What to do after MTH closure

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Hot Water: Looks like you and I aren't part of the "Chosen Few" so have no right whatsoever to express our reasons for exiting the hobby.  Once upon a time in America every law abiding citizen could say and stand up for his constitutional rights.  One was called Freedom of Speech!  Perhaps it's time that the OGR staff condider deleting our posts and refund the $$$ which we invested to insure that OGR won't go the way many publications have in recent years...?

...and by the way, have a GREAT day!

Note: One of the Chosen Few called me ignorant on a recent post.  OGR didn't delete it!

Once again, give it a rest. Please.   And, FWIW, let's not even start a discussion about Freedom of Speech and "constitutional rights," vis a vis an Internet model train forum. That's a loser of an argument with a Capital L.

Hot Water,

First, I wish you the best and hope that you find something else in which to be interested. I understand how you feel because I know that when we get to an advanced age - which I am - it's more difficult to maintain an interest in things and avoid being discouraged. Nonetheless, with or without new models from MTH, I hope to persist in O gauge trains because they are a mostly enjoyable pastime and a worthwhile diversion for me.

By far, most of my trains are MTH - purchased over the past 23 years - although I also have Sunset, Atlas O, K-Line, Weaver and Lionel (in that order). As a long-time purchaser, my preference has been for MTH in terms of quality, durability and prototypes, so I'm unhappy that Mike's is closing. For me, it probably means that there will be fewer new offerings that I will want to buy. That's unfortunate because I still enjoy getting a new locomotive... But, I'm less concerned with how the closure of MTH will affect me personally and more concerned with how it will affect the future of the O gauge hobby.

MELGAR

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Note: One of the Chosen Few called me ignorant on a recent post.  OGR didn't delete it!

Chosen few?  Where do I sign up for that club?  Since I believe you are referring to my post about what you said about Mike Wolf in an earlier thread, I apologize if you misread it and thought it applied to you and not what you wrote. Moving on.

As far as Jack's response in this thread, I didn't see any reason anyone should have had an issue with it but then again we all interpret things differently.

What to do after? Keep on running the trains. Believe it or not there are other 3 rail companies making good trains.

This is what you do...

Rusty

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Once upon a time in America every law abiding citizen could say and stand up for his constitutional rights.  One was called Freedom of Speech!  Perhaps it's time that the OGR staff condider deleting our posts and refund the $$$ which we invested to insure that OGR won't go the way many publications have in recent years...?

OGR can do whatever they want! Free speech doesn’t apply here since OGR owns this forum. And yes, many law abiding people do still say and stand up for their rights, just in the right place and at the right time.

Note: One of the Chosen Few called me ignorant on a recent post.  OGR didn't delete it!

Maybe, just maybe, that post was in someway supposed to provide some accurate context in response to conspiracy theories! People have different opinions, no need to be bitter about it, just move on.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Hot Water: Looks like you and I aren't part of the "Chosen Few" so have no right whatsoever to express our reasons for exiting the hobby.  

If you have exited the hobby, why do you participate on a forum that revolves around the same hobby

Maybe this could be an opportunity for Menards to start making locos?  Anything is possible!  One can dream!

There's a positive attitude, i am on dangerwildmike's team. 👍

I know what I am going to do.  I am going to keep buying, selling, running, and enjoying model trains for as long as I can.  I already have a large collection from nearly every manufacturer that will keep me interested and busy for many years to come.

The best part of the hobby for me are the friendships that I have made over the years.  I am in my mid 70s and will need to downsize sooner than later.  

This does not mean that I will leave the hobby.  I plan to participate in forums and to keep a few pieces that I can run at a club or on a friend's layout.  I don't see any reason to fully exit the hobby unless I can no longer mentally or physically participate.  

I have already converted all my MTH PS-1 engines to TMCC using ERR boards.  I will continue to do so if MTH boards fail in the future.  I am not sure what to do if one of my MTH engines has a motor or gear failure.  I will cross that bridge when I get to it.  

NH Joe

@railbear601 posted:

The bear says:  Don't worry.  Just because MTH has decided to stop operatiions does not mean you should panic.  As long has we have the Forum and there are gentlemen out there that know a lot about MTH Trains, there will be someone to fix your choo choos.  I bought lots of MTH Trains starting in the mid-1990s.  I made a lot of purchases from Davis Trains, Milford, Ohio.  He is now out of business.  But, one of the gentlemen that fixed trains at Davis Trains is still a friend of mine.  He fixes Lionel, MTH, etc from his home in Indiana.  He has fixed quite a few of my MTH locos.  If you wish to know his name, just look me up in the members section of this Forum under railbear601.  Good luck and enjoy your trains........   

Is your friend "TRAINGOD" ? ( a nickname he earned) I will be emailing you. He also repaired alot for me and I lost contact with him. He upgraded my ps-1' to ps-2's. I often wondered what happened to him. Last time we talked He was going through a rough time. I have more to be repaired.

I'm a late comer to the O gauge scene. I started in 1998, but had a long absence period until 2016. Since then I've been able to buy a fleet of 3 CPR and 5 CNR locomotives. I had no brand bias, but only 2 of those 8 are Lionel. This is why I am disappointed to see MTH leave the market. Regardless, I have enough locomotives. But wait, I have one more coming from Atlas. Then I'll have enough until another one comes along.

Fantasy thoughts; Menards obtains the Rail King line and Atlas obtains the Premier line.