Hi guys, Well, this time of year is busy for us at MTL. I'm in the middle of a lot of development now that we have our vendor on line. Lots of good stuff on the way. Looking for some suggestions for new body styles and track components. Mind you we have cars working their way through design and tooling now. The Reefers will be test shot soon and I have decals already to go! I think the other two will fill some voids in our line up. As I mentioned to Alex on railwire, I am looking at doing some of our boxcars without roofwalks and lower ladders so we can be a bit more current. With the E8 on it's way to tooling we are looking at the passenger cars and making decisions on what direction to go in there. As a personal preference I would like to do Harriman Heavyweights and am pushing hard in that direction as well as some of the newer cryo cars and a flush of tank cars. Cabeese are always on the top of my list but they are a tough sell right now. That's my wish list. We are also looking at some new interesting ways to make our product available. Cars that are obvious fleet types need to be provided with more numbers up front. I think that's something that I would like to try....Reefers being the obvious choice. Making them available in one-two and more sets feels like the right thing to do. Pricing will be very nice on these as well. So you know what I'm asking Santa Eric for this year....what are you wishing for? ) Thanks again for your interest and input. Cheers Joe MTl
Input Request. Dear MTL Santa and workshop...I would like to see code 55 flex track with brown ties, sectional turnouts without the plastic roadbed attached, but most importantly, more modern engines, modern rolling stock, and intermodal stuff...especially well cars and autoracks! Basically, what we see on the rails today, but done-up in Norfolk Southern, CSX, TTX, PacerStacktrain...you catch my drift.
I'd like to see some modern passenger and commuter stuff (as that's my general interest). Subway cars or an Acela would be nice. Light rail would be good too.
From my point of view I feel MTL is going, if not already, to take a big hit on track components. I love the MicroTrack, but the offerings in this track are few. I believe MTL knows what the scale needs as per other track bits, as they have been mentioned to Joe for at least since the beginning of MicroTrack. You need to address improvements on the turnouts in particular. You are going to have to come up with a Peco style turnout that positively locks the points. MTL is going to have to match the latest turnout technology from abroad or will fall to second place in this market. MTL MUST produce a Code 55 turnout with the above attributes. If they don't some one across the Pacific will. This is an important step to have Z scalers keep using your flex track or that too will be in second place. MTL is going to have to rethink their track and turnout production. New modelers to the scale are simply not going to purchase MTL MicroTrack over a vastly better import. Once sales drop off in this area because MTL drags their feet and wrings their hands over this 'next' step it will be too late. Their market share will be in the Marklin range and then they will decide to drop track production entirely! You heard it here first. Jim (CCRR/Socalz44) MTL
Joe! Thank you for posting this to the Z-scale community... and, thank you for asking! I'd be happy seeing most of MTL's N-scale stuff made available in Z... including the road-names. Example from just this month... the FARMRAIL PS-2 3-bay covered hopper. I'd like to see... coil cars, 60' excess-height boxcars, 50’ 15-panel steel side-gondola with fixed-ends and low-cover, 2-bay ACF covered hoppers (my #1 choice!), 3-bay ACF covered hoppers, and just about all the other N-scale body-types that MTL produces. AND... PLEASE... keep the weathered releases coming! Those are great!
I have to concur with Mr. O'Connell's comments. Personally, I think MTL is too late to catch up. Rokuhan's turn-out's have everything hidden internally. No more trying to hide the "hump" on your layout. Rokuhan will be releasing a 55mm version of the turn-out later this year. What else is in store for the future? Seems Rokuhan is serious in pushing forward.
I love the themed releases of the laser structures - I would like to see something related to the coal industry. I have purchased most of the logging related items - an engine to go with them would be nice - perhaps a smaller steam engine. Billboard reefers with an icing platform would be good. You might try releasing some freight cars or cabooses as laser kits - such as the camp cars. Thanks for asking.
I don't think we have been wringing our hands over the track program or dragging our feet Jim. We lost our MFG in China and to make a swich is not something you do overnight. We considered bringing the tooling back here, but the Chinese government forbids any tooling made in country to be sent back to the owner. Imagine our surprise when we heard that nugget. Read anything you want into that. Another thing is resources. I agree we need to grow the line, but sales in Z as in all scale have taken a significant hit. Revenues are down across the board and investment dollars are short. It's sort of a chicken or egg thing. You buy more, we make more. We make more, you buy more. Wish it were that simple. I'm sure the off shore mfgs of track are well funded and am equally sure they will take it in the shorts once the blush is over. Look at Pro Z... I guess I'm saying that Z is still a very small market to service and while I want to have the same options as N, I realize it will be slow in coming, or Jim hits the lotto and funds MTL for the next three years. Such is life! ) Cheers Joe
I would like to see (any model, but different to what is alreay available): covered hoppers open 4 bay coal hoppers coal gons drop bottom gons SW1200 GP40 caboose trucks
How about this...... MTL "Side Kicks" Just like Super Heroes, everyone or everything needs a Side Kick!!! A Side Kick in Z scale, for MTL, could/would be accessories strongly related to what is found around trains, especially in other scales, namely vehicles. Some ideas; Forklifts Tractors Trailers Cars Trucks Vans Farm Equipment Construction Equipment & Associated Detail Items Mass production of plastic injection or diecast metal vehicles with rolling wheels sounds like a good deal. Everyone needs vehicles. As for a personal request, if the vehicle idea sounds feasible, can you make the Modern vehicles first? Hobo Tim p.s. My list of car body styles were already mentioned by you Joe. Thanks!!!
Joe, Fair enough with new suppliers and stuff like that. Most will notice that you did not address technological upgrades to the turnouts. I'm not in Z anymore, but I can read 'between the lines' even if you can't. I still visit the sites and have first hand communication with my Z friends. I want MTL to have all the success in the world, however, if I had to go out and do it all over again I'm afraid I would give MTL - a pass on MicroTrack, especially turnouts, and track offerings. Economy is a fickle thing and I put zero stock in your assessment of "when the blush is over." From what I know about economics people will purchase the 'best' product most of the time, especially if the price is lower or the same. MTL has provided a track systen that is encouraging to Z scalers. New Z scalers will eventually buy your competitor's turnout, as some 'old hands' are already doing. The wringing of the hands is a reference to a projection meeting in the future when the tough decision will have to made vis-a-vis track components and their worth to MTL. Again, improve your product now, for tomorrow is too late. Jim
You know anything SP related I will buy. I would love to see Harriman 60' Commute cars and 72' Suburbans. Coil cars would be neat to see as well. Jackson and Sharp Passenger cars in Nn3 would be great.
Joe, Thanks for asking, so here's my list: Track - I prefer non- roadbed: Longer sections for us module builders A #10 or 12 switch Since you and a competitor are building reefers, items to go with these, like your N scale Icing platform. A packing house too? Love to see some light rail commuting cars. JamesTraction
SD70M UP Flag Unit - "Flared". Do you mean like this OOP one from American Z Line's? But instead, one made by Micro-Trains?
Exactly but I just like MTL engines, and since they already have stack cars then they can all be same MFG.
I would like to see some motion kits. What I mean by this - Back in the 80's when I was a kid I had an HO warehouse preassembled kit (not sure if it was Bachmann or another manufacturer) that had a little fork truck / bulldozer that would push round culvert pipes from the loading dock onto a flat car when you pushed the button to control it. I'm not sure how feasible this is for MTL (becaue of the cost of motors, mechanisms, etc), but maybe it could be offered as a preassembled kit or one that customers assemble and maybe package it with a freight car, freight car loads, vehicles, etc.
