MTH O Scale Steam Engines Aquisition

If anyone knew anything about the fate of the MTH Steam, I suspect it would have been blasted out here in capital letters.

@Haawk58 posted:

Has anyone heard if any company out there is going to buy the Molds and tooling to make the MTH O scale steam engines. So far, I know Atlas bought quite a bit of items from MTH, and Scale Trains bought the HO & S scale items, but I have not heard anything about any company buying the O scale steam engine stuff. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know.

When and if it happens it will be frontpage news, time to just wait it out.

That is the $64,000 question. My hope is that a bunch of MTH employees led by Andy Edelman buy the steam locomotive tooling and keep the company going. I know, it’s a pipe dream but it will be my dream until I hear otherwise.

Okay, everybody.

Like you mention @gunrunnerjohn, your posts seriously mean nothing at this point. The facts don't say anything about O scale steam engines, other than the new 4-6-2 Pacifics. So, there is clearly a good chance the rest of the Premier line will continue, to be optimistic.

Remember, we've got to stop spinning over this - especially because the market for MTH is as good as Lionel or Atlas!!

"especially because the market for MTH is as good as Lionel or Atlas!!"

And you know this based upon what metrics?  If things are so excellent, why did no one come forward to buy the company in its entirety?

It's normal human behavior to wonder what's going on and what's going to happen.  Nothing unhealthy about it.  People are wondering what decisions they should make and asking for other people's thoughts.  And in due course, what the future holds will become clear.

Yes... the closing of MTH was a business decision.  The fact that no one could be found who had the desire and the capital to buy MTH lock stock and barrel was also a business based decision.

I do suspect that timing of MTH’s closure was unfortunate given the mini resurgence of the O Gauge market because people are staying home and building layouts. I’m sure it was a different market when Mike made the decision to close pre Covid. Perhaps some of these last minute releases are trying to cash in on that resurgence before the final shut down.

Even with the O gauge train market rebounding, MTH has already crossed the Rubicon in its dissolution plan. It is not coming back. No one else is going to do what Mike Wolf did and create a brand new O gauge train company from scratch to fill that void.  Atlas will never be a serious competitor to Lionel either even with some of MTH’s old tooling.

The future is Lionel and a few minor players.

I agree, the future is now Lionel with no real competition. So unfortunately it seems pretty clear the best days for 0-gauge products are behind us. 😩

My favorite emoji from the forum past:

@U. John Biffoni posted:

I agree, the future is now Lionel with no real competition. So unfortunately it seems pretty clear the best days for 0-gauge products are behind us. 😩

What??? I don't think so. Lionel isn't going backwards just because MTH is gone. With upcoming 200 page catalogs stuffed with Legacy locomotives, the best days are ahead of us.

@Madockawando posted:

What??? I don't think so. Lionel isn't going backwards just because MTH is gone. With upcoming 200 page catalogs stuffed with Legacy locomotives, the best days are ahead of us.

This, IMO, is the definition of disillusionment, but I hope that I am wrong.

Product with the wrong sounds, wrong paint colors, commitments for boilers fronts that never come, parts falling off in the box, paint colors that don't match previous production runs, couplers that fail, lack of spare parts for new product, and customer service that doesn't answer the phone or respond with any indication that they care about customer service, on-line reputation, etc.  And now no real competition to drive complacency out.

But...

@Madockawando posted:

What??? I don't think so. Lionel isn't going backwards just because MTH is gone. With upcoming 200 page catalogs stuffed with Legacy locomotives, the best days are ahead of us.

I respectfully disagree. In my opinion no matter what Lionel does in their future catalogs it won’t compensate for the loss of future MTH catalogs, products, development and the competition provided. The competition was good for us the consumers. But yes, we’re beating a dead horse and it’s pointless to debate further.

That's why I remain loyal to 3rd Rail.  Better product, better attention to detail, opportunities for models never done before and the best customer service in the industry.  Sure it comes with a cost, but it is worth it to me for piece of mind. 

@U. John Biffoni posted:

I respectfully disagree. In my opinion no matter what Lionel does in their future catalogs it won’t compensate for the loss of future MTH catalogs, products, development and the competition provided. The competition was good for us the consumers. But yes, we’re beating a dead horse and it’s pointless to debate further.

Hmm... I’m coming to the conclusion that some people will only see gloom and doom. Lionel could produce a 400 page catalog with every road name they ever desired but they still won’t be happy because the “the hobby is dying because there is no MTH”.  There is no debating that level of entrenched pessimism.

How many Landsteiners does one forum need? LOL!!

GG4877's comment is spot-on regarding 3rd Rail.

Unfortunately, many of us can afford more than an occasional 3rd Rail item... if any at all!

You may "get what you pay for"  ...  but even if  you can't afford "top of the hill" quality ... you still deserve good quality stuff...

there is absolutely no excuse for a lack of QC ... by any manufacturer,

very many items now cost $1500 ++ .... those items may not be 3rd Rail  ...  but they absolutely shouldn't be "3rd Rate"  when delivered !

Time to unsubscribe, we're in circular arguments now.

"How many Landsteiners does one forum need? LOL!!"

Just enough to provide some reality testing and counteract the  absence of perspective of those for whom the glass is 90% empty no matter what happens .  Woe is us, MTH is leaving the scene.  Woe is us, Lionel makes "mistakes."  Woe is us, the good old days are gone.  So much rending of garments and angst, it's like the talent show at a resort for the terminally dissatisfied.

So if I believe the loss of one of only two major manufacturers and developers in the industry will be detrimental rather than beneficial to the hobby I’m an “entrenched pessimist” and “terminally dissatisfied.” Talk about Pollyanna syndrome.

Atlas is planning on giving the diesel MTH locomotives and some rolling stock and buildings a second life.  Mike Wolf continues to sell stuff and ship from wherever.  The end of the story has not yet been written, except that MTH as a unified entity is disappearing.  To some who relied almost exclusively or exclusively on MTH, it seems like the end of the world.  To many others, the hobby existed before Mike Wolf was a factor and is likely to continue after he is no longer a factor.  Understandable differences of opinion and emotions depending on your relationship to MTH.  Nothing Pollyanna about those points of view, just different from some expressed here.  One's mileage may vary, obviously.

@U. John Biffoni posted:

So if I believe the loss of one of only two major manufacturers and developers in the industry will be detrimental rather than beneficial to the hobby I’m an “entrenched pessimist” and “terminally dissatisfied.” Talk about Pollyanna syndrome.

Well I have purchased five new Lionel Legacy locomotives and I have another on order as well as two LC2.0 locomotives. I’m loving the heck out of running them on my layout. I’m sorry that the end of a “major manufacturer “ is having a severe dent in your enjoyment of the train hobby. I’m high balling forward and I can’t wait to see what’s in Lionel’s 2021 Volume 2 catalog!