MTH enters S scale market

I`m interested to see if at sometime MTH will have an S-Gauge Premier Line & Railking Line.. Also I`m very interested in seeing Wireless Drawbars in S-Gauge and Steam Whistle & Swinging Bell Effects in all the Gauges including HO and S...

My question to MTH would be, are you going to expand beyond the product line you are buying, developing new models that S Helper was not producing?  I do hope though that MTH hits the F3's and F7's hard.  I also look forward to potentially having a wide selection of reefers to chose from again!  I would love more of the PFE reefers to pull behind my Challenger.

Ben

Ben, I think you can absolutely count on that. Including RTR structures at some point in the future.

If MTH can do this in HO, there is no reason not to expect the same in S:

Butch,

MTH is not Lionel. MTH has the standard horizontal drive in HO, so there's no reason to do away with it in S. MTH already has full-featured DCS in HO with DCC compatibility, so the size of the electronics is not an issue.

Lionel's method of "broadcasting" the TMCC signal limits how much they can presently minimize the electronics.  The receiver components are only made so small.

That's what delayed the U33C for so long, trying to squeeze all that stuff into a smaller, S Scale package.  Add in the DCC compatibility that Lionel is working on, and it gets even tighter.  They will have a hard time squeezing it into an even smaller locomotive.  Lionel has indicated that a smaller locomotive with all the electronics and China Drive may have to sacrifice one motor.

Rusty

I'm all for wireless drawbars and dependable smooth operation, be it AC, DC DCC, TMCC or mental telepathy.  Smoke, whistle steam and swinging bells are just extra cr** as far as I'm concerned.

Rusty

I occasionally use the smoke feature on locomotives (very occasionally unless I have visitors who might enjoy seeing it), but I can definitely do without such things as whistle steam, swinging bells, and the like.  Just more stuff to add to the cost and to break down at some point.

Thanks Rusty,

I've never seen an MTH HO product so didn't know this, but it's good news.  I agree MTH is not Lionel. I think it is safe to say "We can expect great things from MTH". 

Butch

I think MTH bought the SHS line specifically with the idea of expanding the S scale market. I'd be very surprised if they didn't add to the existing product lineup--once they have those items back on the market.

Jeff C

With tooling and development cost being rather high, I would guess MTH will take advantage of existing tooling and product lines with maybe minor changes. This will allow them to begin recouping some of their $$$$ while they simultaneously begin designs of new features and new items.

Steve

Once again I applaud MTH for making this totally logical business decision. By purchasing the S Helper line they are buying an established brand well know in the S scale market.   With their resources and marketing expertise they are in a perfect position to grow the S scale market over time.

The S scale market is relatively small and the folks who model in that scale have not had the abundance of product or accessories available to the HO and O scale markets.

This is a wonderful opportunity for MTH to expand their business to accomodate S scale modelers and make the company one step closer to being a one stop manufacturer for the entire model railroad hobby.

Steve Tapper    

I posted on MTH's Facebook announcement that they should consider introducing newly tooled locomotives and rolling stock once the existing tooling was up and running and they responded that "...MTH is thinking along the same lines as to the future of the MTH S Gauge Line."

I have some SHS' rolling stock and it's the equal of Atlas' O master line with the exception that the KD mounting holes actually line up on the SHS' cars!  I actually asked the late Jim Weaver if Atlas had considered S and he indicated they had zero interest there.  I hope that MTH leaves mostly well-enough alone on the existing tooling and gets some new cars and engines into the line.  Unlike O, where a lot of "standard" engines have already been done, S is still ripe for new tooling. 

Should be an interesting 12-24 months.

Brian

I'm pretty sure MTH didn't buy SHS just to continue to crank out what's already been done.  There's some things in the O Gauge Premier line that will make me weak in the knees if they show up in S.

Back in 2004, SHS announced plans for an E7, but it got shelved because the 2-8-0 sucked up all their resources plus some.  Wonder how far along the R&D was on the E7 and if MTH will pick up on the project.

I would also hope to see switches to match the S-Trax 25" and 29" radius curves.

Rusty

Rusty, I remember the E7.  There was supposed to be an Erie-prototype bay window caboose, too.  

I sometimes think a shelf layout based on the NY, Ontario & Western using the SHS/MTH F3, NW2 and maybe the 2-8-0 could make for a fun project.

Brian

Is it possible that Lionel and MTH are working together on the idea that the time has come for a S gauge resurgance?  Lionel recently released the largest number of new American Flyer trains since they took over the company in the 1950's and a new track system that looks a lot like the S service track.  Now, another large player is going to offer S products.  What better way to make potential S scale customers comfortable that it is a scale with a future?

Just a thought!

Happy railroading,

Don

It's probably more a case of "Anything you can do, I can do better!"

Lionel's S FasTrack was simply a good idea to be compatible to the established SHS S-Trax.  Well, with a few swipes with a razor saw anyway...

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/d...ent/4527055137442588

I'm pretty sure that in spite of the cooperation on Lionel Corporation Tinplate, Lionel and MTH both have they're little secrets from each other. 

At least they're not hurling lawyers at each other anymore.

Rusty

As I said in the post that was deleated. It was only a matter of time. The S-Gauge folks have been out in the cold for so long. Who knows, maybe MTH can help phase out the (funky looking pilots, IMO) that have ruined the S-Gauge choices for years. With the addition of DCS, the sky is the limit. Congratulations S-Gauge runners and collectors.

My thoughts exactly Don. I believe that both Lionel and MTH see a new opportunity to develop the S scale market. All's good with that as that market sorely needs a shot in the arm!

Steve Tapper

Ah, the other thread got the bomb.  Oh well.

Can't remember what I said in it anyway... so it must not have been very important!

ANYWAY...

For those O scalers here that the "MTH gets into S scale" news has knocked your hat in the creek, thought you might get a kick out of browsing an online magazine devoted to S scale.  Here's a link:

http://sscale.org/

Note one recent article is by an O scaler that has moved to S scale.  His thoughts are interesting.  Here's a direct link to said article:

http://sscale.org/679/volume-1-no-10-on2-to-s/

Johnnyspeed: 

Thanks for that video.  I didn't have a clue what MTH has done in the HO world. That MTH HO engine performs nicely.  However, the sudden stops are kind of unsettling.

Andre

That would be my 5 year old son operating it Andre. Also, that is straight out of the box. No momentum or anything has been set. Just demonstrating its 1 scale mph smoothness. It's a wonderful engine. 

Next they can bring back TT scale!