OK, here's another example of "Potential" applications and divesification of the Lionel product line. Imagine, if you will, being able to pilot a real locomotive or even ride in vintage observation car in a by-gone era passenger train, in a semi-virtual world.
With its knowledge of modern and historical railroad technology and infrastructure, Lioenl could build tablet apps with content that allow you to take a ride on the Reading, or any other line of your choosing. With partnerships with real railroads, and the use of digital capture capability, vast libraries of content could be ammassed to construct these virtual worlds.
I once proposed to Intel, the development and promotion of the "digital highway" concept in which all vehicles and the Interstate Highway system would be broadband equipped and permit the transmission and recpetion of digital data about highway and traffic conditions. How many times have you been in a traffic jam and wished you could "see" out ahead of you to know what was going on to cause the backup. Webcams built into trucks and other vehicles (voluntarily of course) could provide such info. Likewise for trains. It would permit the collection of vast amounts of real trackage visualizations.
Just recently, Broadcom stepped up to the challenge and announced just such an initiative for connecting autos to the internet. And we don't need a gov't program (like the rural broadband internet initiative) as free enterprise is doing a nice job of building out 4G.
The combination of scale modeling and real world content seems like a no brainer to me. Digitally sampled sound is just scratching the surface... Going beyond "sound boards" and fixed loops of track with virtual RR content takes it to the next level. Gamers do it now, flight simulators abound... surely there is a market for RR enthusiasts and there is no reason Lionel can't participate.
Why on Earth is there not already a Polar Express game?! Its screaming for just such an application (jumping from car to car, treking across the roof tops, hanging on for dear life through the Glaciaer Gulch) Again, content is king. Time to think outside the basketweave Box already.
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