I see the website is back up? And now has been relocated to Humble Texas?
Any info on what has happened ? I thought they went out of business with the owners death in June?
Thanks,
Mark
I live near Humble, (which is just north of Houston TX) and I did a Google map search for the address on the IHC web site. The location is east of Humble in a neighborhood near the west side of Lake Houston! The fax number listed does have a Humble-Houston area code.
David
CENTRAL OF TEXAS LINES
Perhaps someone bought all of the remaining stock that was in the IHC warehouse and is selling it.
Probably nothing new will ever appear under the former IHC brand name. The products shown on the web site are the older IHC models made by Mehano of Slovenia.
Well it is certainly the original web address, and the layout is very similar if not identical to the previous, and the products are the same. There are some broken links on the site, so I wonder if it is not ready for prime time yet and that someone stumbled upon something before it is ready? It would be nice to see IHC come back under new ownership.
My interest in IHC products is entirely confined to their structures, some of which are excellent kitbash material. So I am pleased to see the line be revived even if the structures I have used most are not yet shown online.
One of the interesting things about this hobby is just how commercially durable plastic tooling has proven to be. Old Varney and PennLine tool and die work from the 1950s lives on in various lines; the Revelll gondola disappeared for a while but has been offered by ConCor way longer than Revell ever offered it. The IHC line of imports was too extensive to not have some commercial value.
As for new products I imagine the purchaser in Texas might be waiting to generate a little cash from what is on hand.
Dave Nelson
This is far, far more likely to be the explaination than any other. Mehano broke its link as a supplier to IHC well before the latter closed its doors and the declining health of its owner. Likewise, I have been told that once Mehano has addressed its own financial problems it intends to offer a dramatically revised (i.e. higher quality but no longer inexpensive) product line to buyers in The States directly.
CNJ831
What is the IHC website URL (revised or otherwise)?
Edit, never mind, it took some tweaking of the google search but I found it.
Please, next time when mentioning a link/URI - post it.
It looks like Mehano are back on the tracks with a new web site and brand identity http://www.mehano.si/EN/index.php
It appears that they are still carrying most of the US prototype line, as well as introducing a range of train sets. There are no links to any US companies on their web site, so for the time being we can assume that they don’t have a US relationship with anyone.
The IHC site looks similar to what it looked like abouy 10 months ago before it whent offline. The passenger car interiors were listed in the Sneak Perview page as if a shipment was soon to arrive. I guess we will have to wait and see what develops. [%-)]
I got 3 of their Command XXV steam locos at fire sale prices when they were liquidating a lot of merchandise. I am very happy with them (yes, I know they don’t have the detail of a Proto).
I’d like to see someone pick up the dies / equipment for these, at least.
The steam locos are all made by Mehano and were imported by IHC. Since Mehano is still in business what were the Command XXV locos (basically the standard Mehano line with DCC sockets) are all listed on the Mehano site http://www.mehano.si/EN/models.php?Id=&idm=4&group3=4&see=1&sub2=2&title=7 As I understand it, the production of these was shifted to China from Slovenia. Their availability in the US has more to do with if Mehano forms and agreement with a distributor over here than anything else.
Some of these locos are listed as being DCC with sound, which I don’t think was ever sold in that config by IHC.
BTW, I think we may have stumbled upon IHC before it is really ready for prime time. You can’t order anything on-line yet, the feedback forms don’t work and give server errors. According to Network Solutions Who Is look up the new owner of the domain is Ronald Hagest of Humble TX and that this was only updated on July 20th, so not that long ago. Furthermore the e-mail address with the Who is registration does not work. It may be a while before IHC is truly back on-line.