@GregK posted:Not sure if anyone caught this, but they snuck a new 3" FasTrack straight into the catalog... I guess for when a 1 3/8 + 1 3/4 just won't do. But I'm not complaining...the more track/fitter options, the better.
Yes, I noticed that. About a month ago, I needed a 6” section of track. As you alluded to, I had to go with 6.25”
Steve
@Farmall-Joe posted:CJ here is a quote from their 2022 price list: "...There is no reason not to preorder - you get early buy pricing and we don’t charge your credit card until the items come into stock..."
Convenient link: https://charlesro-com.3dcartst...llpriceguide2022.pdf
Thanks so much, wasn't sure where else to look when I couldn't find it on their policies or "Early Buy" pages. Big opportunity to save a good chunk of money!
I’m a little disappointed with the Flyer offering. The 2022 cat. had a nice selection but this year is a little thin. At first glance I liked the boxcars, saw the price and thought, what happened!? Then saw the sound feature - sort of justifies the cost but not something I want.
Steve
Oh boy am I in trouble. I was hoping for a Dreyfus and ACWR stuff and Lionel over delivered.
I know I'm getting the ACWR cars. I want an as-built Dreyfus, but the ACWR E-units also look good, and I'm really drawn to the fantasy dark grey Dreyfus. I can really only afford 1 of the 3. But if I have a really good year... and sell my kidney... and eat ramen for a month.....
Decisions, decisions...
Is it just me, or are there NO "traditional sized" freight cars in this catalog with normal railroad road names? Everything I see is either some type of merchandising (Disney, Harry Potter, Halloween, Christmas, etc.), or part of a set. If someone were to buy a better-quality separate-sale locomotive like the LionChief Plus 2.0 Mikado, what would they pull behind it? A minor criticism, but it used to be that they would at least offer a matching caboose. I think my wallet is safe. Thank goodness for the secondary market!
@Ted S posted:Is it just me, or are there NO "traditional sized" freight cars in this catalog with normal railroad road names? Everything I see is either some type of merchandising (Disney, Harry Potter, Halloween, Christmas, etc.), or part of a set. If someone were to buy a better-quality separate-sale locomotive like the LionChief Plus 2.0 Mikado, what would they pull behind it? A minor criticism, but it used to be that they would at least offer a matching caboose. I think my wallet is safe. Thank goodness for the secondary market!
There are the Auto Carriers and the single unit MAXI-STACK cars with regular railroad road names.
Andrew
@Ted S posted:Is it just me, or are there NO "traditional sized" freight cars in this catalog with normal railroad road names? Everything I see is either some type of merchandising (Disney, Harry Potter, Halloween, Christmas, etc.), or part of a set. If someone were to buy a better-quality separate-sale locomotive like the LionChief Plus 2.0 Mikado, what would they pull behind it? A minor criticism, but it used to be that they would at least offer a matching caboose. I think my wallet is safe. Thank goodness for the secondary market!
The Center Beam flat cars are traditional sized freight cars.
An actual O scale 60' to 62' center beam flat car would be 15" to 15 1/2" long.
Andrew
It looks like Lionel took a step backwards with a certain Legacy steamer, namely the decapod. According to the catalog listing it comes with a WIRED tether. Interesting, after all these years of wireless drawbars on Legacy and TMCC equipped locomotives, Lionel goes reintroduced the unsightly wire. I wonder what the reason is.
Nice catalog. Very excited about most of the steam, and most excited for a Legacy GP20.
-Brian
@third rail posted:It looks like Lionel took a step backwards with a certain Legacy steamer, namely the decapod. According to the catalog listing it comes with a WIRED tether. Interesting, after all these years of wireless drawbars on Legacy and TMCC equipped locomotives, Lionel goes reintroduced the unsightly wire. I wonder what the reason is.
This is common on the smaller steamers due to a lack of available spacing for pickup rollers. The 0-6-0s that were just released are another example.
@third rail posted:It looks like Lionel took a step backwards with a certain Legacy steamer, namely the decapod. According to the catalog listing it comes with a WIRED tether. Interesting, after all these years of wireless drawbars on Legacy and TMCC equipped locomotives, Lionel goes reintroduced the unsightly wire. I wonder what the reason is.
Another reason is that the Legacy boards won't fit in the locomotive shell.
Although it's a decapod, the Russian is a very small loco.
The trade off being the decapods get the swinging bell just like the recent 0-6-0.
@RickO posted:Another reason is that the Legacy boards won't fit in the locomotive shell.
Although it's a decapod, the Russian is a very small loco.
The trade off being the decapods get the swinging bell just like the recent 0-6-0.
Also because the Mth Russian decapod tooling doesn’t have pick up rollers on the engine, they’re on the tender only. So the tether is needed for power to the engine. Mth used their wireless drawbar to do this but that has flaws also.
I have been looking at the "SuperBass" engines for some time but have never pulled the trigger because I would need to also buy the powered unit as well. In this catalog, Lionel are offering the ES44AC for the Burlington Northern and BNSF which could easily be paired with the ES44AC BNSF Heritage scheme that was offered last year. So will need to decide which one to get.
I also like the Centerbeam Flatcar for the WCRC (Washington Central Railroad), it is one of the few, if not the only, offering for the Pacific Northwest.
The Disney Theater looks nice.
The two new Bud Reefers
The Area 51 Glow in the dark barrels. I want a bunch of these!
Given its significance to Lionel, the Mickey and Minnie Mouse Handcar. I had reread Ron Hollender book last year after his passing, as was reminded about the story of that windup toy saving Lionel.
@Valpac posted:Nice catalog. Very excited about most of the steam, and most excited for a Legacy GP20.
-Brian
I agree Brian. Very excited about the GP20 as this is my favorite diesel of all time. Already got the Penn Central versions on pre-order. Hoping they will have the Conrail version in the future.
Dave
@third rail posted:It looks like Lionel took a step backwards with a certain Legacy steamer, namely the decapod. According to the catalog listing it comes with a WIRED tether. Interesting, after all these years of wireless drawbars on Legacy and TMCC equipped locomotives, Lionel goes reintroduced the unsightly wire. I wonder what the reason is.
I'll see Ryan at the Amherst Train Show and ask him about that. Could be a catalog error. Hard to believe Lionel would not include a wireless drawbar. Agree it would be a significant step backwards.
Pat
@luvindemtrains posted:I agree Brian. Very excited about the GP20 as this is my favorite diesel of all time. Already got the Penn Central versions on pre-order. Hoping they will have the Conrail version in the future.
Dave
Dave,
I emailed Mr. Muffin asking him to consider a Conrail and a Milwaukee Road GP20. We will see…
-Brian
@gunny posted:The average consumer is going to look at the prices in this catalog and choke! The days of trains for Christmas gifts is coming to an end.
I think we should have a poll on what gets built.
Gunny
The prices are high, but….
Sony PS5 video game console is $500 then you have to buy the games $30 to $60 each and controllers $75 to $400. These things sell out like crazy every Christmas so I’d argue it’s not the cost that keeps the trains from landing under the tree.
Right now I’m planning on the
Frisco 1630
BN ES44
RDC is tempting
Buzz and Woody handcar
@Craignor posted:The prices I see in the new Lionel catalog are way too high…it’s absurd.
The new Big Boy is $2900. I paid $1600 for a new JlC Legacy UP Big Boy in 2007, and it came with a free Legacy base and Cab-1.
Just to compare apples to apples, bear in mind that in today's dollars you paid almost $2400 for your Big Boy. And of course, it didn't have all the features of the new one. Also, all the electronic parts that go into these elaborate engines have gone way up in cost just in the past several years due to Covid/supply chain issues, etc. It's appropriate to keep all these things in mind when comparing costs. No doubt a lot of folks would have said that paying $1600 for a Big Boy 16 years ago back in 2007 was "absurb." 
Definitely Pre-Ordering an I-1 Decapod with the short tender. I may order a second with the long haul tender but I'll think about that one for a while.
The Trailer Train PS-4 Flat with the Budweiser Trailer definitely caught my eye.
No Vision Line N8 Cabin car, already have a large fleet of PRR cabin cars.
Really like the Union RR set but I already have 2 URR gons & the yellow caboose. The hot metal cars aren't accurate to the ones at the E.T Works in Braddock. Still think this will be a very popular set for the fellow Pittsburghers!
Pre Ordering a NW2 diesel switcher - Detroit Terminal. 
There are O scale trailers on flat cars in the catalog.
They forgot to offer to produce
A SOO LINE trailer on a SOO LINE flat car
A Grand Trunk Western REAZ trailer on a Grand Trunk Western flat car.
Andrew
Dreyfuss
Filling holes in car types and Texas special.
Will the wonder Woman Airplane be a seperate SKU?
Texas special, the page most likely. Done
Texas Pacific Grain Door boxcar. Done
Gold Medal milk car. Done
These others I will see once delivered. I am still waiting for two items from last years catalog.
Patriot gateman
Coaling station
Chevy/Ford trailer cars
Hot metal Car, maybe.
@breezinup posted:Just to compare apples to apples,
Unfortunately, my income has not kept up with the rate of inflation. Who are you kidding?
i keep looking at that halloween mikado like i need it
1 i want a steam engine and 2 i want my layout to be haunted like the groovy spooky scooby doo sort of way
the problem its 700 bucks and my godparents who know little to nothing about this hobby differences in engines, power systems etc are gonna see that price and imediatly hassle me about why i want it and give this big long speech about it being too much money
so i don't even know why i bother anymore
I went ahead and ordered the Mickey Mouse handcar from Charles Ro. It was the only thing I really wanted bad enough and I didn't want miss out on it. Though Lionel claiming limited production is probably just to induce some Fear Of Missing Out.
@paigetrain posted:the problem its 700 bucks and my godparents who know little to nothing about this hobby differences in engines, power systems etc are gonna see that price and imediatly hassle me about why i want it and give this big long speech about it being too much money
What do your godparents have to do with your trains?
@christopher N&W posted:What do your godparents have to do with your trains?
they control my cash and they don't understand my hobby costs and i have aspergers and other issues so i need help with money
and ive been trying to make my layout haunted for awhile because of an evil doctor character i created
and i was also looking at the fast fright lionchief set as well
@paigetrain posted:they control my cash and they don't understand my hobby costs and i have aspergers and other issues so i need help with money
Okay, great. I was going to suggest getting a job to offset your expenses so that others don't have control of you. Clearly you have to do some workarounds. Good luck.
@breezinup posted:Just to compare apples to apples, bear in mind that in today's dollars you paid almost $2400 for your Big Boy. And of course, it didn't have all the features of the new one. Also, all the electronic parts that go into these elaborate engines have gone way up in cost just in the past several years due to Covid/supply chain issues, etc. It's appropriate to keep all these things in mind when comparing costs. No doubt a lot of folks would have said that paying $1600 for a Big Boy 16 years ago back in 2007 was "absurb."
Several folks have stated “inflation” in response to that reply, but he correctly pointed out the conversion of 2007 to 2023 dollars AND noted that in included a Legacy Base and Remote!
So back then you paid $1600 for $2000 worth of product. Seeing as Legacy sets are selling for that on their own now, then it’s obvious that either the JLC Big Boy was an incredible deal, or these prices are too high.
After looking through catalogs and custom offerings the last several years I'm finding that there are a lot of trains I already have. Looks like my mass buying of trains has trickled to a halt. I'm just looking to fill some holes in my collection but won't be disappointed if I don't. I'm thrilled with what I have!
These are the items that peaked my interest. I may get all of them, some of them or none of them.
2331401 New York Central Dreyfuss Hudson #5449 ( I already have a MTH ProtoSound 2 model, and I don't buy duplicates just for the latest electronics. But this new Dreyfuss Hudson looks really cool. I'm hopping on and off the fence for now.)
2331480 Santa Fe Northern 4-8-4 #2926 (Restoration) (I've been wanting a Santa Fe Northern since we moved to Southern California. This is probably the most definite purchase for me. The Lionel 4-8-4's have been very good locomotives the last few years.)
2333340 New York Central AA E8 #4053, 4083 (The E8 is my favorite passenger locomotive. I've always passed on NYC E8's since I have 3Rd Rail ABA E7's. But I've always liked the Jade Green version of these E8's. I was hoping to see some Burlington E8's to pull my K-Line California Zephyr. Maybe someone will do a custom run of Burlingtons unless they are scheduled for a later catalog.)
2326770 PRR Vision Line Cabin Car #478166 (Heaven knows I don't need any more PRR Cabin Cars. But this Legacy Vision Line version sounds really cool and be different from any caboose I have. I would get both but I could spend that cost on a locomotive! I'll be happy with one.)
2228510 Western & Atlantic Freight Expansion Pack (This set would be cool to add to my Post War General Set!)
2329170 Hot Coco NE Caboose w/Deck (Not completely sold on this but it looks similar to something I saw on a roadside before and had wanted to model. This looks like the one I saw. It's a maybe though.)
I also liked the Penn Central GP20's, but I bought two custom Lionel Penn Central GP30's just a few months ago for nearly $150 less..
Oh, and I entered the drawing for the new Big Boy. Which includes an IRS 1099 form that comes with it! 
@bigtruckpete posted:The prices are high, but….
Sony PS5 video game console is $500 then you have to buy the games $30 to $60 each and controllers $75 to $400. These things sell out like crazy every Christmas so I’d argue it’s not the cost that keeps the trains from landing under the tree.
And Sony, for example, actually loses money on the console itself. They eat cost to make them more affordable and make money on the games etc by getting them into the hands of more buyers.
I see a few things I'd like to get. Nothing in the big engine category as I already have a Big Boy and the Dreyfus isn't interesting to me. Personally I think it's a pretty good catalog with lots for everyone. I wish they would have done a different VL engine but the Big Boy is popular.
Pricing is what it is. I'm not going to comment on that. Lionel knows what they need to price things at to meet their needs. They will judge if they have to make adjustments. In reality, I never pay retail so the pricing doesn't get me all bunched up.
Kudos to the Lionel team.
@MartyE posted:I see a few things I'd like to get. Nothing in the big engine category as I already have a Big Boy and the Dreyfus isn't interesting to me. Personally I think it's a pretty good catalog with lots for everyone. I wish they would have done a different VL engine but the Big Boy is popular.
Pricing is what it is. I'm not going to comment on that. Lionel knows what they need to price things at to meet their needs. They will judge if they have to make adjustments. In reality, I never pay retail so the pricing doesn't get me all bunched up.
Kudos to the Lionel team.
I agree MartyE. This is a very large catalog which offers a lot and at various price points. Pennsy steam always interests me but I have 2 PRR engines on order from the last catalog so I passed on the new offerings. The crew talk caboose are a nice addition back into the line and I plan to order one. That should add some nice variety to the sounds. Still looking for new accessories. Coal tipple/TMCC crane/Backshop.... these were nice additions to their accessory line. Lionel has not really had any break throughs in accessories for awhile. A lot of repeats with new colors. Overall I think Lionel did a great job.
I expected prices to go up. Everything is more expensive now. A dozen eggs is over 6 dollars now. I buy what I can and enjoy what I have. I don't get upset. It is what it is.
Probably going to order the PRR 4258 I1 Decapod - I like the large tender / also the 2 pack of PRR GLA hoppers with ore load
Question about the former MTH tooling - does the I1decapod and the L1mikado from the 2022 vol.2 catalog share the same boiler ??? - I have an L1 on order also
Thanks in advance
Joe S
I have to say it's a nice catalog with a lot of variety across scale and tradition items. The prices are what they are and we need to remember these are discretionary items and not necessities. For layout I'll be ordering one of the Rock Island PS-5 gondolas. For the boys, they'll each get their Hogwart's House passenger car (Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff) along with Christmas boxcar. We all love Willy Wonka, so the Golden Ticket boxcar is a must have. Finally I love the "Sleigh Bell Express" E8's and passenger cars but don't need to spend that kind of money on them, so opting to get the North Pole Central FT, this will look good pulling the NPC passenger cars we already have.
This will be the first catalog in quite a while that I'm planning to purchase more than one thing. Now if I can get the house remodel done so the boys and I can start on the new layout and enjoy our trains.
James
@dorfj2 posted:Question about the former MTH tooling - does the I1decapod and the L1mikado from the 2022 vol.2 catalog share the same boiler ??? - I have an L1 on order also
I doubt it. In real life the L1s shared a boiler with the K4s and the I1sa’s boiler was much larger. The I1 had a boiler pressure of 250 psi, compared to the L1s’ 205 psi. The I1s also had between 10 and 20 percent more evaporative heating surface and between 30 and 50 percent more superheating surface area.
If they shared the tooling across the L1s and the K4s for the respective models, that would have interesting implications for MTH’s ability to make a run of K4s models now.
I have an MTH K4s and I1sa so when I the L1s is delivered I can do some comparisons.
@0-Gauge CJ posted:Thanks so much, wasn't sure where else to look when I couldn't find it on their policies or "Early Buy" pages. Big opportunity to save a good chunk of money!
Ro is great. You can preorder no money down and no cc for that matter if you choose.
They will email you a preorder invoice. Then contact you when the bigboy arrives at which time you can pay how you want, even by check.
You'll the get subsequent emails with the paid invoice and shipment information.
You'll likely start receiving free catalogs in the future as well.
Of course. There are many great dealers/forum sponsors on this forum. So choose whomever you wish.
Besides. It's always good to have a few "go to" train stores. One may have something later on still in stock that others don't.
for me, not interested in the BB at all. Too big, too expensive, but it is beautiful. I pre ordered two different Dreyfuss engines. A lot of variations in odd/obsure road names, so I really didn't find anything else too suit my fancy to jump in. I hope there was something of interest for all of you. I remains to seen (4th Q 2023?) what color they paint the Drefuss engines to see if my K-line cars will match. I agree the 21 inches are too long and way too expensive! Happy finger shopping.
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