MTH Warehouse Auction

[Norton]

I have posted several evilbait listings from a seller in the same town as the former World Headquarters of MTH that are engineering prototypes, no boards, wire, motors, smoke units, gearboxes or paint. How much more of that dis Mikey have in that building?
I mean, I wouldn't pay the roughly $600 (each) asking for any of that pile. And now we are seeing "the stuff up for auction, I assume these are prototypes/test shots. ". Same thing. Useless.

Let's guess for a minute that possibly they are 3D printed to prove design concept. What actual use is that?

The poster is the MTH employee who has taken over parts. These are not 3D prints but the actual castings used on a production models. Not all of what he selling is totally gutted though some defintely are. Assume they are. A friend bought about eight of them for an average price of 200 bucks. Most all had smoke units and gearloxes. A couple even had motors. None had electronics. Paint, motor, driveshaft and electronics and you can have an engine for 450 bucks vs 1600 new. Thats what I have in a UP FEF.
Everything is negotiable.

Pete

[ScaleCraft]

EVERY one I posted, from "Ryan", specifically said no motors, gears, smoke units or electronics except I think one hat had a smoke unit.
All unpainted.

So, at "his" asking of about $600 BIN, plus shipping, YOU get to find appropriate motors and gars, pull drivers off axles, install, smoke units, control system, get it running, then a prototypical paint job. Even at minimum wage, it adds up fast.

You spent $200, means he probably did, too, put a $400 markup, and sits on them.

Read up here:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/ryan1961/m.html

At the time of my original posting (29JUL), 13 MTH items, 12 are engineering samples, non-operating, no motors (gears?) smoke, boards, sometimes no coal. And no paint other than possibly gray primer. Can't imagine buying these to just display....or trying to get them to run.

[Norton]

I read the ads too. I am saying the description isn't always accurate. Even though it says they are gutted, not all are.
I could have bought the Big Boy for $450 before he reposted it at over a grand. He has been dropping the price since.I passed at 450 because I knew this one had no gearbox. Motors, mounts, driveshafts and worms I have but the only normal way to get a gearbox is with a complete frame with wheels. NWSL is gone and Lionel has few if any separate gearboxes. They want to sell you the whole chassis too. Point is most all the other engines do have gearboxes. His current prices are nuts, I am not arguing that. Just that at one time deals could be had. There are a few us who take these hulks and rebuild them. Look at a few other forums and you can see their work.

Pete

[Neil]

He's making hay while the sun shines and MTH is at its maximum number of fans. It's downhill from here is my prediction. Unless Mike Wolf comes up with a cure for a major disease in retirement, 30 years from now, the interest will not be what the interest was in 1990 for Lionel postwar. Just simple numbers and the fact that MTH wasn't a childhood dream of generation X and millenials.

Here's the employee Christmas car(s) at $325. (Ooops, it's actually 16 such cars)I might accept them for free, but that's about it .

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MTH-Employee-C ... Sww~hd7unt

[Norton]

I am not sure he making much hay at the prices he is asking. I hope this isn't how business will be transacted once MTH closes its doors and he becomes free to ask whatever he wants for the remaining parts.
As long and Lionel and Precision Scale are around there will be ways to keep these trains running, just not drop in replacements.

Pete

[Neil]

I should have said "he's trying to make hay." I agree that there won't be many takers at these prices for pieces that are curiosities or only of interest to ardent MTH fans and those like yourself who can turn them into operating models through your skills and knowledge. I think the future is looking grimmer and grimmer yet for parts, DCS, etc. despite Mike Wolf's reassurances. Where are these parts and manufactured devices (for DCS and PS3 boards) going to be made and in what volume, for what price? No one knows, but a healthy degree of skepticism is warranted, as I've been ranting on about for weeks .

[G3750]

I would expect the basic 2 rail pure DC ones (those with all the extraneous rubbish extracted...) might be long lived.

For the most part the mechanics of the MTH locomotives was sound. Decent motors and a well made drive train (for the most part). The weakness has always been the electronics unless you bought old school DCRU equipment. They even had issues with wiring harnesses let alone electronics/boards.

"The more they overthink the plumbing the easier it is to stop up the drain."

Re the stuff up for auction, I assume these are prototypes/test shots. Stuff that primarily only has/had meaning for Mr. Wolf. I guess if you think/see it as a "piece of history", more power to you.

So if I could acquire an MTH PRR Decapod (PS2), gut it, and install TMCC it might run well and be a good looker?

Hmm.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

So if I could acquire an MTH PRR Decapod (PS2), gut it, and install TMCC it might run well and be a good looker?

If they look good now, possibly so; the looks are not going to improve with age,

[chuck]

So if I could acquire an MTH PRR Decapod (PS2), gut it, and install TMCC it might run well and be a good looker?

If the loco has a motor, yes. If it doesn't you may have issue finding a replacement with the appropriate gears. If all that is missing are the electronic boards then yes, you can easily convert to TMCC with 3rd Rail (formerly ERR) command and/or sound boards.

[ScaleCraft]

You can gut any of them, TMCC, DCRU, anything, and you miss out on all the fun parts of "loco not found" or whatever error message it was.

[Norton]

I would expect the basic 2 rail pure DC ones (those with all the extraneous rubbish extracted...) might be long lived.

For the most part the mechanics of the MTH locomotives was sound. Decent motors and a well made drive train (for the most part). The weakness has always been the electronics unless you bought old school DCRU equipment. They even had issues with wiring harnesses let alone electronics/boards.

"The more they overthink the plumbing the easier it is to stop up the drain."

Re the stuff up for auction, I assume these are prototypes/test shots. Stuff that primarily only has/had meaning for Mr. Wolf. I guess if you think/see it as a "piece of history", more power to you.

So if I could acquire an MTH PRR Decapod (PS2), gut it, and install TMCC it might run well and be a good looker?

Hmm.

George

A friend just did a Decapod. This like most Premier MTH engines come with a big Pittman motor. Not sure he has put the electronics in yet, just a bridge rectifier to see how it runs but like me uses both PS3 or ERR to run them depending on fit and whats available. Keep in mind when converting an MTH engine to TMCC and you want all the features of a modern engine like synchronized puffing smoke you will spend a fair amount of time or money triggering that function. MTH counts pulses from the flywheel. There is no cam operating a switch. ERR offers a magnet and reed switch to put on a tender wheel. More sophisticated or accurate solutions up the cost.

Pete

[robert.]

One thing i can tell you about today's auctioneers. "With the Covidvirus around. They have become increasingly difficult to deal with". Previewing items is almost out of the question. Every sale may say "preview date" You'll need to schedule a time. You may only be allowed 10 minutes in a building. An auctioneer may know you as a good client. This will buy you a little more time. If you driver's license shows you came from a quarantine state. Good luck getting in. Not going to happen.
Picking up your items after the sale. This has become a nightmare (for me) You need to go online and schedule a time. You have 15 minute windows to choose from. You get your items and go. Most of the times i have several locations to pickup from. It's become impossible to schedule the same day with 4 auction houses in an area.(dates and times are picked already) Will Cabin Fever use a U.P.S. pack and ship? Most likely they will. There goes your savings.
The real bargains will be the last auction. When the sell of warehouse equipment.

[jlong]

With the closing of MTH and warehouse sell off, I worry most about the TCA and York. I was going through some MTH newsetters and they read that the MTH booth was the focal point of York. After the lockdown is over where will York be without the MTH booth? Also according to the newsletters, MTH saved and revolutionized the hobby. So why didn't Mike donate his warehouse collection to the TCA museum? How can the museum function without displaying the history saved the hobby? Seems greedy to me. Like he never cared about the TCA in the first place.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I was going through some MTH newsetters and they read that the MTH booth was the focal point of York.

Consider the source.

[rogruth]

In 2010 on my only York trip, I was helping a friend with his display in the Orange Hall and was able to see what was in it several times.
I did not see any significantly larger amount of activity at the MTH display than other displays. I must admit that I was not an MTH insider
or camped out at that display.
Remember that I was only there once and did not know anybody. I talked to nearly every exhibitor in that hall and found that most were very
friendly and helpful. Maybe they could tell by looking at me that I was not a big spender and I found several that had no interest in talking
to me.