.... The four remaining crew cars, the tool car, and the flatcars I think will require new molds for Lionel. ....
I just wouldn't want scale fidelity of these add-on cars to result in another "Atlas-O California Zephyr" timeline.
David,
I agree with you on that. While I may be a bit more patient I don't want my heirs accepting my pre-ordered crew cars.
I'm not a rivet counter but I do want things to look right. Using an 18" passenger car for the crew cars to me would be better than using the new 21" cars. Lionel's 18" heavyweight cars would work but I personally don't want the clerestory roofs on these cars. I think it would be great if Lionel made a round roof for their 18" HW cars similar to what GGD did for its HW cars. For GGD, this relatively simple change "modernized" its HW cars and added a whole new product line for its customers. Lionel hasn't changed its HW design in decades; this modification would be good and I think folks would buy it. Plus this would be a good basis for our AFT crew cars.
What Lionel really needs for a lot of their customers are lightweight 18" passenger cars. Since the demise of the aluminum cars, this has been a hole in their product line. This type of car would also work for the AFT, although I don't see this happening anytime soon if ever. (NOTE: a HW car with a round roof would actually be better for an AFT car.)
However, as you pointed out the 21" cars are here now. I'd prefer those over the 18" HW cars with the clerestory roof.
As for flat cars, I think Lionel's longest is the PS-4 which is a little less than scale 60'. This would work for me. Lionel is now making a 86' boxcar so it doesn't seem like much of a stretch for them to make a longer flat car, but this would be even less likely than a new 18" LW passenger car.
At this point I think Lionel already knows what they are going to produce and when. It is now a matter of sitting back, relaxing, and waiting to see what shows up.