I read about Lionel purchasing Model Power (makers of HO trains and accessories as well as some O Gauge accessories) on the Hornby train forum, and when I did a search, Lionel had a brief statement:
http://www.lionel.com/articles...-Power-Announcement/
So I guess Lionel is going to try more than the 3 sets announced in the latest catalogs for HO? If they took Model Power, that means they can use Mantua tooling as well as some Marx HO tooling.