How long till MTH attempts N scale?

[SirTainly]

Since morals are a collective ideal, and the US is fraught with this sort of activity, one could say it's part of our moral fabric and acceptable.

No, it's just the way the US patent system operates, which allows a far greater set of things to be patented compared to elsewhere. This leads to patent trolls simply applying for patents on vague concepts which they hope to exploit commercially.

However here in the UK getting a patent is a tough job, and a great many things are simply not liable for patenting. For example you cannot patent software unless it's part of a wider invention (e.g. a new industrial process) so Amazon's 1 click system is not patent worthy, nor would the Katzer/JMRI case ever have been possible.

The benefit of the US system, that you can make money far more easily from patents comes from the obvious cost you can also get shafted to provided that money.

[sirenwerks]

Since morals are a collective ideal, and the US is fraught with this sort of activity, one could say it's part of our moral fabric and acceptable.

No, it's just the way the US patent system operates, which allows a far greater set of things to be patented compared to elsewhere. This leads to patent trolls simply applying for patents on vague concepts which they hope to exploit commercially.

The underlying ideal is systemic, even in the UK. There are trolls on all sides of the ocean that buy domain names hoping to cash in on them. Copyright is a snap to get here too, all it takes is a symbol, a name, and a date on the work. But then it gets protected in perpetuity despite the initial intent of the law. Proof in the pudding that it is part of modern western civ's moral bedrock. Damn shame too. But it's caused by both sides. Copyright holders deserve protection, but then their estate's get gosh awful greedy. Consumers should pay for creative rights, but when the system gets raped like it has been the uprising develops cred.

[sizemore]

Yes, Al Gore invented the Internet, MTH invented model railroading, and I invented fire.

Anybody with a bored lawyer can "collect" intellectual property from small companies that simply cannot afford litigation to defend their rights.  Just because it's "haute business" doesn't mean it's right.

Since morals are a collective ideal, and the US is fraught with this sort of activity, one could say it's part of our moral fabric and acceptable. Whether it should be acceptable or not draws down to ethics, the personal right and wrong. And that's well, personal.

IMO, I find it refreshing for a MRR manufacturer to be that savvy as to deliberately take such a tactic, in contrast to the blithering mom and pop operations that come and go from their own cluelessness, unable to muster even a business plan, much less follow one. It doesn't stroke my ethics the right way per se, but it is refreshing to see someone thinking about it carefully.

I mean, look at Walthers. They're like the largest of Mom and Pops. How they ever survived, I don't know. I surmise though that their business savvy is thinning as it passes down the genetic line. Maybe they should hire JR to run the business?

How Walthers stays afloat? ...VOLUME.

The S.

[sirenwerks]

You're right, Tim. I suspect they're loosing market share with the likes of Kleins entering the wholesaler market. Not much at this point, but they've got growing competition finally.

[sizemore]

You're right, Tim. I suspect they're loosing market share with the likes of Kleins entering the wholesaler market. Not much at this point, but they've got growing competition finally.

Nah Kleins feeds off them for their Walthers products. MBK although a strong web/LHS they do not have the capacity for being a wholesaler on Walthers scale, but they are on the right track. Kleins lacks having a foreign maker and a US branded name to throw product out, like both Walthers and Horizon.

The S.

[up1950s]

Wonder how their 4-12-2 would fair in N, and what size curves would you need to run it ?

I would be very interested in the beast . On the HO one they very ingeniously articulated the ridged driver set so it can take sharper corners . I had a brass one in HO and loved its looks .

http://www.mthtrains.com/ho/videos

[Chris333]

On the 2-10-4 video when they show the close ups of how the valve gear works, the cross head is not in the guides!  

Of course if the chic would show more cleavage I might not have noticed.  ;D

[sizemore]

Of course if the chic would show more cleavage I might not have noticed.  ;D

I live closer I have first dibs.

The S.

[Ian MacMillan]

They should also learn how to wire up mic's so they dont have the hum...

[Papa]

I have a dual scale layout. O scale lower level and N scale second level. My O scale is all MTH engines and MTH and Atlas O rolling stock. I am very happy with all my MTH engines and rolling stock. I also have the DCS command system and am equally happy with that system. I would welcome them to the N scale side of things. Competition is , in my book, never a bad thing.

[wm3798]

They should also learn how to wire up mic's so they dont have the hum...

I just turned down the sound...  You get a little bit of tan line in the SD70 ACE vid...

Good to see that Mass Comm degree doing someone some good!
Lee