Mark,
What you are really seeing is a person with a good many aliases alive and well on this forum. The person who posted that previously, either Bill Conner or Joe Polska, are all one in the same with H.Zimmer above. He also operates under the alias of Hans Zimmer, and a couple of others that slip my mind at the moment. We have been dealing with him for a while on the previously mentioned OGR forum, although he’s left us alone recently.
My best advice for all Model Railroader forum members is to not respond to any of the comments that he makes, as they are nothing more than trolling in its purest sense. I try to make it a general habit now to not respond to anything he says.
This is a perfect example of the attitude that frustrates me the most. What a crock. I am not in HO, and in my opinion many of MTH’s actions over the years have done nothing more than drive a wedge between people in the O gauge community. You and I clearly don’t see eye to eye on this.
If you want to kiss Mike’s “whatever” go over to the OGR forum and take a number. Then when you get to York, your place in line will be guarenteed.
Revive HO??? HO needs this about as much as they need another model of a 40’ boxcar. I have a felling that when all is said and done, there are going to be a lot of Pennsy K-4’s without a home.
LMAO! Now that was a good one Hans. Engines advertised to pull 50 cars except they blow their traction tires off and sizzle the reverse board doing it.
Yes Ben, I am familiar with a number of these names, and this message has come across on the CTT forum too. Others have said similar things about an even longer list of screen names being related. In this situation rather than make the claim that they are all one in the same, let’s just deal with them as they come up.
I agree Mr Zimmer is trolling here, and so have a couple of others earlier in this topic. Ignoring their comments is a good way to deal with the problem, but sometimes it is difficult to let such outrageous comments go un challenged. I think we are doing pretty well given the nature of the topic.
A point brought up in another MTH thread that I would like to see what MTH’s reponse might be: Will MTH be selling DCS decoders to for use in locomotives other than MTH products?? I think this is an excellent question because I doubt the DCS system will go too far without seperately available decoders.
I wasn’t going to respond to this topic anymore but your comment…I’ll be cordial in asking you: Where in the world did you obtain the impression that the HO market needed a revival? [%-)][%-)][:P] I’ll admit this, I would agree with you 100%…if this were the 1980s!!
Currently HO and N are among model railroading’s strongest markets! Please tell us what reviving the HO market needs? And what reviving can be expected with MTH’s litigation? In the past decade there has been a huge upsurge in products and advancements in the HO market, not just DCC and electronics but locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, wheels, detailing parts, paint, structures, and layout design products. I find myself a little overwhelmed sometimes when I go shopping at my LHS!
Trainlne, InterMountain, Stewart, DPM, Branchline, Proto, Cannon, Digitrax, Tichy, used to be obscure names a few years back, not anymore! If thrown, the Walther’s HO Catalog is heavy enough to break through a plate glass window!
I realize that perhaps you’re passionate about Mr. Wolfe for his contribution to O scale, which declined as HO, N, and even G scale gained popularity over the past two decades. But think about it, if MTH were to dissappear tomorrow it’s a sure bet that the HO and N markets will continue to grow.
Welcome with open arms? Some will, but it’s more like MTH is a business that’s going to put its products out there. Some will buy, some won’t as with any other business.
Looks like I did respond hastily. [:0] I should have read your posts first instead of stopping at Zimmer and responding. Like you guys say, he’s apparently trolling. [:-^][tdn]
Mr. Zimmer, you need to realize though that if you support MTH you are actually succeeding in fanning flames against MTH and based on about 80% of the overall responses to this thread, they’re at “blow torch” temperature. [B)][:0][B)]
I’ll continue to monitor this thread, but won’t likely post anymore as I’ve stated my thoughts, opinions, and suggestions several times. I like to enjoy myself on this forum and would like to continue to do so. [8D][:D]
After I submitted my thoughts on what Mr. Zimmer had stated, I thought I may have been dupped by a troll!
It would be nice to be able to tell whom these folks are when reading a post. However, his statement was stupid and I should have seen it for what it was.
Are you lot for real? DCC has been around for years. It may well have only been “standardised” recently, but the theory has been available since before the 1970’s. We’ve just been waiting for powerful enough processors and cheap specific IC manufacture - so who patented them?
This is such a strange and interesting situation here, because it involves two distinct groups of modelers who might not otherwise meet. Each group has it’s own reasons for taking a stand against MTH. Normally each group stays on it’s own side of the tracks.
I can’t think of too many other members here that are as active in both groups. This makes my position somewhat unique. I feel as if I know almost all of you, though some better than others.
To my HO friends, I’m sorry that you had to meet Mr Zimmer. As Ben said, he is a well known notorious character in the O gauge community. For those of you that may not have fully understood my earlier chiding of Mr Zimmer, the term “York” may need some clarification.
York is York Pennsylvania, the site of a twice annual train meet. However, unless you are a member of the TCA ( Train Collectors Association ), you are not invited. At this meet all of the major O gauge manufacturers are present showing and selling their products, and hob knobbing with the faithfull. This show has something of a cult following. I am not a member of that cult, in spite of being a member of the TCA.
Though we all speak “model railroadeese” there are two distinct dialects. I like to think that I am fluent in both. This is why I have my member numbers for both the NMRA and TCA in my signature.
Perhaps MTH is doing us all a favor here, by forcing us to come together.
I think a very wise political science professor I had in college said it best “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Not that you TCA/O Scale types are my enemy! It’s just that often times a common evil binds people together that would normally not even say “hi” to each other.
Thanks for enlightening us. It’s funny, at 41 I would have never thought of model railroad groups actually isolating themselves as you just described. I’ve always naively assumed that anyone would be welcomed at meets ( in some cases charge a low fee to help with expenses).
Based on all the input I’ve been reading, I can believe that there may be groups that are rather exclusive. It makes no sense to me though as I’ve always felt that this hobby was about having fun with trains whether you’re a prototype modeler, free lancer, collector, garden railroader, suitcase Z modeler, or tin plater.
I can only hope that those modelers or collectors are not “too exclusive” and still make an effort to share the hobby and encourage our younger “PlayStation” generation.
Yes Antonio, it’s sad but true. The TCA was formed in the 50’s. It’s a real “old boy’s” club. There are times when I wonder why I keep renewing my membership. Force of habit I guess. 22 years have passed quickly.
Please don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of good guys in the TCA. Actually the TCA and it’s members are very aware of the larger issues we as model railroaders face. Collectors are even more of a dying breed, literally. In that regard hobby promotion is just as important to that group as it is to modelers of every other scale. I have been thinking about the future of the hobby for over 20 years.
The reason the meet is closed, has to do with the organization’s rules and insurance. Membership is open to anyone, but applicants need to have the recommendation of two members before being considered. Because of the nature of collecting, rules are very strict, as the potential for fraud is high. The tightness of the group makes it possible for members to trust one another, because everyone knows the consequences of wrong doing.
Through the years I have been involved in many hobbies. Sailing, R/C flying, 1/48th WW1 Aircraft modeling, HO model railroading, wooden and plastic model sailing ships and others. In all of these sports/hobbies/activities, I have met people with gigantic egos, whom fail to understand that these things are (after all) only hobbies. I see that their identities become linked with what they percieve to be their stature within the hobby.
This seems a little on the nutso side to me!
I’ve been doing hobbies for almost 50 years now. I do them to have fun and let my creative juices flow!
Those of you whom take things so seriesly and are abusive to those of us whom are not, need to know that we are not impressed and for the most part, you turn us off!
I have to agree with sentiment. There are the ones who say they don’t even play with HO but do not hesitate to post their thoughts here. Makes me wonder what their agenda is all about anyway. Other says there is prior art but refuse to explain any further. What is their agenda?
Guys! It’s supposed to be a hobby! At least it is for some of us! Spare us the drama and get back to playing with trains. OK?