best for detail. I have heard that some aren't perfectly correct. I do notice that each model is different enough to keep me happy.

I believe if you get it, you will be happy.

I really want to get a bunch of NS engines. I have too many engines to run them all. So something has to go to make room. I now have three outside in G scale. If MTH would have made this in G, I would have jumped on it!

I pre-ordered both NS AC4400s 4000/4001 from Steve Nelson aka Mr. Muffin's Trains who delivered them in Jan 2017.  Both are nice looking engines.  For me personally, both had quality issues right out of the box.  Bad PS-3 board in one engine, loose wire plugs in the other that were caught up in the rear truck, a missing wiper decoration leaving a visible hole in one cab, and a loose walkway behind one cab.  I fixed the minor stuff on one engine and the bad board engine is still at MTH for warranty repairs.  Steve wanted MTH to see and fix the out-of-the-box problems.  Unfortunately, MTH would not just swap the bad new engine for a good new one as I stood at their Service window.

The other functioning engine sounds good and I particularly like the extended horn play after holding down the remote's whistle button for a short bit.  The Doppler sounds are very good.  The engine does not have rear ditch lighting although wired for it (these were the loose wire plugs I had to tuck away).  The color and crisp lines are very nice.  The gray is a little lighter than I expected but pictures of the real thing vary so I'm still happy with the overall paint scheme.  Standard PS 3.0 functionality and sounds.  The PFA freight sounds are a little canned and don't sound like radio transmissions I've heard in other PS 3.0 engines, meaning they seem to lack the crackle and buzz of a radio transmit/receive.  No big deal though.

I hope MTH makes the 4002 and 4004 or 4003 and 4005 with the black manes with Tuscan and Blue trims.  Albeit with better quality assurance... 

Here's a picture for you.  Note the missing wiper light hole under the left-hand number board.

Credit: Norfolk Southern.

Credit: Tishia R. Boggs

Engineer-Joe posted:

I have a CSX version and love it. I believe the modern GE models from MTH are some of their best for detail. I have heard that some aren't perfectly correct. I do notice that each model is different enough to keep me happy.

I believe if you get it, you will be happy.

I really want to get a bunch of NS engines. I have too many engines to run them all. So something has to go to make Joe

room. I now have three outside in G scale. If MTH would have made this in G, I would have jumped on it!

Joe, thanks for the input. I really like NS engines as well.

RidgeRunner posted:

I pre-ordered both NS AC4400s 4000/4001 from Steve Nelson aka Mr. Muffin's Trains who delivered them in Jan 2017.  Both are nice looking engines.  For me personally, both had quality issues right out of the box.  Bad PS-3 board in one engine, loose wire plugs in the other that were caught up in the rear truck, a missing wiper decoration leaving a visible hole in one cab, and a loose walkway behind one cab.  I fixed the minor stuff on one engine and the bad board engine is still at MTH for warranty repairs.  Steve wanted MTH to see and fix the out-of-the-box problems.  Unfortunately, MTH would not just swap the bad new engine for a good new one as I stood at their Service window.

The other functioning engine sounds good and I particularly like the extended horn play after holding down the remote's whistle button for a short bit.  The Doppler sounds are very good.  The engine does not have rear ditch lighting although wired for it (these were the loose wire plugs I had to tuck away).  The color and crisp lines are very nice.  The gray is a little lighter than I expected but pictures of the real thing vary so I'm still happy with the overall paint scheme.  Standard PS 3.0 functionality and sounds.  The PFA freight sounds are a little canned and don't sound like radio transmissions I've heard in other PS 3.0 engines, meaning they seem to lack the crackle and buzz of a radio transmit/receive.  No big deal though.

I hope MTH makes the 4002 and 4004 or 4003 and 4005 with the black manes with Tuscan and Blue trims.  Albeit with better quality assurance... 

Here's a picture for you.  Note the missing wiper light hole under the left-hand number board.

Credit: Norfolk Southern.

 

Credit: Tishia R. Boggs

 

RidgeRunner

Sorry to hear you had issues but thanks for the feedback. Hopefully you get the other engine back from MTH soon.

What got me started on this was catching 4004 on a webcam last week. All three of the paint schemes NS did are nice but I have a slight preference for the one on 4004. Now I have to decide to get the one that's available or wait and hope MTH does 4004/4005

I haven't seen any in person yet but from the photos it looks like they made the tooling for the correct cab and electrical box. Had they mentioned that in the catalog (and had they not show that ugly black handrail) I would have told my dad to get a pair. These are AC44C6Ms, not AC4400s, and MTH failed to demonstrate that in the photo.

Well to help some, I've seen NS 4000 in person twice. And yes, I do own 4000 in MTH. The model is the correct paint and the detail on the engine is correct as well. They even put DC to AC   AC44C6M on the side under the cab. Only thing missing on the MTH version is the small NS patch under the cab window. I guess the only factor I had was the horn. MTH uses a K5LLA horn audio as the real 4000 has a P5, which is fouled now. Anyway, the 2 photos I took below.

Tom

Nice pictures, thanks.

Well I'm glad to see new tooling on the cab. MTH got this one right. I hope the trend continues. I was very disappointed with their CN ES44AC

I did see the 4000 on a run through train on the UP here in Houston.  To me, the all black look is the best for NS.  (Except heritage units.)

i had #4001 for about a year.....picked up # 4000 a few weeks ago. both run super smooth, and are 2 of the best looking loco's i have...