Big Boy passes record!

Personally, I am not really surprised by this. All of the stars were arranged perfectly to make this happen. The selling price under 2K, the planned renovation of 4014, new features, and the long term love of this engine are some of the reasons for this demand.

 

It is good news for you, obviously, but good for our hobby in general. Congratulations on your new record!

Thanks Charlie, that's exciting news.   Profits lead to more innovations and new products.   Way to go Lionel!

You've got to be kidding me?! What about the $2000 price tag pricing folks out of o guage?

I have to agree, I haven't really seen so much preorder hype over any Lionel engine since the 1990 scale Hudson, and that one received over 10,000 orders itself!

I'm not buying one, would love to own one, but this is good news for me anyway!!!!

The hobby is strong.....and maybe, just maybe a few Williams or other older conventional Big Boys will need new homes!!! I'll be waiting!

There is a reason for this that needs to be stated.  Lionel wasn't just offering another Big Boy, it was offering a Big Boy with NEW features.  

 

For the past few years I have constantly seen a lot of people repeating the same old mantra about how there isn't enough money in the hobby to make it worthwhile for manufacturers to innovate.  I think the success of the new Big Boy calls that into question.

Wow, guess it won't be that much of a unique engine then, will it?  But still good to hear, as it reminded me to order a caboose and reefers for mine to pull.

Oh well-there goes the roof for another year. I've got the bug. Charlie someone needs to start offering financing that beats credit card rates.

Lionel is out of touch, no one will buy an overpriced steam engine !

Great news on the pre-orders.

Innovation usually will be successful in marketing any product. Lionel did a fantastic job by making a locomotive that far exceeds a "me too" product.

Is the added features worth the cost? Additional smoke units, premium sound, sinc chuff sound, coal feature, the answer should be a YES to the added cost.

Compare the Big Boy cost to the other locomotive offerings in the Signature catalog, a few hundred more should justify the cost. I don't hear any price complaints about the other Signature series locomotives.

Lionel did a great service to the O gauge line. With the obvious success of the Big Boy Lionel will be very interested to offer additional innovative locomotives in the future. It's all good for O gauge.

Bob 

Not if it's true price remained $2700.

 

This was a marketing coup.  Set the retail price high and give the dealers a lot of wiggle room to set the street price. 

 

Everybody won.  Customers perceive a bargain, Lionel gets buzz and kudos, dealers get bunches of orders.

 

Rusty

 

I know he was, but if you check back on earlier threads when MSRP was speculation and the before following price war threads, interest was less entusiastic if the street price ran much over 2K.

 

Now, the question is: Will Lionel customers begin to expect inflated MSRP's and price wars on similar big buck items?

 

Rusty

Charlie, Will lionel ever release the total number of orders for the big boy. (Countrywide)

In past experience, has high priced/high demand items cut into the sale of other items?

Or did sales tend to increase across the line as the big item cranked up demand?

I couldn't agree more-if the street price would have been well north of $2k, I don't think there would've been these record sales. I know I wouldn't have ordered one. And I am a die hard UP steam fan (I own 13 UP steamers).  Had to think hard about the VL BB price.

As said above, VL BB are several hundred $s more than the rest of the Signature Line- & for the features, I am willing to pay for it.  Street price has put BBs in the same price range as the VL Challenger when new, within a couple hundred dollars.

The hardest part was deciding which VL BB to buy! Truly excited about this VL BB, I believe this is going to be an epic Lionel locomotive.  The more they make the better for everyone-us, the hobby, and Lionel.

Crying wolf again (hi msrp prices) should not work, at least not with me. If they do that again, I will wait it out and may be not even order anything....they may shoot themselves in the feet

Charlie, Will lionel ever release the total number of orders for the big boy. (Countrywide)

 

No

I am glad Lionel doesn't release production totals.

Me too. I think it would be the cause of endless disquiet.

Congrats to you and yours Charlie;

 

Sadly, this piece of Awesome is just too much for my budget.

It exceeds my annual allowance for toys even at your price.

Russell, it's just pennies a day! :-)

 

 

 

The Big Boy is going to be great fun! Well worth a Starbucks coffee per day.

ABSOLUTLEY! The Big Boy is both fun and healthy. We could due without the caffeine. I will be paying for mine by skipping 650 pounds of Scrapple. So the Big Boy is probably going to help prolong my life! Thanks Lionel!

 

Emile

 

Emile, you will also save some money for more great Crab Cakes!

At 1899.99 we do have the best price! Thanks C&C

I'm not so sure.  There's this place in NJ that sells a lot of Lionel and their price is $1865 with shipping.

 

Just sayin.

At $1899.99 is would take at least 5 1/4 years to save for it at "pennies a day".  I for one just cannot put off my gratification for that long.  

Ok, I stand corrected "One of the best" :-)

Boy I wish I has the $$ for this beauty.

What about the 86' High-Cube Boxcar set?

 

Conrail SD70MAC 86' Hi-Cube Boxcar Set
Built to order item.

 

 

How have the orders for that other built to order items been totaling up?

 

 

 

Andrew

Cars much more than the set Falconservice. With the amount of goodies this year it's hard to buy everything. :-)

I just wonder how the Vision Big Boy compares from Lionel's perspective.  Could it possibly be their best-selling scale locomotive, as well?

 

Andy

That's a great question.  We'll probably never know what Lionel anticipated to sell, but I'd say it exceeded expectations.

 

Just my opinion about why it did:  The 'street' price was in the $1900 range.  If it would've been MSRP $2700, I know there would've been one less order. 

The scale Hudson was Lionel's best seller in scale engines in recent years from around 1990

Well, with final days of pre-order closing in, I had to make some tough decisions.  For me, the O-72 requirement ended up being the deal breaker.  I ordered a PRR M1A Mountain, A NYC Mohawk, a UP ES44, and a bunch of rolling stock instead, vision and otherwise.  Spent more, but I get more items.  It would have been just the Big Boy if not for the O-72.  I do have the Lion Master Big boy though.

Way to go Charlie!!!

 

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, you will read a thread about a dealer going out of business, the downward trend of this hobby, how train enthusiasts are getting older and cannot afford the more expensive items, etc.

 

THIS POST IS THE REALITY. Smart dealers do well when the manufacturers supply the right product.

 

Gerry

Since you posted this is a record. What was the previous record number Charlie? Thanks John

I'm curious as to what the breakdown of engine numbers was... I'd expect that 4014 got the most orders, and then 4012 due to it being the only one in the northeast...

44 Hudson's back in the 90's.

 

Big Boys,

4014 the run away winner

4012

4018

4006

4005

4004

4017

I have no intention of adding a Big Boy to my three-rail locomotive collection, but I'm happy for Lionel that their Big Boy model has proven to be a commercial success!