MTH Rail King O Gauge Showcase | Trainz Quick Hits #15

Classic Power: DRGW 4-6-0 That Still Holds Up

MTH 30-1160-1 O Denver & Rio Grande Western 4-6-0 Steam Locomotive & Tender w/PS

The first to grace the Rail King’s royal court is this brave knight…err I mean brave locomotive. This 4-6-0 steam locomotive sporting the Denver & Rio Grande Western (DRGW) road name was first released in 2000, and has remained a favorite amongst collectors ever since. Since a re-release hasn’t happened in over 20 years, we’re finally seeing the numbers of this locomotive start to slowly dwindle. No worries, I have a couple of these guys in our inventory right now!

This Denver and Rio Grande Western locomotive is sporting a wonderful black/gold paint scheme that really flies under the radar at first glance, but once you give it a few minutes – the greatness really starts to shine. Also my high school’s colors were black and gold, so there might be some personal bias there. Go Black Knights! Ok, sorry let’s get back to the locomotive. The tender features a solid yellow base and beautifully offsets the locomotive’s heavily muted base paint.

Another reason this 4-6-0 makes its way into the Rail King’s court is simply because it’s the 4-6-0! The original Ten-Wheeler 4-6-0 locomotives were a global sensation thanks to their reliability and high performance. Whether you were out west in the States, skiing in the Swedish mountains, or traversing the deserts of Sudan, chances are you likely may have seen the 4-6-0 locomotive. If you’re needing something for a great desert layout, then look no further because this Denver & Rio Grande Western 4-6-0 was made for just that! Plus, the vintage look is just too good to pass up on.

The Rail King is pleased, and says you can find this locomotive right here – oh and if you need some rolling stock, I’ve got plenty of options for the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad!

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-1160-1
• Years Manufactured: 2000 - 2000
• Road Name: Denver & Rio Grande Western (DRGW)
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Steam Loco

One-of-One Legend: The PRR S2 Turbine

MTH 30-1149-1 O Gauge PRR 6-8-6 S2 Turbine Steam Locomotive & Tender with PS1

Rolling in right alongside the 4-6-0 is the once in a lifetime MTH 30-1149-1 O Gauge Pennsylvania RailRoad 6-8-6 S-2 Turbine Steam Locomotive. The king is very, very pleased with this model, and I don’t disagree with him one bit. Oh, and why once in a lifetime? Well, that’s because only one has ever been in existence, but we’ll touch more on that in just a bit. For now, let’s take a closer look at this die-cast beauty.

Originally released in 1999 with ProtoSound 1.0, the 6-8-6 S2 steam locomotive was an immediate hit, and had collectors swarming MTH catalogs at the turn of the millennium. This PRR S2 6-8-6 from MTH is modeled exactly after the real-life original S2 first delivered way back in 1944, and even carries the original #6200 road number given to the S2.

First delivered in 1944 and nicknamed the “Big Whoosh” – the 6-8-6 was one of few locomotives to nearly match the Union Pacific Big Boy in size – clocking in at just over a million pounds! This beast of an engine utilized turbines to generate power, and boy did it do that – with a whopping 6,900 horsepower!

But, that didn’t stop MTH from trying their hand at reviving the S2 with their Rail King series. And, it’s safe to say MTH didn’t miss a beat with their O-Gauge interpretation. There are locomotives released today that still can’t rival the Rail King series S2 all the way back from 1999.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-1149-1
• Years Manufactured: 1999 - 1999
• Road Name: Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Steam Loco

Ready-to-Run Royalty: The Anheuser-Busch Rail King Set

MTH 30-4155-1 O Anheuser-Busch Rail King 2-8-0 Steam Train Set w/PS 2.0

Coming into the midpoint of this special Rail King showcase, I’ve decided to focus on a couple of sets, and to make it more fun we’re breaking away from traditional road names and paint schemes. The first set in the showcase is this awesome ready to run O-Gauge Anheuser-Busch 2-8-0 steam locomotive set from the Rail King series! Oh, and this particular listing is a mint product too – don’t everyone rush to their carts all at once now!

I love ready to run sets that include everything you need from locomotive, rolling stock, track, and transformers because it gives young hobbyists a chance to dive right in. That’s not to say this is a beginner’s set – I actually see it as more beginner-friendly. Anheuser-Busch is a massive beer/spirits empire that includes a couple of famous brands like Budweiser and Stella Artois.

The set includes a neat little 2-8-0 steam locomotive paired with a matching tender, and three beautifully designed freight cars each bearing Anheuser-Busch lettering. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, the 2-8-0 locomotive and the unique freight cars included are worth adding to any collection.

Being one of the most popular, and at one point the most mass produced locomotive of the late nineteenth century is no easy task. Going through, and surviving not one, but two world wars is also no easy task. Maintaining a massive historical significance beyond the century mark is no easy task. Yet, somehow the 2-8-0 checks all of those boxes, and asks “what else ya got” as it rolls around your layout reminding you that it’s here to stay!

I’ve got the set listed, and a great video that provides a brief demonstration of the set here too!

Watch the YouTube demo

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-4155-1
• Years Manufactured: 2006
• Road Name: Budweiser
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Starter Sets

Heavy Duty Favorite: Caterpillar F40PH Set Brings the Power

MTH 30-4047-1 O Gauge Caterpillar Rail King F40PH Diesel Train Set with PS 2.0

I promised another mint set, and boy am I glad to show this one off! This O-Gauge Rail King Caterpillar F40PH Diesel Train set is one that’ll shake the concrete loose, and simultaneously bring you the resources to fix all of that broken cement. See what I did there? Ok sorry, sometimes my jokes fall way flat…but this Rail King Caterpillar Set doesn't!

Another ready to run set that was released way back in 2000 to commemorate 75 years of Caterpillar construction – this one is a must have if you’re a paint scheme chaser like myself. The inclusion of Caterpillar’s iconic yellow and black into the design of the EMD F40PH and the freight cars accompanying it was a homerun decision.

I know everybody loves the original silver Amtrak design that the F40PH is typically seen with, but the break to yellow and red couldn’t have gone better, and gives what’s usually a visually straight forward locomotive a whole new personality.

The EMD F40PH was introduced to Amtrak to do the job that the SDP40F that preceded it couldn’t. Long story short, the EMD F40PH walked into the office and handed the SDP40F its walking papers. Ouch! But that’s the railroad industry for you sometimes.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-4047-1
• Years Manufactured: 2000 - 2000
• Road Name: Caterpillar
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Starter Sets

Spooky Season Favorite: The Halloween Boxcar

MTH 30-74931 O Halloween Rail King Boxcar

So Halloween is just around the corner, and I’ve decided to go down the spooky route for one of my rolling stock options. This Rail King Halloween Boxcar (model # 30-74931) was introduced in 2018, and has remained a favorite amongst O-Gauge operators ever since. I mean how could you not like this boxcar? It's a festive boxcar that looks great with an orange base paint scheme, and a wonderfully printed jack-o-lantern with a spooky little grin that’s sure to up the fright factor on O-Gauge layouts!

I’ve got the listing for the Rail King Halloween boxcar, and it looks like I only have one of these spooky boxcars on my shelves so don’t wait long! Need more Halloween themed items? No worries, our website carries plenty of Halloween locomotives and rolling stock so you can have the creepiest layout in the neighborhood!

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-74931
• Road Name: Halloween
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Freight Cars

Crown Jewel: The Gold-Plated PRR Boxcar

MTH 30-7446 O Gauge Gold Plated Pennsylvania Boxcar #28649

So the Rail King demands some treasures, and I think I've got just the thing to keep his majesty happy. Gold! Well, I’ve got a gold boxcar, but I think it’ll do. This Rail King O-Gauge Gold-Plated Pennsylvania boxcar (model # 30-7446) is locked away tight in the castle’s treasure room, but I think I can convince the king to let a couple of them go.

What’s not to love about this boxcar? Bearing the Pennsylvania Railroad road name and plated in 18k gold makes this a hard piece of treasure to resist. Originally released in 2000 the gold-plated Pennsylvania boxcar was part of the Millennium Series from Rail King, and hasn’t lost a bit of its luster over the course of twenty-three years.

If you’re ready to add some real Rail King treasure to your collection, then this gold-plated boxcar is the only way to go. Shining bright with a very appealing luster, and carrying one of the most iconic road names in the history of the railroad industry are just a couple of other reasons this deal gets even sweeter.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-7446
• Years Manufactured: 2000 - 2000
• Road Name: Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Freight Cars

Layout Personality: Maple Syrup Stand

MTH 30-90636 O Grandpa’s Maple Syrup Rail King Roadside Stand

Bringing the focus to layout accessories – I found two gems that I couldn’t resist sharing with everybody! Rail King layout accessories are typically very well done, but I’ve always felt that they fell just a little flat when it came to personality. Well, I guess MTH was reading my mind – releasing this Maple Syrup Roadside stand just this past April.

The lettering and signage help a ton, and keep layouts from looking generic and bland. I hope this trend continues moving forward because it’ll only create more unique layouts across the hobby.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-90636
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Buildings - Assembled

Layout Favorite: Fredo’s Boat Rentals

MTH 30-90629 O Fredo’s Boat Rentals Rail King Roadside Stand

Amongst all of the newly released Rail King layout accessories, Fredo’s Boat Rental is my absolute favorite! Inspired by The Godfather II, it’s a fun nod for film fans.

Fredo’s Boat Rental offers plenty of pop thanks to an excellent blue paint scheme and detailed signage all throughout the building. Complete with interior lighting, it’s a great piece to place next to water on your layout.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-90629
• MSRP: $59.95
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Buildings - Assembled

Budget Pick: Amtrak Offset Caboose

MTH 30-77220 O Amtrak Rail King Offset Steel Caboose Car #14027

We’re at the end of the showcase, and it’s time for my favorite picks! The royal court wants something budget friendly, and the Rail King has delivered! The first of my budget picks is the Rail King Amtrak Offset Steel Caboose.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-77220
• Road Name: Amtrak (AMTK/AMT)
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Freight Cars

Final Pick: Santa Fe Boxcar Closes It Out

MTH 30-74785 Rail King O-Gauge Santa Fe Boxcar

Well we’re at the end of the Rail King showcase, but that doesn’t mean the party has to end! The Rail King Santa Fe Boxcar is going to be our closing act, and guarantees that we’re going to go out with a bang.

• Manufacturer: MTH
• Model Number: 30-74785
• Road Name: ATSF
• Scale/Era: O Modern
• Model Type: Freight Cars