ScaleTrains.com expands product line, acquires HO, S tooling from M.T.H. Electric Trains

February 2, 2021 / Updated June 26, 2023

ScaleTrains.com, Inc., announced at the Virtual Railroad Hobby Show on Sunday that it acquired M.T.H. Electric Trains’ HO-scale and S-gauge tooling assets at the end of last year.

The acquisition includes steam and diesel locomotives, freight cars and track in both scales. HO tooling includes turbine and electric locomotives, subway sets, passenger cars and other models. Engineering schematics for several all-new steam-era HO projects also were received as part of the agreement.

“M.T.H. is recognized as a leading manufacturer of HO-scale steam locomotives,” ScaleTrains.com President Shane Wilson said in a statement. “M.T.H.’s HO products also allow us to broaden our product line into passenger cars, track and more. We believe there is an opportunity to grow the S market as well.”

Both scales are being melded into ScaleTrains.com’s umbrella of brands, including Rivet Counter. Several molds have been transferred to the ScaleTrains.com factory, and testing is underway.

Over the next few months design will begin to convert the models to accept ScaleTrains.com’s motor and change to ESU-LokSound DCC and sound electronics. The first models are expected to be available in 2022.

The sale is part of M.T.H. Electric Trains’ divestiture of tooling assets as the company prepares to shut down operations later in 2021, said President Mike Wolf, who is retiring. The company began negotiating with ScaleTrains.com last fall and reached an agreement in late December.

No inventory or parts are included in the sale.

“ScaleTrains.com has a great reputation in the industry, and the M.T.H. HO tooling will make a great addition to their already impressive HO lineup,” Wolf said. “S-gauge fans will find the ScaleTrains.com team loaded with talent and model railroading experience.”

M.T.H. Electric Trains says it will fulfill all outstanding customer HO and S preorders, and all items in 2021 catalogs will be shipped in the spring.

Products sold by M.T.H. Electric Trains will be serviced by the current M.T.H. Authorized Service Center network. This includes parts sales.

Products manufactured by ScaleTrains.com will be serviced by product support in Benton, TN.

In late January, M.T.H. Electric Trains announced final 2021 runs of its O-gauge RailKing F-3 ABA set in four road names, RailKing SW-1 Diesel Locomotive in six liveries and One Gauge G-scale Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive.

Spring is when large-scale model railroaders with their green thumbs plant and prune colorful foliage grown nearly to scale. In some areas, maintaining outdoor layouts is quite challenging because of changing weather. Nancy Norris, an author who builds garden railroads professionally, says some plant varieties have become more difficult to grow in certain Hardiness Zones. In some cases it means garden railroaders having to put more emphasis on growing native plants rather than relying on varieties more susceptible to extreme conditions. She recommends new gardeners consult with their local nurseries for the best choices for an outdoor layout. Norris also has a few recommendations of her own.

Sweeping tariffs imposed on goods imported into the United States are stirring model railroad manufacturers. As a result, model railroading and other hobbies will cost more. In February the U.S. applied a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China, and the tax has since escalated. Suppliers – including Athearn, InterMountain Railway Co., Broadway Limited, Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains – have been putting dealers and customers on notice that prices will increase tariffs are implemented.

The first rule of railroading is “expect movement on any track at any time in any direction.” This may seem like an overabundance of caution, but railroading is a dangerous sport. Always expect a train when you’re around the tracks. The second rule of railroading is that there is an exception to every rule. The North American freight car fleet in 2023 consisted of 2.03 million rail cars, according to Railinc’s Umler Equipment Index. Rail car fleet management — how empty cars get dispatched to move to their next loading point — is an ever-moving process and often requires fleet car managers to be nimble.

ScaleTrains.com expands product line, acquires HO, S tooling from M.T.H. Electric Trains

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