Marklin cancelling items from 2009 new items program

Marklin announced cancellation of production of some 2009 new items.

It is not clear if the cancellations announced by Walther's refer only to Starter Sets with 110 volts transformers used to be sold in USA only or if the announced products will be completely removed from the new items 2009 program.

If they are removed from Walther's only, then this mean the poor response Dealers had ordering anything trough Walther's and we can guess, that the rest of the program also has not good response from North American Dealers and pre-orders to Walther's are weak.

If these items have been removed from the program at Factory, then this means trouble on the horizon. Today a few Starter sets tomorrow who knows.

The items canceled now are all Starter sets, HO and 1 gauge plus all the starter sets by Minitrix.
Only one starter set by Minitrix was left that uses batteries instead of transformer.

ITEMS REMOVED ARE:
29011
29019
29150
29181
29477
29482
29757
55038
55039
T11127
T11128
T11487

In the troubles Marklin GmbH faces due the bankruptcy procedure, rumors from reliable sources say that Mr. Putta (the Trustee named to handle the bankruptcy) is negotiating with ALL the shipping Companies in Germany to avoid those Companies to seize merchandise sent by Marklin to their Customers in an effort to get paid for the debt that Marklin has with ALL the shippers in Germany.

This is grave. Shipments are being delayed when they are more needed. Marklin has to find a solution to this matter fast or recovery may be in jeopardy.

But this situation also has proven how weak is the stock at Walther's, as many of the most common parts and accessories are not in stock or not in enough quantities.

Rolling stock is imported in very low quantities, so if we [Dealers in USA] need 10 cars, maybe we can get 1 or 2 and all others go to back orders that take for ever.

Marklin will not disappear that's a fact. Someone will take care of the Company. Several entities have advanced interest in the Company including (rumor) Veissmann, the manufacturer of signals, catenary and electronic accessories including digital components and that is a strong industrial power as they also produce other products not related to Hobbies that allow them having the resources needed to take care of the Company.

But what is certain, is the immense list of products that have been discontinued at Marklin GmbH.

Just take a tour at http://www.maerklin.de/produkte/frontend/index.php and type a number 3 only on the search window (this will display all items starting by 3 that are of course all the locomotives) you may also type a 4 for cars.

Check it out, how many red lights are in the results and how many green. Less than 3% is green and those 2009 new items appear with yellow light. It is clear that reduction is profound and that very few items will be left on the regular program or will be reissued under new numbers maybe with new decoders or something like it.

Check number 7 and you will see that half the products for catenary are not available. Why? Maybe because Manufacturer of it (same who makes it for Viessmann) has not been paid, who knows why.

We hope this will be over soon and that we will be able to return to normality as the panic this has caused, made many Customers to place nervous orders of material they maybe do not need, or at least, not in the quantity they have ordered lately.

We will do our best to keep pace with the orders we receive and our stock is well balanced, but as everything in life, it might get a point where there is no more of a particular item. We can not guarantee supply for ever if we can not get shipments from Germany and by now, they are delayed. We ask for patience. This will resolve good.