In 1937 the Southern Pacific trumpeted a new train in full-page magazine ads:

Let us stand by the tracks of Southern Pacific's Coast Line, as thousands now do every day and listen… Suddenly from far off comes a musical note, rising. Round a curve flashes a streak of color. Here comes the Daylight, the most beautiful train in the West!

The Daylights linked Los Angeles and San Francisco "in a glorious daylight trip, streaking along the Pacific Ocean for more than a hundred breathless miles." Travelers were invited to "Step inside the Daylight and see the beauty and luxury that have already won the West. Notice the wide, soft seats in the coaches. They are cushioned with sponge rubber and turn to face the extraordinarily large windows." Presenting a glorious streak of orange and red from locomotive to observation car, the Daylights were a sharp departure from the SP's normal dark olive passenger cars.

Leading the trains were the Southern Pacific's class GS (for "Golden State") Northerns, arguably among the handsomest steam engines ever built. Constructed by Lima Locomotive Works, inventor of the super-power concept, the Daylight 4-8-4s had the combination of power and speed that characterized steam power at its zenith. Class GS-4 engines, delivered in 1941 and 1942, were among the last and best-looking of the breed, with tall 80" drivers and enclosed all-weather cabs. In addition to handling premier passenger trains, the Golden State 4-8-4s were regularly used on the SP’s famed Overnight high-speed freight service. Long before FedEx existed, it provided overnight business deliveries between San Francisco and Los Angeles, carrying everything from groceries to replacement car engines.

A lone GS-4, No. 4449, was saved from the scrapper and donated to the city of Portland, Oregon, where it sat mounted and stuffed in a city park for 16 years. Jack Holst, an elderly Southern Pacific employee, visited the engine regularly, oiling its bearings and rods in the hope that it would someday return to steam. As a result of his efforts, No. 4449 was in good enough shape that it was chosen as the western engine for the American Freedom Train, returning to steam just four months to begin touring the country in 1975 in celebration of our nation's 200th anniversary. Repainted in Daylight colors, the engine still operates today in excursion service.

M.T.H. Show Schedule For Week of February 4 and February 11, 2018

M.T.H. Electric Trains will be conducting two DCS Demo Events at M.T.H. Authorized Retailers Arnie's Trains and Milepost 38 in Westminster, California.

HO, S Scale, O Scale, One Gauge and tinplate model railroading fans attending the event will have an opportunity to meet and ask M.T.H. President Mike Wolf questions about the M.T.H. product line, company direction and future plans as well as see product demonstrations and pick up a copy of our latest catalogs.

• Arnie's Trains - Westminster, CA

Friday, February 9, 2018: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

• Milepost 38 - Westminster, CA

Saturday, February 10, 2018: 10:00am - 2:30pm

M.T.H. Show Schedule For Week of February 11, 2018

M.T.H. Electric Trains will be conducting another DCS Demo Event, this time on Saturday, February 17 at the Old Town Model Railway Museum in San Diego, California.

• Old Town Model Railway Museum - San Diego, CA

Saturday, February 17, 2018: 1:00pm - 4:00pm

If you are interested in seeing a list of all the M.T.H. shows we will be attending over the next few months, CLICK HERE.

Premier O Scale New Haven EF-3b Class Electric Now In-Stock

Check Out It Out In Action In All-New Video

Check Out The MTH Smart Phone App

Learn more about the app by clicking HERE.

Hurry Before They're Gone, Just Five Or Fewer Of These Items Remain In Stock

February 7, 2018 - Each week, M.T.H. releases product lists spotlighting quantities of Five Or Fewer items that are remaining in our onhand inventory. In many cases, these items will NOT be re-run in the future and these lists could be your last chance for ordering them before they're GONE FOR GOOD. Don't miss out on these items! Click on the appropriate product line link below and then any item number in the corresponding list to purchase that item from the M.T.H. Online Store or order directly from your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer.

RailKing One Gauge

M.T.H. HO Scale

Lionel Corporation Tinplate

Premier O Scale 2-Rail

Premier O Scale 3-Rail

RailKing O Gauge

M.T.H. S Gauge

Tinplate Traditions

HO Norfolk & Western Class J 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive

Check Out It Out In Action In All-New Video