Well, Model Power is gone. Not a rumor either.

[cacole]

Model Power had two products that we used extensively on our HO scale club layout: flex track and block signals.  Their flex track was sold only by Trainland/Trainworld in 100 piece lots and was marked "GT Italy" on the bottom.  Once in place and ballasted, it was impossible to tell any difference between it and Atlas flex track, but they seemed to always have it in stock and the price was about half that of Atlas flex.  

Their block signals had incandescent bulbs instead of LEDs; they had only red and green; and they had red on top instead of green; but that was fairly easy to correct by replacing the bulbs with LEDs.  The masts were brass, and IIRC, they were made in China.  3mm LEDs were a perfect fit to replace the incandescent bulbs.

 

[jsanchez]

They were a good bread and butter line for hobby shops. The figure sets were well priced and the N scale steamers were pretty decent. I hope Walthers or some other firm picks up some of the Model Power product line. The hobby still needs entry level and budget friendly products to survive. 

[Texas Zepher]

One of my favorite projects was to get the Model Power E7 or E8 drive and try to make it as quiet as possible.

Unfortunately I hated the hole in the top of the unit to screw the body to the frame.

[Geared Steam]

P&Slocal

We wonder why kids aren't getting into this hobby anymore. One of the companies that offered a decent starter train set for kids just closed their doors. Think about that when we get to the point that the starter sets are $1000. I get sticker shock every time I see rolling stock that is $30 +...for one car! It had better haul actual freight for that p

I don't wonder why kids aren't getting into the hobby because no one can prove to me (with hard data) that the hobby is dying. Old folks using gut feelings doesn't equate proof to me. 

I've visited a club Easter weekend that had 7 young members, aged from 10-17, along with us "old" guys. They were great modelers, and one is especially proficient in decoder installs and programming.

Looking at Neils column (June 2014) and the unique download numbers Joe Fugate shares, the hobby is alive and well, and it's tranforming. 

Doom and gloom because the old people believe the kids should be modeling the same way they model, ain't going to happen, the hobby is evolving, right or wrong.

Good Bye Model Power, thanks for the contribution, although I must admit I have never purchased anything you sold. 

[Burlington Northern #24]

I suppose, I will miss them as I have two of their buildings currently and built two of their kits. no rolling stock or locomotives though, not enough relevance to roadname.