Lionel catalog typos and errors thread (no pricing discussions please - unless an obvious error)

The new USRA Heavy Mikado's also have "quilling horn."

Rusty

I see a mistake on every page...Pricing..

Joe

I caught that one right away Chris, because those are some of the few items I'm interested in. My big question is, are the product numbers correct?

On page 90, it lists 18' passenger cars.  On page 92, it lists 18" passenger cars.  Same price.

Think I'll order some 18 footers for display in the front yard.

JC642 posted:

"I see a mistake on every page...Pricing"

Just for the sake of conversation can you list a few specific items and what you think is a reasonable price?

Thanks

Charlie

Pricing on the legacy crane cars seem out of wack at $499.95. The last ones that were cataloged were $340.00.  The boom cars are priced at $240 with only a $20 increase from the last ones that were cataloged for $220. I hope it's a typo as I wanted one of these.

Nickle Plate Road, Nickle Plate Road, Nickle Plate Road. Over and over. At least the catalog art spelled it right on the tender.

"Often regarded as one of the finest steam locomotive designs

of all time, the Berkshires built by the Lima Locomotive Works

for the various Van Sweringan-owned railroads remain a

symbol of the pinacle of steam locomotive engineering. Two of

these locomotives remain active today and many others have

been preserved. Nickel Plate #765 will be decorated to match

her most recent excursion appearance and will also include

certificate signed by the locomotive crew.

 

For the very first time on a Berkshire, each locomotive offered

by Lionel will feature the Whistle Steam smoke effect.

Additionally, the Nickle Plate #765 engine box includes an

optional Mars Light smoke box for earlier-era modeling!"

And close to close to each other! Spell check would have caught it. Ditto for ‘pinacle’, which should be pinnacle.

But I still liked the catalog, though.

Alex

FA - B units are a How much?  349 for a dummy and 449 for power?

This cannot be right...

750.00 for the A-A is a bit steep.

Please.  No pricing discussions.  Start another thread for that if you'd like.

Just a tongue and cheek statement highlighting how really old content can appear new and worthy of a hefty price increase.

Joe

Here's another one.  A bad Photoshop job of a single Auto Rack masquerading as a 2-pack. Notice the duplicate road number.

I stated the price only because I believe its an error.

I will be happy to proof future editions for them, but I ain't cheap! 

It was pointed out by someone else that the Heavy Mikados were listed at 30" long when 20" would be closer. The prototype engine measured just over 48' or 12" in O scale. I don't think it comes with an 18" tender.

Pete

They also goofed with "Van Sweringan"; the correct spelling is Van Sweringen.

Mack

There's a typo on page 3, 4th paragraph, 2nd sentence:

"Check out these 2 new cars offered in an assortment of other roadnames in the Freight Car section starting on page xx."

I believe page xx should be page 60, even though there are some freight cars sprinkled in throughout the locomotive section.

By posting the online catalogue prior to the printed issue being received from the printers, Lionel are getting free proof-reading from this wonderful forum. 

One of the hardest things to do is proof-read you own work.   I would suggest to Lionel that they swear a couple of forumites to secrecy and let them proof the next set of catalogs.  Some of the errors are subtle (at least to me).  See...Van Sweringan"; the correct spelling is Van Sweringen  But some are pretty glaring........reversed prices on 86' box cars for instance.

Picture of GN Heavy Mikado on page 25 shows road number 3048. Description on page 27 says #3148.  A road number of 3148 would be correct for an as-delivered GN Class O-3 USRA Heavy Mike. (It was later re-numbered to 3203.)  However, the GN "Rocky" logo on the tender is probably wrong for a Mikado delivered in 1919.

All of the PS-4 flat cars have become PS-5 in this catalog.

The Gondolas are PS-5 gondolas, but they are now listed by length.

Somebody must have put this together at the last minute.

Andrew

Page 49, Western Pacific passenger F3 B Units: The Clarendon font "WESTERN PACIFIC" lettering on WP passenger B units is completely wrong. WP's F3 and F7 passenger B units had only a square WP "feather" logo on the lower center of each side. (Some WP freight F7 B-units did have such lettering, and had steam generators for backup service. The F9 B unit at the WP Museum in Portola (not really a WP unit) has such lettering as well, helping to propagate this error.  This actually first appeared 1 or 2 catalogs ago, I just noticed it recently...

Actually, its nearly impossible to properly proof one's own writing, and it's certainly something I would never recommend doing.  I figure I can write reasonably well, but I ALWAYS have my writing proofed by (at minimum) a second or even third set of eyeballs.

One thing I've learned over a lifetime in newspaper, book, and magazine publishing is that a competent proofreader is worth his/her weight in gold, and a really good one is VERY hard to find.  For various reasons, I kind of doubt that Lionel is going to be seeking the service of any toy train enthusiast to handle the task, confidentiality agreement or not. 

Most obvious catalog error:  Offering the Cab Forward in Daylight colors.

Most obvious catalog error:  Offering the Cab Forward in Daylight colors.

John, it's selling!

The buyers need to see the errors of their blasphemous ways and redeem before it's too late. 

Otherwise we will have a catastrophe, like the Pennsy fans getting cursed with steam engines without Belpaire fireboxes and Texas Special engines getting painted in Penn Central black & worm lettering or in Conrail colors, dogs & cats living together, pure chaos!   

Yeah, but what about those prices?!

Perhaps a good proof reader is worth their weight in gold because spelling and grammar are not important to many. They are rare. In fact some folks get ugly if you correct them, even if you are carefully nice when you point out the difference between there and their. Some think if you get it, that's what matters.

Same here!

Alex

My local also has orders for four in Daylight, 1 in black.   I'm one of the four going for the Daylight. Why? Because, I like it.  

Now your banned!

Wait a minute, I don't have the power to ban folks......nevermind.

Speaking of pricing, I wonder how much of a margin the dealers get to work with.  Pretty good, I'm guessing, if the recent VL Big Boy price wars is of any indication. 

If stuff is made in China, are the catalogs printed in China..or if not yet available except on the net, developed in China?  I have seen some interesting instructions

for household items.  As for proofreading, I can spell, but I make typos, and I

usually catch those on here just the instant AFTER I have hit "Submit Reply" and

there is no way to stop it.

I tend to use the 'Edit post' feature quite a bit to correct tie pose. 

At least in 3-Rail O.

Rusty

That's two!