Did I dream Model Power being bought by MRC several years ago?

[peteski]

Didn't that happen, and didn't MRC actually produce and sell several ex-Model-Power N scale locos and rolling stock items?

I went to MRC website ( https://www.modelrectifier.com/scale-n-s/149.htm ) and I dont' see any N scale locos or rolling stock mentioned?
Is my memory failing me, or did they totally kill off the Model Power N scale line?

[bigdawgks]

I have seen the former Model Power 2-6-0 Moguls released under MRC branding, so that definitely did happen. But yea it seems Model Power is no longer listed under MRCs brands. Guess they killed it off.

[Chris333]

Yes they sold them with DCC and sound.

[peteski]

Thanks - I thought I was losing my mind!    Yes, I do now recall that they came with (MRC) sound decoders.

If they did kill off the line, that would be too bad. The more recent MP steam locos were quite nice (especially the traction-tire versions). And that also means they likely don't have any spare parts available.   

[bigdawgks]

Browsing some of MRCs social media the last mention I've seen them make to MP line was in 2018. But I found no announcements of it being discontinued.

[peteski]

Browsing some of MRCs social media the last mention I've seen them make to MP line was in 2018. But I found no announcements of it being discontinued.

That is strange.

[pmpexpress]

As discussed here, the disappearance of the ex-Model Power N-Scale may be related to Lionel's purchase of Model Power's parent company in 2018.

Presumably, MRC's license for the Model Power N-Scale product production ended when Lionel bought the assets of the defunct ATI Model Products Inc. around September/October 2018.

[bigdawgks]

Well that thread seems to raise more questions than it answers. I don't see Lionel ever putting anything out in N, so either they are just sitting on that tooling or looking to offload it to someone else.

[Ike the BN Freak]

I asked at NTS in, I believe 2018, to the Lionel reps, at the time they had no plans for the N scale line. They did mention that they might, depending on how the HO line did, but it wasn't a priority for them.

At the Rocky Mountain show this pass April, I asked again, and was told that the tooling was lost/misplaced, and Lionel has no plans on getting into N.

[dem34]

Well that thread seems to raise more questions than it answers. I don't see Lionel ever putting anything out in N, so either they are just sitting on that tooling or looking to offload it to someone else

Depends, atleast outside in it looks like Lionel tried making use of the model power stuff for a year and then abruptly dropped it after realizing people weren't interested in paying BLI prices for Mantua tooling.

[bigdawgks]

At the Rocky Mountain show this pass April, I asked again, and was told that the tooling was lost/misplaced, and Lionel has no plans on getting into N.

Unsurprising really. There are sadly many folks in the industry that still view N scale as a novelty. Lionel being such a well known brand within such a niche part of the hobby, I wouldn't expect them to care about expanding into N.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Depends, atleast outside in it looks like Lionel tried making use of the model power stuff for a year and then abruptly dropped it after realizing people weren't interested in paying BLI prices for Mantua tooling.

Strange, they barely have any HO models at all. What on earth was the point of this purchase?

[bigdawgks]

So it would seem to me that Lionel's HO products are all aimed at a younger "entry level" crowd (kids). This lines up with their brand, and seeing as N is already not a popular scale for kids (and lets face it, overall a much smaller market), and there's already other manufacturers providing train-set quality products in N, it seems pretty obvious they don't see anything in it for them. But it does seem like their attempt even in the HO market has not really been so successful.

It's a shame that they essentially killed off the Model Power stuff, but at the same time at least it was just the MP stuff and not anything else. I must admit aside from the sound fitted Moguls I'm not really familiar with what was still being produced by MRC from the MP tooling.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wait, so the tooling for the former MRC 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s is gone?

[kiwi_al]

Wait, so the tooling for the former MRC 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s is gone?

Looks like it from what Ike was saying