I will be there tomorrow. We plan to arrive around 10:30. Anyone else? Want to set a meet time/place?

Just got back. Got to talk some with Fred Gates. He said that the Marklin/ESU relationship was not a good one from the start. Very little communication. He felt that the final straw was the announcement of ECoS about the same time as the CS was released. It was seen as a conflict of interest. Marklin has taken development totally in house, and we can expect some delay in gearing up to release new portions of Systems. I discussed the Insider club and told him my view that they should bulk ship everything to New Berlin and let the subsidiary distribute them in North America. He said that they would prefer that, that that is the way it used to be, and that the reason it is different because they are German and want to do it their way.

I also got to test drive an ECoS. It is a big machine, a lot bigger than I expected, but the knobs have a nice feel and you can actually grasp them. The motor driven knobs are smooth and I guess I could get used to them. The ESU rep said they are robustly designed and will not be a problem. The device drives smoothly and had a good feel to it. ESU will be publishing the computer interface protocols within the next few weeks. They are committed to an open systems approach to their devices.

Other than that, there were a lot of very nice, well constructed layouts, but all US 2 rail. Very little for us European modellers except scenery items (after all, trees are trees). I spent a lot less than I expected at the show. I guess that is a good thing. My grandson loved the layouts, especially the ones made all of Legos.

I would have liked to have heard Tom's presentation, but my Grandson wasn't interested in sitting still. He loved the Lego layouts. I agree, the show was quite thin...a lot of open space between booths and not very crowded. Totally unlike Munich in December...could hardly move in that crowd.

Ron, any news or rumours about Märklin/Kingsbridge taking over ESU?

Luis

Marklin's effort to penetrate more of the large US model/toy train market isn't being helped by the meager effort put forth at the trade/hobby shows like this one. The Tom Catherall lecture was not advertised to anyone. That's a shame a also speaks volumes as to how lame Marklin USA is. Catherall is about the only decent person the have working for them in this role.

What's wrong with someone from Marklin USA building a real layout to demonstrate to complete marklin system - catenary, switches, signals, cranes, turntables, ...? More like the ones we see in the magazines from the the europe shows. None of the other Model RR manufacturers can boast such an expansive and quality product line, but you wouldn't know it from these jokers.

As I said in another posting in the general section, I found the Marklin USA reps to be too aloof (more like jerks). I checked out the CS (which I did not like as it is not very intuitive, and has a very onerous loco selection process for something touted as something just the opposite). It was only after some small children came up to the CS and started pressing every button and running the GG-1 at warp speed did one of the reps wake from his slumber and run the kids off. A few minutes later I saw the CS posted off limits to all. What great salesmen these people are (extreme sarcasm here). Why not be like the ESU people and stand there at the ready to answer questions and supervise people with the unit? Again, these people from New Berlin impress me less and less.

time for Kingsbridge to fire Marklin USA. if all of the US dealers think the monopoly stinks, that doesn't say much for their usefulness. Marklin in the US (at least through US dealers) sales will drop because of their arrogance and price fixing/raising. More will be bought from shops on the internet in germany. what better way to send a message to Marklin USA and Kingsbridge.

ECos is the way to go from what I saw, I agree.
Less vendors than at last years show - I saw some fliers that a few vendors had set up, concerning the big moeny grap the city of Philadelphia was taking from retailers.
Hopefully the people that run next year's show in Detroit MI will not be so greedy (not hopeful of that however). They really need to schedule these things in some more business friendly communities.
Coming from the steel industry, I really appreciated the display made by a shop from Maryland, Peach Creek Shops. They had a nice (and large - 4'x8') steel mill diorama they called Magarac Steel (named after the American Folk tale hero Joe Magarac). All scratch built too. The slabbing mill with hot ingots in the stripper aisle and hot soaking pits were awesome. I will try to post some pictures, but they are presently in a format larger than allowed to be posted here.
Some of the new items that were really impressive were the custom made vehicles in Z scale by a company called "MakeMyModel" (www.makemymodel.com) - apparently they use a form of printing to lay down layers of resin (one very thin layer at a time) to create these cars and small structures (not too expensive either). Another was a software package for make stuff like stained glass windows or curtains (using acetate sheets or a translucent paper) with your inkjet printer (www.modetrainsoftware.com). BLMA Models had some nice photo-etched and resin kits for scenery items (mostly N, but a few HO and Z) of cell towers, US type signal bridges. And the neon sign lighting by Miller Engineering is a must have. Mostly US prototype, but they also sell kits to make you own signs. Walthers had a nice intermodal container crane made by Heljan. I'm guessing it is much better than the one brawa used to make. Expensive however at about $750 US MSRP.

ETE East will be coming up in a few weeks (I did not see them at Philly - probably too expensive to set up their modules and booth) - August 5-6 in Marietta PA. This event has been getting better over the past few years, I think. More vendors and their modular layout has gotten bigger and better.

David: I think you need to take off your blinders. At the show, I had to wait in line to play with one of the two ECoSes. There was a lot of interest in that and in ESU decoders. It was a very active booth. The Marklin/Trix guys {Fred Gates and two cronies) were standing around wiht nothing to do. I think that ESU has a much more viable marketing model (multi protocol, easy to use, great looking controller, open systems, good people skills on the part of their show filks, plus the daily increasing interest in LokSound decoders) that they will sell a lot of product.

Jon: I said the same thing months ago, when I applauded their decision to partner with Viessmann for catenary and ESU for electronics. It appears that the "we are better at everything" narrow minds at Marklin have prevailed, at least for now. If I were a principal with the new owners, I would be asking "Why?" myself.

Another thought...whenever the exclusivity agreement Marklin has with ESU over ESU's development of mfx expires, I am sure the ECoS will add that protocol to it's capabilities, assuming that mfx is still around at that time. The ECoS already does DCC BiDi and I'm sure it will recognize the newer LokPilots's and LokSounds, so what does mfx do for me since I only upgrade with ESU decoders now?

Why? They are great builders of locomotives and rolling stock, but have very litte experience in electronics...they have always had someone else do it for them (Lenz, then Motorola, then ESU). I see this as yet another turn down the death spiral for a great company.

Thanks for the reports gentlemen regarding your time with the EcoS.

I have tried to go to that show for the past three years. Each time I have been asked to babysit my grandson (that will always take precedence over any other activity!) Now it is a grandson and granddaughter, and it looks like we will be down the shore with them that weekend. Oh well. I spent some money in George's shop this week (some ESU decoders and LDT modules) in consolation...guess he'll forgive me for not coming.

ESU appears to have a marketing plan that is penetrating the US market effectively. There was a lot of activity and interest at their booth at the train show last weekend. Also the Loksound group on Yahoo groups is getting more and more active.

Yes but developping electronics for car or Hi-fi sound is different from developping electronics for a good train control system.....

IMHO, It was a big difference between Marklin-dgital and Lenz system a few years ago.
We feel than one has been designed by an electronic manufacturer. While the other one has been developped by a train manufacturer( and his subcontractors in electronics).Just look at general ergonomics . There is a unique Marklin touch, that has been often imitated.

Don't forget that IB concept and design has been totally based upon......marklin digital.And many people here are found of IB....



( excuse me please for my poor English)

no, didn't take pictures of the marklin USA booth. nothing special.

actually, most people brought the layouts (modules) in small tow trailers. You can buy these things in all sizes, do you know that Marklin USA? Even big enough to handle a modest 4x8 with scenery - not just a piece of black lexan with a marklin logo stuck on it and two track loops. Lame, very lame.

when I get a chance to downsize some photos, I will post some of the lego modules and the magarac steel mill diorama.

It really is a shame. This was the primary opportunity of the year for Marklin to show it's stuff to the real hard core US hobbyists. With a snappy display and a layout that took more than five minutes to assemble, they MAY just have wooed a few perople their way. We'll never know.