@TheRambles posted:Occasionally and especially recently with the purchase of MTH Tooling, I will come across posts hoping Lionel will integrate DCS into their locomotives.
For those of you with that dream, I am here to burst your bubble. At 47:57 in the latest Ryan and Dave show, Ryan Kunkle Director of Production at Lionel bragged about bringing 3 different control systems to the Rail King Genesis rather than the one "dying control system".
This not so veiled attack on DCS from a prominent higher-up at Lionel makes clear the company wants nothing to do with DCS – and likely never did. I have seen similar jabs in the past particularly with the star wiring required to operate DCS.
MTH did so much for this hobby, I wish Lionel officials had some more hubris. I don't know whether this is some machismo rivalry thing, but to me the comments are pompous and unnecessary.
If Lionel really wanted to kill DCS, Legacy would have been the operating system in Atlas for years. But something tells me Lionel didn't want that either. For me, I plan on continuing my use of DCS, and I raise my cup to cheer on its new life as its own company. What do you think?
SEE THE DAVE AND RYAN SHOW HERE:
You asked for my opinion. Here’s my opinion:
DCS has five years. After that it will be gone. There will not be enough volume to support it. Personally, I don’t care one way or the other. I’m new to O scale. Last year I was all set to buy MTH trains and then the announcement came. I’ve been in the manufacturing sector and understand what it means to wind down a business. MTH has an obligation to supply parts for their products for 48 - 60 months after production. After that period of time they are free to go their own way.
Atlas cannot save DCS. Atlas may not be able to save itself. In 15 years, if current attrition rates remain the same there will be 60% fewer people participating in this hobby. Lionel knows this, Mike W. knows this. They may tell you otherwise but the market is shrinking year over year.
This is my opinion and I stand by it but, I will not argue about it.
