Don Thompson wrote:
> Dear Steve,
> I think you are confused. I do not consider what we here at SHS or
> Ron and his family at American Models to be stealing the S-gauge market
> from Lionel. I know we are all working hard to make the best trains
> possible for our S gauge customers and I think if you look at our market
> share, our customers agree (today can you say that about LTI's AF
> line?).. If anything, they are neglecting the S gauge market and due
> to that, SHS and AM has been able to make these inroads. The market is
> evolving in all scales and the top dog in 0-27 has been asleep at the
> switch (ask MTH). I am sure they are now awake and hopefully will
> start to add quality products to their S gauge line.
> Don Thompson
I certainly agree with the essence of this statement. A number of years ago, I wrote
that it was not
reasonable to expect that LTI would enhance AF despite the fact that they had
purchased it. It seemed clear
to me that to continue with serious development of AF would clash with its O-27
development. The latter was
better established and was bread and butter for LTI. So what did they do? For years
they produced re-runs
of old AF equipment and gradually morphed that operation into collector oriented
production. The NASG
helped them in that connection, though probably unwittingly, by each year sponsoring
an AF car or two which
could only be obtained by NASG members. That contributed materially to the membership
of the NASG, but did
little for furthering AF development. The "modern" S gauge market was almost
exclusively developed by S
Helper and American Models. Perhaps LTI is awakening to the pontential of the S gauge
market, but don't bet
on it. S gauge is and will always be serious competition for O-27. There is no
reason for LTI to compete
with itself.
Bob Jackson
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