Scale Trains buys MTH HO/S tooling

[MartyE]

So what does that paragon of open discussion, the O Gauge Forum have to say about MTH? I've been banned from even accessing the forum for daring to disagree with the "elders" of that particular Cubscout troop, and cannot be bothered to use another IP address to read the self-congratulatory rhapsodies .

With this piecemeal dissolution, perhaps they will rename it "Minimal Train House" or "Micro Train House" or "Marginal Train House?" Amazing how people can view this circling the drain as some sort of progress or victory.

You can still read it. Seems someone "knows a guy" which very well may be true but I take these posts with a grain of salt when the source isn't named. I also think if you can't name a source you probably shouldn't say anything but that's just my opinion.

If true it will be interesting seeing a few places that were primarily MTH dealers closed up shop because of this. I was talking with a few friends and we all seem to agree that this was the plan from the beginning. They sure did get the sales to go up by making everyone believe they'll never get MTH products again. Personally I do hope MTH is around is some form but I find it disheartening that Mike Wolf is still involved just from the aspect that he said he was done. If he would have been up front and said I'm stepping back and lessening my role and downsizing that would have done a lot for the credibility of MTH and what ever form it takes. Again if what was posted somewhere else is even true.

[Neil]

Sounds like this is the possible result of the likely facts that (1) a buyer could not be found for most of the company and (2) Mike is the sole owner and did not want to completely abandon his friends and employees by dissolving the remaining company. I suspect he thought someone would show up to buy the remains, and when that didn't happen, this was at least the temporary decision as to how to keep people employed. As George notes, probably plan H in the sequence. None of the main figures in MTH (Mike, Andy and Rich) are Medicare eligible (65 years of age) and paying $15,000 per year in health insurance, or more, is a big hit for many people not named Mike Wolf at MTH. And seeing his life work disappearing cannot be a pleasant prospect, so he's hanging in there for the time being?

[chuck]

Always thought highly of Andy Edelman. Sorry to see him leaving but I hope he lands at Atlas O. Always viewed him as a voice or reason/sanity. The rest of this stuff is playing out like a bad sitcom plot.

[Neil]

Agree with Chuck that Andy was the rational and common sense, genuinely likable face of MTH.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

So what does that paragon of open discussion, the O Gauge Forum have to say about MTH? I've been banned from even accessing the forum for daring to disagree with the "elders" of that particular Cubscout troop, and cannot be bothered to use another IP address to read the self-congratulatory rhapsodies

Banned - so what? It's a public facing forum; anyone can read it w/o being a member or signed in.

[Neil]

These supposedly open minded and tolerant people have set it up so they not only ban you from posting but they ban you from reading it from a given IP source. Obviously technically a spiteful, if totally ineffective tool, but that’s the kind of people you have running that forum. Smug and vengeful, if incompetent.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

These supposedly open minded and tolerant people have set it up so they not only ban you from posting but they ban you from reading it from a given IP source. Obviously technically a spiteful, if totally ineffective tool, but that’s the kind of people you have running that forum. Smug and vengeful, if incompetent.

Bizarre. Did not happen when those gits banned me once upon a time They must really like you extra special!

[Neil]

This is not the OGR but the forum set up by the renegades who fled or were banned by OGR. They are recapitulating the rigidity they objected to. We have met the enemy and it’s us.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

This is not the OGR but the forum set up by the renegades who fled or were banned by OGR. They are recapitulating the rigidity they objected to. We have met the enemy and it’s us.

Oh, different circus; different monkeys.

[G3750]

Always thought highly of Andy Edelman. Sorry to see him leaving but I hope he lands at Atlas O. Always viewed him as a voice or reason/sanity. The rest of this stuff is playing out like a bad sitcom plot.

Chuck, I definitely agree about Andy.

If the plan was always to downsize MTH, it has worked but also caused some collateral damage. The Mercer Junction train store was pretty impressive. I'm sorry it was a casualty of this episode. A few of the other dealers seem to have signed "a separate peace" with MTH. I would love to know the details, but I don't ever think that's going to happen.

George

[Neil]

Without a catalog and a full line of track, rolling stock, transformers, control devices, buildings and locomotives, this new MTH-entity or MTH-Lite is not going to be a viable supporter of brick and mortar hobby shops is my guess. The notion that this swiss cheese end product version of MTH is going to be anything like the original viable company is wishful thinking, almost certainly.

It will be interesting to see how train shops like Mr. Muffins, which was mainly an MTH shop, but carries Lionel and Atlas as well, decides to handle this new situation. My guess is by becoming primarily Lionel, with special orders from the Mystery Train House and Atlas. This family does not depend on their train store for their main income as I recall, so they have some flexibility.

[chuck]

Are they trying to become a die cast version of Sunset/3rd Rail? Limited runs of higher end steam locomotives? It seems to get crazier and crazier with each new "revelation". Maybe quarterly pulls from the "archive" of "limited runs".

I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time!

[G3750]

Are they trying to become a die cast version of Sunset/3rd Rail? Limited runs of higher end steam locomotives? It seems to get crazier and crazier with each new "revelation". Maybe quarterly pulls from the "archive" of "limited runs".

I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Maybe it is crazy, but I don't think MTH is the primary cause. The market is shrinking and what we're seeing are the spasms. Williams is really a shell of itself, Weaver is gone. Lionel continues to live in their own marketing fantasy world. MTH is shrinking but at least passing the manufacturing facilities on to Atlas. Will Atlas do better with them? Who knows? What we do know is that Atlas has not been getting much product out over the past few years. That access to manufacturing facilities might be the real silver lining in this.

George

[Chris Webster]

Without a catalog and a full line of track, rolling stock, transformers, control devices, buildings and locomotives, this new MTH-entity or MTH-Lite is not going to be a viable supporter of brick and mortar hobby shops is my guess.

Minuscule Train House?

[Neil]

Motheaten Train House?