All offices will consolidate to Charlotte, NC within the year?

Actually, they (Lionel LLC) are not in Charlotte; they are in Concord.  But things said over the course of an informal dinner should probably not be construed as an official announcement unless Howard Hitchcock, the new GM, pronounced it as such.

 

And Lionel will do what Lionel needs to do, over whatever term, to keep their business viable.

Allan, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area so I can see that slight era and the Charlotte Raceway is in Concord but there are strongs rumors that this will happen and I agree it will be a business decsion. I really can't see the point of a NY office with that high rent.

I'm not sure I would write this in stone yet. From what I understand the situation is still very fluid. I agree with Allan, if this is the smartest decision from a business stand point for Lionel, then by all means they should do it. It was not that long ago that there was all the uproar about the offices moving from Michigan to NYC, and we all survived that one.

What's the big deal with Concord, NC? Why is it necessary to relocate from Chesterfield, MI? I hope that NASCAR was not involved in the move because what do they have to do with electric trains or should be doing with them?

1) NC is a "Right to Work" state. Mich. is NOT.

 

2) Lower corporate income tax?

 

3) Lower cost of living for the employees?

 

4) They already have an office complex there.

 

5) MUCH better weather!

Not anymore HW.  Michigan is a right to work state now.

MichRR714 is correct: corporations and the states they control  are heading for the lowest common denominator when it comes to worker pay. "Union busting" is the watchword of the twenty-first century oligarchs. Michigan's legislature recently voted to make it a "right to work" state.

THERE WILL BE NO VOLUME 2 CATALOG THIS FALL.

Now that is an interesting announcement, I guess we will have to wait till next April to see if there is any new stuff.

Iam tired of all the second and third hand info given, Lionel itself has said officially NOTHING to the general public.

Agreed until Lionel officially says anything it's all rumor. 

 

 

Until anything is made official it's a "definite maybe." 

 

That's usually my own standard response to anyone wanting a solid answer to an unknown question.

No second catalog and the one they just published is 50% filled with re-cataloged items that are here and gone.

Does it matter where they're located, other than the people who work for them that might have to move, what difference will it make?

 

Are they going to continue making trains should be the real question and I think the answer is yes.

Bottom line is it really makes no difference where they decide to locate.  It's strictly a business decision that affects nobody here, aside from those who may actually be employed by Lionel.

 

And NC is a pretty nice place to live and work.  I sure can think of a lot less desirable places.  

One of the big reasons Lionel is moving is spelled T-A-X-E-S. New York's taxes are stupid expensive. The pols just never seem to get it, raise taxes to larcenous levels = businesses leaving for friendlier tax environs. Margaret Thatcher hit the nail on the head when she said what happens when they run out of rich people to tax.

They've finally wore out all of the 10 year old tooling.

Next stop CUBA

The information Charlie reported was on the street well before York.