When a Lionel Authorized Dealer can order Lionel tinplate trains directly through their Lionel salesman and NOT MTH.... then maybe, just maybe you can connect the dots that it's an official Lionel product. Even though it really isn't.
1) Lionel doesn't have a factory; so everything Lionel makes is made by a contractor
2)Most of the dealers with very few exceptions can't order from Lionel directly-they are required to order through distributors.
3)Lionel's most successful tinplate products, in the modern era were all made through a contract with MTH. When Lionel contracted companies in China to make tinplate the products didn't sell. Yes the Vanderbilt and Hiawatha were great offers and great looking products but both had to be blown out by Lionel.
4)MTH has done an incredible job keeping tinplate alive. Lionel couldn't produce it and make it profitable so why not make money by a license to someone who does tinplate right.
You can get upset that Lionel isn't making the tinplate product; but they aren't making anything else either;it's all contracted to overseas producers.
Scott Smith
