Full Version: Model Power Out of Business
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It looks like Model power has sunk.

Check out the home-page. Its kinda surprising, but then how many people are out buying the cheap toy-train style cars and locomotives they sold? Even if they are, the markets is probably saturated with older ones for almost nothing.

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It's a pity to see anyone in the industry going out of business, especially one that was family-owned and not a big corporation. You are right though, I've bought some of their kits that were on sale in the past, just so I could use the parts in some other project. I wonder though, is there going to be some big "going out of business" sale?
Good kitbashing fodder, for sure. I was recently looking at a few structures as potential kitbash material. I also hear they made a few N-Scale steamers that were pretty decent. I'm sure the kits will be available on ebay and swap meets for years - so I'm not too upset. The Mantua Classics line will be sad to lose, but old Mantua steamers are plentiful on the used market.
I've always considered Model Power one tick up from Bachmann in quality in their locos and rolling stock. Granted, their buildings made for great scratchbashing fodder, and some of the little details included in their structure kits were great for detailing other projects.

In this economy, I'm suprised any modeling manufatcurer made it through. Considering most people were using disposable income to keep up with bills, and survive during the recession. Things are looking a little better now, but how many other "mom and pop" companies, not just model manufactuers, had to pack it in and padlock the doors.

Its sad, but in a few years, like Tyco, Model Power products will becoame collectables, and sought after. Hopefully someone will step up to the plate, and keep a few of Model Powers lines, like Manuta, going for years to come.
I was down to one of the "local" Hobby Shops, looking for anything I might be able to use for kitbashing, or "parts". All that was left was RTR, and a few older kits. Not one single trace of "Roundhouse" ( There is one place that still has a number of Roundhouse kits ).
The shop owner's comment that Model Railroading is becoming a "scratch builders hobby", is almost prophetic !
The Hobby started there, and is now returning to its roots. The "Up side"? Maybe there will be more "Construction Articles" in the model railroad Magazines. I got into this hobby reading those articles, and building those models. I still have several versions of Jack Work's "Tool Shed". One here:
[attachment=17150]
and a modified version as part of this "Pickle Factory" with the Brine tank on the roof:
[attachment=17149]
Companies come and companies go for many reasons. It isn't the end of the world, and it won't be the end of this hobby.
IMHO I don't think this has a lot to do with the economy, but more to do with money. A company that has been around as long as they have should not have to rely on a bank for operating revenue. Over my lifetime I have seen numerous Third generation businesses close the doors, and most of the time it comes down to lack of interest in anything except the money. The revenue gets divided between the family members and nothing is reinvested, and the next thing they know there is no money.
The economy has to be hurting everyone, not just MP. I have seen the price of energy double and food prices not only have doubled, but they cut the size of the amount in the packages. While I am not hurting, I do watch the money and being at the point there is nothing I have to have for the hobby, I only buy what I want when the deals are right.
I am really sorry to see them go because some of their kits and their recent rolling stock are pretty well done.
Charlie
Charlie's right, it's not about the banks and financing.

A lot of people in this hobby also want quality models. Model power rolling stock was entry level and toy-like to many modellers. A lot of manufacturers have gone and improved their designs (for example, compare what Bachmann offered before and what they have now).

Kato set the bar pretty high when they started putting out rolling stock that ran flawlessly and looked amazing compared to other offerings. Hand rails were closer to scale than the 6 inch wide scale handrails. My Kato NW2 still runs better than some of the current offerings.

If you wanted to improve on the detailing, it often included repainting the model or at the very least, touchups (hello weathering).

Although some of the Mantua offerings weren't half bad, Model Power's stuff was very toy-like to me. While you could argue that stuff like Model Power was a good starting point for kitbashes, the detail parts needed, painting, and hours put in can just as easily be spent on a craftsman kit.

The internet is also dictating the flow of the hobby. Local hobby shops are stocking their shelves with whatever sells fast (and very often have their own internet business as well). They have rent & bills to pay. Remember how every hobby manufacturer had to put their offerings in the Walthers catalog if they wanted to succeed in the hobby? Now many of Walthers' biggest advertisers have gone internet only. Don't believe me? look at the old catalogs where Athearn took up the most pages. Now try to recall the last time that Athearn was in the Walthers Catalog (2004).

With the internet and technology accelerating exponentially, 3D printers will soon replace manufacturing (when's the last time that you saw factories on Star Trek) and many more manufacturers will succumb to closure. While people will argue that last point, just remember that the technology used for a basic calculator took up an entire city block; to the size of a room; to the size of a brick; to the size of a watch (in fact I had a Casio touch screen watch with a calculator on it 30 years ago in 1984); to a free app for smart phones. We are seeing 3D printing in it's infancy. Sci Fi movies refer to them as replicators.

The next step is organic 3D replicators so you can make hamburgers or Pasta Primavera (they are in development). Remember how Bugs Bunny had dehydrated meals where he just added a drop of water and it became a 7 course meal? Coming Soon.

Current technology is always old technology later.
Model Power was stuck in the 60s as far as their tooling.. Look at their "Mantua Classic" locomotives like the 4-6-2 and GP20 you see the same engines that was first released in the late 50s/early 60s.Their freight cars reeks of the 50/60 era train set cars that was rejected back then.
Brakie Wrote:Model Power was stuck in the 60s as far as their tooling.. Look at their "Mantua Classic" locomotives like the 4-6-2 and GP20 you see the same engines that was first released in the late 50s/early 60s.Their freight cars reeks of the 50/60 era train set cars that was rejected back then.

There could be several reasons for that, it could be that those running the company didn't want to invest in new tooling, or it could be that they couldn't get any bank to loan them enough to spend on tooling. It could also be that some were taking large salaries and bonuses, leaving little working capitol. And finally, the owners maybe just wanted out and couldn't sell the company, so liquidation was the only option left. Whatever the reason, it's a shame that yet another company has gone under.

I mentioned in another thread here about the number of advertisers in MRR magazine. In 1982 there were over 200 manufacturers and/or distributors. That number dropped to just under 200 in 2002, and now the last issue I have shows 57 advertisers. You have to wonder where they went, good or bad, they were here at one time offering a broad selection of products, from the very cheap to the super expensive. Not everyone can afford to spend a lot on their hobbies. You can spend less than $100 and get a R/C airplane low-end kit, but you can also spend $10,000+ to get a super-detailed jet. There is a need for both, just like in model railroading. Not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on an engine with DCC and sound. And there are those that are happy just running a few trains and buying the bottom line products because that's all they want to spend or all they can afford.

The biggest concern is that as companies merge or go out of business, we are left with fewer and fewer choices. Airlines, drug stores, oil companies, the list goes on and someday we'll be left with one airline, one drug chain and one brand of gasoline to buy. I really hate to see that happening, it stifles competition, increases prices and lowers the choices available to consumers.
I've got no problems with 1960s tooling, as long as it is considerably cheaper than something with recent tooling. I can and like to kitbash or superdetail. I'd much rather cut up a $7 model power freight car than a $40 RTR freight car. But, I don't think too many other people feel that way anymore. The used market is already saturated with cheapies to kitbash from. And, MP wasn't *that* cheap. You could get much better quality for not much more money.
I have noticed at the last train shows I have attended that there is an overabundance of Tyco, Model Power and Lifelike cars and they are all overpriced. I was buying brand new tyco cars just after Christmas in the early seventies for 75 cents each. Inflation has taken a toll, but to make any of these runable you need wheel sets and Kadee's. Some of the bodies don't look bad with just a little weathering, and by changing the grabs and rigging some look darned good.
The original Tyco sets with the single truck drive (before durotorque) at least ran long enough to get a kid interested, then they installed the durotorque drive and it was burned up in less than a week and all interest in the hobby was lost. IMHO these poor models drove families away before they started. Model Power made a fairly good Shark, FA, and E7, with the big can motor and the all wheel drive but had other models very poorly built and a big disapointment to us when they were the only suplier of some models. Guess I am saying they drove their market away.
Charlie

jwb

I remember buying AHM cars about 1965 for about $1.00. I went to a site that recalculates the value of a dollar in different years <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/relativevalue.php">http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare ... evalue.php</a><!-- m --> and got "In 2013, the relative value of $1.00 from 1965 ranges from $5.69 to $22.60."

It's worth pointing out that as Charlie says, an AHM, Tyco, or pre-bluebox Athearn car would need new trucks, metal wheels, Kadees, and extra weight. In addition, the paint probably wouldn't be right, so you'd have to repaint/decal it, but in 1965 neither Walthers nor Champ decals were all that great -- thick film, not necessarily prototype lettering. You can certainly find Athearn RTR cars in the $22 range with magnetic couplers, metal wheels, decent paint, and correct weight.

I think you have a similar situation with locos. The Athearn "GP9" advertised in the $10 range with a rubber band drive was a question of getting what you pay for. Even Proto 2000 locos from the 1980s were poor runners, no DCC plug, broken gears, etc. The brass locos at $59.95 in the 1960s were often poor runners, poorly detailed with knockoff casings, and so forth. A $3-400 hybrid now has sound, comes painted, has DCC, and is a much better runner. There really isn't too much of a comparison.

I think value has gone up with prices. This hasn't necessarily been something all manufacturers can deal with, and there are other variables now, such as the ability to deal with China.
A $3-400 hybrid now has sound, comes painted, has DCC, and is a much better runner. There really isn't too much of a comparison.
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Depends the Genesis locomotives has well known QA/QC issues just enough to make me back off and not buy them..Some Athearn RTR has QA/QC issues as well BLI,MTH,InterMountain have their problems as well.

The brass steamers of the 50/60s was the best running locomotives of the day not so much for brass diesels with KMT drives which were and remains true coffee grinders..

I stopped buying todays locomotives altogether exception being Atlas and the newer DCC/sound on board Bachmann.

I much prefer the older P2K locomotives which seems to be the best bargains..
Brakie Wrote:A $3-400 hybrid now has sound, comes painted, has DCC, and is a much better runner. There really isn't too much of a comparison.
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Depends the Genesis locomotives has well known QA/QC issues just enough to make me back off and not buy them..Some Athearn RTR has QA/QC issues as well BLI,MTH,InterMountain have their problems as well.

The brass steamers of the 50/60s was the best running locomotives of the day not so much for brass diesels with KMT drives which were and remains true coffee grinders..

I stopped buying todays locomotives altogether exception being Atlas and the newer DCC/sound on board Bachmann.

I much prefer the older P2K locomotives which seems to be the best bargains..

And Kato.
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