Congratulations and thank you to Midge!

Never had occasion to interact with her, but anyone as universally well liked by this bunch deserves high praise indeed.

Now that’s she’s retired, I’ll share my secret to getting a fast response from Ms.Midge!…she’s absolutely terrific, a total sweetheart!….when sending an email, I’d bombard the email with bunches and bunches of smiley faces, balloons and whatever else I could find,……always got her attention!…those few that I’ve shared my trick with had mixed results, but I never had a problem, …….and I bet I’ve emailed her a couple hundred times easy,……enjoy your retirement Midge!…

Pat

Best wishes for a happy retirement, Midge . From an MTH fan whom you helped with parts more than once...

MELGAR

I had a great interaction with her a day or two before she retired. She was very nice and helpful. I told her that this forum was the reason I reached out to her. At the time I didn’t know she was leaving. Glad I had that one interaction. Great experience.

Thanks for everything you did for me over the years we were in business. It was always a pleasure to talk to you. Hope you have a long and heathy retirement.

Midge is the greatest ever we time we emailed or talked always ask how I was doing. Every email. I sent her I started it wishing her and her family good wishes and great health. She will be missed but never forgotten. Happy retirement Midge and continued good health to you and your family.

Happy retirement Midge 👍

I remember the time I needed a new switch motor for a O31 turnout that burnt-out due to a faulty control button. E-mailed the spare parts division at MTH, and received a super quick reply from "Midge".

Told her (not sure at this time whether she was male or female - Midge in Australian can be both) what I needed, and ordered a couple extra motors just in case. International posting can be a bit tricky getting stuff into Australia if the address and post code (zip code) aren't 100% correct.

Midge worked through all of this, and I eventually received the switch machines. She was fantastic to work with long distance, and got me out of trouble. Same deal with traction tyres.....sent me the right ones first up!!!

My MTH loco collection keeps growing, and I will miss her when it comes to maintenance spare parts.

Thank you again Midge for our brief long distance relationship......you're the greatest!!!  All the best in your retirement years.

Peter.......Buco Australia.

Thanks for the update that Midge has retired. I was wondering if that would be the case. My experiences with her were all great and always helpful and always polite!!!!!!!  Always a "Mr." before the reply!! She will be missed.

Happy retirement Midge! And thanks for catching all my boneheaded orders, then calling me to fix them before they shipped out.  Saved me a lot of trouble, and money too!

Happy Retirement Midge!!

She has helped me a few times with parts or an issue with a product that I had. If she couldn't help directly with an issue, like ordering a replacement part or something, she always found out who could help, and directed me there. Always with a smiling demeanor on the phone, or email. Always a pleasure to deal with.

Thanks Midge for all your help in the past, your the genuine article. MTH was fortunate to have you working for them.

My first interaction with Midge was to get replacement marker lights for the MTH Y many, many years ago.  Midge always took care of the big and small widgets which I needed.  When stuff was out of stock she never forgot about it and contacted me when the part became available, sometimes many months down the road.

Even if the part was just a couple of bucks she treated it equal to the way she took care of high dollar replacement parts.

Super responsible lady!!  Thank you!  TT

I worked with her many times over the phone and she was always so helpful!! One of the last orders I placed was shortly before the old parts department shutdown and I think it was known by then that she would not be moving to the new facility. It would be the last time I would ever speak to her but do remember thanking her for all that she has done and the abundance of help she has  given me over the years.

Congratulations Midge on your retirement, It is well deserved and thanks again for all of your help over the years!!

Midge is a total delight.  Many thanks to years of her being very helpful.

the best,,,i always stopped by to talk to her at york,,,,she alway,,always never gave me the bums rush,,,,a truly wonderful person and employee,,,,i hope she got a good going away present,,,,she can now rest easy,,,,the very best to you,,your one special person,thanks terry

Happy Retirement Midge!!

Thanks for all the help and the kind person you are to us.

Happy Retirement Midge. We last spoke approximately one month before your final day. Our conversation as usual was extremely pleasant and as always you were extremely helpful. My prayers for your retirement outstanding health, financial blessings and a new life full of love from family and friends

Thank you, Midge. Thank you for all your help over the years. Enjoy your retirement.

Midge - I hope you are reading this forum. You truly helped make this a pleasant hobby and as you can read made an impact on a lot of people. All the best in your next phase - enjoy it.  Jeff

@ScoutingDad posted:

Midge - I hope you are reading this forum. You truly helped make this a pleasant hobby and as you can read made an impact on a lot of people. All the best in your next phase - enjoy it.  Jeff

Yes, my hope is that this being the MTH forum someone there will let her know.

Sorry to hear this. Midge was the best to work with for parts. She had a lot of knowledge too. I am happy she is retiring  but she sure will be missed. She sure was a class act. Best of luck to you Midge and thank you for all your help.

@Jeff12 posted:

Sorry to hear this. Midge was the best to work with for parts. She had a lot of knowledge too. I am happy she is retiring  but she sure will be missed. She sure was a class act. Best of luck to you Midge and thank you for all your help.

Probably why the parts system taking so long to get operational. There isn't an electronic system as good as she is! 😂

Best of luck Midge ,enjoy your retirement! Credit on a job well done!

The "new" MTH parts person has big shoes to fill.... and if the rumors are true. It makes perfect sense, literally and figuratively.

I will text the link to her.

Happy Retirement Midge!!

I own several iconic MTH action accessories (who doesn't have Mel's' Diner, the Car Wash, the Gas Station, and the Fire Station)? I needed replacement figures from time to time, and Midge came to my rescue. Not big orders, but important to me for realistic operations on my layout at Mottler Station.

Other OGR FORUM-ites have offered bouquets to her - all to the good. When/if a MODEL TRAIN HALL OF FAME is established, Midge deserves to be included. Perhaps with a portrait in the O-gauge gallery -- Midge at her desk with a phone in one hand and a conspicuous MTH part in the other -- fulfilling an order!

Just saying ...

Mike Mottler

Congratulations to Midge!  I spoke with her several times during the last several years.  Very friendly and always helpful.  I wish everyone in the model train industry was as nice and helpful as Midge always was. 

I'm sad because today, July 30th, 2021) is the 1st I'd heard she retired.  God's speed and best wishes to her!

RickO - Sounds like there's not going to be a 'new' MTH parts person to replace Midge Wilburn according to an MTH press release (dated July 27/21) which states in part...

"We'll even have some short tutorial videos to help guide your experience as there are no M.T.H. Sales or Parts customer service agents available at M.T.H. Parts and Sales or at M.T.H. Electric Trains."

Hmmm, wonder how that's going to work out.  IMO sometimes there's no substitute for talking to a real, live person at the other end.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I have to say Midge was fantastic either on the phone or by email.  What ever you needed it always got done even when it should have been just a 'no we can not do that for you'.  For those of us who repaired or fixed our own MTH trains I would dare say our loyalty to the MTH brand was in part to Midge. 

Now when I was on the plane to attend ASC Tech class I started to become excited to meet Midge.   I was trying to envision her work station, was it an office or at least a cubicle somewhere up-front of the building.  No their she was seated behind a desk on cement floor with dim lighting where she overlooked the service dept and to the left parts/sales.  Even thought it was dimly light over her desk, as I walked closer things just seemed brighter as I began to speak to her.  It was a real honor and joy to meet her and I am grateful for her service to us. 

I wish Midge all the best.