Conventional Classics Fans, Weigh In

I have pretty much all of them except the Navy set ( still on my list) & the UP passenger set , as I didn't like the ribs on the Alco shell.  

 

I really like them.  My fave would be the NYC F3 set.  The 726 freight set is really nice as well. So is the Sears C&O GP7 set & the 646 Hudson set - they're all nice!    As a whole, they run well. I have had  more problems w/ the dual motored engines though.  I've had the Lackawanna FM, Virginian FM, GG1, NH F3 & now the NYC F3 sent back to Lionel or my LHS.   The IC F3 set is really nice too. No issues with that one so far.

 

The UP work train can be found at decent prices & is really nice too.

Wish they would make a few more sets - I had a bunch in mind that I was wishing for!

 

I have the GG-1 set, the girls set, the New Haven set and my FAVORITE the uncataloged Sears set..That set is great and I think may have become hard to find..

trying to think of another hobby that is currently reissuing things they made 40-50 years ago.  are there retro-Barbies?  GI-Joes?  i do have a '61 reissue Gibson SG, but not sure i'd put that in the toy category.

 

have to admit if someone came out with a fiberglass body reissue of a mid-50's Bel Air convertible, i might get in line for one of those.

 

glad i've mostly stuck with prewar cast iron and lithograph tinplate.

i'd be very surprised to see any CI locomotives reissued.

pretty sure the Japanning process would never pass OSHA standards.

I believe we will see more Conventional Classics sets, but they will be issued under the "Postwar Inspired" label as was the UP Anniversary Set.

 

On a positive note, the later sets seem to run better and are more reliable than first ones Lionel released.

 

This newer label will allow Lionel product development people more "wiggle room" when it comes to selecting the mechanical components that go inside the engines and rolling stock, while still preserving the appearances of the original trains as much as possible.

 

Ed Boyle

Christopher,

 

Agreed. Make more! 

 

I've noticed the UP Work Train has really dropped. Less than $200 many places.

 

I think the IC Freight is near the top of my list. Nice looking set.

Yep, that Sears set is a winner.  Thanks for jogging my memory. 

Hope so Ed, as that is pretty much the only new Lionel offerings I plan to buy each year.

I have them all, along with all of the Postwar Celebration Series Sets and separate sale items. The only issue I ever had was with the motor in the Orbitor Set, but that was soon fixed.

I really hope they continue the series. I am not too much into the new scale stuff, although I have several sets and engines etc. I do like the semi scale items from the mid 90's to early 2000's

I am still waiting on the Milwaukee Road F3's (I have the MPC version) and a few other items I would like to see. I would be in heaven if they re-issued the PYRO Military Train Sets from the 50's!!!! 

 

Lionel, Please continue....................

Mark, Did you get the Navy Set from last year’s catalog? Just wondering because this one caught my eye and kept waiting for somebody on the forum to post pics and/or give a review of the set. I think I remember some folks saying they had preordered but never saw any follow-up.

 

I really like the Orbitor Set and figure the Navy would be a nice complement to it. My brother and I had some Lionels from the space and military era in the early 60s and the remakes are a great way to relive it.

My sets:
Lackawanna Trainmaster freight
NYC F3 freight
Hudson 646 freight
Hudson 2056 passenger
UP work train
They are all sharp looking sets. The only problem I have operationally is that the Trainmaster wants to run short hood forward. That is not the DL&W way.

I should of said the only sets I dont have are the ones from last year, the Navy and IC set. I will wait for the prices to come down, since I have all the cars in the Navy set from previous released items by Lionel under the PWC series

I hear you on the prices. Not an expert but it seems to that the CCs line shows more of a price drop than some other Lionel products if you wait it out. And shop around among all the usual suspects (dealers and online sources).

As for the Milwaukee Road FR-3 AB set, I ordered the SCALE version of these from Grzyboski Trains. Joe G. has them for $489 on sale. They come with all the deluxe features you can think of  but look like the original postwar version, even with the same number. And boy are they nice! The way I see it, you are getting a gorgeous F-3 set for LESS than you would have to pay if they made a conventional classics version.  Just a thought.

Does anyone have any comments about the UP switcher? How well does it run? I thought about buying the set, but something about the powered truck and motor scared me off.

I've also thought about by the UP Work Train set, but have held back for the same reason--I think I remember reading somewhere that the engine was not a good runner, but I don't know if there were just a few lemons or if there was a problem with the whole run of those locomotives.

I have the UP work train and it runs fine. The horn and bell are a different story I got a new board from Lionel and it didn't work any better so I put an F3 sound board in and all is well.

I am looking for any pics of the IC F3 set, 726 freight set, and the Navy set. Or if anyone has their sets on a display wall a picture of that?

I love all the steamer sets that Lionel's made already for the series.

 

I'm looking forward to a possible Pennsy Turbine, 2025 K-5, or even a 746 N&W J, provided they come in sets, since the cars often are more difficult to obtain together than the engines themselves.

The new PW direction is the Neil Young sets.  CC is over, and Lionel NEVER had any intention of making B-units for the 2343 or 2344 F3 sets.  These guys are into NASCAR, pure and simple !