Kinda crazy how quality standards can go down so much in a newer model. Just shows that they were making the new run to ride off of the success of the old run.
Really enjoyed this and got a kick out or your "basketball sized" coal analogy. Nice attention to detail. Granted, the paint was obviously atrocious. I suspect the 2nd run was during a period of declining revenue ...
haha thanks! and hm thats a good guess, you very much could be right. Although 2015 is also when they released some of their most sucessful engines including the C&O 2-6-6-6 and the DM&IR Yellowstones...maybe the K4 re-release was simply overlooked?
That is a good point and the other 2015 releases are selling for a premium these days. I was able to get some insight into model train product development from the late Charles Ro and his team when they were working on the USA Trains 4-8-4. The primary concern they had related to the potential theft of their intellectual property, not manufacturing defects. I suspect you are right that MTH was investing the bulk of their energy to other HO prototypes in 2015, but I am still aghast at the lack of QC!
Did MTH make that version factory-equipped with the Box-Pok center driver set? That would be one I’d like to track down. Edit: just saw that you added it yourself, I’d love to hear how you did that
Thanks! I was gonna make an instagram post about it (I post about ALL my projects in a lot more detail there. Only a few end up making it onto my YT), but if it gets popular enough maybe I'll make a YT vid about it too. Stay tuned!
MTH just loved to do reruns and made them worse each time, some new models along the way but MTH electronics have improved just a little bit. Still would replace it for loksound or TCS in the long run.
I mean for me this is a sample size of one. Did MTH really "love" doing reruns? I feel like they only reran a select few of their HO steam locos, most of which were at the very end of MTH (berk, GS4). But the majority of steamers they never did reruns on. NYC hudsons, mohawks, C&O 2-6-6-6s, USRA Miks, etc.
@@trainman440 Well they may not have reran much but almost every MTH catalog I’ve looked through has a couple of locomotives that were made in the early 2000’s with no great changes. An exception could be their passenger cars because there is nothing really bad about them. Also I’ve seen some reruns of the Mohawk because I believe that was one of the first models MTH made.
@@TheUnionPacificGuy Nope they only did the Mohawk once, 2008. Never again. The first models in HO were the the K4 and GS-4 as dealer appreciation samples.
The newer run DGLE is in fact very dark green. Significantly darker than the 2005 run but it is green almost black, but you can still tell the difference between true black and this DGLE. The thing is there are at least two distinct shades of green that the PRR used and apparently called DGLE/Brunswick Green. I wish I can post a link because I know of a picture that wiukd show EXACTLY what I am talking about. If you can allow you channel to accept links I can show it. This is the same confusion with UP's Armour Yellow. It can be an almost canary yellow to a dark mustard color. Annoying.
My understanding was that all PRR steam locos had DGLE, brunswick green was used for other things. Potentially diesels/electrics, etc. Youre right after bringing my 2nd run K4 outside under the bright sun, it is ever so slightly green. Too black for my taste. Once I get to painting my unpainted PRR locos, Im hoping to make a green thats something between the first run and second run green. Cheers!
He's back! :D
:D
Good review
Thanks
Kinda crazy how quality standards can go down so much in a newer model. Just shows that they were making the new run to ride off of the success of the old run.
indeed! Its a shame since its clear they put in effort to get all the new features working. But dropped the ball on the basics.
Really enjoyed this and got a kick out or your "basketball sized" coal analogy. Nice attention to detail. Granted, the paint was obviously atrocious. I suspect the 2nd run was during a period of declining revenue ...
haha thanks! and hm thats a good guess, you very much could be right. Although 2015 is also when they released some of their most sucessful engines including the C&O 2-6-6-6 and the DM&IR Yellowstones...maybe the K4 re-release was simply overlooked?
That is a good point and the other 2015 releases are selling for a premium these days. I was able to get some insight into model train product development from the late Charles Ro and his team when they were working on the USA Trains 4-8-4. The primary concern they had related to the potential theft of their intellectual property, not manufacturing defects. I suspect you are right that MTH was investing the bulk of their energy to other HO prototypes in 2015, but I am still aghast at the lack of QC!
Did MTH make that version factory-equipped with the Box-Pok center driver set? That would be one I’d like to track down.
Edit: just saw that you added it yourself, I’d love to hear how you did that
Thanks! I was gonna make an instagram post about it (I post about ALL my projects in a lot more detail there. Only a few end up making it onto my YT), but if it gets popular enough maybe I'll make a YT vid about it too. Stay tuned!
I’d love to have a day but sadly my first run K4 is bricked and finding a second run for a decent price is a pain.
rip. Have you tried factory resetting it? Program on the main CV 55 to 55 to engine address 55.
@@trainman440 that’s what caused it. It ran smooth but no sound, did a reset then bricked. I’ve done resets galore to no avail.
@@James-Railyard weird. Youre doing the 55 trick via program on the main right?
@@trainman440 yup
Just managed to get one (1st run) finally, can you give me a heads up on body removal screws? ...Thanks...Andy.
@@hotdogpilot6319 read manual
MTH just loved to do reruns and made them worse each time, some new models along the way but MTH electronics have improved just a little bit. Still would replace it for loksound or TCS in the long run.
I mean for me this is a sample size of one. Did MTH really "love" doing reruns? I feel like they only reran a select few of their HO steam locos, most of which were at the very end of MTH (berk, GS4). But the majority of steamers they never did reruns on. NYC hudsons, mohawks, C&O 2-6-6-6s, USRA Miks, etc.
@@trainman440 Well they may not have reran much but almost every MTH catalog I’ve looked through has a couple of locomotives that were made in the early 2000’s with no great changes. An exception could be their passenger cars because there is nothing really bad about them. Also I’ve seen some reruns of the Mohawk because I believe that was one of the first models MTH made.
@@TheUnionPacificGuy Nope they only did the Mohawk once, 2008. Never again. The first models in HO were the the K4 and GS-4 as dealer appreciation samples.
@@TheUnionPacificGuy fact check next time you comment.
The newer run DGLE is in fact very dark green. Significantly darker than the 2005 run but it is green almost black, but you can still tell the difference between true black and this DGLE.
The thing is there are at least two distinct shades of green that the PRR used and apparently called DGLE/Brunswick Green.
I wish I can post a link because I know of a picture that wiukd show EXACTLY what I am talking about. If you can allow you channel to accept links I can show it.
This is the same confusion with UP's Armour Yellow. It can be an almost canary yellow to a dark mustard color. Annoying.
My understanding was that all PRR steam locos had DGLE, brunswick green was used for other things. Potentially diesels/electrics, etc. Youre right after bringing my 2nd run K4 outside under the bright sun, it is ever so slightly green. Too black for my taste. Once I get to painting my unpainted PRR locos, Im hoping to make a green thats something between the first run and second run green. Cheers!