BIG BOY serialized

I think that's a wonderful idea.  It would give us a view into how many are out there.

I don't believe Lionel will do that since they have said that all high end products will be built to order going forward, not just the VL BB. I don't think they'd want to give away the size of their market.

One can hope however.

I think it is a terrible idea.

I've witnessed this in the collector car world and all it does is drive prices up.

Opinion-Lionel won't do this for a lot of different reasons.  I am glad.

3rd rail does that heres my S1 unskirted duplex..

I think its an excellent idea.  I want those prices to go up, up, up after I purchase mine!

That's odd, I just checked my 3rd Rail J3a Super Hudson and it doesn't have a plaque like that anywhere....

I think it would be an excellent idea and it has nothing to do with future value. It would

be nice to know how many were actually made. Now, Lionel probably will not do this because they are making so many different road numbers, however, it would be nice.

Its going to be a state of the art engine and hopefully a fun to run one to.

My guess is this will never happen with Lionel. I agree they have no burning desire to make public the number of these they build. If they do it for the Vision Line Big Boy, it will be expected in the future.

Well stated.  I can't agree more.

I don't care what number I get of whatever made-as long as I get one.  They'll be rare enough by themselves.

Doesn't matter if they do or don't, because if they do I'll never see it since my BB will spend it's life on the track pulling trains.

think they only do that for the low number runs.think the 75 made runs get the number plates...My S2 and Q2 dont have it...But the S1 skirted and unskirted has them plus the Q1 has them too..

Don't think so. I believe Sunset/3rd Rail stopped that "serial number plate" idea, quite some years ago. The current "low production" steam locomotive models no longer carry those serial number plates. For example, my "special run" Burlington O5a 4-8-4 model, from MANY years ago, has no serial number plate, and there were only 14 of those produced!

Doesn't really matter to me....  Weaver has / had been doing this for a long time.  It didn't seem to matter price wise.  The market usually determines the price.  If there are more folks that want an item than production can satisfy, the price will be strong...but the demand has to be in the market.

Alan

What fun this would not be to me. In my opinion it would take away from the hobby of what O Scale trains are. A lot of people will be saying they have one and what number they have, but won't really worry about the engine that much as they will be worried how much it will be worth someday down the road once the Big Boys are made. It's just my opinion, don't want to start something, I just had to put my part in here.

They will all go down in value. 10 years from now the principal buyers will be between 75 and 80. Who are you going to sell them to?  John

well they should!!...,As much money you have to forkout on these trains...,would be nice to have them number,,specialy for the low number runs..ya it does make the worth value more or at least holds its value instead of them losing there value..,,

I completely disagree! As an operator, and NOT a "collector", I don't give a crap about the value of ANYTHING I have purchased to operate on my layout. I don't plan on EVER selling anything anyway, as THAT problem will be up to my family members after I'm gone.

Good idea.

Bob C.

I disagree!!  Im not a collector but its nice to know that I have a train thats valuable....aspecialy when you spend 1200+ on it....makes it worth more or at least holds its value...heres one example..what happend if your house gets broken in,,all your valuable get stolen even your trains collection....or if your house catches on fire and all your trains get burned up...your insurance company would pay for they appraised value or other wise with out numbers and there value factor ,,the insurance would only pay you current market value of it...

If, like someone said earlier, Lionel is going to a "build to order" model, there will never be a firm "of" number.

1 of 75... What happens when someone orders #76?

Y' know, I hear all of this investment speculation time and time again. 'What sort of hot air can we put into THIS one to make it rise....in value?' 

But ever since "The Big L" made a whiz-bang, 'highly collectible', limited sedition, coddled in a wood coffin box, and, yes, even serialized, I do believe, "Smithsonian" Dreyfus Hudson 25 years or so ago...in O2R and O3R, even...the poster-loco of collectability in this hobby segment...at the time of its heralded, ballyhooed, trumpeted release...I've watched the value of this float...and drop...all over the place. 

And, in the meantime, folks like 3rd Rail and even the Orange/Blue, Purple/Yellow box guys have come up with challenges to that very engine...in a cardboard box, no less....fancy, but cardboard.  Sound, Legacy, DCS, etc..

NOW, after eleventy-seven editions of O3R Big Boys by more than a handful of manufacturers, we're going to raise the bar to VISION LINE...swinging bells, steam pouring out of every body port, disappearing coal, and a BIG price tag to boot.  

AND, it's not really a classic "Limited Edition" item since they will build as many to fill the orders they receive; IOW, in today's demographical economy, anyone that's gots will gits.  

BUT...If any manufacturer should dare to raise the bar again...you know, Vision Line 2.0, ESP Line 1.0, DAP 8.0 etc...feature a waving engineer and fireman, smaller wheel flanges, improved couplers, sprung drivers, bullet-proof electronics, Bose/Dolby sound, etc., etc., etc., blah, blah, blah...guess what?  Your serialized 2014 VL Big Boy becomes a second-class citizen of the Hi-Rail...valued accordingly.

Or, this 2014 booming economy turns south, and home/life/health finances become more problematic, and there's fewer well-heeled well-pensioned players in the hobby, and....oh, hey, 'that'll never happen!'...

But, hey, it's just one septuagenarian's opinion having watched this O3R 'investment' mentality cycle through again and again and again regarding new releases. 

I remember in particular one customer...nattily attired, brusque, impatient, never seen him before...during the Joshua Lionel Cowen Series era who came into the store wanting to buy one of the Challengers from that newly announced group.  I recall Lionel had UP, Clinchfield, DRGW options.  His first question?....'Which one would be the better investment?'  The manager's response was, in effect, 'Any, or none!'  He ordered nothing...from us, anyway...that day, and we never saw him again.

Whatever.  TEHO, I say.

I hope they build these, ship these, sell these soon so we can move on to our next 'collectible'. 

KD

I'm all for it just because of the interesting forum topics here. Half the time Lionel can't get the RUN/PWR in the correct spot.

I could see it now" hey WTH mine says 1002 of 3". Not to mention how many people could potentially end up with the same number if an error in the progression occurred.

Lastly, even in this crummy economy there are so many better investments than trains I don't get why folks worry about long term value.

Go see a financial advisor,or buy some real estate, yeah its on the bottom now, sure to go up at some point. Invest in something there is higher demand or higher return on over the course of time. Something that "most people" see value in, not just.003% of the population.

If you believe all that, I just may have some PRIME Pacific Ocean Front property available for you, just outside of Phoenix! 

Rick, I usually read your posts as insightful, but really do you see the RUN/PWR (don't you mean RUN/PGM?) in the wrong spot 1/2 of the time?  Please let me know the SKU# of the locos that are wrong to check into this.

It was a bit tongue n cheek but this did occur on a few pieces, I forget which ones, possibly some of the earlier VL stuff.   Serializing is trivial to me, I'd rather Lionel focus on the more important aspects of locomotives.

I appreciate your regular input Jon, its nice to get what we can from  the (a) source regarding Lionel products.

Well, for one thing... I got the impression that an order cut-off date will pretty much solve that issue.  So production will occur with a defined number of buyers (or dealers) having placed their order.  After which, no more are manufactured -- until, that is, Legacy V2.xx or whatever incremental improvement down the road gets announced.  And then all this hype and hysteria starts all over again!  

The importers play us toy train enthusiasts like a symphony, and they know the sound of the music all too well.  

David

I am not buying for any other reason then to enjoy it, run it and have some fun. Will they increase in price? I don't care, have a serial number? I don't care. 

Too many people here think about the big boy in other ways rather then enjoying what you will be getting. It will be a great engine to run and enjoy. 

None of my 3rd Rail product has a serial number plate, including the uncatalogued Northern Pacific Z-8.  I've been purchasing 3rd Rail locos since 2003.  

Regards,

GNNPNUT

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the 1,000,000th. Corvette wind up in a sunk-hole recently?  

Just think how much the 500th BB queen will be worth when it falls off the shelf. 

My prediction:  Won't happen. 

Allan is correct, it will not happen.

I thought all Vision line products had a serial no. underneath the cab extension flap to tender?

If 4014 will/is converted to oil, then the engine Lionel is planning to import will NOT be the exact model of the '14 after rebuild.

My guess is Lionel will later do a 4014 with an oil tender.  Also, it would be nice to import the aux tenders UP uses.  They are modified from early 800's, and have that number in the UPP series.  And were they not used as tenders behind the turbines when they went to Bunker C?

At that price I'd think it would have a serial number on it.....maybe not a 124 of XXX but just a 'VIN' as such.

I'd be happy if they offered a second oil tender after the refit.  Understanding that the engine won't be 100% accurate.

I guess they could do a complete engine/tender run and then sell additional oil tenders for those who don't mind the difference in the engine.

The last Vision Line Loco I bought, I remember registering the serial # w/ Lionel. I think It was w/ the Challenger.