My answer to the original question in this thread was already “yes” based on my confidence in Mike Wolf and his products...but now with today’s announcement it’s ABSOLUTELY YES!!  

I’ve made multiple purchases of brand new MTH locomotives since Mike’s announcement last year...and will continue to do so, now with even more confidence!

@jjm posted:

Yes, MTH has said it would honor warranties.  How else could they convince people to pay retail for new stuff?  But, as pointed out by several tech repair people in this thread and elsewhere, MTH's capability of supplying parts and compensating those who do the repairs is in question.  MTH remains tight-lipped about potential future plans, creating a swirl of speculation.

Might be best to buy new stuff with a credit card that offers purchase protection and extended warranty.  Might not get your engine fixed, but it might get your money back.

Looks like MTH has yet again reaffirmed that Warranties will be honored through the ASC Network: https://mthtrains.com/news/686

Atlas To Purchase Select M.T.H. O Gauge Tooling Assets

Columbia, Maryland, March 17, 2021 --- M.T.H. Electric Trains has announced that it has sold a selection of its Premier O Scale molds to Atlas as part of its continued divestiture of tooling assets in light of M.T.H. President Mike Wolf's retirement later this year.

The selection of models includes diesel locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars from the Premier line. In addition, a number of O Scale accessories from the RailKing lineup are included. Like the January 2021 Scale Trains tooling purchase of M.T.H.'s HO and S Gauge lineups, the Atlas purchase is only for the tools and molds of the selected items.

Since the announcement last Spring that M.T.H. President Mike Wolf would be retiring and closing down M.T.H., Atlas becomes the second model railroading company to purchase some of the vast tooling assets M.T.H. developed over the past 41 years. According to Wolf, "Atlas' longtime presence in the model railroading marketplace makes them a great place for these exciting models to now call home. Their decision to continue producing locomotives with Proto-Sound 3.0 makes Atlas a great destination for M.T.H. fans who've long appreciated the value found in these models."

A few of the models included in the sale were previously promoted under the M.T.H. brand in either uncataloged announcements or the 2020 O Gauge catalogs but have yet to arrive on retailer shelves. Those models will still be produced in M.T.H. branded packaging and will be supported, like all previous M.T.H. releases, by the M.T.H. Authorized Service Center network.

@H1000 posted:

Looks like MTH has yet again reaffirmed that Warranties will be honored through the ASC Network: https://mthtrains.com/news/686

Atlas To Purchase Select M.T.H. O Gauge Tooling Assets

Columbia, Maryland, March 17, 2021 --- M.T.H. Electric Trains has announced that it has sold a selection of its Premier O Scale molds to Atlas as part of its continued divestiture of tooling assets in light of M.T.H. President Mike Wolf's retirement later this year.

The selection of models includes diesel locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars from the Premier line. In addition, a number of O Scale accessories from the RailKing lineup are included. Like the January 2021 Scale Trains tooling purchase of M.T.H.'s HO and S Gauge lineups, the Atlas purchase is only for the tools and molds of the selected items.

Since the announcement last Spring that M.T.H. President Mike Wolf would be retiring and closing down M.T.H., Atlas becomes the second model railroading company to purchase some of the vast tooling assets M.T.H. developed over the past 41 years. According to Wolf, "Atlas' longtime presence in the model railroading marketplace makes them a great place for these exciting models to now call home. Their decision to continue producing locomotives with Proto-Sound 3.0 makes Atlas a great destination for M.T.H. fans who've long appreciated the value found in these models."

A few of the models included in the sale were previously promoted under the M.T.H. brand in either uncataloged announcements or the 2020 O Gauge catalogs but have yet to arrive on retailer shelves. Those models will still be produced in M.T.H. branded packaging and will be supported, like all previous M.T.H. releases, by the M.T.H. Authorized Service Center network.

So Atlas will use MTH packaging so the ghost of MTH can continue to walk among us for while. Kind of like the "K-Line by Lionel" that we had for a few years...until we didn't.

Atlas announcement by COO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06oplKK84tg 

Looks like Atlas O is excited about the acquisition.   

@Madockawando posted:

So Atlas will use MTH packaging so the ghost of MTH can continue to walk among us for while. Kind of like the "K-Line by Lionel" that we had for a few years...until we didn't.

I think you need to read the line before that.

A few of the models included in the sale were previously promoted under the M.T.H. brand in either uncataloged announcements or the 2020 O Gauge catalogs but have yet to arrive on retailer shelves. Those models will still be produced in M.T.H. branded packaging and will be supported, like all previous M.T.H. releases, by the M.T.H. Authorized Service Center network.

I would interpret that as MTH items sold under the MTH name will still be in MTH boxes. Anything Atlas does will be in an Atlas box.

@Madockawando posted:

So Atlas will use MTH packaging so the ghost of MTH can continue to walk among us for while. Kind of like the "K-Line by Lionel" that we had for a few years...until we didn't.

Only for the items that MTH had already cataloged but hasn’t delivered yet...or recently announced as uncatalogued final runs.  In the scheme of things, it probably won’t take too long for those items to flush through the distribution system...then it will likely be all Atlas packaging.

The ATLAS O scale Evans Product plug door box cars have molded in doors.

The PREMIER O scale Evans Products double plug door box cars have operating doors.

Most of the real railroad paint schemes have been made.

The regular WISCONSIN & SOUTHERN scheme has not yet been produced.

The PREMIER version is more durable and that factory is up and running, so that box car would be made there instead.

Andrew

@CNJ #1601 posted:

Only for the items that MTH had already cataloged but hasn’t delivered yet...or recently announced as uncatalogued final runs.  In the scheme of things, it probably won’t take too long for those items to flush through the distribution system...then it will likely be all Atlas packaging.

Just just like how the K-Line faded away while the tooling lives on.

@Madockawando posted:

Just just like how the K-Line faded away while the tolling lives on.

And we care because...??

@H1000 posted:

And we care because...??

You cared enough to let me know that you don’t care.😉

But really, it’s a fascinating story to see how the hobby is evolving in real time. Why wouldn’t anyone be interested?

I’m leaning towards yes, pending further deails of the atlas acquisition. If I saw a few items I really want at the right price, I would probably bite.

“MTH plans to continue production and distribution of the remaining products under the MTH brand. We have been discussing with MTH on the production plan for the balance of 2021.”

This is from one of the other threads. A forum member got it in an email from Mr. Muffins. It was also discussed at Mr. Muffins Zoom meeting. To me it suggests that MTH will continue as a company and will make products from the tooling that they have left (the tooling they didn’t sell to Atlas). I could be wrong though but I really hope a small part of MTH will live on making steam locomotives.

New MTH worth buying? I have the Chessie Steam special, two Army RS's, an Evolution, a Long Island RS, and a Trump 2024 all on order. For me that's a definite yes!