MTH's "new" catalogue?

Get real guys, most O layouts won’t accommodate items exceeding 16” long. Let’s get back to reality please. Enough with all this impractical modern stuff.

Old Matt Jackson would love to see those layout shrinkers.

Show your approval or disapproval of a catalog with your wallet. I bought the L-3 and L-4 Mohawk from MTH a couple of years ago. It seems very soon to be showing them again. I know I won't be going for another, but Mike will put things in the catalog and cancel them it the demand isn't there. That's his M.O.

Since the production of many MTH freight cars still requires stamped steel sheet floors, then these open framed auto carriers of the late 1950's to the early 1970's can be made out of stamped steel sheets that have parts that fit together using bolts and tabs in slots.

Andrew

I'm not that active in these forums and so maybe my perspective may be somewhat different.  I'll begin by saying this was only my second time at York and I really enjoyed it - of course I have little past experience to compare it to, but it was fun.  One take away for me was that I noticed loads of Lionel stuff, new and used at nearly every display.  I also noticed Atlas, Williams, etc but as for MTH, there really wasn't a whole heck of a lot of new or used stock available.  Fewer dealers handling it?  Fans more likely to hold onto MTH?  Other?  Yes, I did see some deals, but few in what I'd consider as popular road names.  So I would like to see more MTH stuff even if from 'old' models and dies as I'd like to expand my collection.  And frankly, I am overwhelmed with all the Lionel stuff here and at other train shows - at least with MTH it is easy to follow with PS1, PS2 and PS3.  The handheld, TIU and AIU are all pretty much the same over time.

As for new MTH investment, I think the WiFi and electronic communications are not something to be overlooked and likewise was an investment on their part.  I'm hoping too that there is a plan to expand these with programming options and furthering the capabilities of PS3.

One more comment,  whether fact or fiction, I had heard that their European line has been getting much of the tooling investment and is selling well.  Maybe they're just following the money?  Regardless, Mike seems to have built himself not only a company, but a legacy and I can't imagine that he wouldn't foresake that.  And could it be that we've gotten spoiled in that we've come to expect many new offerings with every catalog?

Oops - the "wouldn't" in my next to last sentence should be "would".   Should read......I can't image that he would forsake that.

Greenbrier has 3-bay covered hoppers that are competitor to the Trinity 3-bay covered hoppers.

The factory in China can make Greenbrier Inc. 3-bay covered hoppers.

Most of the BNSF heritage covered hoppers were Greenbrier 3-bay covered hoppers.

These are The Richardson Group and Agrium 3-bay covered hoppers.

RickO posted:

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

I got a close-up look at Lionel's American Freedom Train T-1 locomotive at their booth yesterday.  And while this is reportedly a "newly tooled" locomotive, I honestly didn't see the detail level I was expecting for a locomotive carrying a $1700 MSRP.  Very disappointed.

Could be because the prototype lacks much in the way of extrenal plumbing valves etc.

  ...

 

Rick, I agree.  But then the locomotive isn't worth the $1700 MSRP price tag.

I hope the Lionel AFT T1 Looks as good as this for $1700!

The Premier 60' flat cars could have 1970's and 1980's era bulkhead attached to the ends like this Soo Line flat car with bulkheads built by Thrall Car.

Andrew

Interesting thread...

Was anyone able to discern an accurate 'State of the Business' from MTH folks at York?  The thought of them perhaps "pulling out of O gauge" was a surprise (and seems unlikely) to me but I can see why some would think that.

David 1 posed the question several months ago "What has happened to MTH HO gauge?" with good reason.  Most who I talk to really like MTH Gauge One equipment but they haven't produced much of that for several years either. 

If the European line is selling well over there - great for them. I like those locomotives but have no experience with them. I like the passenger cars very much as well.

What say you Mike Wolf?  You have many of us who really appreciate what you've done for the hobby in general and we support you. It would be good to hear from you about the future for your company as you see it.

Just my two cents here. Unlike most I am one of those who cant spend a grand a year on trains and I also run the hell out of them. I dont by to stit in the box and collect. I do take great care of my stuff though.So things comming back around again are great. This way I can get what I missed years ago.

Also remember new people entering the hobby are seing this stuff for the first time. Why not retoole an old item if it was made good then. Also remember the little things that you dont always see from mth. They now have ps3 with no battery to wory about and new tethered draw bar that is more appealing on thier steamers. These and other inovations take resources and development cost also. Not to mention changes in design of an old product and so on.

As for thier whistle steam. They may have seen the hiccups lionel had with thiers and dont want all those repairs comming back. I love mth smoke in thier steam engines. My imperial j I just bought smokes like a real steamer. Lots of volume. Nice thing is the unite is easy to work on when the time comes to replace the wick. Running them on high all the time as some like me do this is a maintanace thing at least once or twice in its lifetime. All that goes into whistle steam while I like it is just more to go wrong and sevice.

Mth also is spending resources in other scales plus thier europe line. The new wifi app and box I am sure was not cheap to devolpe either. This new technology will be seen as crutial down the road. Why just in the short term the impact of the dcs wifi has made thier trains operate much easier than before. I now really want mth engines again. Controling them on my phone is so much easyer and faster now than before.

Also as others have stated.thier is a good supply of almost new old stock stuff to be had on the auction sights if you know what your doing.  maybe built to order in a few years will slow that part down not sure. If you dont have to have the latest and greatest this really is a great avenue for buying trains. Especialy things we missed. This is still my first go too then I look at buying new. Unless like like the gevo and ns first responders and veterans paint schemes come along. Although I suspect they will be thier some day  two as people tire of them or need cash for somthing elese. I also buy only roadnames I collect and mth always makes more of my faves than lionel. Lionel is comming around though.

Maybe got a little of topic but to the poster. Remmber mth has a lot of scales and the tinplate line. So thier focus is all over the map so to speak. Whear as lionel has focused in the last few years on thier legacy line. Now they are getting into lionchief plus and bluetooth plus maybe HO. So we will see what they do in these next few years. 

The Premier GP30 diesel has not been factory made in the SOO LINE scheme from 1963.

The Premier GP35 has not been factory produced in the SOO LINE scheme from 1965.

The Premier flat car with bulkheads has not been made in the SOO LINE 1962-1969 era colors and graphics.

The Premier 60' flat car with bulkheads has not been produced in the 1960's SOO LINE markings.

The Premier 40' Trailers have yet to be made properly with Chicago & North Western FALCON SERVICE lettering. The 48' trailers were the wrong size and FALCON SERVICE was in a strange font.

The Premier and RailKing 40' steel reefers have not been made in the SOO LINE 1960's scheme of a white body, blue doors, and black ends.

Those are new paint and graphics on existing cars. They can still get more road names and graphic variations out of the existing models.

Andrew

They have yet to make all the railroads and graphic schemes that have appeared on the Pullman-Standard PS-1 50' box cars. Making only 4 schemes or railroad each year means they can continue for 10 to 15 years without a repeat paint scheme.

Andrew

MTH has never made an O scale READING PS-1 50' plug-door box car.

Andrew

Looks like this thread has gone off topic from the catalog discussion.

Reading is a common road and done numerous times. Problem we face is no one makes a  smooth side car like that with half ladders and removed roof walks. K-line attempted that idea long ago on 40 footers but the others never caught on. Atlas attempted to do a PS version without a roof walk, but not quite the same.

Other missing model in O is a smooth side like the MEC below with a wide modern plug door. MTH  has a (double) & Weaver a (single) which was in a vertical rib side only. Atlas shot themselves in the foot by molding the old style plug door into the body. Weaver did do one but in a 57' reefer.

MTH waffles are regular door only. You would think a modern PD version could simply be offered? like the other car below??

We need these type of box cars…

Good morning, I did not make it to York this time around due to my work schedule but a friend picked up the 2017 Volume 1 catalog and I was impressed with what MTH has to offer in the coming year.

I was glad to see the Pennsy M1B and the Pennsy 0 6 0 Switcher in the line up.

 The last go around for the Premier M1 I did not have the money to purchase it so I settled for the Imperial version when it was later released.  Now I get another oppertunity to purchase this great Pennsy engine in the Premier Line.

 Looking at it from a business stand point, I think it would be business suicide for MTH to try to build every locomotive (steam or diesel) along with every freight car that was ever built. The cost of the tooling and manufacture process would just be draining on cash flow and then when the items came to market and you could not sell these items the consequences would be devastating.

Looking thru the freight cars offering I thought the dismantled crane was a great idea. it is definitely something different to have in a train. Hopefully they come out with a flat car with the boom section on it so you have a complete crane.

The gondolas with the track pieces is a great idea also. Just a few months ago I seen a gondola sitting in Cresson Pa with a switch or turnout ( which ever term you prefer) sitting inside of it just like the MTH offering.

The new houses with the Christmas lights along with the various buildings are also a great addition.

I give MTH credit as someone else mentioned on pricing. MTH has seem to find a way to hold the price increases to a minimum thru the years where the competition prices continue to climb.

I can't justify laying out the money that the competition wants for their top of the line engines because they have smoke effects on the steam whistle and steam chest, is it neat , yes, do I want to pay the price for this option no !!!!  Watching different videos and seeing the competition locomotives operate I will stick with the MTH lineup.

I think Mr. Wolf and his crew when they started in this hobby changed the hobby for the better and made all the competition come up to the MTH standard.

There is no doubt with the amount of things the MTH motive power can do you are always going to have small nagging issues. No matter how good you are the small problems are going to arise, it's the nature of the beast !!!!!!

I remember many years ago going to a train shop and the gentlemen that owned the shop said this is a new company MTH they are really going to change the hobby of model railroading, and he was 100% right.

After seeing a Pennsy K4 operate with Proto 1 sound on the train shops layout, I was hooked !!!!!

Now MTH is a Proto 3, with DCS control system, look how fair things have changed in just those few short years.

Thanks MTH for all you have done in the past and the future to come for this hobby !!!!!!

Have a good day !!!!!!

LionelZWL2012, C.Sam and Bob Golf - thanks for your views on the subject of this thread.  Kudos too for not getting distracted by the folks (Falconservice, RockyMountaineer, PRRhorseshoecurve and 645 to name a few) who decided - instead - to once again discuss their want-lists for their letters to Santa.  

I think you raise some good points.  I agree that MTH might be focused on the European market.  But hoping that once they reach a point where they are happy with their European market penetration, they will refocus on American O gauge. Again, thanks for weighing in.  

Peter

The way I see it, MTH still offers great stuff.  As others have pointed out, although they may have fewer features, the price point for MTH products is generally less than that of much of the stuff from Lionel.  I think that variety is good for the hobby.  As for me, the Railking Imp line is a good fit for both my curve radii and my wallet.  The breadth an variety of this line is what puled me away from HO and into O a few years ago.  That said, the latest catalog is a winner in my book.  While some (apparently most, if not all) the offerings may be from previously used tooling, they are new models to me.  I like the streamlined Pacifics, and a PRR Torpedo leading a string of Fleet of Modernism cars is in my future.  The B6 also looks great.  While I may run traditional sized stuff, the Premier NYC Mohawks and PRR M1b are real beauties.  So no, I don't think MTH has lost their mojo just because the latest catalog is not full of stuff from new tooling.  MTH offers great features, plenty of play value for me with DCS, and MTH price points keep me in the hobby.  

My opinions of course.  Your mileage may vary...

The FRUIT GROWERS EXPRESS 50' Plug Door Box Cars and FGE Refrigerator Cars have not been offered in O scale, even though it was a common, yet distinct freight car. The FGE 50' box cars and reefers are not risky items to put into mass production. Somebody will want them since they were common sights on the railroads in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's. Somebody could at least sensibly add them to their product line.

Andrew

The MAINE CENTRAL Waffle-side Plug-door 50' Box car looks very similar to the Plug-door 50' 7-Post box cars built for the Great Northern and the SOO LINE. These box cars could be made with molds that have inserts for flat sides or waffle side patterns.  That is a reasonable way to get more out of freight car molds.

Andrew

In all fairness to MTH, they have come out with so great items. My fleet has merged more towards the MTH than Lionel and others, simply due to cost. However, MTH has come out with some great starter sets in all scales. What I get disappointed about are the sounds, and maybe this is the reason for the pricing. For example, If a person buys a Christmas engine in standard and O, o-27, or hi-rail, 9 times out of 10, the sounds are the exactly the same. Passenger station announcements are pretty much the same gig as well.

Now I know there are several here that prefer no sounds at all. However, I like the smoke and sound options as I can always turn them off. if someone wants to double-head the seasonal diesels with the DCS, the sounds are the same. I would really like some investments made to add or change chuff and steam whistle sounds. I really don't believe it would cost that mush more. I would also like to see the tinplate Work Caboose, in 2800, 500, and 200 series, in different paint schemes as well. I would like to keep adding to my MTH Fleet. . Sorry for getting on the soapbox.

Joe Gozzo

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

RickO posted:

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

I got a close-up look at Lionel's American Freedom Train T-1 locomotive at their booth yesterday.  And while this is reportedly a "newly tooled" locomotive, I honestly didn't see the detail level I was expecting for a locomotive carrying a $1700 MSRP.  Very disappointed.

Could be because the prototype lacks much in the way of extrenal plumbing valves etc.

  ...

 

Rick, I agree.  But then the locomotive isn't worth the $1700 MSRP price tag.

Oh-oh.  Once again, you forgot "in my opinion".  ;-)

I'm glad to see there is nothing I want right now.

Do you or does anyone have access to sales figures or are we speculating?  Just want to be clear that I don't think anyone has publicly available, audited financial data from either Lionel or MTH.  Mike built his firm himself, so I would think he is best positioned to figure out how to adapt to a changing market, as is Lionel.  From my perspective, I see a rational and discernible startegy from both companies to deal with the changing market.

Ray Lombardo posted:

David,

Yes, and my point is that people are "buying what's important to them" - and the result is that Lionel is thriving yet MTH appears to be contracting or winding down in terms of O gauge.  Old tooling, no innovation and now, the package deals I mentioned (buy some locomotives and for $100-150 more you can buy a consist of cars) seem to be gone. By the way, I said I found Lionel's pricing to be beyond ridiculous. But that has nothing to do with this topic. I like MTH products, but if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly (thriving companies looking toward a healthy tomorrow do not stagnate or have contraction) this is concerning.  I mean, imagine what the options would look like tomorrow with no MTH!  

Peter

 

Do you or does anyone have access to sales figures or are we speculating?  Just want to be clear that I don't think anyone has publicly available, audited financial data from either Lionel or MTH.  Mike built his firm himself, so I would think he is best positioned to figure out how to adapt to a changing market, as is Lionel.  From my perspective, I see a rational and discernible startegy from both companies to deal with the changing market.

Well, it's "speculating" in that I'm looking at the growing divide between the operating features on MTH's offerings and those of its main competitor - and asking for opinions from others on how they interpret this.  

In terms of the rest of your post,  unless I'm mistaken, both companies are privately held. And even if they were publicly traded and financials were publicly available - so what?  They wouldn't necessarily give you any insight into MTH's future internal strategy for shifting objectives. 

Peter

Count me as another who has become concerned about MTH seemingly having lost its edge lately. 

I'm not particularly concerned about the number of reruns, that would seem to be a good business strategy to hold the base. But the lack of progress in producing anything new makes me wonder about their long-term viability.  Over the past two years, we've seen very little visible investment back into the business. O gauge has the 44-toner and the half-new SD60e, but the other gauges (G, HO, S, Standard) that were viewed as expansions of the business haven't really seen any progress either. The DCS WiFi expansion is late from the original estimates of the end of last year.

If MTH wishes to coast on the laurels of their past successes, that is their call. It is, however, sad to see a force for so much positive change in the industry lose the desire or ability to continue moving forward. Maybe a surprise effort will show up in the future, but it is hard to see what direction they are going.

PJB posted:

Ray Lombardo posted:

David,

Yes, and my point is that people are "buying what's important to them" - and the result is that Lionel is thriving yet MTH appears to be contracting or winding down in terms of O gauge.  Old tooling, no innovation and now, the package deals I mentioned (buy some locomotives and for $100-150 more you can buy a consist of cars) seem to be gone. By the way, I said I found Lionel's pricing to be beyond ridiculous. But that has nothing to do with this topic. I like MTH products, but if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly (thriving companies looking toward a healthy tomorrow do not stagnate or have contraction) this is concerning.  I mean, imagine what the options would look like tomorrow with no MTH!  

Peter

 

Do you or does anyone have access to sales figures or are we speculating?  Just want to be clear that I don't think anyone has publicly available, audited financial data from either Lionel or MTH.  Mike built his firm himself, so I would think he is best positioned to figure out how to adapt to a changing market, as is Lionel.  From my perspective, I see a rational and discernible startegy from both companies to deal with the changing market.

Well, it's "speculating" in that I'm looking at the growing divide between the operating features on MTH's offerings and those of its main competitor - and asking for opinions from others on how they interpret this.  

In terms of the rest of your post,  unless I'm mistaken, both companies are privately held. And even if they were publicly traded and financials were publicly available - so what?  They wouldn't necessarily give you any insight into MTH's future internal strategy for shifting objectives. 

Peter

Financials would reveal year over year income as well as profit and or losses.  That gives about as objective a picture as one can get.  If a strategy works, you get income and, eventually, profit.  If strategy doesn't work, you have declining or no income, and losses.  More granularity on the financials yields additional insights, such as sales by product line or margins on product line.  

Absent that, what we are doing here is known as speculating.  Interpreting involves some base facts that require further analysis.  Here we have no base facts because we do not have any financial information.   

If we are going to speculate, my speculation is that neither Lionel nor MTH are run by fools.  In MTH's case, Wolf built the company from the ground up so I am going to defer to his judgment as it is based on far more experience and knowledge than mine.  I think the new catalog is nice.  Same with the Volume II Lionel book. I grew up in the 80s and we have it very good today.  

I am not trying to argue with you.  I am sure you are a good person.  I am just tired of all the sky is falling discussions, whether it be York, MTH is dying, Lionel pricing is too high, etc.  Enjoy the hobby, peruse the catalogs, and work on the layout.  On the selection front, vote with your wallet and that is all you can do.  Everything else is a lot of hot air from people with too much time on their hands.  Either that or perhaps they are bored with the hobby and need a new one or they don't comprehend the difference between a hobby and compulsive hoarding.  Whatever it is, the whining should stop.

Interesting thread.  Lots of opinions.  Hard to please everyone, isn't it?

The issue of 'Same ol', same ol'....but different lettering' seems to be a downer....but I'm not sure why?   After all, when it comes to road names for different cars/engines, everyone seems to have a favorite.  Sometimes by name.  Sometimes by colors.  Sometimes by the flamboyance of the graphics, themselves.

So, just for kicks I went to one our (LHS) distributor's websites that has, as a sorting criteria, a list of roadnames/industry names associated with railroad equipment.  I did a rough count of their current list...........540+!!!!!!

Now, I'm not a CEO or CFO, mind you, but I wasn't born yesterday, either.  I retired nearly 20 years ago from the automotive corporate business (engineering) and I have some appreciation for the issue of tooling costs, amortization through production volume, pricing, etc., etc., blah, blah.  Tooling that sits idle earns no money.....period.

Painting and printing are pretty cheap options in comparison to new mold dies for plastic/metal shells, sheet metal frames, etc.  At 4-5 roadnames per car per catalog issue, there's a lot of territory out there for earning money on existing tooling....which generates some capital for future projects.....maybe.  Then there's the issue of car numbers.  In the world of boxcars, refrigerator cars, and a few other styles seen in large quantities on many railroads,  multiples of different car numbers is important to many in the hobby.  Sometimes these are shown in the same catalog as sets or singles.  Other times they simply pop up as a re-run of an earlier catalog release....but a different car number.

Whatever.  

Like it or lump it, as the saying goes.  To throw the whole corporate name, mission, and reputation under the bus just because the all-new car/engine isn't there in each catalog release as frequently as you'd like to see it is the current AND ongoing nature of this hobby. 

But that's just MHO......nothing more.....nothing less.

KD

Ray Lombardo posted:

PJB posted:

Ray Lombardo posted:

David,

Yes, and my point is that people are "buying what's important to them" - and the result is that Lionel is thriving yet MTH appears to be contracting or winding down in terms of O gauge.  Old tooling, no innovation and now, the package deals I mentioned (buy some locomotives and for $100-150 more you can buy a consist of cars) seem to be gone. By the way, I said I found Lionel's pricing to be beyond ridiculous. But that has nothing to do with this topic. I like MTH products, but if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly (thriving companies looking toward a healthy tomorrow do not stagnate or have contraction) this is concerning.  I mean, imagine what the options would look like tomorrow with no MTH!  

Peter

 

Do you or does anyone have access to sales figures or are we speculating?  Just want to be clear that I don't think anyone has publicly available, audited financial data from either Lionel or MTH.  Mike built his firm himself, so I would think he is best positioned to figure out how to adapt to a changing market, as is Lionel.  From my perspective, I see a rational and discernible startegy from both companies to deal with the changing market.

Well, it's "speculating" in that I'm looking at the growing divide between the operating features on MTH's offerings and those of its main competitor - and asking for opinions from others on how they interpret this.  

In terms of the rest of your post,  unless I'm mistaken, both companies are privately held. And even if they were publicly traded and financials were publicly available - so what?  They wouldn't necessarily give you any insight into MTH's future internal strategy for shifting objectives. 

Peter

Financials would reveal year over year income as well as profit and or losses.  That gives about as objective a picture as one can get.  If a strategy works, you get income and, eventually, profit.  If strategy doesn't work, you have declining or no income, and losses.  More granularity on the financials yields additional insights, such as sales by product line or margins on product line.  

Absent that, what we are doing here is known as speculating.  Interpreting involves some base facts that require further analysis.  Here we have no base facts because we do not have any financial information.   

If we are going to speculate, my speculation is that neither Lionel nor MTH are run by fools.  In MTH's case, Wolf built the company from the ground up so I am going to defer to his judgment as it is based on far more experience and knowledge than mine.  I think the new catalog is nice.  Same with the Volume II Lionel book. I grew up in the 80s and we have it very good today.  

I am not trying to argue with you.  I am sure you are a good person.  I am just tired of all the sky is falling discussions, whether it be York, MTH is dying, Lionel pricing is too high, etc.  Enjoy the hobby, peruse the catalogs, and work on the layout.  On the selection front, vote with your wallet and that is all you can do.  Everything else is a lot of hot air from people with too much time on their hands.  Either that or perhaps they are bored with the hobby and need a new one or they don't comprehend the difference between a hobby and compulsive hoarding.  Whatever it is, the whining should stop.

?  You think financial documents for a toy train manufacturer that's organized and run as one company would be broken down by  different train scales?  Good one!  

"Not run by fools." Agreed.  My point is that MTH isn't run by fools and, therefore, is aware that more play value in its products likely equates to greater sales.  So if the O line is remaining status quo despite the competition's advances, there might be some reason. And, curious for opinions as to what that reason might be (Was hoping someone may be aware of an official statement from MTH on this point). So, I'm confused by your comment and not sue what point you are trying to make? 

"Sky is falling?"  Where did you get that notion?  That's not at all what this thread is about - as my OP will explain or, for a Cliffnotes version, see my second point (above) in this post. 

"Whining?"  - with respect, you sound like a lot of people on this thread. Gave the OP a cursory glance, or had a preconceived notion about the topic and then, rather than contribute, jumped right in with comments that are not constructive and have little to do with the actual topic (for example, see DKDKRD's post right above - says this is an "interesting thread" but then his entire response has nothing to do with the  OP and point of this thread). I'm sure this isn't your goal, as you seem generally interested in having a discussion - you have my apologies if you found my OP and every other of my posts unclear as to the point of this thread. 

Peter

PJB posted:

 

?  You think financial documents for a toy train manufacturer that's organized and run as one company would be broken down by  different train scales?  Good one!  

 

Peter

I dunno, the company I work for has records for each product line and each product within that line.

How else are they going to know what's profitable and what isn't?

Rusty

My .02

As I mentioned in my thread about Lionel producing an Amtrak Genesis,  it's not so much as asking for MTH and Lionel to make every road name and rail car ever made just to suit everybody's individual tastes (that would be financial suicide), I think it just the constant rehashing of the same base molds with UP, ATSF, PRR, NYC, SP, etc. slapped on them – even if the railroad never used that equipment – and selling them because folks in my generation or older will buy them.  I could be wrong, but I don't notice this being done in N or HO.  I'm 50 years old, and Pennsy, NYC and Warbonnets mean nothing to me.  Don't recall having any affinity for them as a kid in the 70's either when I used to have HO sets as I was interested in what was actually running in service at that time.  I don't know how much they mean to model railroaders younger than in me in their 30's and 40's.  It's almost like one has to kitbash (if they have that skillset) to model equipment that they want to see.  I'm considering looking more into 3D printing (with my kids tech help ) to create products that I know that the manufacturers would never make in O... like a modern Light Rail/Streetcar for example instead of the standard Birney, Peter Witt, etc.

Rusty Traque posted:

PJB posted:

 

?  You think financial documents for a toy train manufacturer that's organized and run as one company would be broken down by  different train scales?  Good one!  

 

Peter

I dunno, the company I work for has records for each product line and each product within that line.

How else are they going to know what's profitable and what isn't?

Rusty

Rusty.  Yes, that's true. That's how they track p&l internally. But that's a little different than what's required on a public financial reporting document (10Q or K). Further, I sincerely doubt that even your company has a line item - in its internal financial reports - that states "invest no more in R&D and let's just keep reissuing the same old products until sales for that product decline by X% and then let's pull out of that particular product/make a capital contribution to that product line."  Anyway, this is irrelevant, given MTH is not a publicly traded company.  

PJB

I don't want to argue with you needlessly so I am not going to respond further.  Take care and stay safe.

Ray Lombardo posted:

PJB

I don't want to argue with you needlessly so I am not going to respond further.  Take care and stay safe.

Whoa.... someone has the brains to step away from this guy?

Engineer-Joe posted:

Ray Lombardo posted:

PJB

I don't want to argue with you needlessly so I am not going to respond further.  Take care and stay safe.

Whoa.... someone has the brains to step away from this guy?

Thanks for the kind word Joe.  Funny thing is, the point of the thread was to see if anyone had any intel on what MTH is planning for its O gauge product line.  I like their products and was concerned that maybe they were slowly bowing out. So what happened?  Some folks read the OP and provided thoughtful responses.  But then as usual, there is also a small quorum of folks that only want to detour to discuss what they discuss on every other thread - Christmas want lists, or the economy or market oversaturation or whatever - none of which has anything to do with the thread.  And then there are comments like yours...  

There's an old expression in the South - if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all.  In context, that could read - if you don't have anything relevant to say ...

If you go to the TCA youtube channel and watch the MTH presentation from the recent York meet, Mike said MTH has spent a lot of money developing the wifi system and all the apps for it. They have apps for both Apple and Android devices. The full featured apps are supposed to be released before the end of the year. There is a nice surprise included in them as well (watch the video here - Link to the TCA - MTH video).

Since they have just invested that much in the wifi, apps and upgrading the TIU firmware to make it all work, I seriously doubt they are winding down in O gauge. When the wifi project is completed, I would certainly imagine they have other ideas for future new projects waiting to be worked on. I really don't think Mike Wolf is the type of person to just sit around and watch others pass him by. I don't think there is a thing to worry about here.

I think you should use a phone other then Samsung,,,BOOM! Android devices are suspect, do not keep close to your body..

"What is so ridiculous?  Can you identify a  few popular mainstream, not fringe locomotives MTH, Lionel and the others has not already produced?"

Well, there's a problem right there - "mainstream"? How many ATSF F-units or NKP Berkshires can we buy? My money is "fringe" (a concept totally subject to personal opinion, and where, when and who you are). New tooling, not new electronics, will (maybe and depending and so on) get me excited. And spending.

Usually I can watch a 4-hour Barrett-Jackson or Mecum auto auction in 1 hour because I fast-forward through about 3/4 of the offerings - at how many Chevelles, Corvettes, GTO's and Mustangs can I look? ("Another one?")

We need some new tooling. It's costly (less than it used to be), but it's my spending answer, at least.