Blt By Lionel

I agree, a small Blt by Lionel on the side wouldn't bother me at all.

I also agree. I like the 'Blt by Lionel' on my rolling stock. 

I'm with you, John.  The Blt by Lionel is welcome in my collection as I am a toy train operator.  I do realize and appreciate that the scale only crowd would not want it on the sides of their rolling stock.

Well when you consider that they're not really built by Lionel since they're imported by sub-contractors, it seems whatever significance tied to that nomenclature on the sides would be rather diminished I would think.

As for me, I welcome that change on their scale rolling stock.  Doesn't bother me at all when it's applied to their traditional sized trains as that seems more appropriate.  And I have a number of those type of trains as well as the scale sized stuff.

John,

It's all about holding on to a childhood memory. To some it may be called progress, to me it's bull-pucky. IMHO

Finally! Its going to be hidden so I don't have to rub it off or weather over it. Excellent news!

If it is scale then put the blt by Lionel on the bottom out of sight unless the real deal railroads starts adding the wording to their rolling stock.

 

 

 

 

 

Add one to the list (so I guess that's seven of us).

 

-Dave

It will make the nit pickers happy. Me I like it, it's tradition.

I'm with John K. Leave it on the traditional rolling stock where it belongs. That's what the "childhood memories" are about, not highly detailed scale models. A scale model is a scale model and "Blt by Lionel" is a minor but annoying distraction. It doesn't keep me from buying Lionel's scale product, but it's better without it. 

It did not bother me the least.  Having said that I won't miss it either.

I was a bit annoyed to see that printed on my Lionel Auto Racks, but not bothered enough to do anything about it.

 

I would venture a guess that most people who want it printed on the sides, are not scale-oriented consumers anyways. 

Personally I would prefer the Standard O cars not to have the "Blt by".  If you think of it 3rd rail would have fewer projects if it wasn't for the 2 railers.  Weaver would also have issues along with Atlas.  I don't know how MTH feels about 2 rail.

 

If the scale cars were able to be 2 or 3 rail like Atlas, it would help Lionel to sell more product.  There are 2 railers that convert scale Lionel cars.

 

However, on other than scale cars I like the Built by Lionel, and that doesn't mean that Lionel shouldn't use it at all on Scale sized equipment. 

 

Why does it have to be either/or?  Lionel can market both.

"Why does it have to be either/or?  Lionel can market both."

 

Excellent point, Howard.

Two possible scenarios:

 

"Hello favorite hobby dealer?  Do you have the Lionel (insert car type here) in stock?  You do?  Does it have "Blt by Lionel" on the side?  It does...  Sorry, I want one without."

 

-OR-

 

"Hello favorite hobby dealer?  Do you have the Lionel (insert car type here) in stock?  You do?  I hope it has "Blt by Lionel" on the side...  It doesn't ...  Sorry, I want one with."

 

Rusty

I am happy for John and Matt and the other scale lovers, I run mostly scale accept at Christmas time when we run traditional and the wifes O Gauge Tinplate, tradition is important also. I still have a good bit of traditional and always enjoyed when club guys run the traditional at the club.

My three rail track and I do not care what you run on it as long as it stays on the track.

It is very nice of Lionel to do that for the scale guys, Bravo Lionel!

John

Oh, I'm "scale-oriented", for sure - but I have always gotten a real kick out of seeing

an exquisite scale freight car, properly detailed and lettered, with that little

"built by Lionel" phrase right there where it belongs - visible. Makes me smile.

Lowers the pomposity that some of us - me, included - start showing when we take

this stuff too seriously.

 

Also, for may (most) of us who are older, and by that, I mean with fatter wallets, the

"BLT BY LIONEL" drives home what we knew as kids: the little stuff was always just

a bunch of models (nice, often), but our trains had a touch of the Actual about them.

 

Not an issue, but I really prefer to see the (small) BLT BY on my stuff, and wouldn't

object to MTH and Atlas doing it, too. 

We keep forgetting that they still are toys. Built by Lionel is OK with me. I guess putting it under the cars next to the "Made in China" will work. 

Seems to me that "LIONEL LINES" in big letters like in the postwar days on the locomotive, rolling stock, and passenger car sides would be more in line for those that want a "Lionel" and "toy train" visual fix as opposed to a tiny block of nomenclature but I digress...

Beings I buy scale sized freight cars and locomotives I don't want built by Lionel visible.

 

On the bottom of car is just fine. 

Proving once again scale guys are no fun

There you are operating your scale equipment, and the bathtub gon goes into the rotary car dumper, http://www.lionel.com/Products...01-C-2/pgs-46-47.htm and "OH NO" there's Blt by Lionel on the bottom for all the world to see setting you up for ridicule from your scale minded friends.

 

The only Blt I want to see is capitalized with periods as in B.L.T. Easy on the mayo. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/BLT/

With the newer stuff, the Blt by Lionel info is now so small and tucked away, it's not really noticeable any more, especially to these aging eyes. It's too small to even read!

 

While putting the info on the bottom isn't a huge deal, seeing the tiny box on the side has been an easy way to distinguish Lionel cars from others without having to fumble with the car, which I liked.  

"Model Railroading Is Fun."  -A.C. Kalmbach

 

Scale guys are model railroaders, doing the model railroad thing.  So, by ol' A.C's. definition they're into fun.

 

Therefore, scale guys are fun.

 

Rusty

How many scale-sized O gauge trains do you own, Chris?

I have no issues with Blt by Lionel on the bottom of scale cars. Traditional cars are a different story. 

Couple dozen that I can think of.. and I never let it phase me one bit either way

I like that tiny bit of Lionel on the side, but either way . . . 

Hello guys and gals.....

 

The Lionel starter set FT diesels don't have that logo on the engines. Its too bad because from what I hear,they are very good runners without flywheels and we are getting one of those and would like to see that on the sides just like the postwar era.

 

The woman who loves the .S.F.5011,2678,2003

Tiffany 

       
       


As you said the scale guys are no fun, so you shouldn't own any scale equipment then. 

John K. posted: “Well when you consider that they're not really built by Lionel since they're imported by sub-contractors”

 

While I think I understand what he was trying to communicate, factually, this is inaccurate statement.

 

On another note regarding the original posters question, there was a time on this forum when some of the new(er) Lionel scale rolling stock was being discussed and several people posted to the idea that “it is nice to see Lionel finally get rid of that BLT by logo”. The funny thing was that it was never gone, just so small that many people did not even notice it until it was pointed out. This was a discussion amongst “scale” guys.

 

The other interesting thing is that if you do or have frequented the March Meet O scale show in Chicago (Lombard, IL) there has been, over the past few years more and more Lionel, Atlas and MTH rolling stock show up, and not one person that I spoke with had a problem with the BLT by logo. Probably because it is so small or will be covered with a little weathering.

 

Quite frankly, the two rail guys I work with are really happy for the offerings that are coming there way at what they perceive is a very reasonable cost. Add in the cost of converting to two real and there is still a “fairly” high demand of the new offerings from these three companies.

 

Charlie

 I like it, a lot! And, I run all scale size. Even in the little dioramas I do, I like it on the sides.

 

"Lionel" is part of the fun ... the magic ... for me. I wish Lionel made enough stuff that I wouldn't have to also use Atlas and Weaver. (Though, I have nothing at all against Atlas and Weaver)

 

Edit: Oh, yea ... I forgot that "scale" means something else than size alone. I always forget about that stuff.    I can understand how "scale" folks would prefer not to have the markings.

Lionel's plant in Mt. Clemens hasn't built any trains in over a decade, the Asian facilities that build & assemble their trains aren't owned by them, whatever plant is making those limited "made in USA" freight cars isn't owned by them, and I don't believe that any of the assemblers that work at those factories are directly on Lionel's payroll either, so how was that an inaccurate statement?

We will get you, too John. Soon you will join us as another counter of the sacred rivets.

I think some folks are more sensitive on the subject because "Blt by Lionel" reminds them that they are playing with toys.  Sophisticated, aesthetically beautiful, historically interesting and important, but toys nonetheless.  They maintain they are engaged in an art form or simulation that isn't "playing."  We all have our illusions .  Nothing wrong with that.  We all use denial regularly in our daily life.  Just a matter of where or when, and our needs differ.

 

Then there are those who are more willing to admit that this is recreation, playing if you will.  They don't seem to mind the reminder that these models are built, contracted, whatever by a company that used to make toys directed at the short pants crowd back in the early and middle part of the last century.  While there's no danger of them lighting fire to the drapes, they know, even revel in the fact that what they are doing is playing with trains, not engaging in activities that Rembrandt or Le Corbusier would recognize.  I realize there are rare exceptions, true artists who are creating miniature worlds to express their creativity, but most of us are just playing with trains.

Not  scale guy myself, so doesn't affect me. I love seeing BLT BY LIONEL on stuff, even LIONEL LINES. But, it may not be for all tastes.

I like the B.L.T. lettering on my rollong stock.  I don't know why but it reminds of being a kid with my trains.  And for me, my trains are really toys and were never intended to look protypical. 

 

It's a mute point since I really can't read it more than a foot away anyhow.

 

Ed