Lionel 2022 signature catalog summary of scale stuff

Yes getting Very Pricey !!!!  Your “sweet spot” is a nice target. It does however eliminate most modern diesels.  Oh well 🤔🤔🤔

The Standard O 50' single-door and double-door exterior-braced boxcars were introduced between 1986 and 1992 by LIONEL.

They are based on real 1970's era freight cars.

The Standard O 50' boxcars are supposed to have Roller Bearing trucks, but have the old friction bearing trucks.

The only fine detail to add would be metal grab irons and some metal brake components.

Andrew

I don’t see the sticker shock given what it now costs to ship a container from China compared to 2020.  

https://www.google.com/amp/s/w...rd-high-china-us.amp

Maybe Im wrong...IDK..    I just question how many ppl will buy a bobber caboose for $100. or pay $200. for a wood side passenger car.

One of the issues, with all the manufacturers, is that they think if they sell out, then the item did well.  They dont ask the dealers if the items have sold thru at the retail level without having to dump them, which is the real measure of the success of an item.

In other industries, the retaiers can return unsold product, so the manufacturer finds out in no uncertain terms, how successful something is.

@Beth Marshall-The Public Delivery Track posted:

Maybe Im wrong...IDK..    I just question how many ppl will buy a bobber caboose for $100. or pay $200. for a wood side passenger car.

Beth,

I agree, the MTH price for single woodsided passenger car was right at $90. I'm not paying double the previous price.

While prices are increasing for everything (not trying to be political, just acknowledging it), more than double the old price is absurd.

Unfortunately, I have to agree.   IMHO, the MTH N6b (for example)  was underpriced at 79.95.  Its a 100., maybe 120 $ caboose.  But 150 is just a leap too far.  Same with the woodside passenger cars...I think maybe the are worth 150 retail...225 is just too far a leap.  Also the box cars and coil cars.  89.95 would be a decent retail.  I just think 115-120 for an average freight car is asking too much

OTOH, the Bathtub gondolas are at about 80. each retail, and the GLA hopper cars at 100 ea,  Thats a little high, compared to Atlas USRA hoppers that are actually a little nicer, at 85 retail, but livable.  The smaller steam engines are reasonably priced, and the Heavy Metal about average for what they are, these days.  All the diesels I think should retail for about 50$ less than what they are, just to keep them at the high end of what i believe is  reasonable.

The standard O is inexpensive, which is a good thing.  but unless its been upgraded a bit, i dont think its as detailed as Weaver ultra line cars,   Years ago I offered some of the Standard O box cars at 35 to 40 a piece, and no one was interested.  Also wondering if the truck mounts on the older cars (the RBL's and gonds with coil covers) have been improved.  The early cars the trucks flopped around and the cars were just "cheap"

My opinion only.  Hopefully Lionel wont yell at me.  If everything sell like gangbusters, them im worng.   I guess we;ll see.

beth

Just an FYI, the PRR 2-10-4 locomotive is a fantasy SF repaint.

IMHO, Lionel should have done the Amtrak Heritage set in PhaseII paint. Many of those cars esp the obs didn't make it to phase III paint.

Thanks Beth for your input.

@TrainBub posted:

Yes getting Very Pricey !!!!  Your “sweet spot” is a nice target. It does however eliminate most modern diesels.  Oh well 🤔🤔🤔

Beth stated she will take "pre-orders only " on big ticket items so you can still purchase them from her.

She is only taking extra stock on those items that she thinks will move at a given price.

Sounds like good business sense to me, and she's aware of the market. Especially in these adverse times.

@RickO posted:

Beth stated she will take "pre-orders only " on big ticket items so you can still purchase them from her.

She is only taking extra stock on those items that she thinks will move at a given price.

Sounds like good business sense to me, and she's aware of the market. Especially in these adverse times.

Yah I get it. Q up now on the “big ticket” items or forget it later.  No problemo !!!  
She knows what works for her.

Beth, I agree the products are expensive and it may reach a tipping point for some in the hobby.  I was concerned that prices would be even more expensive given the current state of our economy.  I trust your gut instinct because this is your business.  

I wonder what compelled them to finally do an SLRG unit after the railroad has gone bankrupt. I’m also not sure that SLRG had any SD90MAC’s, probably too big for La Veta pass

SLRG had four of the 90/43's

Beth

I appreciate your opinions and thoughts; it's nice to see a vendor expressing honestly what she/he sees going on...

Mark in Oregon

Beth,

I believe were seeing a 20% increase across the board in pricing.  Some of the increase is to recoup the cost of former MTH tooling and any upgrades Lionel is making to them, some is the result of the current global economic situation.  However, I think the manufactures will understand how successful and/or unsuccessful the new pricing effects sales shortly.

I imagine pre orders will be down sharply on many items as dealers such as yourself, will order only what was pre ordered on the higher end items and less than normal on the items they intend to stock.

I myself like quite a number of items, but when adding up the cost at approximately $10,000 I'll need to cut back some.

But it could have the opposite affect as well, as consumers realize much less will be produced, pre orders may increase.  This is kind of what you see at Costco or BJ's ( If you see something you like, you better buy it because once its sold out....that's it )

The Lionel well car is for both trailers and containers, so it not a Husky-Stack well car.

The official Gunderson name was the 48' All-Purpose double-stack well car.

Greenbrier now builds the longer 53' All-Purpose double-stack well car.

https://www.gbrx.com/railcars/...se-double-stack-car/

Andrew

Beth,

Thanks for sharing that the 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 switchers will NOT have a wireless tether as the big print in the catalog states. The fine print says it will be a wired tether. I missed that. That is a deal killer for me. I love the true Lionel wireless tether, the old MTH anaconda was fine, but the MTH wireless circuit board tender for me was very troublesome. These switchers look like MTH Premier, and the photos in the catalog appear to show the troublesome circuit board tether.

I was very interested, almost ready to order the PRR 0-4-0, now I will hold off and see how they are when they are delivered.

@Craignor posted:

... but the MTH wireless circuit board tender for me was very troublesome. 

These switchers need a wired tender with pickup roller to make it across many switches.  The rollers on just the engine are too close together.  I personally hate the look of that huge anaconda wire and while MTH's wireless drawbar was cumbersome, to me it was much better looking.  Assuming Lionel is using the same technology for this engine, I think it was a good decision by them to go with the drawbar and will make it a much better looking model.

The catalog description stating it had the "wireless drawbar" made me think it was the MTH model.  Since it is just an updated K-Line mold, I'll continue my search for the MTH PS 3.0 version or maybe someone else will produce a new model from the MTH mold (without the anaconda wire).  Because of the wireless drawbar, my concern now is Lionel did get MTH's mold and they are going to bury it in favor of their larger, easier to put stuff in, K-Line mold.