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I would think it is a expired copyright , and thats why it is so close in design to the NWSL version . Isn't it 20 years and then the free for all can begin ?
Quote from: up1950s on November 27, 2009, 10:31:22 AMI would think it is a expired copyright , and thats why it is so close in design to the NWSL version . Isn't it 20 years and then the free for all can begin ?I can't see a photo from the link you posted, but if it is the chopper i am thinking of, then it is not really a NSWL product anyway. NWSL had the (rather small) version of the chopper with the metal table/base, but they were just buying that and reselling it. It was not thier design or build. >
This is what I've had forever:http://www.trainsetsonly.com/Merchant2/images/fullsized/FS053/lg053-494.jpg
A couple of questions were brought up and I'd like to answer them here.We're the new owners of NWSL and when we bought the company we boughtall of it. There was talk of MM wanting just the tools but the foundersaid no, all or nothing. MM first cloned our Sensi-Press and Rivterearlier this year, and now they've gone much further.Illegal? Nope. As some of you probably know, getting legal protection isexpensive and time consuming. We'd thought/hoped that the founder hadsome protection for these tools, but he never got around to it. Also,with our legal system, anyone with the cash and determination can getaround almost anything, and that brings me to point number two. Themajority of manufacturers in this hobby are small. Our stories are allsimilar in that we had an inspiration or an idea and decided to dosomething about it, which on its own sounds all well and good. However,from a business standpoint, we're very exposed. Let's say we did havesome legal protection on this stuff: Anyone want to venture a guess asto what it would cost to start, much less maintain, a legal battle? TheMTH vs. Lionel fight ran into the millions.Me? I am one man and I have one vote. At the polls I get one ballot; inthe hobby I have my hobby dollar. And that's how I respond. There areseveral tools in the MM catalog I would like to have but it is my choicenot to do business with them, ever again. It's not just us and NWSL, inthis last catalog they expanded the text on their brazenly-named SameStuff and pointed out that it's the exact same formula as Tenax 7R andPlastweld. Only cheaper. And there's the fun part about being a pirate:Why go through the hours or research and R&D? Why bother funding allthose prototypes and other pesky development costs? Why go through theexpense of a marketing campaign to get noticed? Much easier to cherrypick on the back end.You get the exact same vote. Wanna save a couple of bucks? That's yourcall. However, I'll thank you not to post to this list and whine abouthow nobody is coming out with new products that you would like to seeand use in your hobby.Dave RygmyrNorthWest Short Line (www.nwsl.com)Oso Publishing & Evergreen Hill Designs (www.osorail.com)