Lionel Catalog 2023 Volume 1 is up! Whadaya Getting?

Got my order in the other day with Charles Ro for a PRR 2-10-0 I1 - number 4258 with the giant tender

I got the Big Boy and a Ravenclaw passenger car because I was recently sorted before watching the Harry Potter movies for the first time

I'm excited to finally own a Big Boy. That's the number question I get from model railroader and non-model railroader people, "Do you have a Big Boy?". That thing sure is famous haha

There were several things that in this catalog that tempted me. But I have decided to pass on them. I can, and have, bought similar items from fellow forum members at a more reasonable price. Maybe something in the Volume 2 2023 catalog will get me to preorder. We’ll see.

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse handcar (in red).  Also, some of the Area 51 Railroad add on cars and new items.  I picked up the Area 51 RR a few years back and keep adding to it.  With new structures, the green lighted FasTrak, Menards flying saucer, and some alien figures and it's turned into quite the cool themed auxiliary layout.

@Paul Kallus posted:

Well, at near zero hour, I bit the bullet and pre-ordered the NPC E8 and cars. Although the E8s are not among my favorite diesels, the NPC color scheme is awesome, as are the cars of course (wish they were 6-wheeled trucks though). I still feel 21" passenger cars are too long, though I have the mainline curves to reduce some of that overhang. In the end, and being a fan of Lionel's scale Christmas trains, I couldn't resist. Paying for these and the I1s is another matter...likely will need to take out yet another credit card with extended low interest rate payment plan.

Wanted to get the e8 with the cars, but I don’t have a full time layout yet (not enough room for o54 under the tree) plus I wasn’t ready to declare bankruptcy. That’s a gorgeous set, that will almost certainly go up in price in the future.

@GregK, I sure did! I am most excited to hear this set in action.

Against my better judgement, given my full shelves, I ordered a Dreyfuss and the NYC green E8.  I'm sure my heirs would rather have the money, but.....

@Chris1985 posted:

@GregK, I sure did! I am most excited to hear this set in action.

I went in on two of the Dreyfuss's, and will try to get another when they arrive. I just have to get lucky as I could only pre-order two. See how things come along when they start arriving. Can't wait to see them either.

I got my order in for the #4019 Big Boy from Ro!

Wow this looks like, from the sampling here, a good catalog for Lionel.

LEHIGH NEW ENGLAND Camelback

After some contemplation, I decided to get the KCT GP-20, the Frisco Decapod, and the Iron Hippo set. I contemplated a Big Boy for a long time, but I chose against it as it would be very constrained on my layout despite having O-81 and O-90 curves. My wallet will be hurting, but not as much as I could have with this catalog.

Got some stuff coming but you’ll have to watch Whistle Stop Wednesday Videos to see so stay tuned…..😮

I'm in for a PRR Hippo, prewar with the short tender. Hopefully these take a while to be delivered so I can build up the funds I don't do that CC thing anymore, boy that feels good.

It would be nice to see build quality comparable to the MTH production, this locomotive could be great.

“The O car offerings are not what I want to buy”

I hemmed and hawed about what I was going to get, but ended up back at basically my original order.

Dreyfuss 5449 (was originally going to get 5452, but decided I liked the spoked better than disk drivers)

ACWR Dome Car

ACWR Diner 2 pack

I almost didn't get the dome car, but ended up going for it.  Hopefully orders are strong for all of the ACWR stuff and Lionel continues to offer more.

If I have a really, really, really good year at work, I may try to snag the reversed colors Dreyfuss 5454 when they deliver, but that is unlikely.

Went a little crazy and ordered probably way too much, but hey, that’s future me’s problem.

I hemmed and hawed between different Big Boys for awhile but ended up preordering the Greyhound #2024 version as well as the 4-pack excursion cars.

Also picked up the 5447 Dreyfuss with the PT Tender and the matching 4-pack of cars and 2-pack diners. I’m pretty excited to put this set together - it’s gonna look great.

I also picked up the ACWR E-8 set and the cars since I missed out on the F-9s. Almost went for the NPC E-8 as well but decided to draw the line somewhere.

Finally, I ordered the NASA James Webb Space Telescope car - what an awesome looking boxcar!

Now it’s time to refinance my house

This thread is giving me FOMO about skipping the Dreyfuss… Anyone still taking preorders? 😂

Yes, I would've loved also to have pre-ordered a Dreyfuss Hudson, but the buck has to stop somewhere

Has it been confirmed that Lionel is using the kinematic drawbar design on its steam engines? I've noted how close gapped the photos depict each and every Legacy steamer-tender shot in the new catalog. If so, this is great news. And, what's the difference between the kinematic drawbar and Force coupler as advertised on the Big Boy? The latter implies coupler on tender, but I couldn't find a description of what this means in the catalog.

The late Joe Grzyboski used to accuse me of being “a New York Central guy”… I’m afraid he was right And this catalog hit me hard!!!

I went for the 5449 Dreyfuss Hudson (I already have Lionel’s earlier 5452, so can’t wait to run them together). And despite my regular protestations about not buying any more 21” passenger cars, I had to get the 4-pack 20th Century Limited set and the 2-pack Station Sounds Diner set.

I’ve always loved the look of the experimental Jade/Century green E8’s, and, of course, Lionel jut had to do them this year too

And since I also love the New Haven, I had to order a NH 0-6-0T LionChief engine. I picked up the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal version a couple of years ago and it was an amazing small engine - I hope this version is just as good.

MUST. STOP. BUYING. TRAINS.

I cracked and snuck in a 5452, the passenger cars, and the diners due to some dealers keeping pre-orders open late. 😁

Now I just need an O72 layout and Legacy…maybe we will see Base 3 by then?

The HO Spring release catalog is up now. Wasn't sure if anyone else had mentioned it.

@IRON HORSE posted:

Anyone want to add an anti-Christ car to their layout?  There's nothing like a good ol' Exorcist car, isn't there, complete with the girl floating back and forth above the train car as it ****s your layout for eternity?  I joked with my wife about adding this and she said she would burn my layout to the ground if I did!

I saw a message from Pat’s Trains indicating that product 2328190 Exorcist Floating Regan Car has been cancelled by Lionel.

Praise to Lionel who hath smote and cast out this unclean idol from the 2023 brethren of products. May this most heinous of rolling stock languish in its iniquity, never to rise and possess a layout with insensate evil. Let us rejoice at having witnessed the forces of darkness take it on the chin in O Gauge!

@Norman R posted:

I saw a message from Pat’s Trains indicating that product 2328190 Exorcist Floating Regan Car has been cancelled by Lionel.

Praise to Lionel who hath smote and cast out this unclean idol from the 2023 brethren of products. May this most heinous of rolling stock languish in its iniquity, never to rise and possess a layout with insensate evil. Let us rejoice at having witnessed the forces of darkness take it on the chin in O Gauge!

Amen, brother.  Our collective layouts have been cleansed  

@Norman R posted:

I saw a message from Pat’s Trains indicating that product 2328190 Exorcist Floating Regan Car has been cancelled by Lionel.

Praise to Lionel who hath smote and cast out this unclean idol from the 2023 brethren of products. May this most heinous of rolling stock languish in its iniquity, never to rise and possess a layout with insensate evil. Let us rejoice at having witnessed the forces of darkness take it on the chin in O Gauge!

Victory over poor taste! (Where can I find the prototype?)

@RamblerDon posted:

The HO Spring release catalog is up now. Wasn't sure if anyone else had mentioned it.

Yes and it looks like slim pickens in Lionel HO.

I have to wonder if this current push into HO is already on the way out. Is this the 5th time they have tried to break into the HO market?

The email from Pats Trains also indicated that both the Area 51 and St. Nick's Nog Shoppe Drive-In's have been cancelled.   I see that they have already disappeared from Pat's, Charles Ro, and Trainworld websites.

I had preordered the St. Nick's drive-in and had been on the fence about the Area 51 drive-in.  I was really interested in what Legacy enhancements Lionel was planning to make.

Maybe in a year or two?

@VinceL posted:

The email from Pats Trains also indicated that both the Area 51 and St. Nick's Nog Shoppe Drive-In's have been cancelled.   I see that they have already disappeared from Pat's, Charles Ro, and Trainworld websites.

I had preordered the St. Nick's drive-in and had been on the fence about the Area 51 drive-in.  I was really interested in what Legacy enhancements Lionel was planning to make.

Maybe in a year or two?

I think they would have been better off starting with a standard diner.  Something not "themed".  I think they would have sold easier.

@RamblerDon posted:

I have to wonder if this current push into HO is already on the way out. Is this the 5th time they have tried to break into the HO market?

I doubt it, they just had a show on FB and YT about their HO offerings.

I think this go around they're just focusing on entry level stuff. The medium and high end HO markets have a lot of competition these days.

Wow, talk about a big let down, I ordered the Area 51 Diner and all the accessories with it, the Area 51 Hot Metal car, the barrel loader, the glow in the dark barrels, Question, Are they cancelled also? I agree with @MartyE , just a regular diner would have been fine, even a Lionel Lines or Lionelville Family Diner, whatever…. I must say the price was a little on the high side….. Thanks for the updates. Happy Railroading Everyone

I own the MTH Al's Drive-In diner.  I was looking forward to the St. Nick's Drive-In as being the centerpiece for my annual Christmas layout.   And, I have a large amount of Area 51 engines, rolling stock, scenery which I plan to use in a future alien-themed layout.  The Area 51 Drive-In would have been great for it.

@VinceL posted:

I own the MTH Al's Drive-In diner.  I was looking forward to the St. Nick's Drive-In as being the centerpiece for my annual Christmas layout.   And, I have a large amount of Area 51 engines, rolling stock, scenery which I plan to use in a future alien-themed layout.  The Area 51 Drive-In would have been great for it.

I think they would be great too.  I just think Lionel's first go at them should have been a bit more mainstream before delving into the specialized versions.

I've never pre-ordered before.  I'm thinking about getting the L2333592 - Cotton Belt Legacy GP20 #815.  Any thoughts about the likelihood of this arriving in working order?  I've seen a lot of stories posted about problems in shipping.  Knocking on wood, I've never experienced any problems.

@texgeekboy I have had one issue out of the seven locomotives that have arrived that I preordered in the last few years. The headlight on my 2-10-10-2 didn't work when I got it. I was able to fix it by removing four screws and pushing the plug into the board.

I'm waiting on my a5 to arrive (that would be the eighth arrival) and I'm confident it's going to work perfectly well. I ordered a Big Boy out of this catalog too.

Hope this helps.

@BillYo414 posted:

@texgeekboy I have had one issue out of the seven locomotives that have arrived that I preordered in the last few years. The headlight on my 2-10-10-2 didn't work when I got it. I was able to fix it by removing four screws and pushing the plug into the board.

I'm waiting on my a5 to arrive (that would be the eighth arrival) and I'm confident it's going to work perfectly well. I ordered a Big Boy out of this catalog too.

Hope this helps.

Didn't you also recently have issues with the side rods binding on your 2-10-10-2?

@leapinlarry posted:

Wow, talk about a big let down, I ordered the Area 51 Diner and all the accessories with it, the Area 51 Hot Metal car, the barrel loader, the glow in the dark barrels,

Larry,

To you and VinceL's points, as much as the Exorcist car creeped me out, I love the Area 51 diner and accessories.  Very fun and creative ideas from Lionel.  I have the MTH Harley-Davidson diner, and it is one my favorite accessories.  The sounds and action are awesome, and it's been a very reliable operator for years.  If I had room on my layout, I would have put an Area51 scene in, too.  It's a great way to add fun UFO stuff without being too out of this world crazy/whimsical because they actually celebrate area 51 in New Mexico. 

Mike

Well here is my order out this catalog two big boys 4014 oil burning and 4024 Greyhound along with the 4 pack passenger the 2 pack passenger and the station sounds diner car, the UP vision caboose in yellow the mickey and Minnie handcar in red the Nascar 75 anniversary boxcar and a late addition trainworld/rbp Katy es44