Am I the only one frustrated by this?

Doesn't bother me in the slightest; but then again nothing much bothers me.

Me either!!! People don't pay attention to detail on cars and so on. 

Agree.  It doesn't take folks long to realize my gorgeous trains are just models, not the real thing.  It doesn't seem to take away from their enjoyment.

"...you can see a lot by just looking" - Lawrence Peter Berra, HOF, noted and oft-quoted American philosopher

I'm glad they made it smaller...

the diesels that had it were on the ends and almost looked like it were a warning plaque 

Yes, yes you are the only one annoyed by this

Matt Makens posted:

Yes, yes you are the only one annoyed by this

That's funny!!   I agree, doesn't bother me at all. But to each their own.

wild mary posted:

Doesn't bother me in the slightest; but then again nothing much bothers me.

Yes same here,  When the good doc gave me some new meds, ... lets say I am a calmer fella.  

Thats what weathering is for....covers it right up 

I thought that Lionel was starting to make trains with Kadee coupler pockets and no built by Lionel markings.

I am not a 3RS guy, I read this thread because it is listed in the recent posts column. So the markings do not bother me. Laidoffsick's comment about weathering sounds like a potential answer.

If the issue is the "Built by Lionel", the uproar about 2 years ago finally got the mark moved to an inconspicuous spot, usually on the underframe of the car. 

If the issue is the "BLT" date is inaccurate for the car, there's only one instance where that bothered me. MTH did a run of Sherman tanks on flat cars, the tanks were done in winter camo, and the cars had built dates in the early-mid 50's. That bugged me, but it was the included accessory that pointed out the issue. 

Beyond that, the date is usually either too small to notice, or its close enough that it might make sense (no C&O cars with built dates of 2015). 

I feel most of the responses so far are from guys who are not 3RS.

Yes, it does bother me, but it's something I'm used to and generally take care of on my own.

It takes no more effort to get it right than it does to get it wrong, and even less effort to not put it on there at all.

Some call it graffiti, others call it art

Actually it's a benefit as some of the cars that are made today are exact remakes of post war expensive ones ( ie 6820 helicopter transport car repo about $60.00 real thing about $200)  

Most if not all of the scale Lionel cars made today have the "Blt by Lionel" on the bottom of the car.  This is something I believe Mike Reagan initiated.

There's a "Blt by Lionel" date on the side of the cars???......

Can you read the build date on a car as it goes by you on the layout from 4 feet away?

I have to admit I walked away from scale cars that said BLT by Lionel. These were prominent on their 6464 remake scale box cars.

However, they have so many other cars that do not have this marking, I stick to purchasing  those.

I have box cars with identical numbers on them... how many visitors have noticed? Zero...even the train fans.

I seldom comment on the scale forums because I'm not that concerned about the small details.  As a Hi-Railer, I do want things to look right for my era.  But I don't mind an AAR boxcar substituting for an X-29c.

However, like the OP I don't like BLT by Lionel.  I do look for cars with a BLT date that reflects my era, and I try not to run the same car numbers in the same consists (thank you Atlas).

As stated before, the nice thing about this hobby is it diversity.  

I am not in O gauge but on some of my earlier purchases from Lionel I found the "built by Lionel date".  I never really looked for it before reading this post but it is not that conspicuous. If they run good "why worwy". It does not bother this A.C. Gilbert guy but to each their own.

Ray

It has been explained by some as graffiti, like "Kilroy was here" there are "Built by Lionel" markings showing up on certain, not all, railroad cars.

An individual? Maybe a cult or an underground movement? Interesting that car washing doesn't seem to be able remove it, as it's even on well maintained rolling stock!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1M1MskYbEk

WOW hope you didn't loose any sleep over this?  I don't.

Totally dead issue.  Lionel announced long ago it would cease putting built by Lionel on all their scale cars and they have.

Yet some of the folks who don't care complain because they didn't get the correct horn sound for their favorite engine, go figure.

It's a mad,mad world we live in.....

  I always thought the build date was kinda clever being mixed among the other lettering. An inconspicuous bit of branding for the collector, who forms a large base of the market. That branding has been part of the company strategy for decades. A tradition downright expected by some. But, yea, Lionel lines sort of bothers me too in that one or two trains are OK, but there's lots of room for variety too. Dating in a more prototypical way would be cool, and skipped on the sides, but hidden somewhere on era specific and scale cars, a reasonable thought.

Large repeating numbering on any car, and names repeating on passenger cars bothers me because I can and do often read them as they go by. If it's prominent; I see it.

Remember when years ago a 622 was the style of the engine or a 2331....

Lehigh Valley Railroad posted:

Remember when years ago a 622 was the style of the engine or a 2331....

Yes.  And that is why I wasn't in the hobby years ago.  My brother and father in law thought pre and post WWII were great; not sure why I was the black sheep of the family.

Yes....l want prototypical lettering, dates, and trucks on my cars. I avoid mfr. (whomever) branded cars. As said before, l would be happiest if the stupid boxes had the build date of the prototype printed boldly on the box, so what l buy is correct for my era.  I vote with my dollars, so l might be passing up some items l could use.

I recently bought a red baron CNJ PS-2 hopper from Lionel. I looked it over and found proper BLT dates and numbering. Although it was small, I found the words, "Built by Lionel". It bothered me a bit. Only because I separate my eras of prewar, postwar, and modern Lionel. 

This issue does not bother me

All those "do not touch" boxes in the blue and silver halls don't sell because you can't take it out of the box to see what self-serving maker advertising is slathered on it?

Bob Delbridge posted:

I feel most of the responses so far are from guys who are not 3RS.

Yes, it does bother me, but it's something I'm used to and generally take care of on my own.

It takes no more effort to get it right than it does to get it wrong, and even less effort to not put it on there at all.

Some call it graffiti, others call it art

I thought the same thing. You don't have to be a rivet counter to notice these things. As a few people have already said, Lionel did start putting the "Built by Lionel" on the bottom of the car, which I think looks a lot better. I don't know if there are any decals small enough to fix the build date problem, but tagging the car with graffiti or just weathering should work.

 I also look for cars with a BLT date that reflects my era and I don't run the same car numbers. It may only be noticeable to me but it's mine to judge. I have a lot of Weaver cars for this reason. To each his or her own.

Graffiti is not art, it is vandalism plain and simple. 

The era that I model, 1948-53, did not have graffiti. I do limit my purchases to cars of that era, and I would pass up a "Blt by Lionel" anywhere near the tackboard or near the weights and dimensions of the car. To me, it is negative advertising, probably not what Lionel intended.

Another pet peeve is a car lettered correctly for a RR, but the RR never had that car. Offset hoppers come immediately to mind.....

david1 posted:

Graffiti is not art, it is vandalism plain and simple. 

I wouldn't claim that graffiti is not an art form. However, when not confined to the "artist's" own canvas, and incorporates those owned by other's, private and/or public, the art becomes a form of vandalism.

I wouldn't consider myself a details guy, however, there are some things that bother me, such as any car that says Lionel or Lionel Lines, etc. on the side.  That was never a real 1:1 railroad so it bugs me when I see that on a freight car, so I don't buy them.  But that's just me and to each his own.

When I see that 3 rail track, I am unable to raise my eyes above it to see if the BLT date is even there!

Simon

Mill City posted:

david1 posted:

Graffiti is not art, it is vandalism plain and simple. 

I wouldn't claim that graffiti is not an art form. However, when not confined to the "artist's" own canvas, and incorporates those owned by other's, private and/or public, the art becomes a form of vandalism.

There in lies the problem, Graffiti is RARELY, confined to the "Artist's" own canvas.

If Graffiti is SO Beautiful, or Artistic, WHY is it only VERY RARELY seen on the "Artist's" own Home, Fence, Auto, etc.?

If the Graffiti is NOT on the Artist's OWN property, or has the permission of the property owner(yeah right, but I SUPPOSE, it COULD happen) then it IS VANDALISM, and Criminal, PERIOD!!!

Doug