2019 American Flyer

Still waiting for a scale proportioned  SD7 or SD9 ! ! !

Please ?

Pretty Please ? ?

Pretty Please with sugar on top ? ? ?

AC

I expect nothing new or earth shaking.  That way I'm not disappointed. 

But as long as we're fantasizing here, why not REAL Little Joes or RDCs or even street cars?

I think the flyer market filled with non-scale Gilbert or Gilbert-esk pieces kills the market potential to soak up scale models when there is already a non scale counterpart.  

Case on point...

Flyer Chief Berks vs Legacy Berks. 

Gilbert and flyonel Geeps been around since the 50s.  Flyonel and their “sort of” SDs since the late 80s or 90s.  I would be surprised if Lionel would ever spend money on new tooling for what in their eyes would be a duplicate model.  

But we will know in a few weeks.  

Ben

I had not given it any thought so I have no expectations. I would be happy with any Legacy equipped engine.

A legacy J3 Hudson with centipede tender.

Baldwin sharks, Flyerchief OK.

Legacy SD9 or SD40-2

One can only hope...................

Rich

Anything Legacy with Legacy detailing and a Legacy pricetag so that they are viable unlike the Berkshire pricing fiasco of 2018.

Same as last year - SD40-2 and 50 foot cars

Brendan

FC/BT Hudson.   What do I expect - BT enabled release(s) of something that didn't have it before.  

I expect to see nothing new tooling-wise. Anything, rolling stock or locomotive with new tooling would be a treat. We'll probably get more of the same with new roadnames.  Would like to see more Soo Line, B&O, CB&Q, MILW. Ooh, a CGW Geep or Baldwin would be nice.

Anyway, what I'd like to see. Well, earlier someone mentioned a GS4. Good choice. Probably utilize the Northern running gear. It has a couple variants in it's livery, and you could get away with lettering it Western Pacific as well. (Something to run with my WP caboose I bought from them when the Mikado was cancelled.) FlyerCheif would be okay. 

I still mourn the loss of the USRA Mikados and Pacifics they had.

Speaking of the Northern, it has freshened tooling from the Gilbert offering. I'd like to see the Hudson get the same treatment. Or the 0-8-0. Many roadnames possible for the 0-8-0.

I'm sure a new diesel could be offered using the trucks and many other parts of the SD70, and the GE units. Please put the headlight in the nose, as the overwhelming majority of roads are ordering their headlights in that position. Or, modify the SD70, and GE ES44C tooling for a lower headlight, and many more roads will be correct for those models. Unless they do the Holy Grail, the SD40. Then most roads ordered the upper headlight in that era. Weird to say SD40s belong to an era now.

So, I do look forward to the new catalog. A few tidbits that I would like to buy would be nice. Bigger things would be wonderful.

>> Speaking of the Northern, it has freshened tooling from the Gilbert offering. I'd like to see the Hudson get the same treatment. <<

Actually, the L-AF Northerns are made using all new tooling except for the pilot, which is the only Gilbert carryover piece. Although modified along the way, much of the original Gilbert tooling for several of the classic die cast steam engines, such as it still exists, dates from before WW2.

Bob

Talked to both Lionel (who won’t disclose anything except catalog is being released end of this month) and MTH who claim F3s and SWs will be in May catalog.

I vote for the  0-8-0...

Carl Tuveson posted:

I vote for the  0-8-0...

Would be nice to see, but it would require all new tooling. Given their royal foul up with the stillborn Legacy Berk ...... 

Bob

My guess is another FlyerChief engine with a vintage Flyonel look.  A PA maybe or a low nose GP20 type. 

Probably no steam or Legacy.

Bob Bubeck posted:

Carl Tuveson posted:

I vote for the  0-8-0...

Would be nice to see, but it would require all new tooling. Given their royal foul up with the stillborn Legacy Berk ...... 

Bob

I still think removing the molded hand rails and putting on postwar-type hand rails would improve the Berkshire immensely at very little additional cost.

Also lots of room for two motors and FlyerChief guts.

The last EP5 run featured two motors and railsounds. 6-48075.

Rich

ACGilbert posted:

Still waiting for a scale proportioned  SD7 or SD9 ! ! !

Please ?

Pretty Please ? ?

Pretty Please with sugar on top ? ? ?

AC

I would buy the EP5 as a Legacy Engine,

--Rocco--

What is sad here is the list is full of great ideas and also full of pessimism  that Lionel will never build these items.  I know they used to read these postings and nothing here will impact 2019 Vol 1.  I just don't see that releasing a SD40 or a GS4 would not be a big seller for Lionel.  GS 4 seller well in every scale so why not S?  My recommendation to Lionel is if you are going to do new  tooling, start with the Legacy version then a year or 2 later offer the FlyerChief version to those who did not have the dollars for the Legacy version.  This way both versions will get made.

--Rocco--

I would like to think that Lionel is aware that the right new S gauge Command Control engines will good sellers. Unlike in O gauge there is really no competition for Command Control, be it Legacy or FlyerChief. I will buy pretty much anything new they make in Legacy. I will only buy FlyerChief if they, for example, make a Hudson equivalent to the Berkshire. I would then have it converted to TMCC/Railsounds like the other FlyerChief engines I bought.

I also would like to recognize Lionel for dramatically improving the freight cars in the prior catalog. I bought 6 boxcars (PRR, Reading, Lackawanna) and five 3 bay (Erie) hoppers. They all had unique road numbers and the graphics are really great, far better than previous releases. But best of all for me, the wheelsets are now correctly gauged!

I believe the Flyerchief version would be made first, to test the waters less expensively, Then they might do a Legacy version.

But what do I know???

AmFlyer posted:

 They all had unique road numbers 

Took them a while to catch on to this sales booster.

Brendan

The reason I said do the Legacy versions first is two fold.

1) If you need higher sales for the more expensive offering then whatever is done first will have the potential for higher sales.

2) People who wanted Legacy settled for the FlyerChief versions and then were in several cases prepared to sell the Flyerchief versions of the Berk's to buy the Legacy version.

My solution:  Lionel should put both in the catalog at the same time and see what sells better or is more profitable.  If they can produce both then great.  If not then just make one based on sales or profitability.  We are used to then cancelling products on us already so  we might as well have some choice in the matter.

--Rocco--

Rocco posted:

My solution:  Lionel should put both in the catalog at the same time and see what sells better or is more profitable.  If they can produce both then great.  If not then just make one based on sales or profitability.  We are used to then cancelling products on us already so  we might as well have some choice in the matter.

--Rocco--

The potential problem I can see here is that the customer base is a set size and you are then splitting those sales between the two products. If those numbers don’t meet the magic ‘let’s put them into production’ levels then both could be cancelled.

I would expect one to be cancelled.  Once that is known enough time should be allowed to those who ordered one to switch to the other.

OK, here's a few crummy captures from the YouTube presentation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be

Rusty

Hopefully with FISH!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich

Four Flyerchief Geeps ......ACL, Frisco, Wabash, ???

Rich

Are those SD70's?

Also in the video I think I see cylindrical hoppers.

Did I see long box cars ?  3 of them ?      Art

Chuck K posted:

Are those SD70's?

Also in the video I think I see cylindrical hoppers.

Most likely, seeing that UP 1943 "Spirit of the Union Pacific" is there.

I caught a glimpse of a Santa Fe cylindrical hopper.

Rusty

Rich

I think that 4th geep is wabash

Ben.

Ben,

I think that 4th Geep is wabash

I think the Wabash is on top, can't figure the 3rd one from the top. EL maybe?

Rich

Sorry...

Looks like D&RG colors to me. 

Ben 

How is it this guy gets a catalog no one is supposed to see for weeks?

Sgaugian posted:

How is it this guy gets a catalog no one is supposed to see for weeks?

I saw posts on the O forum saying that some hobby shops have them.

Ben,

Looks like D&RG colors to me.

Could be, maybe the early scheme with stripes?

Rich

Rich,

Looks like a winning answer to me. 

Ben