# Photos taken in the M.T.H. Showroom



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

I took my M.T.H. F-3 PRR freight locomotive to Columbia, MD to get it repaired. While I waited for the Techs to finish up, I took a tour and some photos of the lobby and their showroom. Here are a few:









This is what you encounter as you enter the reception area. The whole facility is really impressive, right down to the plumbing fixtures.




























It would take several hours to see everything that's on display, and the folks there are very friendly and accommodating. Everything on the huge layout works - including lights, accessories and sound. After spending 35-years in product promotion and business development, I will say that this is one of the nicest manufacturing facility showrooms that I've ever seen. GRJ has probably seen offices and the plant. It's large enough that I'd need a bike or a golf cart to get from one end to the other. There's no charge to visit the showroom, but you need to let them know that you're coming, and the time.


----------



## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

impressive


----------



## California RailFan508 (Jul 2, 2013)

Mighty impressive showroom there and collection. I could spend hours looking around at all of the glorious trains that are on display along with the ones moving about on the layout.


----------



## ZebraCakez (Mar 26, 2011)

Wow, looks like a classy place.

I love the way the reception room is finished out, and thats a pretty impressive collection.

Thanks for sharing the pics.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Wow that is nice, why do you need to let them know that you're coming, and the time?


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

The showroom is open by appointment, usually in the afternoons. M.T.H. seems to operate on a day part schedules. Service is customer walk-in during morning hours and customer phone in during the afternoon hours every day. Reception is busy handling the incoming mail and packages in the morning to get repairs handled quickly, and then takes care of catalog requests, the showroom and other things later. Pretty efficient from what I observed, and I like the fact that customer service seems to be a top priority. My loco was inspected upon arrival, and repaired while I waited. Not usually what I experience from larger companies.I was able to get the showroom experience in the morning because I called ahead, and they were readu to give me the tour when I walked in. I believe that I was told everyone needed to request a time to get in, but I'm not positive. Quite a place to visit!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

They don't routinely have folks dropping in, normally it's by appointment. If you want to see something big, you should go in the back to the warehouse area! The place is LARGE!


----------



## Zero Cool (Dec 4, 2013)

Before I moved out here to Dayton OH I lived in Western MD and the Train/hobbyshop had an open house for MTH and Mike Wolfe was there. I had the oppertunity to speak with him and he stood there talked with me for about 20 minutes. He was a really great person to speak to and really took an interest in what I had to say, even though I model HO scale ( he had not introduced the ho line yet). I told him then that I really liked the way his products looked and ran and that if he started making ho scale that I would buy his products. Looks like that now I'm back into this hobby and done with R/C racing I need to keep my word.:thumbsup:


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

When I was there, I had the opportunity to ask one of the senior engineering techs about Mike Wolfe, and I shared some of the stories I heard about Mike taking Lionel ideas/technology with him when he left, and Lionel suffered because of it. I quickly learned that what I heard were lies, and he asked if I thought Lionel wasn't smart enough to have staff sign non-complete clauses. I was assured that Lionel would have stopped M.T.H. quickly if any of the things I heard were factual. When I see those vendors at the shows in 2014, I should ask where they got their information. Shouldn't be surprised. I've heard half a dozen different reasons why Atlas couldn't supply track when I need some 6 months ago, all from dealers. Everyone that I've spoken to or met at M.T.H. was very professional, knowledgeable and proud of their products, and seem to be happily employed. I wouldn't hesitate to buy more products.


----------



## Mk10 (Jan 1, 2014)

kix662003 said:


> When I was there, I had the opportunity to ask one of the senior engineering techs about Mike Wolfe, and I shared some of the stories I heard about Mike taking Lionel ideas/technology with him when he left, and Lionel suffered because of it. I quickly learned that what I heard were lies, and he asked if I thought Lionel wasn't smart enough to have staff sign non-complete clauses. I was assured that Lionel would have stopped M.T.H. quickly if any of the things I heard were factual. When I see those vendors at the shows in 2014, I should ask where they got their information. Shouldn't be surprised. I've heard half a dozen different reasons why Atlas couldn't supply track when I need some 6 months ago, all from dealers. Everyone that I've spoken to or met at M.T.H. was very professional, knowledgeable and proud of their products, and seem to be happily employed. I wouldn't hesitate to buy more products.


Wow, how cool is that!?!

Definitely gets filed under, "Things I've done that didn't suck." :smilie_daumenpos:

Hopefully I'll get to see it someday.

Not to muddy the waters, but "no compete" clauses are pretty interesting sometimes, and their validity and "weight" if you will that they carry, can vary depending on what legal representative prepared them and how much they knew about what what it was they were doing.

In other words, if I came to the conclusion that the "no compete" clause I had been required to sign to conclude my duties for a commercial entity so I would not face "dismissal" status, benefit reduction, and things of that nature might have been rather Draconian, I might decide to consult legal representation of my own to investigate it after the fact.

If in addition to that, filled with feelings that I had been victimized by an unscrupulous and Draconian "no compete" document, and now my legal council did as well, that I stood to enjoy a rather sizeable financial reward if the shadow of that document did not fall upon my person, I might work real, real hard with my attorney to prove its intrinsic unscrupulous components and Draconian nature, in court.

At that point, it's who has the most to win, who has the most to lose, who has the most bullets, and how good a shot their attorneys are. It's terrible, but hey, it's capitalism, and it's how the "big boys" play each and ever day.

Don't think for a moment if the roles were reversed, "they" would act any differently, whoever "they" might be. "It's not personal...it's _business_."

For the most part, most legal, signed documents are pretty defendable in a court of law. Just never be lulled into a false sense of security one way or the other, just because you have a "signed, legal document" in your possession with someone's signature on it. It's a big 'ol crazy world out there, and there are people who will do whatever it takes to get ahead.

There are also a lot of people who put a lot of silly things into "legal" documents that aren't. There are states that say that certain documents written certain ways are legal...but not enforceable. 

That one always kills me. 

Of course now we see that MTH and Lionel are working together. Funny to see after all of the smoke, mirrors, subterfuge, perceived below-the-body shots and other nasty tomfoolery betwixt the two.

That's the very definition of what, "It's not personal...it's business," really means. Not only do you see legal black ops that would curl the toes of most people who don't work in key positions in large industries making decisions that can mean the loss or gain of millions of dollars, you also see entities that just a few short years before would have decried each other as proof of the coming of the anti-Christ and the Revelation working together like cuddly little teddy bears if the money is right.

Oh, and lastly, if anyone thinks Mike Wolf was harmful in any way to Lionel Trains today, then you need to really study the Big Picture of what has happened since Richard Kughn bought the company. Historically, any misbehaviors by Lionel Trains or Mr. Wolf aren't even a blemish on Roy Cohn's butt compared to what he did to the company. 

"May He Rot in Hell."

Sorry. Have to say that every time I mention that fiend's name.


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

A shot of the back of the showroom layout...









A few nice pieces in the showcases...


























I think the sound engineer that showed me around was working on the Proto 3.0 sound for the Septa above... but not sure.

(I think that I've figured out why some of my photos disappear... I should know soon.)


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Mk10.... Next time we travel in MO, we're planing on riding the Columbia Star Dinner Train. In the past, we've stayed on old alignments of Route 66, consumed a gallon or two of the world's best Frozen Custard at Ted Drewes in St. Louis, and visited family in St. Peters. Have you ever ridden on the dinner train, and if so, what did you think about the food and experience?
Thanks.


----------



## Mk10 (Jan 1, 2014)

kix662003 said:


> Mk10.... Next time we travel in MO, we're planing on riding the Columbia Star Dinner Train. In the past, we've stayed on old alignments of Route 66, consumed a gallon or two of the world's best Frozen Custard at Ted Drewes in St. Louis, and visited family in St. Peters. Have you ever ridden on the dinner train, and if so, what did you think about the food and experience?
> Thanks.


Man, that prewar Commodore-style remake is so cool!

I have not had the pleasure of the dinner train, but I have never heard anyone who went on the ride complain about it. 

From all appearances, they put a lot into it; from meal planning and wine selection to service and presentation. Ought to be pretty cool! 

Wow. I had no idea it had gotten this big. I assume you've checked this out already:

http://dinnertrain.com/

If you get to spend more time than just what it takes to ride the dinner train, let me know. I'd be more than happy to help you in any way I can. I've lived here all my life. Just haven't ridden on the dinner train. (Darn it!)

I assume you've heard about the Centralia Massacre during the war? I just recently read the full story in the "History of Boone County Missouri" that I'd had lying around for years. I had no idea about the day before the massacre and the days following. Pretty incredible stuff.

When I was a kid in the 60's Dad took me up to the train station in Centralia a couple of times for the incredible pie they had back then. Looks like you'll be eating some pretty good food as it is though!

I highly recommend a Booche's burger from Booche's Pool Hall on 9th St. 1 1/2 blocks south of Broadway, and a "Stretch" from the Broadway Diner on 4th St. just a little south of Broadway. 

Just let me know if there's anything about Columbia you'd like to know.


----------



## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Kix, looks just like my layout at home! We'll that's how I picture it anyway. Real nice pictures, they sure have some great stuff there.


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Mk10... Thanks for the reply, link and suggestions! My daughter lives in TN, so we're often looking for new routes home after a visit. Next visit, we plan to stop at the Transportation Museum in Roanoke, VA and spend the night there. We have to go North to get home anyway, so visiting in KS and MO is easy. I may get you to recommend an RV campground in the area in Spring.

sjm9911... I can't even imagine having a layout like that! I watched the "Trains Across North America" feature on the PBS TV fundraiser on Saturday morning, and one of the Railway Excursions had quite a Lionel HO layout in the documentary. I recorded the show, and will look to see which State it was in. I'm now motivated to do some railfanning and visit the towns where old trains are being run. 

Flyernut.... I saw there's an old train running up your way. I can almost taste the fresh-catch Salmon that's waiting for me within walking distance of your house, and I know about your wife's excellent cooking. If an old Roadtrek or Caballero pulls up in the drive when it gets warm.... Don't shoot!


----------



## Mk10 (Jan 1, 2014)

Ever seen the St. Louis Transportation Museum?


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Nice pictures George!!! I love MTH products and have quite a few.My order of preference would be MTH first, K-Line second, and Lionel third. My last Lionel purchase was a Big Boy, and it is a big disappointment to me. Thanks for posting..


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Mk10 said:


> Ever seen the St. Louis Transportation Museum?


I think so. Took lots of photos that I never cataloged. This was taken in 2006 on one of the expeditions. Does this look familiar? So many cool places to visit that I have thousands of digital photos on two external drives.


----------



## Mk10 (Jan 1, 2014)

Haven't seen that, but you'd know it by the Big Boy, Centipede, and tons of other steam engines, E-series diesels, not to mention a C-47 in D-Day livery. More motive power than I've ever seen at one time.


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Not sure what's there now, but it was a lot of cool old cars when we visited in 2006. Not much about trains.


----------



## Mk10 (Jan 1, 2014)

http://transportmuseumassociation.org

Heh-heh-heh...

You must have been down below where the little train is. Or, you were up top where Bobby Darin's car is, and no one told you to look to the left.

Oh my Lord...are YOU in for a treat!

Heh-heh-heh...


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Now I have two good reasons for taking a road trip to the St. Louis area.... Concrete at Ted Drewes and seeing the train exhibit at the Transportation Museum. Planning to see the N&W Rails Exhibit in Roanoke, VA in May. Yes, I did spend time in the cars exhibit. They have the only remaining unit from the Coral Court Motel. When I was documenting and data mining the historic Route 66, I had to see and photograph it. Too much there to see in a day! Also enjoyed the Route 66 State Park in Eureka, and seeing their exhibits. Lots of history on that site. I didn't drink the water LOL.


----------

