Wow, this set came a day early. I am truly impressed!!
this is my first experience with an MTH starter set and I have to say it’s worth every penny. made well and what a bang for the buck. Even in conventional mode I was impressed by the quality of the engine and the bantam size looks great on my tubular 031 track and layout. Cruise works great and I’ve never seen this kind of smoke before period. Had to turn it down a bit too.
Previously I’ve bought two Pennsy Flyer set for my son and nephew but clearly these MtH starter sets are aimed at different target They are very well made and awesome to run.
MTH has always used its starter sets as a calling card. A decade ago, they proved a quality ready-to-run set will grow interest in the hobby. If anything, LIONEL has taken a page out of Mike’s book with its starter sets the past 5 years.
Mike,
The cruise and smoke units in starter sets is one thing that Lionel needs to seriously consider. The old pump-n-puff smoke units that Lionel uses in their starter sets is no comparison to MTH’s. And the lack of cruise control hurts them as well. I never liked using my older, non-cruise, sets with the graduated trestle sets because during the down grade they would inevitably derail.
I have a few Lionel Legacy equiped engines and they smoke like nothing on the market, including MTH. It would be nice to see Lionel start to sell some starter sets with Legacy Components in them.
No arguement that MTH makes some high quality starter sets. BUT that is not their end of the market. They tried and it didn’t work. IF it had, don’t you think the MTH Rugged Rails and starter set line up would be bigger and have more emphasis in their catalogs?
Lionel is the name that means 3-rail trains. Lionel didn’t take a page out of MTH’s book… they took a page out of their own and much longer history. As far as more features hurting Lionel starter sets, I think not. They are made in the ten’s of thousands (and much more in the case of Polar Express) and seem to sell well without the additional features that established modelers somehow believe they need to have.
Matter of fact, I like buying starter sets because it’s one area I can get products without all the extra electronic bells and whistles than I can’t afford and have no interest in.
I’ve been to plenty of family oriented train shows. NO woman or mother is going to be too keen on having the first train set pumping out the amount of smoke an MTH loco does in the living room under the tree, or in the young child’s bedroom. Chances are she’ll be alarmed and concerned and it could put an end to the train hobby in that family.
The “puffer” smoke units are perfectly suited to a beginners first family train set. Then, as with any other hobby, as interest grows (particularily with dad) and maybe a permanent basement layout is considered, then naturally they become more aware of the other types of train products and features out there.
As unquestionably proven in years past, it is low cost that is a enticement to getting folks started in any hobby including trains. MARX trains certainly didn’t have the features of Lionel, but they didn’t have the same price tag, and they sold well. Take a gander at some old catalogs from Sears, Penny’s etc. and you’ll see many Lionel sets that were aimed at beginners with compromised feat
I also agree MTH makes great starter sets, although their cost factor keeps them off the radar screen of many potential new hobbiests. Lionel sets tend to cost about 20-50% less and are much higher quality than in some past eras. They’re an excellent entry level purchase, and entirely suitable for the around the tree layouts most people never get beyond. The MTH sets make more sense for the wealthier and those sure they want to get more extensively involved in the hobby, both small minority groups amongst consumers. MTH has, understandably ceded the entry level train set to the much more well known Lionel brand name at this point, as best I can tell.
I’d like to make the case that the last thing any child needs is more vaporized mineral oil in their lungs, and that, if anything, MTH locos put out what may well be dangerous levels of smoke for use in poorly ventilated, closed spaces. There is no proof one way or the other that this material is toxic for infrequent, short exposures, but there is no way it can be totally risk free for children and those with heart or lung problems. I make these comments as a physician with some research and clinical knowledge of both cardiac and pulmonary diseases, despite being a hematologist by trade. My advice, purely seat of the pants common sense reasoning, is that you don’t want a starter set to produce any significant amounts of vaporized mineral oil (smoke). It looks cool, but I wouldn’t expose any child to this on a regular basis and/or prolonged time.