From the Model Power website: http://www.modelpower.com/default.asp It appears that Model Power has fallen victim of the financial crunch that many model train companies feel... it is interesting that they mention "inventory based" business model.... banks hate inventory and modellers love it - not a match made in heaven... Thanks for trying Model Power !
Is it though? I've been surprised they're still in business. Their steam engines are nice in theory but unpredictable in practice and everything else is appallingly crude.
Regardless of a model train company's products; whether I like them or not I think it is a very bad sign when a large and venerable company like Model Power is forced to shut down. How many children cut their teeth on a Model Power train set; how many guys got back into the hobby on their FP7A (which ran like a champ and could pull with anything out there) and how many of us bashed an old 40 year old MP kit into a signature building on their pike...? Lot's I'll wager. MP might not have been cutting edge, but they were there when most of us were still saying "daddy, let's play with the choo choo's".....
I think the steamers will be missed for sure. Definitely hit-or-miss QC-wise, but where else are ya gonna get a 4-6-2? Cheers, -Mark
Very sad indeed. I have three, 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 4-6-2, and love them all. I agree they may need TLC and tinkering, but then I love to tinker.
It's a shame that they did not pick up on the improvements they made on the 4-4-0 for Micro-Trains and implemented them on their other steamers. The traction tire and pilot pick-up along with the improved tender pickup are very nice indeed. Managed to snatch a second 4-4-0 from MT before they were gone. Fred
As for MODEL POWER's exit from the hobby is a shame they'll be missed, shall I will assume that parts will possibly be ok, scarce. I have at least 22 MODEL POWER locomotives in my collection for the most part they're diesel except one... that is their AMERICAN 4-4-0 Model Power / Micro-Trains / Ajin (Korea) 4-4-0 American which I purchased new. Tom
It's not good when we see less variety of products, especially toy train sets of xmass set quality for kids. If it weren't for cheap toy trains parents could buy in department stores many of us would not be model railroaders. My much maligned brand of Tyco was my second train set and it was really beautiful to me. As to availability, they'll be on ebay for years to come.
I dislike seeing any company have to end up shutting down for whatever reason, although it sounds like a big issue with the financial backers demanding things not reasonable, and thinking they can control something they know little about. I also think about the folks now having to look for employment elsewhere to pay the bills and the consequences to them if they cannot find other work in a timely manner. That out of the way I have never been a big fan of MP anyhow and may have had one or two structure kits at one time plus maybe a few of their imported diesel junkers from way back. I have exactly two specimens of their motive power currently in my collection one being a 4-4-0 that I converted to a 4-4-2 and the other a stock 4-4-0 still in its box that hasn't even been run once around the test track. I can say the factory air has leaked out since I opened the box once to look at it but that's it. I am waiting now for sometime in the next year to see one show up on the bay with an ridiculously exorbitant sticker price listed as a rare last run never to be made again. That's when I will take the plunge and list mine for about $20 less than it with free shipping and get ready to collect a down payment on my Florida condo.
Its never a good sign to see a company have to shut down, especially a model railroading company! I have four MP engines, all steamers, and have been pretty pleased with their performance overall. As someone mentioned earlier as well, where else are you going to find a 4-6-2?? No one makes them to my knowledge. I will miss seeing them around especially after 50 years of service to our industry! Dean
I have never been a big MP fan. However, MP does make some decent rolling stock that was reasonably priced for those people that want to get their feet wet in the model RR hobby. I see this as a BIG blow to the hobby as we know it. All this is doing is narrowing the playing field of entry level mfgs to be able to cater to people wanting to get a fresh start. A sad day indeed for our beloved hobby! Ryan
Model Power used to make the only SP Vanderbilt tender and SP 2-6-0 in N Scale, as well as the only Pacific. They also kept the Mantua line going and that will be missed in HO. I always wanted one of their loggers IF I switched to Horribly Oversized...I like the look of that 2-6-6-2 with a tender
In some ways MP was still living in the 1970's, Rapido couplers and the pickups on the steam locos for example, but they made things no one else did, N scale is now the only major scale where no manufacturer makes a Pacific.
This is a sad day indeed. No one will answer their phone, and the message system is shut down. MP may not have been the best in the market. But I cant complain. The mikado I have is my best runner next to the old con cor S-2 that I have. Its details are impressive. And its never been one to cause me grief. My only complaint is the noise the Pacific makes. But that is a great runner for me too. For sure the buildings they make have a lot of issues. But MP filled a need for beginners in railroading. All thats left is Bachman, and their entry level locomotives are .......... I know their are others, but at Christmas time its always the cheapest set that gets bought for the kids. But I do wonder if someone will purchase their business, or the dies. Or any part of it. That would be ok as long as it was not a competitor of theirs.. Sent from my Commando
I do wonder who, owned model power. All I see is that its based in New York.. Ain't New York begging for employers and manufacturing???? Sent from my Commando
