Lionel showing interest in Märklin
Model Retailer Magazine is reporting that a German newspaper Südwest Presse reported…
a delegation from U.S. toy train manufacturer Lionel has visited Märklin’s production facilities in Göppingen in Germany and Györ in Hungary, presumably with interest in purchasing the company.
Märklin, a German toy and model train manufacturer that was founded in 1891, is about to emerge from an early 2009 bankruptcy. The company is turning a profit and apparently Lionel is showing interest in purchasing the company. Märklin’s trains are unique because they are powered by a hidden 3rd rail in the middle of the track.
Read the entire Model Retailer article here.
In case you missed it…
- Model Retailer Magazine’s top stories of 2009 includes a story about the World Greatest Hobby Show held in Philadelphia in January 2009. The article indicate that the show “drew possibly the largest crowd ever to attend a model train show in the U.S.: just over 40,000 in two days”. Read the “Top Stories” article here.
- This next tidbit is very old news but I just discovered it and it was news to me. The host of the DIY network series Workin’ on the Railroad, Chris Chianelli, died in January of 2009 of natural causes at age 55.
- Atlas is offering a free look at their Golden Spike Club newsletter. You can download it here (pdf).
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone!
An OGW Reader’s Figure 8 Plus Christmas Layout
I was happy to receive word from an OGaugeWatch.com reader that the Figure 8 Plus plan is under his family’s Christmas layout this year. Here is the email with a link to a video of the layout.
Dave,
I wanted to extend a much deserved thanks. A week ago we bought the O scale Polar Express from our local hobby shop. I set it up around the tree and after a couple days my wife was bored with the standard oval track.
I searched around online, in addition to the other great information on your site, I downloaded the plans for the figure 8 plus which includes a shopping list with part numbers. I traded up to the remote switches, but other than that it’s exactly as is.
I built my train platform, ran all the wires and now we’re up and running. I can’t imagine figuring out all the parts and pieces myself. I’m not a train hobbyist (yet) so I probably wouldn’t have done anything.
Thanks again. Here’s a link to a video (I shot on my phone) of the train set up.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1306515183017Merry Christmas,
Sean
In a subsequent email Sean told me it took him about 6.5 hours one night to build his platform and convert the oval to the Figure 8 Plus plan. He used a green felt fabric to cover the platform because it was faster and easier than painting.
Nice work Sean! I hope O Gauge trains under the Christmas tree will become a tradition you and your family will enjoy for years to come. Thanks for sharing your layout.
Digital Edition of OGR Magazine Available
OGR Magazine’s December 2009 issue is available on-line here. The December issue is offered for FREE and the digital issue subscription price for 7 issues is only $19.95. Subscribe here. You can buy individual issues for $3.95. OGR will be posting a digital preview of each issue, view the January preview here.
In case you missed it….
- On December 7th, NBC’s Today show featured a Lionel layout during a spot on model trains. Click here to view the video.
- MTH posted a video of their new Premier Line SD-35 locomotive here.
- Weaver Models posted information about their new PRR BP-20 A & B units here.
- The New Jersey Hi Railers in conjunction with O Gauge Railroading Magazine are holding an open house on January 16th, 2010. Get more information here. Check out the NJ Hi-Railers site for a complete list of all open house dates.
- On December 11th Atlas O announced new paint schemes for several products here.
- Get a video preview of the January 2010 issue of Classic Toy Trains Magazine here.