October 21, 2020 - The last of the M.T.H. HO Chicago North Western Dash-9 diesel locomotives are still available for order from M.T.H. Authorized Retailers or directly from the M.T.H. website.

About the Dash-9 Diesel

For the first six decades of the diesel era, the main goal of locomotive design was higher horsepower. Introduced in 1993, GE’s 4400 hp Dash 9 and its AC-motored sibling, the AC4400CW, were three times as powerful as a typical first-generation diesel and had 10% more horsepower than their immediate predecessor, the Dash 8. A couple of years later, GE and then EMD introduced 6000 hp engines, the first single-unit diesels to equal the power of the last and best steamers.

But what was thought to be a breakthrough turned out to be a flop. By the late 1990s, North American railroads had rejected the 6000 hp concept and concluded that the 4300-4400 hp diesel was the Goldilocks locomotive — not too big, not too small, but a versatile, just-right building block for multiple-unit lashups. The horsepower race was over.

The Dash 9, accordingly, turned out to be a best-seller. with more than 3600 engines sold by the end of production in 2004. It was the last and best of GE’s third-generation diesels, the generation in which computers were integrated into nearly every locomotive function, from engine management to traction control to spotting and reporting maintenance issues. Instead of looking at dials and gauges, a modern engineer monitors computer screens. The Dash 9’s successor, today’s GE Evolution Series, helped usher in the diesel era’s fourth generation: still 4400 hp, but a 21st century "green machine" with a much smaller carbon footprint.

The Dash 9 exemplified the modern locomotive at the turn of the 20th century, with microprocessors ensuring that its 4400 horses were working as efficiently and as often as possible. It rode on GE’s brand-new HiAdTM trucks (for high adhesion), with computerized wheelslip control. Also new was a split cooling system that reduced temperatures and prolonged engine life. The Dash 9’s wide-nosed North American cab, an option on earlier diesels, was standard equipment, solidifying the new look in road diesels. It was also the first GE diesel not offered with four-wheel trucks, recognizing that 6-axle, 4400 hp freight power was the new normal. And its four-stoke, V-16 7FDL motor was the final refinement of the 2500 hp prime mover that had powered the U25B — General Electric’s landmark 1959 product that had launched GE back into the locomotive market and the diesel era into its second generation.

While this model is not the first HO replica of the Dash 9, we believe it is the best. From the shock absorbers and brake lines on its HiAd trucks, to its windshield wipers, MU hoses, and metal grilles, our Dash 9 is loaded with accurate, added-on detail parts. And with lighted ditch lights; smooth performance from our powerful 12-volt, 5-pole flywheel equipped motor; and a built-in NMRA 8-pin plug for DCC decoders, our DCC-Ready models are more fun to operate than any other dcc-ready HO locomotives.

These locomotives are still available to order from your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer. They can also be ordered directly from M.T.H. by calling the M.T.H. Sales Department at 410-381-2580 or by visiting the M.T.H. website.

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

October 21, 2020 - Each week, M.T.H. releases product lists spotlighting quantities of Five Or Fewer HO Scale 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 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.

M.T.H. HO Scale

Live Virtual York Manufacturer's Event This Thursday

October 21, 2020 - M.T.H. Electric Trains will be participating in a live broadcast with M.T.H. Authorized Retailer Trainworld on their Facebook and Youtube channels this Thursday evening at 7:00 PM EDT. Trainworld has invited major manufacturers Atlas, Bachmann, Lionel, and M.T.H., all of whom would normally be exhibiting at this week's York TCA Meet to participate. While it won't be like being at the event, at least you'll get a taste of what we would be exhibiting at the show and get the latest about current and upcoming M.T.H. releases.

You don't have to join Facebook or subscribe to Youtube to watch the broadcast. And, if you can't catch the broadcast live, we'll upload the video to the M.T.H. website and our Youtube Channel on Friday.

To watch the event live tomorrow night, October 22, at 6:00 PM. click on the following links:

FACEBOOK

Youtube

Second Archive Auction Scheduled

Cabin Fever Auctions will be conducting the second of several auctions of the official M.T.H. Archive Collection from M.T.H.'s 124,000 sq. ft. Maryland warehouse.

The second auction is October 24, 2020, and can be previewed online by visiting the auction preview listing.

www.CabinFeverAuctions.com

or call 800-789-5068 or 610-587-8139