Trying to recall when and what was MTH's first modern O Gauge entry? I am thinking one of which was a Conrail GE in 1994? But not sure and its hard to locate in the online info.
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Likely a pair of GE Dash 8s in Santa Fe and possibly Conrail?
AFAIK, wide nose GE dash 8, circa 1993. I know that because I really wanted one. When I graduated high school in 1994 I received Mike’s next offering, a traditional cab GE dash 7.
Ithink the first MTH modern scale engine I bought was a NYC 4-6-2 in 1989.
The NYC 4-6-2 came out in 1993-1994. If you bought one in '89 it must have been Williams brass.
Another recent thread discussing MTH's contribution to the hobby implied that the Weaver Alco C630s made in '92 were pretty much MTH products in every regard except the label on the box.
When the relationship between Mike Wolf and Richard Kughn went south and the orders to Samhongsa fell off, Mike had to do something or lose the exclusive rights he had with the Korean factory. So, He began production of his own in 1994. He debuted the Dash 8 premier diesels in several different road names at York in October, 1994. When Mr. Kughn saw the new diesels and inquired who made them , Mike said that he was producing them under his own brand MTH. Kughn went ballistic and the following week he sent Mike a letter or telegram stating that he was no longer a Lionel distributor or dealer. A lawsuit promptly followed for restraint of trade. Mike invested the lawsuit proceeds into an explosion of new tooling that almost put Lionel into the dumpster.
Here is the brochure in question.
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those G.E. Dash -8's were the game -changer of O-gauge 3-rail for sure.....
Although that brochure doesn't seem to mention it, MTH also made them in 2 rail. I bought one.
SZ
Mine was a railking erie berkshire some time in 1994.
"Another recent thread discussing MTH's contribution to the hobby implied that the Weaver Alco C630s made in '92 were pretty much MTH products in every regard except the label on the box."
Interesting. Maybe they came off the same assembly lines at Samhongsa I bought one of those over the counter in a small hobby shop in Columbia MD. The young man behind the counter was named Mike Wolf. I have since updated that loco to PS2, and it is one of the smoothest running, best-running, engines that I own.
Whatever happened to Samhongsa? Their products are much better than those made slightly to the west of Korea.
I believe you will find that Samhongsa is still making the high end products for MTH. They are not made in China. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I purchased the Santa Fe and the UP from that brochure. I did not think you could get much better than those engines. Was I wrong. The next brochure that came in the mail featured the die cast Challenger. That engine re-wrote the future of three rail model railroading.
Does anyone know what made Samhongsa collapse? And did Korea Brass become MKT who still makes Lionel's premium imported locos?
Bill DeBrooke posted:I believe you will find that Samhongsa is still making the high end products for MTH. They are not made in China. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I purchased the Santa Fe and the UP from that brochure. I did not think you could get much better than those engines. Was I wrong. The next brochure that came in the mail featured the die cast Challenger. That engine re-wrote the future of three rail model railroading.
Only MTH's Premier steam locomotives are still made in South Korea. Premier diesels are made in China.
Lou1985 posted:Bill DeBrooke posted:I believe you will find that Samhongsa is still making the high end products for MTH. They are not made in China. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I purchased the Santa Fe and the UP from that brochure. I did not think you could get much better than those engines. Was I wrong. The next brochure that came in the mail featured the die cast Challenger. That engine re-wrote the future of three rail model railroading.
Only MTH's Premier steam locomotives are still made in South Korea. Premier diesels are made in China.
Sorry, I meant to say steam.
Bill DeBrooke posted:Here is the brochure in question.
Was the Amtrak ever made in that paint scheme? Was the real ones ever painted like that? Always thought it was cool looking. Would love to see it made again.
Bill
NSBill posted:Bill DeBrooke posted:Here is the brochure in question.
Was the Amtrak ever made in that paint scheme? Was the real ones ever painted like that? Always thought it was cool looking. Would love to see it made again.
Bill
It's referred to as the Amtrak Pepsi Can scheme, although the top should be gray. It was used only on the dash-8's. Don't know it if it was changed for the production first run, but was correct in later versions.
Rusty
Samhongsa did not collapse or go out of business. The company decided that it no longer wanted to manufacture trains. I'm sure you are familiar with the device in office chairs that let you swivel and raise the chair up and down. Samhongsa makes those and many other products. When Mr. Lee senior passed away, the company leadership decided that it was no longer interested in making electric trains. MTH premier steam engines may still be made in South Korea but not by Samhongsa. I believe the name means "Rising Sun." Weaver steam engines were also made by Samhongsa through the relationship with Mike Wolf.
Here is the internet site for the current Samhongsa company.
The gas cylinder manufacturer is not the same Samhongsa that produced brass trains for Hallmark Models (not the card company), Pacific Fast Mail and others, plus diecast metal and injection molded trains for MTH, Weaver and others.
The office supply company has been around since 1970.
SAMHONGSA CO.,LTD
https://www.linkedin.com/company/samhongsa-co-ltd
The model train company was succeeded by another.
http://www.sammodel.com
Weaver produced the Alco C628 and C630 and the EMD SD40-2 before that tooling ended up in the hands of MTH. I’m not sure about the nature of that transaction. Regardless, MTH continued modified versions of those locomotives later, long after Samhongsa itself was no longer involved.
