Super Job MTH....Mike Wolf!

I could not agree more sir!

That smoking 400E Blue Comet in his logo is no accident!

Are MTH Lionel tinplate trains Made in USA?

Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Are MTH Lionel tinplate trains Made in USA?

No they are not.  China I believe.

Mike and his mentor, Jerry Williams, started manufacturing in South Korea with a firm named Samhongsa, and they did quality work in those days. 

Sounds like MTH may produce more tinplate down the road but who knows. I admire Mike Wolf and MTH because he represents the American dream. Just like JLC many years ago Mike Wolf has accomplished today. How many big companies do you see that are individually owned in today's world? Very, very few. Its refreshing to see Mike Wolf and the enthusiasm he has for his company. Lionel lost their leader and look what happened to the product I hope Mike is around for many more years.  

Dwayne B posted:

Lionel lost their leader and look what happened to the product......  

Yeah. Look what happened.  

There was some down time with Lionel in the 1960's due to the lack of inspired leadership, coupled with a decreasing demand for toy trains. The excellent Vision Line products were way in the future. It took another man of vision, Richard Kughn, to really get the quality back into the product. He, like Mike Wolf and Joshua Cowen before him, had the passion and inspiration to improve the brand! While Fundamensions and MPC rescued the brand and made some improvements, it took Kughn to take it to another level! Another inspired and passionate person that contributed much to Lionel's technical achievements was, of course, Neil Young. I have to agree with the above opinion that Mike Wolf is the closet incarnation of Mr. Cowen, with his drive and passion for his products, and for surrounding himself with a top notch team of designers and engineers, much as Cowen did with Caruso, Bonnano, Pettit et al.

Dwayne B posted:

With the recent news that this would be the last MTH Lionel Corporation Tinplate Catalog I decided to purchase a  MTH Brown Showroom passenger set. I have only original Lionel Tinplate in my collection and saw no need to acquire the reproductions. That changed with the purchase of the Showroom cars. I am very impressed with the beautiful job MTH did with these cars......Truly a work of art! I am now on the hunt for an MTH Lionel Brute to head the set. Wonderful job Mike Wolf and MTH!..... The hobby is lucky to have such an enthusiastic leader in the toy train world. 

Absolutely!!!

Bob Nelson

Word at York from MTH: Will produce Lionel branded standard gauge through 2019, then back to MTH (or Ives - Mike owns that trademark).  I suspect that the catalog size will slim up with the amount of product on the market now (so much coming BACK from the last 30 years of 'Lionel Classics', MTH and 'Lionel Corporation production). Maybe a new 42 or 54?

Jim

Jim Waterman posted:

Word at York from MTH: Will produce Lionel branded standard gauge through 2019, then back to MTH (or Ives - Mike owns that trademark).

I'm late to the Standard Gauge party.  If they start making Ives electrics again, I'm going to backup the truck!  Bring it on.