Hope they do right by the Showcase line which they just aquired, a staple among us in S scale for many years, also would be nice to see some new products introduced in the area of locomotives and rolling stock, time will tell.
Dave
And before someone jumps on this thread for being in the “wrong” forum, Showcase is very much into S-Scale model railroading. They are not “toy trains”. I’m just happy to hear about this development because it will mean continued availability of their excellent “S-Trax” track products.
Woo hoo, I’m going to sell all my HO stuff and switch to S!!!
Er, maybe not. I’m sure this is good news to a scale that is kind of a curiosity to most of us.
Hopefully, they will finally come out with the #5 turnout for STRAX. I assume that like the #3 the diverging leg will be a curve that matches either their 25 or 30 inch curve, but still it would enable operation of scale.
It would also be nice if they are able to get S scale back in the hobby shops that have been dropping it over the last couple of years.
Unfortunately, we’ll probably see a price increase.
Enjoy
Paul
Good plan! I jumped from “N” to “S”.
What control system do most S-Scalers use? Is it mostly DC, or has DCC moved in to that market in a significant way?
I always enjoy the S-Scale modular layout at the shows around here in New England. But, I never see it in the train shops, so I assume it’s a pretty small market.
I use DCC. Showcase Line has offered that (and sound if desired) as an option for several years now and older locomotives in the line are plug in for DCC.
Typically, scale versions of locomotives are DC and HiRail are AC or DC.
The scale side (RP25 wheels and Kadee couplers) is small, but there is a pretty good sized HiRail crowd. Of the 3 largest manufacturers, Showcase Line and American models have scale and HiRail versions of their locomotives and rolling stock (Showcase Line includes wheel sets for both with each model except for steam locomotives). Lionel has recently offered a scale wheel version for one of their diesels, but otherwise is HiRail.
There is also quite a lot in Sn3 and some Sn2.
Enjoy
Paul
How many law suites were involved? I wouldn’t buy anything that MTH produces, regardless of scale, quality, etc. until they change their business practices.
If the ill will they caused in HO is any indicator you may rue the day they do.
MTH seems to have “matured” and now seems to understand the HO market a bit better. They are making a number of unique locomotives in HO now. They have modified their incompatible DCS decoders so that they now function, mostly, on DCC layouts. I think they actually sell one or two engines without any decoders, so you would be free to run them on DC or add the decoder of your choice.
I still question their odd practice of not selling DCS decoders separately, which greatly limits the attraction of that control system, but I’m sure some MBA told them to do that, so what does a lowly model railroader like myself know?
MTH really has changed their tune, though, and I no longer hold their previous litigious nature against them. I now look at their products like everyone else’s.