Landsteiner posted:" Perhaps that guy who stated MTH has been noticeably unfriendly towards upgrades can tell us what he is talking about as I am always eager to learn."
(1) MTH initially did not want to make PS2 upgrades available in 2000-2002 and (2) MTH has never allowed third parties to develop upgrades. In contrast, Lionel allowed Mike Reagan, Lou Kovach, Jon Zahornacky and others to develop various upgrades, boards and accessories for TMCC from the beginning, 20-25 years ago.
Furthermore, Lionel has opened their system so if someone wants to clone TMCC or Legacy, they are free to do so without threat of legal action. MTH has, for almost 20 years taken the exact opposite approach. This is not about critiquing MTH, but pointing out that Lionel's policies have served them well, and this change to a more MTH-like approach is a bad decision for hobbyists, and potentially for Lionel.
Didn't mean to make this a lateral arabesque into MTH policies. But the contrast since 1995 or so has been striking.
If Lionel allows someone else to make TMCC upgrades, or changes their mind due to public opinion, this issue may turn out to be a tempest in a teapot.
That said, this is an unwise decision. Be interesting to know whether the sale between Jon Z. and Lionel allows Electric RR intellectual property to revert to Jon if Lionel abandons production. That's a frequent aspect of such contracts when intellectual property is involved. Jon could then reopen Electric RR or sell the rights to it to someone else, if that's the case. One can hope
. We'll see, no doubt.
This is not really complete. It is one thing to make a decision at the beginning of a new product (PS-2) to decide not to make upgrade kits for old products. PS-2 just was released. MTH reversed that decision, but they still made their product backwards compatible for PS-2. The open versus closed is really a different decision not a upgrade friendly or not friendly decision. Train America was still using Lionel R2LC and Rail Sound boards. All they made different was the mother board and motor drive with cruise. Things not patent by Lionel. Lionel benefited from selling parts to support, just like they do with Atlas or 3rd Rail. The auxiliary stuff like smoke and such were new products that had nothing to do with Lionel allowing. They did not own the tech. Jon's stuff was new but still used Lionel R2LC, and of course it evolved into Lionel product once they bought ERR.
You might say Lionel's policy may not have served them well. Their approach to product and operating systems have much greater cost to support with parts, service and technical documentation then MTH's approach. You get more diversity of product and feature, but it is costly to support. Time will tell how this all works out.
But your statement about MTH not upgrade friendly is really not true. MTH could have given it up after several years allowing PS-1 to be converted for original owners. Instead they found it to be a good profit line though small margin that allows folks to convert Brass, Other OEM engines and the still around PS-1 to the very latest MTH System...PS-3. Include getting the latest PS-3 sound files.
Lionel never really allowed any new tech to become upgrade tech. They just let the old tech be used. We never got better then RS 5 and the R2LC, directional lighting and one feature tech of the 90s. Jon's back EMF cruise control was his tech. Sure, they could have denied use. But that was the upgrade desire. G
