03-03-2009, 07:43 PM
Marklin had a huge display and had two big pieces of news:
- Confirmation that the company had filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy after one of their major investors (a U.S. investment bank) went belly up. The feeling is that they will survive - it's an iconic brand in toy / train crazy Germany.
- Confirmation that the company will be bringing LGB, who they aquired recently, back to the U.S. after a 2 1/2 year hiatus.
Marklin / Trix produces much of their product in Hungary (German Union labor is apparently very expensive) and assembled in Germany. I've mentioned before on these pages and that of Zealot that I am extremely impressed by the build engineering of Trix steam locomotives - detailed, die cast metal (heavy!) and super easy to disassemble. I love my Proto 0-6-0, but it's about impossible to get into - Trix locos you remove one screw and off comes the boiler, details and all (which, by the way, are mostly press -fit to the boiler, so can be removed easily). Suffice it to say I am a Trix fan.
We met with Marklin early in the visit and I was extremely impressed with Jeff Stimson's, one of a handful of true Marklin employees in the U.S., knowledge of his subject matter - trains. The U.S. prototypes that Marklin will be producing this year are a reflection of his reading of the U.S. market (that's you and me folks). He showed us the new products in Marklin's line, and was very fun to talk to. We also met Ron Gibson - a Walthers employee - who apparently has been knocking around the Garden Railway market for years - who showed us the line of LGB products destined for the U.S. market. Good stuff.
Marklin / Walthers took us to dinner the third night in (my friend has sold their products for a few years) deep down in a cellar with lots of beer, pork, and good conversation. We were lucky enough to be seated at the table of Dr. Gerd Uhlmann, the International Sales Director who regaled us almost non-stop with stories from his first business in East Germany to what to visit in Prague.
Obviously, as a newby Toy Fair attendee, I was mightily impressed by the interest these men, and therefore Marklin, showed in their company and the model market in general. But I digress.
Apologies for the word count - Now, PICTURES!
Display showing the new products, nicely done and more pleasing to look at in person:
Marklin had probably the largest layout, with a good selection of steam, electric and some diesel running around on automated routes:
More...
- Confirmation that the company had filed for the equivalent of bankruptcy after one of their major investors (a U.S. investment bank) went belly up. The feeling is that they will survive - it's an iconic brand in toy / train crazy Germany.
- Confirmation that the company will be bringing LGB, who they aquired recently, back to the U.S. after a 2 1/2 year hiatus.
Marklin / Trix produces much of their product in Hungary (German Union labor is apparently very expensive) and assembled in Germany. I've mentioned before on these pages and that of Zealot that I am extremely impressed by the build engineering of Trix steam locomotives - detailed, die cast metal (heavy!) and super easy to disassemble. I love my Proto 0-6-0, but it's about impossible to get into - Trix locos you remove one screw and off comes the boiler, details and all (which, by the way, are mostly press -fit to the boiler, so can be removed easily). Suffice it to say I am a Trix fan.
We met with Marklin early in the visit and I was extremely impressed with Jeff Stimson's, one of a handful of true Marklin employees in the U.S., knowledge of his subject matter - trains. The U.S. prototypes that Marklin will be producing this year are a reflection of his reading of the U.S. market (that's you and me folks). He showed us the new products in Marklin's line, and was very fun to talk to. We also met Ron Gibson - a Walthers employee - who apparently has been knocking around the Garden Railway market for years - who showed us the line of LGB products destined for the U.S. market. Good stuff.
Marklin / Walthers took us to dinner the third night in (my friend has sold their products for a few years) deep down in a cellar with lots of beer, pork, and good conversation. We were lucky enough to be seated at the table of Dr. Gerd Uhlmann, the International Sales Director who regaled us almost non-stop with stories from his first business in East Germany to what to visit in Prague.
Obviously, as a newby Toy Fair attendee, I was mightily impressed by the interest these men, and therefore Marklin, showed in their company and the model market in general. But I digress.
Apologies for the word count - Now, PICTURES!
Display showing the new products, nicely done and more pleasing to look at in person:
Marklin had probably the largest layout, with a good selection of steam, electric and some diesel running around on automated routes:
More...
Matt Goodman
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio