FYI check out the home page link.
I have clicked Lionel “Home” on their central station webpage and cannot find anything.
click on the CTT home page link. The story can be found there.
If you are having problems finding it, here is the link
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/410esrhy.asp
We’re not expecting any official announcement from Lionel for several weeks.
Thanks, John, I found the link.
It still blows my mind about Brady and Wagner. Brady was to Lionel what Edleman is to MTH. I suppose I should lighten up but when you meet these guys in person, it’s hard not to get emotional about the ongoings of these companies… I know nothing about Calabreese except he has a long resume which means he’s bounced from a number of companies? Could be another short termer.
He seems to be a “Mr. Fixit” One thing is for certain, Lionel needs mass marketing to kids using big box retailers like air. If they do not succeed, there will be no more Lionel to expand the hobby and CORPORATE Lionel and the likes of WAL*MART are the ONLY ones who can pull it off… If Lionel falls into the hands of a SMALLER competitor without the wall street credibility of Wellspring and the star power of Neil Young, it will just be a matter of time before 3-rail goes the way of the dodo bird. Then the hobby shops will be so scrood.
I dont think lionel is going to disappear any time soon. It may, however, end up like it was in the mid seventies. Not real popular except for the die-hard, three rail,o-gauge hobbyists. Except, back then, they didnt have k-line ,mth, & williams nipping @ their heels for market share.IMHO, I think Bracy, Brady, & the rest are simply the “fall guys” for the mth-lionel/ korea brass lawsuit mess.
[:O][:O][:O][:O]
Speaking of the lawsuit “mess”…Anyone know if this is true? From the OGRR Forum:
"MTH will never get a dime out of Lionel LLC. Lionel LLC does not even own the Lionel trademark. Wellsprings set up a different LLC to own the Lionel trademark, and Lionel LLC pays a royalty to the other LLC for use of the Lionel trademark. MTH can’t touch the Lionel trademark, the only asset of any value. Hans, carefully read the product descriptions for the PWC cars in the 2004 Volume 2 Catalog. It is clear that Lionel LLC does not own the Lionel trademark. Wellsprings can fold Lionel LLC and set up a new LLC to import trains from China under the Lionel brand.
Posts: 177 | Location: California | Registered: June 29, 2002
breezinup
posted September 23, 2004 01:19 AM
And that would be an option for Wellsprings if the legal proceedings conclude with a significant judgment and an ineffective appeal. Doubtless the use-of-trademark contract provides for termination in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy. Wellsprings could take the Lionel LLC into a Chapter 7, flush MTH as an unsecured creditor, and open business the next day with a different legal entity with a new contract for use of the Lionel name.
Yes, that is for certain. Lionel has made this their goal for years. But, is the guy a trainhead, does he know mechanical toys? Lionel tried this with a fork expert and it got them in deeper doo doo.