It's business and not personal. I love my trains and I am miffed that these things happen but the reality is the world did not stop spinning, hopefully your are all healthy, have a good family base to carry the rock. It a hobby, we are all passionate but after working in manufacturing for a extremely large Japan based company these things happen and if you don't have a back up plan your dead. The primary reason manufacturing leaves the US is burdensome regulations and costs. If these guys have all their tools a shift to another place and factory is painful but can be done. Personally, I am glad as quality of MTH, Lionel and a few other has gotten worse over time. How many times under warranty have you sent a unit back to MTH or Lionel and have it sit in their repair shop for months.
I can tell you this is a fact, I have a brand spanking new 4014 that I got at Christmas and I am still waiting for a board. the unit was DOA out of the box and three boards later its in the "shop" again.
I would love to see manufacturing back in Korea, Japan or the USA. Prices have significantly increased and quality down when manufactures move to China.
