# POLAR LIGHTS RETURNS! RC2 to return PL to Tom Lowe says Hobby Store



## BatToys (Feb 4, 2002)

The owner of my local hobby store told me the word was RC2 is returning Polar Lights to "the guy from Indiana." I asked him who told him and he said his distributor. That Polar Lights is coming back. That RC2 "was spinning it off."
He said that was "the rumor anyway." This hobby store is huge with trains and pedal cars as well as models so I think his info is good.


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## ost15jr (Apr 4, 2002)

I've heard that the first two kits on the list of what they'll be producing will be Gigantic Frankenstein and Dr Jekyl As Mr Hyde. :devil: 

Sorry Bats, couldn't help myself
:dude:


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

I don't believe it. 
I've got sources allot closer to Round 2 than rumors heard at a hobbyshop. 
I don't think Tom Lowe wants to go back into the styrene figure kit business, and I can't believe that RC-2 wants to let loose of the automotive portion of Polar Lights.

Without the existing car kits and the ability to do more car kits 
I'm betting that Tom is not interested in owning Polar Lights

Time will tell.....


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## Babaganoosh (Dec 16, 2004)

Dude, April 1st was over a month ago. :hat:


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## JamesDFarrow (Sep 18, 1999)

:thumbsup: 

James


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

I'll ask in my local model shop and see what he has heard!


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## Capt_L_Hogthrob (Apr 28, 2005)

I've learned over time, that you can't rely on a rumor. IF Polar Lights is to return, I'm taking the attitude that, I'll believe it, when I see it. Only Spock can come back from the dead!....lol :freak:


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

The guy at our local ice cream shop told me we're going to bomb Iceland.


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

Zorro said:


> The guy at our local ice cream shop told me we're going to bomb Iceland.


Would you please NOT give anyone any ideas...please, please, please!!


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## CaptFrank (Jan 29, 2005)

This is too cruel!

Don't get my hopes up!

Besides, aren't Hobby shop owners the lowest rung on the ladder?

I thought we determined their information is wrong, if not highly 
inaccurate.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

Zorro said:


> The guy at our local ice cream shop told me we're going to bomb Iceland.


 :drunk: My wife's Swedish, and she's been bombed a couple times !! :lol:


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Is this the Twilight Zone? 
But, Jim! He dead!
We are Lost in Space!


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## big-dog (Mar 16, 2003)

Zorro said:


> The guy at our local ice cream shop told me we're going to bomb Iceland.




Now you see how rumors get started! It's Greenland we're bombing.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

CaptFrank said:


> This is too cruel!
> 
> Don't get my hopes up!
> 
> ...


WRONG!!! us builders/collectors are on the lowest rung of the ladder.  
RC2 is going to ler PL out of the coma they put it in???? Yeah right, I'm a multimillionare :wave: :wave: :wave: NOT!!!!!


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

Dave, you and I need to call and share this with him. Tom was always one for a good joke. Heard it in a hobby store, you say?? Riiiiiight. And wait! Let me guess...Big Frankie will be the first kit out??? And Jerry Gustafson is coming back from vacation to be the production manager because Dave is going to be the new VP of Plastic??? And let's see....CDub is the new VP of Paints and I regain my crown of customer service???

Methinks you have bats in your belfry, Battoys. 

Lisa


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

So, do I continue to bombard RC2 with letters reminding them it's Trek's 40th anniversary, or do I start sending them to Tom? :lol:


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## beck (Oct 22, 2003)

you could just throw them out in the street , it'd be the same difference . 
hb


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## phrankenstign (Nov 29, 1999)

beck said:


> you could just throw them out in the street , it'd be the same difference .
> hb


It's not the different sameness?


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## PRE-SCENES 2 (Aug 16, 2005)

Capt_L_Hogthrob said:


> Only Spock can come back from the dead!....lol :freak:


Don't forget our Lord and Savior!


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## pagni (Mar 20, 1999)

..........................is that you monsterluvr ?


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## Jimmy B (Apr 19, 2000)

Bats is just reiterating what he heard at a Hobby store. You're free to agree or disagree. From the events of the past year, I'm sure we're all in agreement that it's highly unlikely Tom Lowe and PL will be making a comeback as Dave was able to point out with tact.
It doesn't have to get mocking and sarcastic as that seems to be the direction some of these comments are going. Just my opinion.


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## yamahog (Nov 19, 1998)

*"It doesn't have to get mocking and sarcastic as that seems to be the direction some of these comments are going."*

Jimmy, I wholeheartedly agree. We don't have to be mocking and sarcastic and I hope that everyone here understands this. But it sure is a lot more fun this way! Now, everybody run for your lives! Here comes McGee with his Magnagouger!


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## yamahog (Nov 19, 1998)

A spokesman for RC2 would neither confirm nor deny the rumors of a Polar Lights "rebirth."


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## kylwell (Mar 13, 2004)

big-dog said:


> Now you see how rumors get started! It's Greenland we're bombing.


Does it have anything to do with NASCAR monies going to fund Al Quaid?


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## portland182 (Jul 19, 2003)

kylwell said:


> Does it have anything to do with NASCAR monies going to fund *Al Quaid*?


Randy and Denis' other brother?

Jim


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## yamahog (Nov 19, 1998)

OneEightyTwo,

Al is not the brother of Randy or Dennis. He is the brother of John. This guy:










(John Quade in the seminal "gettin' freaky wid myself" scene from the film, "I'm Curious, But Not Yellow.")


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

No wonder Tom Lowe sold the company. He had to get away from you crazy people!LOL


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## yamahog (Nov 19, 1998)

Crazy, am I?


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## actias (May 19, 2003)

I heard Bush wants to bomb RC-2 because he has evidence (from sources he cannot reveal for their own safety - And because we have a drawing to prove it) that the PL divison is going to release a model kit of a weapon of mass destruction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## BatToys (Feb 4, 2002)

I should post the phone number of the hobby store so you could ask for yourselves.
Anyway that's what he was told. I asked him for PL kits and that's when he told me PL was being spun off. I'm more inclined to believe Dave Metzner and Da Queen that PL will not spin back to Tom if they talk to Tom alot. Why would Tom keep it a secret from them? If it was true and a hobby store knew, then it woud have been common knowledge by now.


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

Hey, waitaminnute, let's not gloss over this whole "RC-2 bombing Greenland with Polar Lights kits dropped by Da Queen"idea so quickly; let's mull it over a bit...


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## heiki (Aug 8, 1999)

Can we blame Canada yet?


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## sbaxter (Jan 8, 2002)

Seaview said:


> Hey, waitaminnute, let's not gloss over this whole "RC-2 bombing Greenland with Polar Lights kits dropped by Da Queen"idea so quickly; let's mull it over a bit...


Yeah ... the _real_ story is that RC2 is bombing Greenland _with train loads of the molds_ for Polar Lights kits -- Da Queen is just consulting on things such as potential targets and how many locomotives for each train, etc.

Please make sure you get irrefutable facts such as these correct; it is of *vital* importance!

Qapla'

SSB


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## abacero (Oct 24, 2005)

*Let me check...*

I was reading all over the PL return... the Jedi returned... McArthur returned...Spock returned... so Why PL can not return?  

And, by the way, we will have a Modelers Convention here in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday. If I have some news, I will post it. Is Called Chile-Con for the IPMS Region 10. Hope any of you can pay a visit. :thumbsup: 

Regards,

Abacero


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

sbaxter said:


> Yeah ... the _real_ story is that RC2 is bombing Greenland _with train loads of the molds_ for Polar Lights kits -- Da Queen is just consulting on things such as potential targets and how many locomotives for each train, etc.
> 
> Please make sure you get irrefutable facts such as these correct; it is of *vital* importance!
> 
> ...


Why should we let facts get in the way, they haven't tended to matter lately.


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## JamesDFarrow (Sep 18, 1999)

Bomb Canada with PL kits!

:thumbsup: 

James


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

Henceforth, the green beans served in the Polar Lights cafeteria will be re-christened ... _*PATRIOT PODS!!!*_


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## Cougar184 (Jan 8, 2002)

the little voices in my head told me that PL is going to come out with a 1/350th scale Ent-E


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## THRUSH Central (Feb 20, 2003)

Actually, THIS is the rumor that got the CIA official fired! It wasn't suppose to leak! (At least this early!)

GREAT way to start a thread! Very inventive!

Now, about the MAN from UNCLE DVDS and the rights to the program... the latest word is that they are "working on it!" Del Flora told me himself... T.U.C.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

It is official now! I haven't a clue what is going on.


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## RogueJ (Oct 29, 2000)

Well...if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a......waitdaminute who in the hell want to build a model of a duck?

What was the fequency Dan Rather?

Rogue


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

Curse PL and their weapons of mass construction!!!


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

To be serious for a moment, when the hobby shop owner said it was "the guy from Indiana", might he not just have meant Woody from 'Cheers'?


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

Rumors partially founded in truth , perhaps.
The truth is that RC-2 DID spin off the Slot Car and Action Figure portions of Playing Mantis.
They sold those operations back to Tom Lowe.....
Slot cars are Hobby items but not quite Polar Lights model kits.......

I think somebody has it half right......Tom Lowe did re-acquire parts of what was Playing Mantis --- but not Polar Lights (not for now anyway).

If I find out anything different I'll let y'all know, I Promise! 

Dave


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

Even that is really surprising news, indeed.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

OH sure Dave, go ahead and ruin a perfectly good vicious rumor with your silly old facts !!!
( And of course, it's ALways Canada'a fault ! )


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

Dave Metzner said:


> Rumors partially founded in truth , perhaps.
> The truth is that RC-2 DID spin off the Slot Car and Action Figure portions of Playing Mantis.
> They sold those operations back to Tom Lowe.....
> Slot cars are Hobby items but not quite Polar Lights model kits.......
> ...


Lets hope the divisons that Tom Re-acquired has enough "Mass Appeal"....


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## Capt_L_Hogthrob (Apr 28, 2005)

PRE-SCENES 2 said:


> Don't forget our Lord and Savior!




I stand corrected. Only Our Lord and Savior, AND Spock can come back from the dead!!!.......That does look better dosen't it? :thumbsup:


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

Good 'ol Dave...always the voice of reason in a troubled hobby. But hey...could "the guy from Indiana" be our beloved Dave!? Afterall...he is a guy and he is (last time I checked) from Indiana! Coincidence??? I think not.

And BTW...who leaked Project Canuck Bombs Away??? So much for the suprise of shock and awe we were going for. Sheese!


Hugs!
Da Queen


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

PRE-SCENES 2 said:


> Don't forget our Lord and Savior!


 Captain John Sheridan?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

BatToys said:


> Why would Tom keep it a secret from them?


 On the other hand, why would he tell them anything? How many of your X-Bosses tell you about their current business deals?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Jimmy B said:


> It doesn't have to get mocking and sarcastic as that seems to be the direction some of these comments are going. Just my opinion.


 "Teacher! You forgot to give us homework!"


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## Nighteagle2001 (Jan 11, 2001)

ITS TRUE! PL is comming back........And Elvis is working at a deli in Queens, And O.J. Simpson and Micheal Jackson REALLY are innocent......And I've got some ocean front property in Arizona for sale.


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## PRE-SCENES 2 (Aug 16, 2005)

Nighteagle2001 said:


> And O.J. Simpson and Micheal Jackson REALLY are innocent.....


O. Jessica Simpson and Michael did something naughty? And, what does the "O" mean?


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## yamahog (Nov 19, 1998)

"And, what does the "O" mean?"

Orenthal.


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

I will take some of the ocean front property in Arizona. How much is it going for now?


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## CaptFrank (Jan 29, 2005)

Hello Queen!

I was driving around Tucson, Arizona, and I saw a big truck with 
a license plate that read " DA QWEN "! 

I swear!!

Was that you?


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

CaptFrank said:


> Hello Queen!
> 
> I was driving around Tucson, Arizona, and I saw a big truck with
> a license plate that read " DA QWEN "!
> ...


I would tend to doubt it, since I hear she has to oversee the loading of the B-17 with the PL kits to blitz Canada with.
Sheesh we can't even get updated bombers nowadays.


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

No. Sorry. Bummer though. I hear Tuscon has some great golf courses so I'd love to try them. 

Hugs!
Lisa


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## Jimmy B (Apr 19, 2000)

John P said:


> "Teacher! You forgot to give us homework!"


Slow day for Trek reruns John?


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Just drink our Beer when you get up here and you all will get bombed _*real fast*_! :thumbsup: 

Huzz


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## BatFanMan (Aug 20, 1999)

Let's say - for the sake of argument - that Tom WAS going to get PL back and begin producing plastic models again (it's very obvious that RC2 wants no part of reintroducing any old Aurora kits). If that WAS the case, he could easily do it on the cheap. He wouldn't need a warehouse or office building for it. He could easily do it out of his home. Probably the most expensive part of it would be the licensing, but I know from talking to him personally that he had a pretty sweet deal with Universal.

Afterall, the molds and kits were created and injection-molded in China. Chris White did most of the box art and as far as I know did not have an office at PL. It was done just like Aurora - subcontracting out the art job to an off-site artist. When the kits were ready for shipment, they could go directly to the buyer's warehouse/store. I don't know all the intricacies, but something tells me that it could be done. As we know, PL was not just models, it was MAINLY Johnny Lightning and other items that were not related to modeling and Playing Mantis as we also know existed before Polar Lights did. PL simply became an addendum to the existing company.

Numerous companies have done this, haven't they? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I recall, Halcyon and Cinema Arts and Billiken - weren't they all very small companies that essentially contracted out the work? It's not that difficult and if I was Tom and really enjoyed it, I could see him doing this as a hobby out of his home. Because of the number of kits he would/could produce, it would be fairly inexpensive.

Probably the only thing that would drive him crazy would be all the people demanding that this kit or that kit be produced and whenever a new kit was released, some would continue to give birth to cows because it wasn't done the way THEY think it should be done. Tom could just not have a number for PL published and never visit here. He could then be totally free to pursue it as a hobby and have fun with it I admire him for the fact that he produced what he wanted to produce HOW he wanted to produce it. It was his money and he had every right. I will be forever grateful that he truly gave us Aurora again. I think it would be great if it was resurrected. Even if it's only a rumor, it's a nice one to dwell on for a bit

I think I'll ask around town here and see what the hobby shop owners around here may have heard...

Fred


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

BatToys said:


> I'm more inclined to believe Dave Metzner and Da Queen that PL will not spin back to Tom if they talk to Tom alot. Why would Tom keep it a secret from them? If it was true and a hobby store knew, then it woud have been common knowledge by now.





John P said:


> On the other hand, why would he tell them anything? How many of your X-Bosses tell you about their current business deals?


_Exactly_ what I was going to say, John! 

Hobby shop owners are the last line to know! By the time it filters down to them, it's so jumbled it could be anything! *Example:* When the PL 350 TMP E was about a month away from release & I went to reserve it at my shop, the owner never even heard of it! I spent about 5 minutes convincing him that I've known about it for over a year & had seen Sasser's test shots! Just. No. Clue.

Frack, even my mother-in-law's minor gut surgery went around the rumor mill at her work & by the time the rumor was done, she ended up getting her knee replaced!


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Prince of Styrene II said:


> Hobby shop owners are the last line to know!


Two years after the Luminators had been released, I asked a specialist models/diecast shop owner who already had the Luminator Dracula if he could order the Luminator King Kong and Phantom of the Opera kits for me, and he said he didn't think they had been produced. "I don' think they made those. I've never seen them, to be honest," he kept saying. I already had both kits at home, and just wanted another one of each.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

Zathros said:


> Lets hope the divisons that Tom Re-acquired has enough "Mass Appeal"....


  Great, now I gotta be Catholic to build models ?? :lol:


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## CaptFrank (Jan 29, 2005)

the Dabbler wrote:


> Great, now I gotta be Catholic to build models ??


That's right, Dabs. 
And you have to go to confession because 
you won't build a spaceship!


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

the Dabbler said:


> Great, now I gotta be Catholic to build models ?? :lol:


 
Yep..Very Funny indeed..and it was also VERY hilarious how we were told certain repops had no "mass appeal" when it was obvious Good Ol Tom produced for the most part Kits that HE liked and it had very little to do with "mass appeal"....:lol:


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

:tongue: NAY NAY, Neigh ( That's a horselaugh ) 'Tis you infidels, pagans, heritics, Druids, Smurfs, and other assorted false prophets who must confess to worshiping the great god RE-FIT


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Prince of Styrene II said:


> *Example:* When the PL 350 TMP E was about a month away from release & I went to reserve it at my shop, the owner never even heard of it!


 Nothing to be ashamed of. Tom Sasser told me when he called RC2 to check on the progress of the kit just before it came out, the new person in charge of PL at RC2 didn't know what kit he was talking about. After he explained in detail, they said they thought RC was going to cancel it.


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

Just to put the rumor to bed.
Tom Lowe has not re-acquired Polar Lights. This as of yesterday!

Slot Cars & Action Figures - yes - those lines are the main lines at Round 2.
Polar Lights -no.

Dave


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## JamesDFarrow (Sep 18, 1999)

Well that certainly took the wind out of everyone's sails.

James


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

Looks like we've taken "the diplomatic track" with Iceland, too.


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## JamesDFarrow (Sep 18, 1999)

Everyone should look at it like I do.

"Always expect the worst and you will never be dissapointed"

Tom Lowe has no intentions whatsoever to do model kits again.

RC will dump the Trek licence. They will melt down all the PL figure kit molds as the scrap metal is worth more that any re-pops could ever be.

Now, if they release any Trek or Figure kits I will be really pleased. If they don't, I will say well that's what I figured so I am not dissapointed.

James


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## sbaxter (Jan 8, 2002)

JamesDFarrow said:


> Everyone should look at it like I do.
> 
> "Always expect the worst and you will never be dissapointed"


And everyone will think of you as an absolute _joy_ to be around ... 

Qapla'

SSB


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## JamesDFarrow (Sep 18, 1999)

sbaxter said:


> And everyone will think of you as an absolute _joy_ to be around ...
> 
> Qapla'
> 
> SSB


I just don't tell anyone I am expecting the worst. LOL!


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## Scott Hasty (Jul 10, 2003)

Sorry, guys, I cannot believe anyone would believe something a hobby shop employee/owner would tell you. Most of these guys are five steps behind anything in the industry. In southeast Virginia we have [almost] NO hobby shops left. So, on a business trip to Omaha, Nebraska, I came across a nice shop. I walked in and had a FLOOD of emotions as the old smells of a REAL hobby shop flooded in. I went to their small model section, which had a nice assortment of PL kits. The clerk struck up a conversation with me and mentioned Dave and Tom as if they were old friends. Then started telling me of the kits to be: Spock and the snakes, the Moonbus and a large Seaview.

I was elated, at first, then it was apparent he was another wishkid (40+) with an over-active imagination.

Bottom line, if you hear it from here, on this board, take it with a boulder-sized grain of salt. If a retailer says it, it's speculation, at best. Don't believe it till you see it on your retailer's shelf!.

Jimminy Christmas, I thank God for PL. The Aurora kits I remember are from the square box era and I get warm and fuzzies from my memories with my uncle and his kits!

Scottie


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

This announcement was probably one of those occassions when Dave should have ended with 'This is correct.'


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## CaptFrank (Jan 29, 2005)

JamesDFarrow, a joy to be around!


> RC will dump the Trek licence. They will melt down all the PL figure kit molds as the scrap metal is worth more that any re-pops could ever be.


Great idea! Scrap the figure kit molds and make toasters!
RCToast!


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

Awwwwwwwww.....crap.


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## MangoMan (Jul 29, 1999)

Da One and Only Queen said:


> No. Sorry. Bummer though. I hear Tuscon has some great golf courses so I'd love to try them.


Sorry, but it's a law in Arizona. You can't play at the golf courses in Tu*cs*on until you can spell Tu*cs*on! 



Abacero said:


> And, by the way, we will have a Modelers Convention here in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday. If I have some news, I will post it. Is Called Chile-Con for the IPMS Region 10. Hope any of you can pay a visit.


Maybe you can invite Art Carney to the Con, then you'll have Chilie-Con-Carney! :wave: 

Sorry, couldn't resist. 



Cro-Magnon Man said:


> This announcement was probably one of those occassions when Dave should have ended with 'This is correct.'


This is correct is not correct. This am correct is correct. Klaatu Barada Nikto. :hat:


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

John P said:


> So, do I continue to bombard RC2 with letters reminding them it's Trek's 40th anniversary, or do I start sending them to Tom? :lol:


You too?

You should see the last one I sent them.


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## j2man (Jun 18, 1999)

A lot of wind was released from our sails.


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## actias (May 19, 2003)

I don't think it was from the sails! :tongue:


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## spe130 (Apr 13, 2004)

*sniff* What's that smell?


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## big-dog (Mar 16, 2003)

Anyone have any info on Wave 3?


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## Heavens Eagle (Jun 30, 2003)

I think it was supposed to be hot air and the balloon was lead.


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

I am still given to the opinion that if PL doesnt come back, some other company may surface to take thier place...But again, PL was created from a fellow Hobbyist,
and that is a RARE occurence...


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

So, PL is to remain in a coma, ding dang darn!!! Oh well, RC2 may yet surprise us all later this year, the reason I say that is because they did it back in '91 when they released the Vor'kcha class kit. I don't think I spelled that right.


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