@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

Out of curiosity, what is up with the aluminum passenger cars? I had thought that there was issues with a prior run in the mid 20Teens that there was a delay because of working on extruding the aluminum? Have Ryan and Dave gone over the catalog yet?

I believe the catalog show is Friday at 3pm.

@MartyE

@DaveSlie

Not exactly in the catalog but I kind of like this one.  The Lionel Store Exclusive Locomotive of the Year 2024.

2024 Engine of the Year!

A set of those CB&Q passenger cars could show up in my roster someday...

I like the IC and the C&NW PS-2 hoppers, and the NP CA-1 caboose too.

And I appreciate the clever, yet toned-down scale-sized fantastical/humorous designs on the ACME cars, the O'Leary Dairy car, and the Deer Dash TOFC.

Overall, nothing on my wish list, but still appreciate the catalog, and that others are excited about various items!

@MartyE posted:

I believe the catalog show is Friday at 3pm.

That's odd, I thought they usually did that the same day as the release(in most cases)?

@MartyE posted:

Good catalog so far!  Really excited about the new PE observation cars!

I sent Ryan an Email today asking if there will be the three recessed observation deck lights over the platform and possibly a lighted drumhead.

Looks like I'll be getting the Prairie Freight set (with that reissued 675!) and maybe the 20th Anniversary Polar Express set to go with my first issue Polar Express set (which only has the air whistle!)

@KOOLjock1 posted:

THEY'VE RETOOLED THE #675!!!!!  NO FREAKIN' WAY!

Jon

i'm excited too man

i have to get one and will be very upset if i can't

I got the catalog today via email from Lionel

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

That's odd, I thought they usually did that the same day as the release(in most cases)?

Here ya go...

I hope that the rods and drivers are as pictured.

Jon

@KOOLjock1 posted:

I hope that the rods and drivers are as pictured.

Jon

Looks like there will be one in Pennsy, too!  I'll definitely get the set, maybe a Pennsy one later on.

Looks like they're going to get their money's worth out of that Milwaukee 4-4-2 mold with all the variations, which engine hasn't been done in a long time since the old TMCC Milwaukee version.

Interesting that aluminum passenger cars are back. Same as those Milwaukee ones done a number of years ago, so they already had the molds, but it shows that they can still produce aluminum extrusions for passenger cars, which they indicated previously would never be done again.

I think that $4,000 Erie Triplex set is the longest set Lionel has ever made. 184 inches long - 15 1/3 feet! As a comparison, that's only 15 inches shorter than a Ford Explorer SUV! No room on my layout to run a SUV around it!

Noticed the lack of new LionChief 2+ engines, but a lot of cheaper plain LionChief engines. Are they satisfying a significant market they see there? Also lots and lots of fantasy items in the back part of the catalog, more than I remember in any previous catalog. Apparently this stuff sells well. Must be a big market Lionel wants to exploit in parents and grandparents buying these for young children. Interesting to think that this stuff represents a seismic shift from what Lionel produced throughout about 95% of its history, and a reflection of the huge changes in American popular culture, and the effects of marketing.

Not much of interest to me in this catalog. Looking at the Rio Grande SD45. Not going to do anything until I see if they get the orange color right. Presumably they'll get the black correct. 

We really need a one off Star Trek Caboose.

@MartyE posted:

We really need a one off Star Trek Caboose.

I agree!  The artwork could be something depicting the sides of a Galileo shuttlecraft or something.

There is a Minneapolis & St. Louis GP9 diesel engine-electric motor locomotive.

There should be three Minneapolis and St. Louis PS-2 2-bay covered hoppers produced at about the same time.

Andrew

Interesting I don't see any engines with the swing bell?

Lots of colorful new stuff and starter sets that may or may not be produced. But nothing in it for me, thanks. I'm content with what I already have.

Would have been interested in NKP 755....but after the way they butchered the last run of NKP Berks with that hideous grey paint on the smokebox and firebox, no thanks.

Prices are too high for a perceived lack of internal build quality and the inevitable future parts shortage.

@MartyE posted:

Not exactly in the catalog but I kind of like this one.  The Lionel Store Exclusive Locomotive of the Year 2024.

2024 Engine of the Year!

Isn't that it on page 24, Marty  ?

Lionel seems to be on top of their game with this catalogue - lots of choices out there.

Interesting that no one has mentioned the “OPTIONAL FIXED FRONT PILOT” feature on the E6 ‘A’ engines.  Has this been offered previously and I just didn’t know about it?  

@scott.smith posted:

I am a little concerned that there are 39 pages of still available in O-Gauge alone. I hope for Lionel's sake that there are limited amounts of these still availables.

Scott Smith

My guess is this is just an alternative presentation instead of embedding products offered in previous catalogs with the new merchandise as was done in the past.

What, me worry?

Shout out to Ryan and company on the Reading SD45's with the extended cab to accommodate the dual control stand..............also appreciate the unique Reading "drip-rail" on the cab roof........these are on my "list"........

@Berkshire President posted:

Would have been interested in NKP 755....but after the way they butchered the last run of NKP Berks with that hideous grey paint on the smokebox and firebox, no thanks.

Prices are too high for a perceived lack of internal build quality and the inevitable future parts shortage.

I agree with you. I have the same feelings for the PRR GP9. I finally sold off the 2016 legacy ones. For the money, those were a trocious even at the pre order price! I have no confidence that this latest one will not have a similar outcome. And I dont make that much money to take a gamble.

Holy. Moly. Overwhelming. I actually see a couple of things I want for a change. Wow. The Western Pacific Ten-Wheeler is top of my list.
An awful lot to digest here. Fun, though. Quite a birthday present for me today; I’m sure they planned it that way!  

@Richie C. posted:

Isn't that it on page 24, Marty  ?

Lionel seems to be on top of their game with this catalogue - lots of choices out there.

Yep.. Breezed right over it!

The PRR GP9 engines are on my radar.  I am cautiously optimistic that the paint color will be acceptable after seeing how much better the recent PRR I1’s DGLE is after the efforts of @PRRMiddleDivision and his son to get Lionel to make the color more accurate.

******Edited to add******

It would have been nice if Superbass GP9 engines with cabs had been offered.  The cab-less engines fall into the ‘um, no’ category for me.

also considering one of the US ARMY engines either the prairie or tier 4 (if the gear issue is fixed) i also want the Batman tier 4 but can't buy unless i use my own money for batman

I’d be interested in the PRR GP9 if the preorder price is reasonable. I’d consider the B unit but I already have the GP7 to double head with the GP9. Hopefully Lionel will get the color correct on these engines.

Probably will get the North Pole Cocoa Milk train and add on milk car, O'Leary milk car and Friendship frieghtsounds boxcar.  The color choice for the CNW Atlantic will stop me from getting that passenger set. 

@ncdave posted:

I’d be interested in the PRR GP9 if the preorder price is reasonable. I’d consider the B unit but I already have the GP7 to double head with the GP9. Hopefully Lionel will get the color correct on these engines.

Charles Ro has them listed on their website.  Just have to add to cart to see the prices.

I have to add, the price (especially the preorder price) on the Hiawatha locomotives are fairly reasonable, given recent Legacy steam prices.

I am glad to see the Uboat be offered again, that Southern Pacific U28C is probably the only item I am getting. I also found it interesting to see Bob Ross themed items offered, didn't expect that. Might buy one of those box cars later on

One thing I did notice is that there is no offering for Erie cabooses in the catalog to go with the Triplex's. There's one in the super set, but otherwise no other offering...

The legacy NYC 2-6-0 will probably find its way to my layout. I think it's a nice little engine.  The reissued 675 definitely caught my eye.  I have a few of the originals, but would be interested in the new one.  The engine/tender gap will be interesting to see.

Two other things caught my eye -

1- The MN P42s but no passenger cars for them ( if they plan on making them in a future catalog, they should mention it - people will be more inclined to buy the engine)

2- The cost of the traditional postwar tooled rolling stock in the catalog has risen to almost the price of the scale rolling stock, which I think is just nuts, considering the amount of used  traditional sized stock out there which is available for a fraction of these prices. Just my opinion.   

@KOOLjock1 posted:

THEY'VE RETOOLED THE #675!!!!!  NO FREAKIN' WAY!

Jon

In diecast?

I'm definitely in for the Canadian Pacific ES44's, and the Friendship train car. I'm not sure about the CP superbass unit though.

For anybody who owns Superbass units, are they worth the cost or should I just add a powered KCS unit to my CP train?

Great! The Hiawatha engine is back!  Though Considering the odd orange Lionel made them in last time (compared to the nice yellowish orange Weaver made theirs in), I am a little nervous about what the finished product will look like.  Also the red used in the catalogue seems almost pink....

@Christopher2035 posted:

Two other things caught my eye -

1- The MN P42s but no passenger cars for them ( if they plan on making them in a future catalog, they should mention it - people will be more inclined to buy the engine)

Those caught my eye too, but I think I'm sticking with my scale version from 3rd Rail that's only a little more expensive.

I don't think Lionel has tooling for proper MN commuter cars, scale or not.

@PSM posted:

Those caught my eye too, but I think I'm sticking with my scale version from 3rd Rail that's only a little more expensive.

I don't think Lionel has tooling for proper MN commuter cars, scale or not.

They don't have the tooling, but even if they threw some 2400 style coaches together like they did with the NJT sets from years ago would be better than nothing.  Also, for $549, if you have the room on the curves, I would definitely get the full size P42 for not that much more.  The ex MTH RK P42 always looked a bit odd to me.

This is one of the most exciting catalogs for me from Lionel in years.  There are items in all sections of the catalog that interest me.

It's been a long time since I could say that....

Nothing of interest to me this time around. I got a good laugh at the pages and pages of ridiculous gee-gaws. Some of the prices are now approaching that of 1/8" scale 7-1/2" gauge trains.