Heck, it's real easy. And, it pertains to Lionel and everyone else. Issue a catalog, and then MAKE and sell the stuff in the catalog. Why tantalize the readers, and then pull the rug out, and not make what you offered!
The Greenbrier 5188 Cu. Ft. 3-bay covered hopper in RailKing proportions so that they can have a modern hopper in that size and they can run all the BNSF heritage logo hoppers on the correct style covered hopper.
They need to produce new variations of Intermodal Containers for the RailKing Husky-Stack well cars. Plate sided long containers. Long Rib sided containers. Short Tank Containers. Corrugated containers.
Andrew
A man has to have more trolley cars in the affordable Rail King product line. Specifically, I would love to have an Osgood Bradley open car and a heavy interurban. The car in the lower photo is a New York & North Shore Traction Company car on Long Island.
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I second what Richard E said, a LV John Wilkes and a Pennsy T1
MTH produced EJ&E Bobber Cabooses and Ore cars in two paint schemes (green/yellow and orange/Green).
I would like to add one more item, Pullman Palace cars
ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN SW1200 Switcher
ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN Black Gondolas with Orange Covers.
ELGIN JOLIET & EASTERN black gondola with Orange Containers.
EJ&E flat car with Orange Containers
EJ&E Offset side hopper
EJ&E Steel Caboose
Andrew
This kind of post has been going on for years, and I don't think that anyone at Lionel or MTH takes heed of our wants.
Unless were lucky.
"This kind of post has been going on for years, and I don't think that anyone at Lionel or MTH takes heed of our wants."
I've said this before, but if folks are just so unhappy that the train companies are not serving their "wants." then start your OWN train company and show the folks at Lionel and MTH how much smarter you are than they are.
We've never had it so good in the hobby. There's been more new tooling and products in the past 2 decades, than in the entire history of the hobby. There's a HUGE divide between what some people want, and what will actually sell in quantities that allow the train companies to make a profit on their investment.
Last year, Mike Wolf commented he has been in the business for 40 years and thought that it would be easier by now, but it isn't. He also mentioned that every time he comes up with a new idea, new tooling, or a new product that MTH makes a commitment to, his director of sales tells him "you've just dug us into the hole a little deeper."
That to me says MTH is not making money.
Concerning the direction MTH is going in other scales, Mike has explained this also - if anyone ever bothers to listen. It all comes back to what is going to sell and make a return on their investment.
Mike has explained the European market is akin to the US train market in the early 1990's, so there are many product opportunities that don't exist currently in the US market. Yet, you still read how some folks think MTH doesn't care about us anymore.
So do the people at Lionel and MTH take heed of these kinds of posts?
The real question is, do the people in the hobby who continually make these requests, bother to listen to the press conferences, product shows or the printed interviews with the train company executives?
If folks refuse to hear the answer, then I suppose folks will continually ask the same questions, as silly as that is. So, no it would not surprise me if the train companies don't read this sort of thread, since they've already answered most of the requests at one time or another.
Question to Mike Wolf at a train show:
Why don't you make products in this road name?
Mike's short answer:
Because it doesn't sell.
I laughed to myself when I heard that. So let the foolish requests continue.
brianel027,
Sorry I offended you. Wow, you are sensitive.
No Bobby, not in the least offended. Really.
I just think an awful lot of people on this forum waste a great deal of time grumbling, complaining and asking questions that have already long been answered. It's a hobby. Enjoy it! That's what it's for. If you can't find what you want, make it yourself! Give yourself a challenge and enjoy the process. Take a cue from Lee Willis. Or Spence fixing that steamer of his that recently took a tumble. That's to be admired!
I do the same thing. I taught myself to repaint, kitbash and ultimately scratchbuild. It is fun. If I waited for the train companies to make something I'd like, I'd STILL be waiting. So I do it myself, enjoy it, and the compliments I get make it that much more rewarding.
The O gauge market is so small, and the scale end of that market is even smaller. Yet Lionel, MTH and others have gone to great efforts to please the scale market of consumers. You'd think people would be thankful for this. Quality control is another issue... I'm referring to variety of products.
The train CEO';s have all spoken of the costs it takes to produce new product. Even the paint masks are expensive (Read the "Visit to Sanda Kan" article in the OGR magazine). All the train companies have said it takes several sell out production runs, just to break even with the initial development and tooling costs. Yet there are those here who argue with that point.
Well friends, start your own train company and find out the hard way. Ask Mike Wolf. He now knows. And he had the very same idea decades ago.
The "entitlement" mentality goes far beyond economic considerations or misfortune, and you can read that very clearly here. There are many who think the train companies are indebted to them and OWE them something. The Lionel name means a great deal to many of us in the hobby who associate the name with happy childhood memories. We own our memories, not the company.
Bottom line...
If there's a product you like to see made, write the train company a thoughtful, considerate letter of suggestion and then be done with it. If the train company believes it can profitably be made, it'll get made. If not, it won't no matter how many times you complain about it here.
If the product really matters to you that much, and you don't have the skills to make it yourself, then hire someone who does. If you really "want" the product that much, you won't mind having to really pay for it.
Meanwhile, enjoy what you have. In all honestly, most of us admit we already have too many trains as it is. Enjoy those.
As long as the requests are reasonable and not absurdly obscure, the guys at MTH will be able to make it.
This has nothing to do with the rotating staff at Lionel.
This is about the reasonably steady team at MTH.
Andrew
Andrew, that doesn't make any sense.
Both companies have one objective: To make profit from pleasing the broadest range of customers. Despite the personal changes at Lionel, they have some really good people working for them, who are knowledgeable and concerned about the company. And a few of them on occasion, post here to address pertinent issues.
MTH may have a "steady team" but they also let a lot of people go years ago when their overall sales dropped. That's not on slam on MTH. All these companies are in business and all have a bottom line.
The fact that MTH is putting more focus on other scales, I mentioned above. And that's not me talking, that's Mike Wolf. All you have to do is to read, or listen to what he says. Check out YouTube, or read the back issues of the train magazines that have either articles or interviews.
Sometimes requests do work, but it must be something that sells. My example. For several years I sent Mike Wolf a Guilford Rail System calendar and requested he produce the GP-40s in GRS colors. I found out that MTH called local New England train stores to get a sense if they would sell. The answer was yes and MTH produced them. Same later for the PAR engines.
Rich
I would like to see a set of Bessemer and lake erie f7 aba pleaseeeee
Wow... this went on for two pages 
As far as all the suggestions are concerned, I think a clear winner would be an Imperial Niagara. The tooling is there for 4-8-4, and you could probably hack the UP tender for it. Would selfishly love the see a J1 'Texas' but not if they put it on the Decapod frame and made it too small. Same with the PRR T1 - I only want it if it's big and fat.
The Niagara would probably sell pretty well - lots of NYC fans out there and a truly great engine.
There was nothing in the 2015 Vol. 1 catalog that appealed to me. Guess I'm holding out for Vol. 2 with my fingers crossed.
