An open letter to Lionel

I've seen the Lionel Thomas open wagons. And I'd buy a few a cut off the faces and repaint them.....BUT....They look really big.....and while I have not been able to place a Lionel wagon next to a Peco or Lima wagon.....the Lionel wagon is just too large.

I'm afraid that's a line of thinking I just don't understand. 

 

Trains--real and model--are more visible and popular in Europe than they have been in the U.S. for years.  Businesses generally tend to go where the markets are.

MTH seems to be doing well selling European engines here.  And why not they look like fine models.  Not something I am interested in but they make stuff for me as well so I'm not complaining.

I couldn't agree more with everything.  I repainted/relettered mine.  I would love to have some detailed die-cast (not tinplate models of Gresley A3 and A4s, etc.  Kits would be wonderful.  While I run conventional I don't mind paying for Legacy electronics: the sound quality, the near-flawless cruise, and the very good slow speed smoothness are worth the cost to me. 

Having worked for a French company for several years with HQs in both France and Switzerland, I got the chance to travel by rail a lot in Europe and experience some very cool trains. Definitely a great experience and I think MTH's models are beautiful examples. Having said that, with limited resources and high locomotive prices, and the need to make prudent purchasing decisions, the probability of my buying a European loco is very low. I may at some point buy one as a novelty, but unlikely in the foreseeable future. To me, the bigger question is whether MTH will remain viable in O gauge and produce competitive product, given its instead now targeting S, HO and European. And because Lionel's whistle steam and other steam and cutting edge prototype effects continue to go unanswered by MTH. Certainly an MTH business decision, but also one that I strongly consider.

Well, that is not what he said.

quote:

In any case Lionel is 90% of my purchase of trains right now if they go Europo on us then they will become 0% as is MTH, my part of the open letter.

John

A closed mind is a terrible thing to waste.

 

At one time I didn't particularly care for European steam, but, over the years I have become very interested in them. It is nice to have something new to study and learn about.

I too wish that Lionel would do more with the Thomas/Shakespeare/Euro line.

 

Dave,

How is that Hogwart TMCC thing coming along? As Nimitz once broadcast..."The world wants to know."