OGAUGEWATCH GIVEAWAY: Free Tickets To METCA Train Show

Don't forget that I have 10 tickets to give away for the February 9th METCA Train Show in Queens, NY.  Click here for details on how to win a free ticket.

eBay To Lower Insertion Fees But....

A story on the ActionBytes website details eBay's new Insertion Fee and Commission Fee changes.  eBay will lower the cost of listing items on eBay (Insertion Fee) but will increase the amount of Commission collected from the sale of items.  So, although it will cost less to list your O Gauge stuff on eBay, you'll end up paying more to eBay on the back end when the stuff is sold.  eBay will also eliminate the Fee for the Gallery Feature.  The new fee changes listed above go into effect on 2/20/08.  Read the story here.  For a more comprehensive list of the fee changes visit the ActionBytes blog here.

Lionel Execs Get Pay Raise

According to an article in Crain's Detroit Business, Lionel CEO Jerry Calabrese and VP of Marketing Mark Erickson will receive pay raises.  The raises had to be approved by the bankruptcy court hence the reason the raises being made public.  Mr. Calabrese will make $1 million per year and Mr. Erickson will make $465,000 per year. 

Both execs have been working without a new contract since 12/31/07.  According to the story, the raises more than double their salary but eliminate performance bonuses based on company performance.  The two execs also get a piece of the proceeds if Lionel is sold for more than $60 million and options to purchase a piece of Lionel if the plan for exiting bankruptcy is confirmed.  Read the entire story here.

New Signs From Miller Engineering

Miller Engineering has announced a few new signs for release in April '08 including the Zippo lighter sign that sits atop the Zippo's headquarters.  Get more details from the Miller Engineering website.

New MTH Ready to Run Catalog

MTH has announced that their Ready To Run catalog will be released on-line on Monday, February 4th.  Here is the MTH announcement:

January 23, 2008 - M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing its annual Ready-to-Run Train Set and Accessory catalog featuring our Tinplate Traditions and RailKing product lines on Monday, February 4, 2008. M.T.H. Authorized Retailers will receive their initial counter copies that week and an online version of the catalog will be posted that Monday morning. M.T.H. mailing list subscribers will receive their copies in April when the 2008 Volume 2 catalog ships.

Thanks for the tip Justin.

The "Big E" Show To Be Held This Weekend

The Amherst Railway Society will be holding their annual Railroad Hobby Show this weekend at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds (Big E) in West Springfield Massachusetts.  I've never attended this show but I'm told it is a good one.  Visit the Big E website for directions and the the Railroad Hobby Show site for photos and information about the show.sat the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds (The Big E) in West Springfield Massachusetts

Lionel 2008 Catalogs To Be Released Next Week

Lionel has posted a count down clock on their website counting the days, hours and minutes to the release of their 2008 catalogs.  The catalogs will be released on-line on February 1st.  Check it out on the Lionel website.

Thanks for the tip Justin.

The Boy's Toys by Bob Ciminel

Guest Blogger Bob Ciminel sent in the following story:

I received my first Lionel model train in 1954, the year my sister was born. The day Mom arrived home from the hospital, I came home from school to find a new baby sister, two diesel engines, several freight cars, and a caboose. I immediately suspected that something was up.

It was unfortunate that I received the train the same day I met my sister for the first time. It forced me to make a decision, a choice that no seven-year-old should have to make.  Should I go see my new sister or my new train? The choice was simple; I played with the train.

Click on the link below to read on

OGAUGEWATCH GIVEAWAY: Free Tickets To METCA Train Show

Bob from the Metropolitan Division of the Train Collectors Association (METCA) has kindly offered up 10  tickets for METCA's February 9th train show to be held at the Broad Channel American Legion Hall, 209 Cross Bay Blvd., Queens NY.  The show runs from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  If the pictures of past events posted on the METCA website are any indication, this could be a sizable show.

If you're interested in a free ticket, send an email to dave@ogaugewatch.com by 11:59 PM on Thursday, January 31st with your name and address.  On Friday, February 1st, I will pick 10 winners at random from the emails I receive and send out the tickets.  This show is open to the public.

For more information on this event and METCA visit www.METCA.org.

Bob, thanks for the tickets!

GUEST BLOGGER: John Seaman - Building A Custom Girder Bridge

Guest blogger and OGaugeWatch reader John Seaman submitted this article about making a scratch built girder bridge.   

For those that buy the Atlas O Double Track Pratt Truss Bridge Kit but don’t use the Atlas decking/track that comes with it like me, you can use the deck/track from the kit to create a custom girder bridge.  I built a 24” girder bridge.  Here’s how:

Click on the link below to read on

MTH and Mike Wolf On TV

MTH and Mike Wolf were featured on a morning show in Washington, DC.  Check out the video here.  It's a two part feature so be sure to click on part two in the "Side Bar" to the right of the main feature.

Stop, Look and Listen

I was surfing Rail-Videos.net with my son and daughter the other night and found a video that demonstrates what happens when a tractor trailer tangles with a freight train at a RR crossing.  Check out the video here.  Look for the guy in a pink shirt entering the shot from the right side at the very beginning of the video.  What was he thinking! 

What's New From Lionel for the 2007 Holiday Season (and 2008) by Erol Gurcan

The following article written by Erol Gurcan appeared in the December 2007 issue of The Lion Roars, a periodic publication of the Lionel Collectors Club of America.  The '07 holiday season is behind us but there is some interesting info in the article you may not have known plus there is discussion about what to expect from Lionel in 2008.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with some of Lionel’s senior executives including President and CEO Jerry Calabrese, Product Manager Matt Ashba, Chief Technology Officer John Zahornacky, and K-Line by LionelTM Product Manager Nick Ladd.  They described what the company is doing this holiday season and for 2008.  Here’s a summary of the conversations. 

Click on the link below to read on

OGaugeWatch Giveaway: Ready Made Toys

The OGaugeWatch Ready Made Toys Giveaway winners have been chosen and notified by email.  Congratulations to the lucky winners and thanks to all who have signed up for OGaugeWatch email updates.  Stay tuned for the next giveaway featuring the The Black Diamond Railway DVD from Toy Trains On Tracks.

Bankruptcy Court Grants Lionel 7th Extension: MTH Motion to Extend TRO Granted by Erol Gurcan

There was some model train litigation involving Lionel and MTH in two different courts on 1/10/08.

Firstly, in the New York City Bankruptcy Court, Lionel’s motion for a 7th extension of the exclusive period in which to file its reorganization plan, was granted by Judge Lifland. MTH’s lawyer, Alec Ostrow did not oppose the motion. The court’s order gives Lionel the exclusive right until March 31 file its plan with the court. Others including MTH may file alternative plans after that up and until May 30.

Click on the link below to read on

Atlas O January '08 Announcements

Atlas O's January '08 "mini-catalog" includes new paint schemes and road numbers for the following  products:

Atlas O GP60/60M/60B Locomotives
Atlas O PS-4427 Hopper
Atlas O 40' USRA Composite Gondola

And new paint schemes for the Atlas O 40' Wood Reefer.

Visit the Atlas O website for more details.

A Haunted American Flyer Train Set????

Some people will say anything to sell an item on eBay.  Check out this listing for an American Flyer Train set: Haunted Box With Ghost Train American Flyer S Gauge Set.  The seller is claiming the box and train set left behind by the previous owners of his house is the reason his house is "haunted". 

MTH Attempts To Collect $$$ From Korea Brass by Erol Gurcan

In my last legal article, (written at the request of the Coil Couplers web site), I stated that in MTH’s fraudulent transfer of assets lawsuit against Korea Brass aka Hagye Trading/Model Korea Trading (MKT), the court on November 20, 2007 issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) and entered an order directing all monies paid by Lionel to Korea Brass were to be deposited into a court approved interest bearing escrow account. The practical effect of this was, Lionel, which is not a party in MTH’s lawsuit against Korea Brass, will not be able to take delivery of trains that it paid for and which were manufactured by KB, since the money is going into a court escrow account rather than directly to KB. Ultimately, we hobbyists will not be able to purchase the trains which are affected in these legal proceedings, at least for now.

Click on the link below to read on

Welcoming A New Sponsor - Toy Trains On Tracks

I'm very happy to announce a new OGaugeWatch sponsor, Toy Trains On Tracks.  The owner of Toy Trains On Tracks, Rich Battista, recently produced a DVD featuring his beautiful 32' x 12' multi level basement layout named the Black Diamond Railway.   The DVD was recorded in wide screen format and features 73 minutes of great video of trains running on the Black Diamond Railway and very helpful "how-to" segments where Rich shows you how he built his hi-rail layout.  Rich's layout was also featured on the cover of O Gauge Railroading magazine.  The DVD sells for $19.95 plus shipping.  Read my review of the DVD here.

I had the pleasure of meeting Rich and his wife at the October '07 York meet and they are good people.  Rich is a true O Gauge railroad fanatic and his wife is very supportive of his hobby and his Toy Trains On Tracks endeavor.

As OGaugeWatch readers know, I love to give away products from my sponsors.  Toy Trains On Tracks has agreed to supply me with 3 copies of the Black Diamond Railway DVD so stay tuned for details about the  giveaway.

Visit the Toy Trains On Tracks website where you'll find details and photos of the Black Diamond Railway, a preview of the video and details how to purchase a copy of the DVD.  I want to thank Toy Trains On Tracks and Rich Battista for becoming the latest sponsor of OGaugeWatch.com.

New AP Story About Lionel and MTH

As Associated Press story about Lionel and MTH was posted on the Forbes website recently.  It's an interesting read and features a quote from Erol Gurcan.  Check it out here.

New Lionel Catalog Due Out Soon

Rumor has it that the next new Lionel catalog will be released this month.  Stay tuned.

Weaver's New Year's Specials

Weaver Models has a new sales flyer posted on their website with plenty of New Year's savings.  Check out the flyer here.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Raymond Lowey

Most model railroad buffs know Raymond Lowey as the person who designed Pennsylvania RR's GGI electric locomotive.  He also was commissioned by the PRR to design the S1 an T1 streamliners.  If your knowledge of Lowey stops there you should read the article about the designer posted on the Antiques and The Arts Online site.  It's a quick and interesting read about the French born designer.  Read the article here.

OGaugeWatch Giveaway: Ready Made Toys

Happy New Year everyone!  To start the year off on the right track here at OGaugeWatch I thought it would be a good idea to give away some cool Ready Made Toys' products.  RMT recently released 2 car 2 bay coal hopper sets and they have graciously supplied OGaugeWatch with a Wheeling and Lake Erie set to give away.  That's not all, I have 3 Pennsylvania RR BEEPs with matching Cabooses to give away too!  4 lucky winners will be drawn randomly on Thursday, January 10, 2008. To be eligible to win one of these items all you need to do is subscribe to OGaugeWatch.com email updates by 11:59 PM on 1/9/08.  Subscribe by clicking here.  Here are the simple giveaway rules:

Click here to read on

Article About MTH in January Issue of Toy Collector Magazine

The latest edition of the ezine Toy Collector Magazine has an article about MTH.  Check it out here.