01-20-2011, 06:26 PM
IMHO many of the model railroad industry buy outs are not about making good products, it is eliminating the competition so prices will increase. I'm at the stage in my life where I could buy a few more locomotives or cars, but after replacing gears on many old Athearn and "lifetime guaranteed" P2Ks I think I will just install decoders in them and be done with it. Walther's bought Lifelike, and now that people need replacement parts, whether for "warranty" replacement or not they should make them available. I read somewhere that they haven't got the Life Like replacement parts unpacked. Geeze guys, it's been 5 years or better. Of course if I have a locomotive that needs a $2 part that I can't get, I'll rush an order in to Walther's for a new locomotive (not). I hope they don't hold their breath.