Interest in the New MTH HO Subway Sets?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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I’m primarilly an O scale guy that makes bridges and some structures, some of which are used also for HO. While attending the recent TCA York meet I was made aware that MTH will be adding HO Subway sets to their fall catalog. Wondering what the markert might be for this new MTH product line?

tks.

jim r

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Definately an “Underground” Market![:-^]

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Personally, with 2 full 4-car sets from Walthers, I’ve got enough subway cars.

Every year or two Walthers does another run of these, with different road numbers and sometimes different colors. They sell out at Walthers pretty quickly, but remain available online. I would say supply is in balance with demand.

I suppose it depends on how MTH decides to play it. The last Walthers set had an MSRP of $249 for 4 cars, standard DC. It was for the NYC system, like all the others. If MTH were to provide cars for other systems, like CTA, for example, they would probably find a market. If they decided to model New York and want $750 for a DCS-equipped train they will probably not attract as many fans.

There are a lot of us here overall. Three of us have actually modeled running subway systems. A few others have confessed that they have bought subway trains but never got around to modeling tunnels and stations. As interesting as subways are, as model railroad subjects they have limited appeal.

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I already have mine:

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[oops] Elevated Line in Boston 1928:

Frank

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I’d like to see something other than “SMEE” cars.

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LION is waiting for more subway trains (if him can afford them) Now has eight 6 car trains. Can use four more train sets (24 more cars).

The Walthers Life-Like were originall commissioned by Trainworld, (as Life-Like) which was absorbed into Walthers. Maybe Walthers does not want to repeat these runs. I am certain that some one, probably Trainworld commissioned the run. They always sell out of these things very quickly.

LION will look forward to want may be offered.

ROAR

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Hey! LION,

How about this subway set that Lionel is offering:
[![Next Stop: Wayne Industries! DC Comics BATMAN M7 LionChief Subway Set
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I personally would like to see some IND cars, the same ole IRT’s while in different colors and doors is just maximizing the molds. Having commuted on that particular division for much of earlier life, I may be a bit biased although I do have several sets of the Proto/Walthers cars simply because they are subway cars.

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I think that either way, re-run or a new style that MTH will get buisness. As a Metro North modeler I’ve noticed that commuter and subway modelling in becoming a bigger part of the hobby and even so few companies make stuff for it. I plan on putting 3-4000$ into the sets and renumbering extras. I just wish someone other than Overland would make a New Haven P32Ac-Dm…

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cmon, if you have to think subway, why new york all the time? go here http://islandmodelworks.com/HO.html now come get yer stuph

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Been a New York City subway fan all my life and was thrilled when the P1K units were produced. However, the one feature on the P1K version that has always bugged me was the oversized trucks which resulted in the cars sitting far too high.

Pleasant surprise to see that the MTH version doesn’t have this problem:

Proto 1000:

MTH:

The MTH units are attractive but the only thing holding me back from purchasing units is the price tag. Otherwise, I’d go for at least 5 units.

I realize that at the time, for the P1K version there was not much of a choice due to the mechanism that was available for those cars.

I’m wondering if now that Kato is producing locomotives with powerful, smooth running truck motors if perhaps a powered 2-axle truck will eventually become available that would enable modelers to “retrofit” the P1K subway cars.

On another note, I think part of the reason that as far as New York City subway trains the emphasis has been on the IRT trains has been due to the popularity of the “Train of Many Colors”. The TOMC (or “Tomcat”) has been the subject of many YouTube videos. There are literally LOADS of them. Here’s one of many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtKiQucnHoQ

Although, a number of classic IND and BMT cars have been preserved as well…they just don’t receive the publicity and fanfare that the Tomcat gets. Many people outside of NY are not even aware of the “Train of Many Metals” (&quo

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If people actually model what’s around them then I suppose that I should be modeling the Staten Island Railway since the line runs two blocks from my house. I think that this by itself would be boring quickly, so the new Staten Island West, coming in 2016 will have fictional freight as well. Can I still get R46 subway car’s from Island Model Works?

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The line along Staten Island’s west side does have freight, lots of it, although it’s almost all containerized (MSW from the Sanitation transload south of Victory blvd, and general container freight from Howland Hook aka New York Container Terminal).