ToyTrains1's Blog

In early 2005, MTH brought out a Premier line model of the Reading T-1 Northern (4-8-4) steam locomotive.  These locomotives are very recognizable as they were the stars of the "Reading Rambles" that were run with them well after the railroad switched over to diesel power.  The model is an excellent representation of the prototype — it looks great, it sounds great, and it runs very well as you can see in this True HD 1080p video.  I have it pulling my "pipeline on rails," a string of 40 tank cars.  Unlike the previous Challenger video, here I've used only the longer tank cars and have gone through my collection to use all of the ones that carry railroad names.  See how many you can find!

Here's a train that I don't think I've ever shown in a video — I call this my "pipeline on rails".  Before I collected AtlasO reefers, I collected MTH Premier tank cars.  Here are fifty of them (I have lots more that just won't fit on the track), being hauled by the MTH Premier UP Challenger (4-6-6-4) articulated steam locomotive that came out in 2002.  Although these fifty cars are a heavy load, they are (pardon the pun) no challenge to the Challenger.   It's a great model that looks good, sounds good, and runs very well.  That's the auxiliary tender behind the main tender.

In 2004, MTH released another in their series of die-cast models of Pennsylvania RR electric locomotives.  This was the L5, a prehistoric-appearing steeplecab locomotive that was the last of their experimental jackshaft electrics.  The jackshafts were a breed of locomotive that conbined electric motors with steam locomotive side rods to move the drivers.  The prototype was first built in 1924, and was intended for both passenger and freight operations.  In this True HD 1080p video, I've coupled the L5 to a short Pennsy freight train.  In the final segment, you can see it uncouple from its train and head back to its track in the locomotive ready yard, all under DCS remote control.

This is the MTH Premier Santa Fe Texas-type (2-10-4) steam locomotive that came out in 2001.  In real life, this locomotive was a heavy freight hauler, so I thought it appropriate to give it a heavy load in this True HD 1080p video.  It's pulling a total of FORTY AtlasO reefers which is quite a load, but it does so without protest.  The sound is good, the operation is good, and it's a good model of the real thing.

The engineers on my railroad have been complaining that the number one curve, where I happen to shoot most of my videos, is pretty rough on their locomotives.  Taking no chances, I issued orders for the DC-3 track inspection car to examine the track on that curve.  The film crew happened to be on site and caught the action.  This MTH Premier O-gauge model of the UP DC-3 car came out in 2001 and, in terms of detail, sound, and operation, has held up very well indeed, as you will see in this short True HD 1080p video.  One of the more unusual cars in my collection, it's a fun car to operate and I hope you enjoy the video!

MTH brought out their Premier line model of the Northern Pacific Yellowstone (2-8-8-4) articulated steam locomotive in December of 2003.  It was very much a reissue of the previous PS1 model of the DM&IR Yellowstone in a new paint scheme, but with the PS2 sound and control package in it, that was pretty easily overlooked.  As you can see in this True HD 1080p video, it looks great, sounds great, and runs great too.  It's hauling 28 of the 36' woodsided reefers from AtlasO which is quite a load yet this locomotive has no problem with that at all.  I even got a matching NP caboose for this video!

About ten years ago or so, MTH released their Premier line model of a Climax steam locomotive.  The prototype was a small geared steamer that was used primarily on logging railroads.  As with the Shay, the Climax had the pistons turning a drive shaft that was geared directly to the small drivers, giving this locomotive the ability to climb very steep grades, albeit quite slowly.  Unlike the Shay, the Climax has the pistons on the diagonal rather than vertically and the geared driveshaft is underneath the locomotive, between the drivers, rather than on the outside.  As you'll see in this video, the model, though tiny, is extremely well detailed, looks great, sounds fantastic, and runs very well.  In the final segment of the video, there's a close-up of the drivetrain, which you can compare to that of the Shay.

As long as I had the Pennsy freight train on the tracks, I decided to shoot the last of my big PRR freight hauling steamers. This is a True HD 1080p video of the MTH Premier PRR Mountain (4-8-2) steam locomotive hauling that train. The model came out in 2003 and has held up quite well over the years of heavy use. As you can see in the video, it looks and sounds great and runs very well. The prototype locomotive was one of Pennsy's main freight haulers, with more than 300 Mountains having been built and used in heavy freight service.

On a visit to Trains & Things in Trenton, NJ where Mike Wolf of MTH Electric Trains was visiting, they had on display the 2007 MTH reproduction of the Ives Olympian set, which was one of the last made by Ives in the years leading up to the Great Depression (1929-1930).  It seldom happens, but for me it was love at first sight and I walked out of the store with the set even though it's Standard Gauge.  For those unfamiliar with it, Standard Gauge trains run on track that is much wider than O-gauge track and, being much more from the toy train genre, there is no real scale, so Standard Gauge trains come in a variety of sizes, from small to very large.  My Standard Gauge Christmas trains are from the small school.  This new set is from the very large school.  The locomotive (based on a Milwaukee Road bipolar) and four cars stretch out over six feet in length!  While faithful to the original set in appearance, this reproduction incorporates all of the latest electronics and is fully controllable with the DCS remote control system. As you can see in this True HD 1080p video, it a super appearing, super sounding set.  HTML clipboard .style1 { margin-left: 80px; }  If the background looks unfamiliar, my Standard Gauge trains run on my auxiliary layout, which is on the carpeted floor of my library.

Just about nine years ago, I got the MTH Premier model of the Pennsylvania Railroad Q2, a duplex-drive 4-4-6-4 freight hauling behemoth of a steam locomotive.  It was one of the first locomotives equipped with Protosound 2 (PS2).  I've had it running on and off all the years since and it still runs great.  In this True HD 1080p video, you can see it hauling my PRR freight train.  Since the feedback I've received about this train has been quite positive, I visited the train store recently and bought quite a few more cars to add to it.  In the slow speed run-by you can get a good look at the now two dozen car train.  Following the higher speed run-by, you can watch as the Q2 uncouples from the train and returns to its track in my locomotive ready yard.