I think, for our purposes, that the important part is the sentence: "This strategic acquisition will accelerate Lionel’s expansion in the HO category, while adding complementary products and accessories to other portions of its business." So they want to expand in HO but no mention of N scale.
The statement is likely referring to the existing Mantua Classics inventory that MRC currently has on hand, which probably means that there will not be a Mantua products "fire sale" Neville Trains N Scale™
OK, Exactly who owns what? In this video you'll see MRC is releasing the former Model Power FP7 now equipped with DCC + Sound. Skip to time stamp 6:20 for the N scale MRC / Model Power FP7. I was under the impression MRC is not a reseller for Model Power products, it was my understanding MRC purchased Model Power and Mantua?
Rich, Rather than an outright purchase, the arrangement with MRC might have been a licensing agreement. This would make sense if all of the tooling has been moved over to China. Think of it this way... Heljan owns the tooling for many of the popular injection molded plastic N and HO Scale structure kits that have been marketed by AHM, Con-Cor, IHC, and Walthers over the past 40+ years. When a firm offers to purchase a fairly large run of kits, Heljan manufactures the product(s), then ships the models out in packaging that is branded for the customer who placed the order. As opposed to the risks that are assumed when a firm simply manufactures and markets its own products, licensing items to other importers allows Heljan to generate a steady stream profit from tooling that has paid for itself long ago. Licensing arrangements give the firm that owns the tooling the flexibility to produce products under its own brand name, or, for whoever offers the most money. It's a win win situation for the owner of the tooling. Neville Trains N Scale™
Are we suffering from dementia? The various mergers, purchases and licensing occurred a number of years back and was announced here on TrainBoard and picked up by other websites. Including announcements from the various purchasers and purchasee's. I wish in the various videos made by ovious amateurs... they'd learn to mic-up. Never depend on the microphone on the camera to do the job. Shure makes some superb wireless lapel microphones and Mackie makes several outstanding small mixers that would do the job nicely. I might add you need to put fresh batteries in your wireless equipment just before going on the air or into a recording session. So let's get the job done right. No, you don't need visible mic's and head phones like you see on today's podcasts. OVERKILL...!!!!! Just some advice from a sound tech.. Well have fun and do me a favor...see signature below.
That little layout, with the roads crossing in the middle, looks like the old Lone Star Treble-O-Lectric vacu-formed ones. Doug
That's the way it reads to me. Lionel clearly wants to expand in HO, and perhaps MRC wants to specialize in N. The only part I don't get is, 'No previously produced product is contemplated in the transaction.' How do you 'acquire a broad range of model train tooling used to produce the Model Power/Mantua product lines' without contemplating previously produced products? That sounds like a tricky feat to pull off.
I spoke to the Lionel rep at the NTS, and they did get the N also. However there are no near future plans for the N. MRC had a leasing agreement with MP with these, and one of the parties chose not to continue the arrangement
Gosh, I hope not. Atlas makes enough STUFF I don't like. Here's the thing. Model Power was never a great leader in the field of toy trains or model railroading. They gave it an honest go and some of there stuff didn't turn out to bad. I have some stoves I really like. Die Cast Mikado's. Some early HW passenger cars that I turned into a work train. Other then that I won't miss them and wondered why MRC and mother company bought them up in the first place. Lionel isn't what it was yesterday and they managed to drive down the cost of the older tin plate stuff by reproducing certain pieces. What's up with that? Yes, every-time I hear Lionel...I think toy trains. Like it or not all the train equipment we buy is TOYS. Now go have some fun and remember "What will be, will be."
Magnatraction on Nickel Silver Track? Think about that. Really? LOL and still chuckling out loud. Three rail? I think that's already been done in HO. That's a good one. Heeheeheehawhawhaw!!!
