Micro Engineering is for sale…

[rodsup9000]

So if Micro Engineering outsources their rail why did code 40 rail evaporate from the earth?

  Just a guess, the new owner hasn't brought any in from the UK cause the demand isn't enough for the outlay of cash it would cost to bring in the minimum.

[davefoxx]

So if Micro Engineering outsources their rail why did code 40 rail evaporate from the earth?

Because you used it all up.  Maybe you could salvage some from the multitude of layouts you’ve built over the years. 

DFF

[Sokramiketes]

So if Micro Engineering outsources their rail why did code 40 rail evaporate from the earth?

When the Rands owned the company, they had it run in large quanitites and shipped in.  Possibly just a situation where they sold out of stock but didn't have the new batch lined up?

[dandopinski]

I'm hoping that they expand their line of switches in code 40 and code 55. If they did #4,#5,#6 and #8 it would certainly boost sales of the flex track. I think a lot of modellers pass over the flex track because they have no appetite for building switches, and that's a shame because ME flex looks so much better than Peco etc... 
Even if they supplied just the switch parts (frogs.point rails etc) I think it would boost their sales.

[kiwi_al]

A lot of your questions will be answered here https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=59207.0 if you click on the video at the beginning - stock levels and why there is low stock and what they are doing about it

[Chris333]

Thanks. I remember Tim Warris saying that the ME sale wouldn't affect them because the rail was made elsewhere. But here we are...

[MetroRedLine]

I'm hoping that they expand their line of switches in code 40 and code 55. If they did #4,#5,#6 and #8 it would certainly boost sales of the flex track. I think a lot of modellers pass over the flex track because they have no appetite for building switches, and that's a shame because ME flex looks so much better than Peco etc... 
Even if they supplied just the switch parts (frogs.point rails etc) I think it would boost their sales.

In the late 2000s-early 2010s there was a famine of Atlas turnouts that lasted for quite a few years. ME had the chance to take over the market by introducing a line of their own Code 55 turnouts (aside from that one #6) but nah. This was still years before their previous owner had their issues, but maybe they didn't have the resources to do it.

[OldEastRR]

Well, now that the imported rail will cost 35% more than it did a week ago, better find all you can anywhere in stock here. This is really weird, I've never in my life before seen model train stuff caught up in a trade war. This will be interesting.

[Chris333]

Well, now that the imported rail will cost 35% more than it did a week ago, better find all you can anywhere in stock here. This is really weird, I've never in my life before seen model train stuff caught up in a trade war. This will be interesting.

That isn't at all how Rapido explained it.

[davefoxx]

Interesting-  just came across a one-week-old article on Trains.com that says, “Micro Engineering Company is pleased to announce the addition of Tomalco Track and its S scale tooling to the Micro Engineering family. Micro Engineering will be adding six different S scale items to its line of high-quality, prototypically accurate track.”

Confused yet?

DFF

[Peter Amling]

I spoke to one of the folks at the ME booth at the Rocky Mountain Train Show last weekend and she said the same thing. That they were getting into S scale and that was their top priority before tackling anything like adding more switches to N scale.

[Jbub]

I spoke to one of the folks at the ME booth at the Rocky Mountain Train Show last weekend and she said the same thing. That they were getting into S scale and that was their top priority before tackling anything like adding more switches to N scale.

I just don't get this line of thinking. This must be a pet project or there is A LOT of mark up on the S scale track. Maybe all the American Flyer guys want to replace their aging rusty lines with better track. Who knows?

[C855B]

Allow for the possibility that maybe the Tomalco tooling is in production-ready shape, and it's something the new ME owners can use to generate income in the short term. Not like it's a huge market, but at least they'd have something to offer.

The original ME track tooling, at least in N, was long-in-the-tooth, and the last runs under the previous ownership were "flashy". Can't speak to the HO lines.

[Sokramiketes]

Allow for the possibility that maybe the Tomalco tooling is in production-ready shape, and it's something the new ME owners can use to generate income in the short term. Not like it's a huge market, but at least they'd have something to offer.

The original ME track tooling, at least in N, was long-in-the-tooth, and the last runs under the previous ownership were "flashy". Can't speak to the HO lines.

I think you've nailed it.  It seems like they knew what they were getting into with the lack of machine maintenance and worn tooling.  ME squeezed that turnip hard. 

S is decent market. 

But even better, the ME N scale track tooling, atleast Code 55, is back and clean.  I'm back to using it instead of Atlas, since Atlas went the other direction and detail got worse and more coarse. 

[rodsup9000]

The original ME track tooling, at least in N, was long-in-the-tooth, and the last runs under the previous ownership were "flashy". Can't speak to the HO lines.

Here is the thread I showed the new ME track with new the dies.