@gunrunnerjohn posted:And they wouldn't have you locked into their operating environment, the object of the exercise!
If you have Legacy, you're not likely to be buying DCC locomotives as they don't co-exist at the same time. OTOH, if you run DCC, someone like Menard's could jump into the arena with a DCC locomotive line and fit right in, I'm betting Lionel has no interest in facilitating that scenario!
Agree, it wasn't about what's the best value for the hobbyist but rather making sure they have to buy from you and the alternatives won't work. Kind like how drug dealers work, Give em taste, keep em hooked, and make sure they have to buy from you.
Lionel could have developed a DCC booster and gone that route back in 95, I'm sure they had enough technical skill to do so, I mean they built a command system from the ground up surely a simple little DCC booster wouldn't have beat them down? There were plenty of manufactures already using DC power motors in O gauge but in order for Lionel to do it would have required significant cost of retooling to convert existing product from open frame AC to a DC can. And with DCC, you don't necessarily have to buy a Lionel DCC system to run your trains anymore and all of the other DCC command system manufactures now have new O Gauge market to build equipment for and thus creating more competition for Lionel. Even if it was the best way, it was never gonna happen because you can't maximize your profits with competition and the high cost of retooling all of your locomotive product for new motors.
