MTH one guage catalogs 2013-2019

 In this blog, I'm gonna go over the MTH one gauge catalogs from 2013-2019. 

As I mentioned in the last blog about MTH's one gauge, the line was discontinued due to MTH downsizing the company, leading to them only making O-scale trains once more. 

So, how exactly did the rest of MTH's one gauge lineup play out? Did it go out with a bang, or a whimper? 

In terms of the 2013 catalog, things started off pretty good. MTH was still offering the massive Triplex steam engine, EMD F7's, Dash 8 diesels, and VO-1000's. 

They also were offering reefer cars, with the most notable being Tropicana, BNSF's (which I personally like), and Santa Fe. 

While it wasn't the Norfolk Western, we did get streamline cars for Norfolk Southern that would go along with the EMD F7 Norfolk Southern that was featured in the catalog. 

On a side note why has no major Manufacture made a G scale Norfolk and Western J-Class? Yes I'm sure a G scale model of said steam engine would cost a pretty penny, but it would be nice to see the engine make it's debut in G scale, especially when it looks good in just about every other scale. 

The 2015 One gauge catalog didn't exactly offer anything too new to the line up. The Big Boy did make it's return, but that was about it. This and the fact that MTH didn't release a catalog for the 2014 year seemed to be an indication that the line was winding down a bit. 

The 2017 catalog proved that MTH still had some stuff left in the tank. 

For one thing, MTH was offering more paint schemes for the Southern Pacific's 4-8-4 GS-4, with BNSF being added alongside Southern Pacific black, Western Pacific, and the good old Freedom Train. 

Speaking of patriotic paint schemes, MTH was offering Dash 8 Diesels of the Norfolk Southern First responders and Veterans paint schemes. 

As someone who's a fan of these paint schemes, it was nice to see them be offered in G scale. LGB would also offer the Norfolk Southern first responder train in G scale, alongside a tank car that actually shot water and a box car. 

MTH did offer box cars, tank cars, and a caboose to go with the Norfolk Southern patriotic schemes. 

For what it was worth, the final one gauge catalog ended on a fairly high note. 

The UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger was brought back alongside some new paint schemes. 

Probably one of the coolest things MTH released was the Southern Pacific Christmas train. The Daylight is already a beautiful engine, but to see it decorated in Christmas lights is truly a sight to behold. MTH also did this with their O scale line, but unlike their O scale line they didn't release a passenger car set for one gauge. 

A shame as I would love to see MTH do this and the Canadian Pacific Christmas train in one gauge. 

Anther notable train MTH made was the George Bush funeral train. 

The spirit of Union Pacific box EMD diesel and box cars were also made available to add to the patriotic schemes. 

And finally, the Christmas flatcars that light up which I really wish someone would do or remake even though it is easier to get lights and decorations on a G scale train...

And with that, MTH's one gauge line had come to an end. 

Final Thoughts: 

Like I said in the last blog, I really do wish MTH's line lasted a bit longer, or we got more engines out of it. Still, I suppose all hope isn't lost. LGB, Piko, USA Trains, and Bachmann all make G scale trains, and while I know Bachmann's G scale isn't up to par (and their G scale track allegedly can't be used outside), the G scale Diesels Bachmann has been releasing seem promising. 

As for the other 3, both LGB and Piko make a decent amount of USA trains alongside European ones, and USA trains are basically what MTH's one gauge line was, high price and all...

Don't worry, I'm sure the wife will understand why you took out a loan for a steam engine just fine...

Well, to be fair, you are getting your money's worth with USA trains, as they do put in a lot of detail and heart into their engines and passenger cars. If they haven't gotten their hands on MTH's one gauge tooling I'd hate to know what they would have done with it. 

Pros and Cons to having a garden Railroad

Photo curtesy of  wiki commons

Summers here, and you know what that means. Cook outs, trips to the beach, and being able to run trains in the backyard. 

Continuing with the theme of garden railroads and G scale trains, in this blog I wanna go over the pros and cons to having a garden railroad. Is it really worth setting the train up outside, or are they better left inside in the basement. 

Pro: More room on the outside 

photo curtesy of wiki commons

Not everyone has that basement, attic, or spare bedroom(s) that are begging for someone to place some pieces of plywood with miniature houses and train tracks on top. Some homes just have more room outback or out front. 

Even if your backyard isn't huge, not all garden railroads have to be massive. Just find yourself a nice piece of land in the backyard to put some soil, a simple loop of track, and some flowers down, and you've got yourself a nice little garden railroad that you can show off to family and friends. 

Con: G scale can be expensive. 

Yes I know this is a "no duh" entry, but it's hard not to leave out pricing when it comes to model railroading. G scale can be pretty expensive and for good reason, as you're getting not only trains that are bigger, but that can also stand the weather and have a lot of detail to them. 

G scale trains can cost up to $600-$1000 easy. 

That being said, if your someone who just wants a small garden railroad with a train carrying 3 or 4 cars around a loop, there are G scale train sets, the bar isn't that high. 

One of the most well known G-scale manufactures LGB has train sets that are available for a little over $400 or cheaper if you know where to look, and there's always a chance you'll find a heavily discounted G scale train set at your local train shop. 

But for those who wanna go all in and get the bigger trains that require wider curves, get your checkbook ready: cause this is gonna sting. 

Pro: The bigger, the better 

As much as I love HO and N scale as much as the next guy, it's drawbacks can be it being too small to see the finer details for those with poor eyesight. 

With G scale, the trains are big enough to see all those details and then some, not to mention some trains come with extra details that can't be (or are hard to) put in smaller gauge trains. 

Con: The weather won't always be friendly to your layout

On one hand, you don't have to worry about spending hours dusting every nook and cranny of your garden railroad. On the other hand, mother nature won't always be so kind to your garden railroad. Depending on where you live, your garden railroad may deal with rain, wind, snow, ice, or even hurricanes and hail. 

There is an option of course of tarping down your layout and storing some buildings and locomotives inside, but there's still a good chance you'll have to do some clean up afterwards in order to get everything back on track after a harsh storm. 

Pro: Easy to plug in and set up 

Don't let the idea of it being outside fool you. Setting up a train set outside can be just as easy as setting one up inside. At most you'll need a waterproof electrical socket or a plug outside. Other then that, G gauge trains come with everything you need. 

Some G scale trains may even come with an RC remote, such as Piko's line of starter sets, eliminating the need to figure out where to put that transformer on the layout, or to even hide it with a building. 

Con: watch out for the wasp and bee's 

At least the bees have a reason: to pollenate the beautiful flowers that your train passes by on your garden railroad. 

What excuse do the wasp? Buzzing around and stinging people for sport. Here's to hoping the site and sound of a giant steam engine or diesel train coming their way scares them off, or better yet, they get squashed by said engine...

photo curtesy of wiki commons 

MTH one gauge catalogs (2005-2010)

 With Summer unofficially here, and the weather nice enough to go outside (hopefully), I'd figured why not kick summer off by looking at the first few catalogs from MTH's one scale line. 

While MTH had made it's name in O-scale and O-gauge, the company was starting to expand into different scales. I already went over their HO scale line, and it was around that time that MTH also got into S scale. 

One gauge was basically MTH's G scale line, though the company stated that the line was more true to scale, had the bells, whistles, and smoke their O gauge line offered, and was fun to run (which I hope it would be given the price tags). 

MTH's one gauge line was introduced in 2003, with them releasing a catalog that same year and the following year. 

The 2005 catalog is one of the earliest to be viewed online still, but it gives an insight to what MTH was offering at the time, and like the HO scale line, MTH came out swinging. 

The first train MTH offered in the catalog was the 4-6-6-4 Challenger. 

Following that up was the 4-6-4 Ja Hudson, 

The Southern Pacific 4-8-4 GS4 in her regular, American, and black paint schemes

and the good old Union Pacific Big boy. 

MTH offered a pretty decent selection of diesels as well, with the Dash 8

F3's 

and Dash 8 Narrow Noses. 

In rolling stock, MTH offered box cars for sports teams such as the Pittsburg Steelers and Philadelphia Phillies, alongside box cars, hoppers, tanks cars, and cabooses. 

Operating cars were also made available, with Helicopter cars and dumping cars. 

Though a small selection at the time, MTH did offer streamline cars for Amtrack, Southern Pacific, Freedom train, and unlettered cars. 

2007's one gauge catalog saw the debut of the 2-8-8-8-2 Triplex. Even without seeing the train in person I can tell this model is massive. 

VO-1000's made their debut in the line, alongside F-7's. 

Continuing to expand the diesel line up, MTH offered Alco PA's in paint schemes for Santa Fe, Delaware and Hudson, New Heaven, Pennsylvania, Rio Grande, Southern Pacific, and Union Pacific. 

Finally, MTH would introduce the GG1 electric engine. 

Fright cars would mostly stay the same, though I do like the addition of flat cars with NASCAR'S on them. 

MTH's passenger car section would expand with streamline cars from Canadian National, Northern Pacific, Pennsylvania, New Heaven, Delaware and Hudson, and Rio Grande. 

Rounding out the catalog, MTH offered some figures of workmen, operating track sections, a maintenance kit, track cleaning block, and smoke fluid. 

And yes they did offer Eggs and Bacon...

While the 2010 catalog didn't offer any new engines, it did have some new paint schemes for existing engines. 

The VO-1000's for example came in many different types of paint schemes, from Great Northern and Western Maryland to ones for Harley Davis and Budweiser. 

The 1947 American Freedom Train was offered in the Alco PA section, and those who had a sweet tooth could buy an M&M's F7 Diesel. 

Rolling stock mostly stayed the same, with the addition of some M&M fright cars to go along with the M&M F7 Diesel. 

Final thoughts: 

Nothing against LGB who are well known in the garden Railroad community, but I really think MTH gave them a bit of a run for their money. The line offered not just detailed American trains, but trains that could stand being outside. 

Semi-spoiler alert but the line did end in 2020 along with some of MTH's other train lines when the company decided to downsize. Thing is I'm not quite sure what happened to the tooling MTH used on the trains, if it was sold off to anther company or just scrapped completely. 

I do hope someone out there picked it up, as the line definitely offered some really good looking G scale trains, and mind you these are just the first few catalogs of the line.