Sad for us and for the hobby as the competition and innovation MTH brought to O gauge compelled Lionel to up its game and do more than merely reissue "new" versions of postwar-era engines. Recall that Lionel's first new diesel--a Dash-9, if I recall--back in the 1980s was built by Mike Wolf's company.
This has caused me to reminisce a little about Mike Wolf. In particular, I recall seeing him and his wife at Trainstock a few years ago; I recall him sitting on his stool in the old Yellow Hall (under the grandstand) at York playing with MTH's then-new helicopter car, repeatedly sending the copter up into the underside of the grandstand; and touring MTH's headquarters in Maryland on an OGR-sponsored bus trip. Clearly, Mike really is a kid at heart. And aren't all of us who choose to "play with trains" kids at heart?
I hope that arrangements can be made for MTH to continue in some form after Mike's departure. Its permanent closure would be an immense loss to model railroading and particularly to the O gauge portion of it.
I wish Mike Wolf all the best in his well-earned retirement. I hope we'll still see him around once in a while.
Stay healthy, everyone.
Chris
