# Passenger Cars - MTH and USA



## Squatch (Jan 25, 2017)

Hello

I was looking for guidance between these two types of passenger cars. I know the aluminum USA cars are 1/29 (33" tall x roughly 6" tall), and I know the plastic MTH cars are 1/32 (28.5" long and 5" tall).

I haven't purchased anything yet and wanted to know if anyone has any experience with these two types - pros and cons?

I don't have a local hobby shop to compare and visit.

thx!


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So, you are really asking 2 questions, what is the difference between 1:29 and 1:32.... there are a lot of discussions on the board and lots of pictures comparing them. To me there is a big difference, I almost went 1:32 but there was not as much out there and the prices were a lot higher.

The difference between the models, ignoring scale, almost all MTH stuff is tweaked to be able to handle toy-like curves, so truck mounted couplers are the norm, the USAT cars are very true to scale.

You need to decide the scale you want to model first...

Greg


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I like the MTH cars, but you need a 1/32 locomotive to go with them, although the Aristo Mikado seems to match up fine(to me). The cars are set up to easily add Kadee couplers, which I do. Nice detail on the cars. I paint the interiors and add figures. USA comes with figures, I think, so that is nice. USA cars are a lot heavier, another reason I like 1/32, lighter/smaller/easier to move.


----------



## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

The first question to answer Thx is: Which scale do you prefer. Once that is solved you have another problem which is what radius curves can I allow on my pike. Since we are talking about streamlined LW stock, I assume that we are considering main line, or class 1 railroads and not narrow gauge etc. If you use very large radius which is better both for esthetics and operating smoothness, then your choice is pretty easy: In 1/29th scale the USA cars are very nice in 1/32 scale ) if your curves are short you could use MTH, much better would be the Accucraft full length (scale length) cars which only exist in smooth side at the present.


----------



## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

*So as not to repeat too much info.*

FYI, 

Squatch describes his issue in another thread post, " *Suspended Outdoor Layout \ USA Trains Diameter*"

-Ted


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, I'm pretty much done on this thread, he needs to read and look at pictures to get his answer.

Also, he needs to see the trains in person, pictures won't be enough. I was not able to make my final decision until I put the 1:32 next to the 1:29 on the ground... then the decision was easy for me.

Greg


----------



## Squatch (Jan 25, 2017)

I'm with you Greg - I pretty much done with me too!

Seriously, I was just trying to get a sense of peoples perspectives on MTH passenger cars. I had their other rolling stock and I can't say I was wowed by them - but they worked. 

You are right - I'll call around and see if I can see some cars in real life.

thx for all your help and knowledge


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Lots of info on this forum, use the search function, but you really have to experience it first hand.

I respect Jerry, but violently disagree that the Aristo Mikado looks right with the 1:32 MTH cars. But I'd defend to the death his right to have them look right to him.

It's a personal thing. It needs to be experienced in person.

Greg


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Not so fast Greg.  Here's some MTH cars with the Mikado in a video. I think the sizes match up fine.


----------



## Squatch (Jan 25, 2017)

Jerry

That looks good to me!!! I'm not a rivet counter at all - just looking for a train to run around my pavilion / bar. I saw the next video with an MTH Challenger and MTH cars and that looked good as well. Making me think. IThanx for sharing!

'm looking at either doing an all USA train with an SD70 pulling USA streamliners or an all MTH train with BigBoy and MTH passenger cars. I think either one will be fine. But this is my second time crawling back into this crazy $$$ hobby and my memory makes me cautions of going 1/32 again. My former trains were MTH Dash 8's and rolling stock. It worked great but it was a bit smallish. I really like the size of USA and I'm torn. Never saw MTH passenger cars and that's why I started this thread. In the end I guess both are great options.

Sorry to belabor this post, but I really think MTH would have done a major market splash at 1/29..... 

thanx again for sharing!


----------



## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Squatch said:


> Sorry to belabor this post, but I really think MTH would have done a major market splash at 1/29.....
> 
> thanx again for sharing!


But fortunately they decided to go with the correct scale for the track width!!!
Cheers,
David Leech. Delta, Canada


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

David Leech said:


> But fortunately they decided to go with the correct scale for the track width!!!
> Cheers,
> David Leech. Delta, Canada


That is completely 100% true.
It is also true that unfortunately they decided to go with the correct scale for the track width, which has severely limited their sales. There is no question that 1/29 scale electric far outsells 1/32 scale electric, and MTH would sell a lot more trains if they switched to 1/32.

Personally, I love the MTH F7, they are the only Large Scale manufacturer to get the proportions of the EMD bulldog nose just right, they are great looking models, im actually a big fan..(I wont buy a USA trains F3 set because the nose is too squished in, im waiting for a better 1/29 F-unit) I also love the MTH Baldwin VO1000. If they were 1/29 scale I would own a ABBA F-unit set and a pair of VO1000's..but..because they are 1/32, sadly I wont buy them, because they are too small to match the rest of my trains, and I have no interest in doing two different and visually incompatable scales. 

Scot


----------



## Squatch (Jan 25, 2017)

I didn't mean to bring this thread into a debate of 1/32 vs 1/29, I just wanted to see what owners of MTH passenger cars felt about their rolling stock. That's me real question.

From a business perspective I completely agree with Scottychaos. MTH would have made a HUGE splash if they followed the 1/29th suit. I don't thing anyone would belly ache about a 1/29th scale Big Boy at 1/3 the price of USA with stock sound and DCS. No way!!! Or Dash 8's on par with USA and Aristo in size, but with stock sound and DCS at roughly the same price (with sound that is). We're still all kids to some degree and the fun factor of G scale over the other train scales is the size. It's so much bigger than we remember as kids growing up with our crapppy little HO and O scale (if you were lucky) trains with limited functionality. 

Don't get me wrong - MTH is the company that brought me back into trains from a kid to an adult with a simple Christmas train starter set, and I think they make a great innovative product, especially with the new wifi app. But as a business person, they really made a costly oversight regarding market penetration. They were not in touch with the G scale consumers, even though this market is small and unfortunately shrinking. Heck, they could have taken a simple poll on this forum to tell them which direction to follow. Size does matter in G scale and I don't think I'm alone on this one. G scale is a very different breed of train enthusiasts, and a very passionate consumer base as can be seen on this simple thread. 

Thanx again fro everyone's feedback - it's very enlightening to get back into this world from being under for so long!


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

But you started the thread with the question below. No problem, but you asked basically the difference between the 2. Most obvious is size and scale.

It's too bad in a way that 1:29 evolved, as opposed to USAT and Aristo going on to supplement the correct for the gauge 1:32 scale.

BUT, the business was to sell trains.

No doubt that LGB's success was partially due to the size and impact of the trains on the ground, where most layouts are/were.

So 1:29 seemed a reasonable compromise, a scale that still had the "wow" factor, but was not so foreign to the track gauge that is the standard.

Greg



Squatch said:


> Hello
> 
> I was looking for guidance between these two types of passenger cars. I know the aluminum USA cars are 1/29 (33" tall x roughly 6" tall), and I know the plastic MTH cars are 1/32 (28.5" long and 5" tall).
> 
> ...


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Did you decide on the size of curves you are building?


----------



## Squatch (Jan 25, 2017)

Still up in the air thinking about whether to jump or not : )


----------



## reeveha (Jan 2, 2008)

If you are not a rivet counter, go with the "20 foot" rule, if they look good together at 20 foot, go with it


----------



## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

I know of the 10 foot rule, but at 20 foot things must be pretty gross even if you not a "rivet counter". Anyway, he won't really know until actually physically seeing both sizes together.

-Ted


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Thats why I use Digital Calipers.. Them 10ft or 20ft Rules are Too Big to carry in my pocket!
And.. They always read the same to me!!
LOL

SD


----------

