MTH has done a great job on these locomotives. If you count carefully, it is actually eight chuffs per wheel revolution. It's just that the exhaust from the two sets of cylinders goes in an out of synch. For the comment about the wheel/tire: The outer steel rim of a steam locomotive driver is actually called a "tire". They could be replaced as they wore out. As far as the comparison with the Big Boy goes, the Missabe Yellowstone were only two scale feet shorter than a Big Boy. The Missabe Yellowstones had more tractive effort than the Big Boy but they were designed to do totally different jobs.
I really like your reviews. I just ran my MTH Yellowstone with a 60 car consist with a mix of Chooch and home made ore loads. It ran at a scale speed of 40MPH with no problem. One of our club members ran a 155 car consist. It is a heavy hauler.
Beautiful engine. I myself have seen 2 of the 3 you mentioned. A couple additional facts about the DM&IR Yellowstones. 1) Out of all the 2-8-8-4's built for all the railroads in the US that had this type of engine only 3 yellowstone types survive today and all from the DM&IR. 2) There used to be 4 of them preserved/stored (the DM&IR Class M-3 #'s 221, 225, and 227 and DM&IR M-4 class #229) with the 225 on display in Proctor, MN; the 227 in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, MN; and the 221 on display in Two Harbors, MN next to the old train station there. However the 221 was replaced by the 229 in Two Harbors as the 221 had basically rusted away while on display due to having no protection from the elements and was scrapped. 3) The Missabe Road's Yellowstone's were leased to the Rio Grande during the winters as the iron ore traffic was none existent during those months. I do apologize for the length of that. Just felt it needed to be said.
We would've had a B&O EM1 preserved as well at the B&O railroad museum, there was one being saved for preservation. but a mistake was made and it got cut up.
The one in Duluth (227) is in pretty good shape. The one in Two Harbors (229) is in better shape, even if just cosmetically. It might be in better shape under the skin, too, the last time I saw it in 2015 it seems to be in better shape than 227. Of course, 227 is indoors, and 229 only has an open sided pole shed type shelter and is sitting near the shore of the lake. The one in Proctor (225) is left out in the elements rotting away like 221 did, however. It likely will be nothing but rust soon unless it is put under a roof and given some restoration and preservation work. Besides the usual corrosion of the boiler and boiler jacket, with moss growing between, the track it sits on is sinking deep into the ground under the weight of the drivers. So much in fact, the locomotive isn't sitting level and it seems the drivers are likely to be sitting in fairly deep ponds when it rains or during the spring snow melt. The MTH model is nice, but the one thing that sticks out bad IMO is the front (leading) truck. Not even close.... the real thing has an outboard bearing....very distinctive part to the appearance of the real locomotives.
In regards to #225, I haven’t seen it in person just in pictures on the internet, but at least it’s still here. 221 rusted away to where it had to be taken away to be scrapped in a matter of a few years or something like that. 225 is at least not right next to the lake like 221 and currently 229 are. I have one of the final run of them on pre-order since I missed out on the first run of them with the 227 and 229.
I really appreciate this thorough review. I saw the prototype recently in Duluth and have been edging toward buying this model. Convinced now to actually do it. (Love the smoke.)
good looking 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone, I have the bachmann spectrum 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone version which is also awesome! Thank you for your reviews on all those locomotives.
The prototype is on display at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth MN. Number 227 is raised up off the tracks so that they can run the wheels during a full animation of the lights and sounds and motion of the engine. Very cool. I have a video of it on my channel.
Beautiful locomotive, saw it at the big show in Kansas City this weekend. Saw you there too, talking to the Athearn Genesis (or MTH, one of the two) reps.
Loved the looks & weight butt centiped tender would derail every time backing thru a #6 turnout. Also no indication of which way to throw the switch for DCS or DCC
Would love to see a full review on the Broadway Limited Y6b Norfolk and Western, if so any chance you could run it with a NCE Power Cab controller. Just getting back into model railroading after 26 years and a lot has changed. Great video on the Yellowstone as are all your reviews, I really enjoy them a lot, Thank You.
+Marcus I can't speak for any other railroad, but the DM&IR was very safety conscious. As part of the railroad logo they had Safety First on all rolling stock and every locomotive. The bell on the tender was just another warning device. When the locomotive was moving slowly in reverse, it could actually sneak up on you, so they had the bell on the tender. MTH did an excellent job on a great locomotive.
Wouldn’t surprise me, the DM&IR ran very busy and strict schedules being that they were competing service to get taconite to the lakes and then from there the ships take them east. No room for error or delay.
You really want to see BIG? Try the MTH 4-8-8-4 UP Big Boy! Heavier than you can imagine ... piping galore, and detailed to the b*lls! Yeah, I love my MTH Big Boy! Great Christmas present from my wife!!!
isn't 5.7 ounces of pulling power a little low.. big boy MTH is app. 8 ounces i have two an along with MTH Allegheny are best pullers.maybe with running time wheels get a little scuffed up a power goes up. it is best your going to find out there unless you go for brass an most don't run as good a could cost three times as much.
+colivera427 Hmm. Seems like my BLI smoke fluid gets all over my BLI locos. I love smoke but I've turned off all my smoke units because of this. Hope this stuff is the answer.
SD70ace_railfan Steam locomotives to have "tires". They go around the wheel. It was easier to do because it saved money and time not having to change the drivers every time they needed replaced. Diesel locomotives they don't do that with. Because they are almost the same diameter as a box car or auto rack wheel. and they aren't as expensive or time consuming to make.
MTH has done a great job on these locomotives.
If you count carefully, it is actually eight chuffs per wheel revolution. It's just that the exhaust from the two sets of cylinders goes in an out of synch.
For the comment about the wheel/tire: The outer steel rim of a steam locomotive driver is actually called a "tire". They could be replaced as they wore out.
As far as the comparison with the Big Boy goes, the Missabe Yellowstone were only two scale feet shorter than a Big Boy. The Missabe Yellowstones had more tractive effort than the Big Boy but they were designed to do totally different jobs.
I really like your reviews. I just ran my MTH Yellowstone with a 60 car consist with a mix of Chooch and home made ore loads. It ran at a scale speed of 40MPH with no problem. One of our club members ran a 155 car consist. It is a heavy hauler.
Beautiful engine. I myself have seen 2 of the 3 you mentioned. A couple additional facts about the DM&IR Yellowstones. 1) Out of all the 2-8-8-4's built for all the railroads in the US that had this type of engine only 3 yellowstone types survive today and all from the DM&IR. 2) There used to be 4 of them preserved/stored (the DM&IR Class M-3 #'s 221, 225, and 227 and DM&IR M-4 class #229) with the 225 on display in Proctor, MN; the 227 in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, MN; and the 221 on display in Two Harbors, MN next to the old train station there. However the 221 was replaced by the 229 in Two Harbors as the 221 had basically rusted away while on display due to having no protection from the elements and was scrapped. 3) The Missabe Road's Yellowstone's were leased to the Rio Grande during the winters as the iron ore traffic was none existent during those months. I do apologize for the length of that. Just felt it needed to be said.
We would've had a B&O EM1 preserved as well at the B&O railroad museum, there was one being saved for preservation. but a mistake was made and it got cut up.
The one in Duluth is awesome
The one in Duluth (227) is in pretty good shape. The one in Two Harbors (229) is in better shape, even if just cosmetically. It might be in better shape under the skin, too, the last time I saw it in 2015 it seems to be in better shape than 227. Of course, 227 is indoors, and 229 only has an open sided pole shed type shelter and is sitting near the shore of the lake. The one in Proctor (225) is left out in the elements rotting away like 221 did, however. It likely will be nothing but rust soon unless it is put under a roof and given some restoration and preservation work. Besides the usual corrosion of the boiler and boiler jacket, with moss growing between, the track it sits on is sinking deep into the ground under the weight of the drivers. So much in fact, the locomotive isn't sitting level and it seems the drivers are likely to be sitting in fairly deep ponds when it rains or during the spring snow melt. The MTH model is nice, but the one thing that sticks out bad IMO is the front (leading) truck. Not even close.... the real thing has an outboard bearing....very distinctive part to the appearance of the real locomotives.
In regards to #225, I haven’t seen it in person just in pictures on the internet, but at least it’s still here. 221 rusted away to where it had to be taken away to be scrapped in a matter of a few years or something like that. 225 is at least not right next to the lake like 221 and currently 229 are. I have one of the final run of them on pre-order since I missed out on the first run of them with the 227 and 229.
I really appreciate this thorough review. I saw the prototype recently in Duluth and have been edging toward buying this model. Convinced now to actually do it. (Love the smoke.)
Some of the most realistic smoke I've seen
Great looking unit with lots of detail. I like when the smoke unit is added, give the engine more life.Scott
I've watched your videos and now I've subscribed to your channel my compliments Sir
Thank you so much for the shout out. Love the Texas shirt!
Great review James ! I have the C&O one !! Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work... Lance 🚂😎
I really liked the flame flicker in the cab. That really adds to the realism.
good looking 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone, I have the bachmann spectrum 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone version which is also awesome! Thank you for your reviews on all those locomotives.
Great review presented in an understandable way. Thank you!
The prototype is on display at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth MN. Number 227 is raised up off the tracks so that they can run the wheels during a full animation of the lights and sounds and motion of the engine. Very cool. I have a video of it on my channel.
This is probably the best HO steam engine MTH has ever made as of now! :D
Beautiful locomotive!
Beautiful locomotive, saw it at the big show in Kansas City this weekend. Saw you there too, talking to the Athearn Genesis (or MTH, one of the two) reps.
+Railfan Jason Shoulda said hi!
Great review!
I'm more of an SP/DRGW modeler in the 70s-80s era
but I really want one of these and a bunch of ore cars. I've always had a soft spot for the DMIR.
Also gotta love that whistle
Loved the looks & weight butt centiped tender would derail every time backing thru a #6 turnout. Also no indication of which way to throw the switch for DCS or DCC
Are you able to do a re review of either the mth gs4 daylight or the mth k4 pacific on your new layout please???
Hey quick question do you know if MTH works on non NCE variants or does it only work on the NCE power cab?
Would love to see a full review on the Broadway Limited Y6b Norfolk and Western, if so any chance you could run it with a NCE Power Cab controller. Just getting back into model railroading after 26 years and a lot has changed. Great video on the Yellowstone as are all your reviews, I really enjoy them a lot, Thank You.
Does every mth steam train come in a box like that
+jlwii2000 I live in Minnesota and this train is absolutely awesome in person at the duluth Minnesota every time the hour turns the main wheels turn
What are you wearing on your left wrist?
Little tip for the readability of your background information, whitetext with a black outline will work on any background
Great video and awesome engine!!!!!!!!!! What editor do you use? Thanks for the video and have a great one!
there manual is on there web site it is the same as ho MTH H8 Allegheny all 28 functions are the same.
Are you looking to get rid of it
What is your intro song
I like it
Are your going to have a giveaway
can you do a unit ore train this this beast
Are you a maintainer?
you shuld do a mth g scale steam train
i like the intro music on this video .
Randy Gelp wish I knew the track its relaxing
James you should insulate your HVAC vents and save some cash.
You should review the MTH or Broadway Limited Imports New York Central Dreyfuss Hudson. That is one cool locomot
*Locomotive
Whistle sounds similar to the daylight to me...kinda wish it was on the daylight
Great product. My problem with MTH is always the poor warranty and spotty, costly service.
Does anyone know why the Yellowstones had 2 bells?
do tell???
+Marcus I can't speak for any other railroad, but the DM&IR was very safety conscious. As part of the railroad logo they had Safety First on all rolling stock and every locomotive. The bell on the tender was just another warning device. When the locomotive was moving slowly in reverse, it could actually sneak up on you, so they had the bell on the tender. MTH did an excellent job on a great locomotive.
Wouldn’t surprise me, the DM&IR ran very busy and strict schedules being that they were competing service to get taconite to the lakes and then from there the ships take them east. No room for error or delay.
I wish they made a southern pacific ac-9…
You really want to see BIG? Try the MTH 4-8-8-4 UP Big Boy! Heavier than you can imagine ... piping galore, and detailed to the b*lls! Yeah, I love my MTH Big Boy! Great Christmas present from my wife!!!
isn't 5.7 ounces of pulling power a little low.. big boy MTH is app. 8 ounces i have two an along with MTH Allegheny are best pullers.maybe with running time wheels get a little scuffed up a power goes up. it is best your going to find out there unless you go for brass an most don't run as good a could cost three times as much.
It has really bad derailment problems.
living a little dangerous with the track so close to the edge. I'd be scared of destroying an expensive piece of equipment.
2-8-8-4
Try some JT Mega steam smoke fluid next time!
+colivera427 Does it get all over the engine like some brands? Is it ok in BLI engines?
+Andrew Kiely It works in any manufacturer's smoke unit. it'll only make a mess if you want to make one.
+colivera427 Hmm. Seems like my BLI smoke fluid gets all over my BLI locos. I love smoke but I've turned off all my smoke units because of this. Hope this stuff is the answer.
It is sad that they negated the vestibule cab. Especially for the price…
Beautiful stuff but grossly over priced ! I can get all the materials needed to build a working mini steam loco that will haul people.
who else cringes when someone calls a train wheel tire
+SD70ace_railfan I said it by accident, said wheel later though....slip of the tounge. However, the traction tire does go on the wheel.
***** yeah i know that was pretty funny though
SD70ace_railfan Steam locomotives to have "tires". They go around the wheel. It was easier to do because it saved money and time not having to change the drivers every time they needed replaced. Diesel locomotives they don't do that with. Because they are almost the same diameter as a box car or auto rack wheel. and they aren't as expensive or time consuming to make.
Old comment, but he ain't technically wrong. Real steam locomotives do have removable tires that have to be changed out when they wear down.