Distinguishing between Lionel product lines??

Unfortunately, it's even more complicated than that.

A lot of MTH 20 series equipment was run with the same tooling later in the 30 series.

TMCC, Legacy, LionChief are control/sound systems and have no direct correlation to the size or matching of rolling stock, although LC & LC+ are the entry level controls for more basic offerings.

I will let other give explanations on some of the differences among Lionel items ranging from O-27 to "O", "Traditional", "Collector", "Standard O", LionScale, LionMaster, etc.

The difference is $$$$$$$

Utowntech posted:

Lots of times on websites the seller does not include the name of the product line that the item falls under.

then find someone else to buy from.

http://charlesro-com.3dcartsto...e_to_charles_ro.html

I wish Lionel  was as easy as MTH......I have a lot of Lionel 'traditional' size stuff I'd not bought had I been able to tell. 

It definitely would be nice if scale, and traditional size were delineated. I have stopped buying Lionel unless hold it and can tell the size of the rolling stock.

In the Lionel catalogue, the full scale items are at the front, in general.  The traditional O gauge items are labelled as such in the catalogue section.  Almost all LionChief and LionChief+ items are usually more traditional O gauge in size, not scale, in general.  Anything that has Legacy is scale, in general.  Easier to tell in the hard copy catalogue, at least for me.

This is a pet peeve of many, including me.  I  don't know what Lionel was or is thinking with regard to this.  

You pretty much have to look the item up on their website and look to see the size - scale or traditional.

-Greg

UTOWNTECH,

      I have been buying Lionel scale engines and rolling stock for the past twenty years and have had no problem telling the difference between 'Standard O Scale" and " Traditional Lionel products. As several have pointed out they are in seperate sections of the catalogs, usually Scale is in front, Traditional comes next. All you have to do is read the catalog.

      What confuses me is the MTH Railking line where you have Bantom size, Rugged Rails, Scale, Imperial, In Between Size etc 😀

JohnB

Guys, he may be referring to those situations where you're in an LHS and may not have access to the web at that moment.  I've bought several pieces of rolling stock only to find out once I get home that they are o27 (little o intentional).  This may not be accurate 100% of the time, but in my own experience, if the piece of rolling stock has a blue ribbon around it (makes it easier, safer to pull out of the styrofoam housing) than it's probably scale.

JohnB posted:

UTOWNTECH,

      I have been buying Lionel scale engines and rolling stock for the past twenty years and have had no problem telling the difference between 'Standard O Scale" and " Traditional Lionel products. As several have pointed out they are in seperate sections of the catalogs, usually Scale is in front, Traditional comes next. All you have to do is read the catalog.

      What confuses me is the MTH Railking line where you have Bantom size, Rugged Rails, Scale, Imperial, In Between Size etc 😀

JohnB

       

john b

SPOT ON YOU HAVE THE TRACE THE ITEM BACK TO THE CATALOG FOR LIONEL. THIS IS GEARED TO HOW LIONEL SELLS ITS PRODUCT ON THE PRIMARY (FIRST SALE)  EFFORT WHICH IS WHAT THEY AS A MANUFACTURER CARE ABOUT. FOR THOSE BUYING LIONEL ON THE SECONDARY, USED MARKET YOU NEED TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH SO CAVEAT EMPTOR

I myself can never tell what product lines are where in the lionel magazine anymore. 

The bad thing about not a clear and easy way to tell scale or not is some nice scale cars are made and are cheap on the secondary market but if you don't know it you can't tell.

Gentlemen,

   With Tin Plate it's all a numbered series identification, the original Lionel/MTH/AF are still identifiable.  Scale is really not a concern in Tin Plate Trains.

The Scale TMCC JLC GG1 does pull Tin Plate Very well however!

PCRR/Dave

AMCDave posted:

The bad thing about not a clear and easy way to tell scale or not is some nice scale cars are made and are cheap on the secondary market but if you don't know it you can't tell.

Yes - it's the secondary market where this happens - and Lionel is the hardest...

You basically have to do your research - there's really nothing about the LIONEL packaging or product numbers to delineate product lines...at least not years after sale on the aftermarket.

Nothing like the more obvious MTH packages.

Always helpful if the seller includes a picture of the end-of-box label.

For lionel - you can get a sense of what kind of product it was based on the feature short list.

artyoung posted:

The difference is $$$$$$$

Yes. That's a clue. "Standard O" (1:48) and "Traditional" (near-scale to toys). The MTH system is better - unless you aren't aware of "RailKing Scale". They have consistently moved these from the "20-" to the "30-" preffix group, I think.

Now, I don't mean to be flip, but most of these things can be determined by just looking at the item. At least, this has always worked for me. A sub-scale boxcar looks like...a sub-scale boxcar. The trucks are too big. The detailing is simpler. This evidence can depend on the quality of the photos with a second-hand item. Also, it's in the non-scale part of the catalogue, if you can get to one, and they're online, now.

But, in general, a scale item looks like one, and a non-scale one looks like one of those. (Note: I'm old, I'm a rail fan, and model railroader. I have looked at lots of real RR equipment and equipment photos and lots of models, because both things are fun. One gets a sense of these things, and mistakes are rare. I know it when I see it. There is no substitute for having been there. More than once.)

But would it kill Lionel to tell us what it is? Huh? Huh?

Price is not a great way across the line. I have discovered a number of scale cars that go cheap at shows and ebay....often cheaper than traditional stuff. In person I can tell right off if the item is scale whenout of a box.....but small photos online....difficult at best.