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responded by canceling MTH's Lionel dealership. MTH, in turn, filed an anti-trust suit against Lionel, which was settled out of court in 1995. MTH then expanded its product line, adding the former Lionel vintage reproductions, reproductions of equipment from other manufacturers, and new original designs. By 1998, MTH was the largest manufacturer of O gauge trains, eclipsing Lionel's market share by approximately $ 60 million to $ 50 million. At its peak, MTH employed about 135 people.
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Pacific to continue to protect its intellectual property, and authorizes MTH’s use of Union
Pacific’s trademarks and paint designs on model train products and accessories. Union Pacific has also decided to change its trademark-licensing program so that model railroad manufacturers will no longer have to pay a royalty and will enjoy a perpetual license to use Union Pacific trademarks and paint designs on model railroad products.
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In
December 1999, three former employees of Samhongsa rival Korea Brass were convicted of industrial espionage for stealing and using proprietary MTH designs to produce models for Lionel. In April 2000, MTH again sued Lionel, this time for industrial espionage, citing as evidence original electronic
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On
November 8, 2006 MTH Electric Trains and Union Pacific Railroad announced that they had amicably settled the trademark infringement case that U.P. filed against MTH in the Omaha, Nebraska federal court. The settlement benefits both parties as well the entire model railroad industry, allows Union
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In June 2020, it was announced that the CEO, Mike Wolf, will be retiring. Initially, the company was planning to shutdown at the end of May 2021, but since then, the company relocated to 6660 Santa
Barbara Road in Elkridge, MD 21075 and continues to produce and market RailKing O Gauge and Premier
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because its reproductions have lowered the market value of all but the most pristine vintage Lionel equipment and disliked by some other hobbyists because of its aggressive marketing and legal tactics, MTH is widely credited with bringing innovations into a hobby that had changed very little since
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40 million. News reports from the fall of 2004 estimated MTH's annual sales at closer to $ 30 million. As a privately held company, MTH does not officially release sales figures. In its 2007 reorganization plan, Lionel estimated MTH's annual revenue at about $ 30 million and stated that MTH is the
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The licensing agreement between M.T.H. and Lionel LLC to manufacture tinplate trains with the Lionel logo were terminated in 2019. While an option to continue the relationship was proffered, the renewal terms offered by Lionel for an extension beyond 2019 were not conducive for any future M.T.H.
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banner. For three decades, MTH Trains had been making
Tinplate Reproductions of trains, but did not have the authentic Lionel and American Flyer graphics on the models and boxes. In 2009, the two joined forces, allowing MTH Trains to produce the Lionel tinplate electric trains with the official
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Dash 8 diesel locomotive, which Wolf had first offered to produce for Lionel. Turned down, Wolf decided to market the locomotive himself, citing reduced orders from Lionel for MTH's replicas as the reason. Then-Lionel CEO Richard Kughn, who learned of the decision from a flyer at a train show,
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In late 2007, Lionel and MTH settled their long-term fight over trade secrets and patent infringements. In March 2008, the court approved a settlement, which has its details under court seal, that includes a one time cash payment to MTH that will take place soon after Lionel exits bankruptcy.
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found Lionel guilty and awarded MTH $ 40.8 million. The following day, Lionel announced it would appeal the verdict. On
December 14, 2006, the judgement was overturned on appeal, citing legal mistakes in the jury trial, and a new trial was ordered.
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in the 1940s and 1950s. Although their train cars are the same size and can operate as part of the same train, the two companies' locomotives use their own proprietary electronic control systems. MTH uses a system called
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reproductions, Wolf bought the tooling and continued building the replicas. Although many published reports have stated that
Williams had acquired original Lionel tooling, both Wolf and Jerry Williams deny this claim.
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itself. As part of the agreement, MTH sold Lionel trains product as part of its mail order business. By the early 1990s, MTH was the second-largest mail-order Lionel dealer in the country.
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MTH had a troubled relationship with Lionel that ended in April 1993 when MTH decided to re-enter the market with an O scale model of the
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From 1983 to 1987, MTH marketed the reproduction trains on its own. In 1987, Lionel approached
Samhongsa, MTH's subcontractor in
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graphics. The interior electronics are from MTH Electric Trains, but the exterior bears the Lionel
Corporation graphics.
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railroads it had acquired, without a license. UP had previously sued other manufacturers, most notably Lionel and
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On
January 31, 2021, ScaleTrains.com has announced they have acquired MTH's HO and S scale tooling.
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drawing files and the precedent set in the South Korean criminal courts. On June 7, 2004, a jury in
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MTH's founder, Mike Wolf, started assembling and selling trains at the age of 12 in 1973 for
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cars. Lionel currently holds the MTA license for the NYC Subway cars in O scale while
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business selling Williams trains and parts out of his bedroom in his parents' home.
334:(DCS), which is capable of operating MTH engines as well as engines using Lionel's
535:"M.T.H. Electric Trains Mike Wolf Retiring, Closing Company | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS"
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http://www.mthtrains.com/sites/default/files/download/oldcats/2009LionelCorp.pdf
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second-largest manufacturer of O gauge trains in terms of market share.
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MTH and Lionel developed a rivalry similar to that between Lionel and
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Line O Scale models with the remaining tooling in its portfolio.
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Hollander, Ron (February 2001). Let's call the whole thing off.
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Classic Toy Trains (March 1994). CTT Visits Mike's Train House.
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As of June 2004, MTH has 57 employees and annual sales of about
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549:"ScaleTrains.com Acquires M.T.H. HO & S Scale Tooling"
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MTH, Lionel Reproductions, Ives, and American Flyer
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267:When Williams decided to end its line of Lionel
314:holds the license in HO scale after acquiring
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602:Privately held companies based in Maryland
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
617:Model manufacturers of the United States
232:designer, importer, and manufacturer. A
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607:American companies established in 1980
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383:the 1950s as well as lowering prices.
597:Companies based in Columbia, Maryland
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
378:Although MTH is disliked by Lionel
359:MTH has also traded lawsuits with
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444:Grossmann, John (February 2005).
413:In 2009, Lionel Electric Trains (
390:Railroad sued MTH for using its
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298:MTH also produced many sets of
31:needs additional citations for
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592:Model railroad manufacturers
325:in the 1930s and Lionel and
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189:approx. $ 90 million (peak)
187:approx. $ 30 million (2004)
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386:On December 30, 2005, the
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254:Williams Electric Trains
587:Toy train manufacturers
340:Digital Command Control
491:. MTH Electric Trains
332:Digital Command System
302:cars, licensed by the
234:privately held company
55:"MTH Electric Trains"
300:New York City Subway
40:improve this article
439:Classic Toy Trains,
222:MTH Electric Trains
195:Number of employees
171:, founder and owner
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119:MTH Electric Trains
457:Classic Toy Trains
419:Lionel Corporation
306:, and two sets of
258:Lionel Corporation
242:Mike's Train House
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33:verification
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612:Lionel, LLC
446:Train Wreck
415:Lionel, LLC
396:fallen flag
308:Chicago 'L'
281:South Korea
581:Categories
554:2021-01-31
464:References
459:, page 97.
380:collectors
262:mail order
211:.mthtrains
164:Key people
96:March 2011
66:newspapers
441:page 106.
316:Life-Like
236:based in
226:toy train
169:Mike Wolf
508:cite web
452:page 84.
312:Walthers
176:Products
134:Industry
400:Athearn
273:O gauge
204:Website
184:Revenue
142:Founded
128:Private
80:scholar
285:Lionel
148:(1980)
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87:JSTOR
73:books
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372:US$
323:Ives
271:and
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213:.com
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