For several years, MTH has fielded a variety of starter sets powered by its RailKing 2-8-0, which is a pretty decent model of a Pennsylvania RR H8-class Consolidation. The starter sets have offered hobbyists a good-quality steam locomotive fitted with a sound system (either the basic LocoSound or the more advanced ProtoSound 2.0). Although MTH has virtually discontinued the LocoSound versions, one outfit (a New York Central freight set) is still cataloged with the basic sound package.
Opening the box
The box has a lot of heft, which in the kid world is good – after all, who knows what surprises can be hidden inside?
True to the tradition of a starter set, the no. 30-4136-1 Pennsylvania freight outfit has everything a kid (young or old) will need to get rolling quickly. The outfit has a steam locomotive and tender, two freight cars, a caboose, an oval of MTH’s O gauge RealTrax, a power supply, and detailed instructions that will assist in setting this rig up.
Interestingly, the locomotive and freight cars come in RailKing boxes with a stylized “overstamp” of “Rugged Rails,” MTH’s entry-level line. The Pennsy N5c caboose, however, is packaged in a regular RailKing box.
The MTH locomotive is a pretty fair replica of a Pennsy H8 Consolidation. MTH captured many of the key details found on the prototype, including the size and placement of the sand and steam domes, smokestack, headlight, steam turbo-generator, bell, and even the brakeman’s steps on the pilot – which to me have always suggested a real, working freight engine, not some frilly passenger express locomotive like a K4s.
Additional piping under the boiler, add-on handrails, and raised coal bunker side boards for extra coal capacity show that MTH didn’t cut corners with this set’s locomotive. The key electronics are located in the tender, connected to the locomotive with a tether.
Two items worth noting are the subdued side rods (earlier versions of this model had unrealistic shiny side rods) and the simplified running gear.
The bare-bones linkages and rods are not as realistic as they could be, but that’s par for the course for a starter-set steam locomotive.
Locomotive painting and decoration are top of the line. Let me applaud MTH for painting the cab roof and the top deck of the tender Tuscan Red. This gives the model a touch of authenticity.
I was a bit surprised not to find a boxcar in the consist; however, the set includes an intriguing replacement, a gondola with three less-than-carload (LCL) containers. These hail from the stone age of intermodal transportation on the Pennsy and other roads.
These containers could be used to carry everything from dry goods to coke (a solid fuel made from coal).
The containers would be hoisted off the car by a crane and then transported by truck to their final destination. Much more satisfying than a load of pipes, eh?
Tank cars are always nice components to a set, because they can always carry…well, who-knows-what?
The car is colorful – its chrome finish looks very sharp, and the Shell oil logo stands out. You can envision the Christmas tree lights reflecting off its surface as the train orbits the old tree.
Bringing up the rear of the train is a very nice N5c caboose. The timeless paint scheme is classic Pennsy, and the car features add-on handrails, a roofwalk, and vent stacks for the stove and lavatory. The car is illuminated and has two power pickups.
Track and power
The outfit comes with a loop of MTH’s RealTrax system. I suggest picking up a few extra sections of O gauge track (and maybe a switch or two) in advance. MTH’s track features realistic “T” shaped rails and a solid plastic roadbed with cast-in detail.
In my experience, MTH RealTrax can go together easily – or it can be a wrestling match. This seems strictly related to individual track-production runs. Once connected, it stays together.
If you set up a temporary layout, take care in mating or separating track. The brass connections for the power and neutral lines can become bent and lose contact with the next section.
I do love the ease of adding the power lockon to the track. Just trim a section of the roadbed (since the spots are pre-selected, you can just finish the cut with a sturdy pair of wire cutters), slide the power link in, mate the banana plugs from the transformer, and hit the juice.
Newcomers to the hobby should be advised that rigid plastic roadbed, as found on RealTrax and FasTrack by Lionel, does have something of an echo-chamber effect on train noise. If you were to operate on a bare, wooden tabletop, you’d get more reverberation than running on top of insulating foam sheets. Just keep that in mind as you plan your permanent layout!
The 100-watt power supply features a standard control box and add-on power supply. This is a reliable power source and should be more than ample in meeting the needs of the new operator.
On the test track
Drawbar pull for the locomotive was 1 pound 6 ounces. The two traction tires assisted in pulling power.
Our low-speed test average was 4 scale mph, while the high-speed test average was 88 scale mph. Adding more straight track than was included could probably persuade it to go a bit faster.
The smoke unit produced plenty of the white stuff during testing. The Consolidation was one of the few steamers that I’ve tested where near-perfect smoke rings popped out with every low-speed chuff!
The whistle, bell, and steam effects seemed to herald a much larger locomotive, and packaging them in the relatively petite 2-8-0 gives the model real authority. You know this isn’t some wimpy little tea kettle. Two thumbs up for ambience!
The tender mounts a coil coupler, which is one heck of a “grown-up” feature for a starter-set locomotive. Remote uncoupling is a very, very good thing!
The MTH Pennsylvania freight set is as good an introduction to the world of O gauge trains as you can find. It features a well-running, nice-looking steam locomotive coupled with high-end command and sound effects.
The cars are impressive, and the 100-watt power supply won’t limit you to “three or four more cars” before it maxes out. Like a pair of Sansabelt trousers, this outfit gives you room to expand.
Price: $329.95 (no. 30-4136-1)
Features:> O-31 operation, can-style motor, die-cast locomotive, three cars, track, and transformer
Pros: Well made, sound and command systems included, coil coupler on tender
Cons: Track can sometimes be awkward to connect
Made in the People’s Republic of China for MTH Electric Trains
locomative fails to pass any prototype, otherwise a fine set
I have this set in both freight and passenger models, and have to say that they are good value for the price. Add the DCS system in the picture, and they make for great fun.
Can there really be that big a market for this type of Train Set? Reguardless of how well-made it is, it's still just a steam train. If your buying this set for yourself then that's fine, but as far as a child's gift's goes… not a good idea. Children know train's from looking out the car window at them as they pass-by, not by going to museum's to see some old steamer just sitting there (doing nothing). My Children want me to run the Diesel's that they've seen working the rails, not my Steamer's.
I agree with the review. Bought my 4 year old granddaughter a set with this loco last Christmas and it is still going strong after some rugged use. It seems to be just about bullet proof. Highly recomend the MTH starter sets.
John