I've updated our online news article to reflect that Lionel is denying German newspaper reports stating that Lionel has made a non-binding offer to purchase 150-year-old German train maker Märklin.
The updated story is here:
http://www.trains.com/ctt/default.aspx?c=a&id=2230
Carl
___________
Carl Swanson, editor
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine
Carl,
What will that mean if Lionel actually purchases Marklin? Will their trains be more available here? Will their trains be made in China instead of Germany? Will Lionel try to sell O/O27 trains in Germany? Inquiring minds want to know.
George
George,Until it is a done deal, or something is released to the press. All answers to your questions are pure speculation.I do know that laws are different in Europe and they are very strict about retaining their history. My bet would be that if this happens, manufacturing will be required to remain in Germany. What I would suspect is that Lionel would retain the Marklin name in Europe and use this as a mechanism to expand the Lionel offerings into the European markets. It would also make sense that they would bring the Marklin name into greater prominence here in the US, Marklin by Lionel? To compete with Bachman (Williams by Bachman) and MTH's own HO scale offerings. It will be interesting to see what happens with Legacy if this happens. Will Legacy be adapted to be compatible with DCC?I doubt Lionel would do this if they weren't planning to expand their offerings in both Europe and the US. That is the only way they would have a chance of expanding their marketshare.
My comment here about what they would do with the names has been deleted. I can't imagine why.
The last time this happened, CTT took offense at my expression of a lack of confidence in their electrical prowess, which I thought was civilly worded. Not knowing why it disappeared, I reposted it; and it went away again. I was eventually told that I should have received e-mail notices of the deletions and the reason for them. I never did, then or now.
Bob Nelson
The drop in participation since I signed on here in March of last year seems substantial. I can't imagine why.
Pete
"You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light." - Edward Abbey -
lionelsoni My comment here about what they would do with the names has been deleted. I can't imagine why. The last time this happened, CTT took offense at my expression of a lack of confidence in their electrical prowess, which I thought was civilly worded. Not knowing why it disappeared, I reposted it; and it went away again. I was eventually told that I should have received e-mail notices of the deletions and the reason for them. I never did, then or now.
Oh Bob, You are such a trouble maker
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
Hi Bob,
I just looked at the CTT index page, there are TWO threads on this, topic. I think that the post that you thought was deleted, is still in the other thread.
Doug
You're right. I thought that might be what happened and looked for another thread first, but didn't find it. Sorry.
As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, "Never mind." (I was in New York once on business during Gilda Radner's heyday, turned on the TV, and saw the real Rose Ann Scamardella, whom I instantly recognized!)
Ha ha ha!!! Sounds like politics! "huh, what offer??? We didn't make an offer!~!!!
Would be great to give more exposure and accessability to Lionel in Europe.
Since Lionel O and Marklin HO are both three rail AC....maybe they will reintroduce
Marklin O??? Marklin does produce a large scale, gauge 1, metal bodied line called
"Maxi" (2 rail DC) maybe they will combine the gauge 1 AND three rail and reintroduce
the Marklin 3 rail AC gauge 1 trains??? Would be interesting and a lot less expensive
than trying to find original Marklin gauge 1 prewar stuff!!!!!
hello friend, by the way my son sean has a metal band called man made man. i was real interested in marklin and had a lyout with operating catenary when i could get around, and it was less expensive then o gauge. i liked the marklin as i like electric type engines and the marklin was three rail, and at the time had tinplate type tracks. it would seem to me marklin quality would be a good acquisition for lionel, and one line could compliment the other. i am bonkers about lionel european o gauge like the shakespeare express. i think the mth is more than cool especially the krokodil, but i cant affor it. your friend jack
Hi Carl, A footnote to your report: Maerklin also makes gauge 1 trains and has since the 1960's (I believe). I have several locos and cars.
The Maxi line has been discontinued and rights to the name are available. I've written to MTH several times, suggesting they should resurrect it, seeing how they have gauge 1 American trains. However, Maerklin still makes gauge 1, what we would call "scale" items. Some of the stuff is really very nice.
Best, Mark
With the gigantic variance between the Euro and the Dollar could electric trains be made in Germany and imported to the USA without pricing them into the stratosphere.
Bill T.
Just checked rates at Oanda.com
Currently 1 Euro is $1.41 US....not as bad as it had been.
underworld
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month