Les, Warren and Terry, everything you say is true. The controversy apparent between your statements also implies that some interesting developments must await us in the future. I agree with Terry, that Maerklin (or for that matter any other decent European manufacturer) does not need the US market. In fact, I would not be surprised if LGB demise was partly due to the fact that they unnecesarily favoured and in turn miserably failed on the US market - subject to different competition strategies (and different consumer preference) than on the European one. But that is neither here nor there. As Warrent says, LGB is stuck with some decent US designs, which have recently been produced in China in almost 100% . The question which Maerklin/LGB will need to answer is - is it more expensive to keep these moulds collecting dust hoping to sell them or to produce a small run of these products to satisfy the microscopic needs of a very small number of modellers and collectors in Europe (mainly Germany) and a few scale dinosaurs;-) in the US… I personally believe, that the US outline products will be resurected by Maerklin, even if only to satisfy the few European enthusiasts of the US outline… for spare parts and missing pieces for their collections. And, of course these missing parts and missing pieces for the collections will be welcome in Europe! Just as an example Les, I discovered yesterday that I urgently need a set of link and pin couplers from the old products list. Of course I can look for them on Ebay, but I would prefer simply to order from my LGB dealer in Germany, together with some track for which I just could not find replacement among so called “alternative brands”… Now the final issue, do I hope for a new items in the US range from Maerklin/LGB? No, not really, I guess, If they are at all economically feasible, I will see them earlier from manufacturers such as Brawa or Kiss. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi
Tim,
You said - (unless a Republican ‘war hero’ gets into the oval office and finds a new war theatre to boost the economy)
We may not have anything to worry about here, because Obama is working a deal with Ted Kennedy that he is going to get the VP position, if he’ll just drive Hillary home. Bill said he’s all for it. 
Ric Golding said:Hillary's safer with Obama driving than with Teddy K ...
Obama is working a deal with Ted Kennedy that he is going to get the VP position, if he'll just drive Hillary home. Bill said he's all for it. ;-)
Teddy does like to take a long drive off a short bridge…
Ric,
a war economy is good for the nation (according to politicians). I really cannot see McCain getting up, but history points to a Republican president embroiling Americans in further conflict (Ronald Rayguns, George H.Dubya, George Dubya). However, one must look behind the scenes at the power brokers who advise the president. This core group of advisers have been on the scene for the last thirty plus years and hopefully will have vacated Washington by the time the next president takes office. Few outside of politics know the impact that these core advisers have had on American policy and strategy. The fallout from ‘911’ may be linked to their foreign policies of world domination. They see America’s role as the policeman in world affairs. Whoever the voter places in office will determine the future of American foreign policy. Democrats seem more internally oriented rather than dictating foreign policy as is the want of the Rebublicans.
The current recession fuelled by the sub-prime market scandal (a lot of people made a lot of money from this fiasco), will impact on the voters' minds. The Democrats are much like our Labor Party (historically socialist leaning, but more capitalist of recent years) and their social service policies will further 'bankrupt' the economy. The choice for the voter is either for Americans to suffer fighting in a foreign country under a Republican president, or suffering at home with a recession under a Democrat. McCain's opinion on the 'war on terror' is well known and ensures continued participation overseas. Obama seems more a moderate candidate with social welfare policies. However, are the American public ready to embrace an African American, or for that matter are they ready to put their future in the hands of a woman? Let us hope that the American population have matured out of the mindset of the Republican foreign domination experiment and are ready to embrace a more caring government with domestic social policies as their manifesto, rather than the foreign policies of the oil-dollar fed greed of previous governments.you notice nothing is ever said about the little drive kennedy took off the bridge. That kind of faded away into history, and is never discussed good for him he’s still drawing hundreds of thousand of dollars each year, and if we were to do something like he did we’d be talking about it from prison. On buying and selling of companies from abroad i know one thing the out of the u.s. market for selling is way better than here, as the buyers of trains from other countries are willing to pay higher prices here for things that are listed here as they are way more expensive over there, than paying the higher shipping on items from here to there. Just had someone from out of the u.s. buy items from me, had shipped to somewhere here in the u.s., and then paid through a seperate person than himself, for payment of the item! I think he’s figured out a good system for dancing around everything both here and there! Again figuring out the"system" “dancing to it and around it right?” p.s. before you comment “I did everything above board and according to hoyle” Haven’t figured out what he was doing, but i guess really not my business money was good!
Again fellas its all about choice, supply and demand and what you are willing to sell for or pay for an item!!! Unsure dont do either!!!
Don’t hold your breath, Tim. You may find your toes turning purple.
…but guys; the Kennedy people were close to being American Gods, or don’t you remember…why would any of them be expected to do time in jail !!!
I may even get shot down by just suggesting that there should have been some token pennence paid for his drive off the bridge, let alone suggesting that there just might mave been murder or somthing involved. The CIA may even be watching me after this little note of mine …don’t laugh…
Your CIA is just as much out of control as the old KGB…it has a life of it’s own, and you guys as just voters, have no control over it at all.
I’m in Canada, and have no protection from it’s tangled web…I could be dead tomorrow, just for making suggestions about it’s protected few…ENJOY YOUR freedoms, if they really exist.
Tim,
“history points to a Republican president embroiling Americans in further conflict (Ronald Rayguns, George H.Dubya, George Dubya).”
That was certainly a short history lesson. I was always taught " In Flander’s Fields the poppies grow, by the crosses row on row, but not from a Republican Administration." How about Truman, Roosevelt, Johnson, and Kennedy. Let alone the Pervert, who wanted to give our troops to the UN-united Nations to take the heat of his stain on the oval office rug.
"The Democrats are much like our Labor Party "
??? If you aren’t a US citizen, what do you care about our politics? We certainly don’t care about yours, elect who you want. But, I guess, we appreciate your free advice. I try to keep an open mind on all of the candidates, but I personally don’t ever consider voting for someone that declares themselves a Democrat. It makes it a lot simpler and eliminates a lot of the trash, right off the bat.
We’ll probably just have to agree to disagree on this. Want to talk about trains?
It was said on one political talk show that it took a Clinton to clean up after the last Bush and once again, it will take another Clinton to clean up this Bush’s mess! Mike
That was Saint Hillary’s line.
I would rather see her or Obama elected than McKain. 4 years of that lot will be enough to convince everyone to drop the secular progressive agenda clearing the way for a true conservative…
Hell will have to freeze over before I would vote for a Republican. But when I go to mark my ballot in November I may have to heave my guts out when done.
And Ric, I would rather have a pervert in office that can balance a budget than a thief and a liar that’s screwed our economy and murdered our young adults in an uncalled for war.
You mean the president who constantly promised we would capture the people who attacked and then did nothing which emboldened our enemies. Didn’t our troops in Somalia die on his watch. As I remember there was lying going on in that White House as well. So what was stolen Warren?
LAO
What was stolen? Do you think Haliberton got their contracts honestly? And never took a dime that they didn’t deserve? And nobody in the Bush family or the Cheney family profited from it. You don’t think anybody in the administration had any control over the fact that the petroleum companies are repeatedly making record profits on outrageous gas prices while contributing to driving the economy into a recession. And you are going to tell me that nobody in the Bush or Cheney family profited a dime from all this…
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/squeeky/_forumfiles/lol1.gif)
I’d say they stole quite a bit of money from ME!
jerry hansen said:My wife and I travelled out to Chappaquiddick a few years back. Dunno exactly why, but I wanted to see it.
you notice nothing is ever said about the little drive kennedy took off the bridge. That kind of faded away into history
The tidal creek that runs under the bridge is a good fishing spot. Several guys were getting lines wet - from the banks.
One look told me all I wanted to know. The current in that narrow estuary is awesome.
So Ted jumped in at night, swam through that surge of water, dove down to the car and tried to pull Mary Jo out?
Pull the other one.
Warren,
You said - “And Ric, I would rather have a pervert in office that can balance a budget than a thief and a liar that’s screwed our economy and murdered our young adults in an uncalled for war.”
Hard to imagine someone as being murdered that has sacrificed their life to defend our freedom. Do you feel the same about the Sailors on the U. S. Cole or the Marines in our African Embassies? Our economy is strong and resourceful, no matter what the liberal idiots want to say. It has survived a major attack from foreign sources and the continuous bleeding from socialists on both sides of the isle that one to redestribute growth and wealth. It’s the capitalists against the socialist perverts, the fight that has gone on from the beginning of this Country.
That is why we vote. So give it your best shot and support who you think will lead us best. We can be strong and leaders or be soft like France and expect other Nations to defend us against invading forces.
I thought the liberals wanted higher gas prices so to drive the American public into smaller more fuel efficient cars. Oops I forgot they want the government to raise the price of gas with TAXES. If you want to complain about the price of gas you only have to look to a country called China who’s consumption of oil has been growing with it’s industries and increased demand for better housing and consumer products we Americans have like cars.
LAO
Ric, lets say that I am NOT a capitalist. That should be enough to tell how I will vote.
Warren Mumpower said:Fair enough. I'll share my trains with you, but I won't give them to you. ;-)
Ric, lets say that I am NOT a capitalist. That should be enough to tell how I will vote.
Elections in Illinois - Vote early, vote often.
And I did greatly appreciate the time you did share…