I just saw them on. They were running their new NYC FT set, Santa's flyer, and the Polar Express on the usual display layout 

Darn.  I missed them. Must have been quick.  I was making a cup of coffee.  Oh well, better videos here anyway.  Merry Christmas.

Ron

tradtional type of layout..thought they would at least go way out on a layout since it on tv and 100 year aniversery of new york centrial station..maybe run the new york centeral hudson dryfiss steamer for new york centrial station 100 years aniversery.

I was watching and I missed it... Time to lay off the egg nog!

They did run the 100th  anniversary NYC ft set.

Thought it was a brief but nice segment.  Geared toward the "wonderment" aspect of childhood..."wow, look dad, three trains on different levels!!"  As a kid, that would've looked magical to me.  I think they did what they neede to do in the time allotted.

- Mike

Hi guys. Where in the show was it? I have been watching and have my dvr running, I cant find it. Before the skater? Where.

Thanks

Ed

Don't feel bad, I was sitting in my chair waiting for the segment drinking a cup of joe when I dozed off for no more then 3 minutes and missed the whole thing. Maybe somebody will post it on you tube or even here. It's **** getting old.

Forgot to DVR it...but was pleasantly surprised when I saw the segment while at the gym this morning.  What a nice little layout.  Love the mountains, snow, and multi-levels.

It was a short moment or two after the ensemble group where the girl sang a new song she just wrote for Christmas.

I will post several photos of that layout that you did not get to see during the NBC segment this morning, a little later this morning, like this one...

Frank M. of Layout Refinements

Just after the top of the hour(9:00 EST live).  Some markets preempt this hour for later/delayed broadcast for presentation of local or syndicated programming("Live w/ Kelly", eg.)

Unfortunately it was aired EST shortly after 9:00 AM when most folks had gone to work. J. Don did his usual good job with the brief amount of time allocated for this segment.

Any exposure like this is a good thing for our hobby.

What is?

Hi Frank,

Falling a sleep when trying to watch something. It seems I get more sleep in my chair then then the bed, lol.

Merry Christmas Frank and to your wonderful bride.

 So I'd would've ran the NYC DREYFUSS HUDSON 4-6-4 STEAM or Commodore Vanderbilt for the wow factor!! ..what kid would'nt be wow d/blown away about seeing that with the streamlined passenger cars to boot......Go big or go home

Here's a link to the brief Today show video.

http://video.today.msnbc.msn.c...ay/50269066#50269066

You have an good point there  

I too agree that you need to put a "WOW! factor" item in the mix.  Although the layout is rather compact in size, one of Lionel's engines with whistle steam effects, blowdown effects, and moving bell would likely cause added buzz and time to the very short segment.  If TODAY only gives you 30 seconds ...make it count.


Sadly (and very typical of TODAY's producers), if the segment discussed "pop culture" i.e. Kardashians, Bieber or a celebrity fashion faux pas TODAY would give an additional 5 to 10 minutes of air time.

thanks for the link.  local news was shown in San Diego.

they could've made a bigger layout to fit into a car trailor!..rolled it out on wheels...it was i think more then 30 seconds they showed..but hey for that time like id said go with the wow factor!!!  =get people attion!! get kids wanting to get one for christmas!..Go big or go home!

Most kids today wouldn't recognize the significance of a Dreyfuss or Commodore Vanderbuilt.

Heck, when I was a kid, you'd be surprised how many steam locomotives looked *exactly* like my 2036.

Rusty

I guess some folks here have failed to recognize that this is the holiday season--a time when all the real-world negativity can and should be put aside for at least a few days.  

I should imagine Lionel and TW Designs will be glad to hear your pleasant comments, as am I, Rixster, as well as Mike Caruso's, in particular. Let me share with everybody, then, a few further photos of the layout perhaps not as easily discernible on the televised segment this morning.
Frank

Think who is going to be reached on the TODAY show! The general public wouldn't know where to go to purchase the higher priced trains that came out several years ago, they show what is available in local stores and general train hobby shops at a low to medium price range. Frankly I'm surprised they spent as much time talking about GCT with the cost of that model but I guess that is what got the eye of the hosts being so near to it.

David 1 you are right my big chair gets more ZZZZZZZ's then the bed. 

Nice! too bad the Subway set was not running. IT would have made a nice touch for New Yorkers for sure!

Moonson where is this layout usually set up. Is it a Lionel traveling layout?

When I was asked to perform my craftwork on it, this past Monday, I traveled to Lionel headquarters on Madison Ave in NYC and found it in their entrance reception area of the offices upstairs and worked on it there.

Frank

I think you're wrong about that. The Today show is rated as the most popular of all the morning news shows, and has a viewship of 5.4 million people. Lots of companies would LOVE to have this kind of exposure (expecially free!). Any kind of national coverage like this is a great deal.  

Whoa Frank! Did you have to build the layout seen here or  just do a touch up? Either way it doesn't sound like they gave you much time.

Pete

My "whining" observation was not directed to any individual or single post.  It was a summary observation of a lot of what I read in this thread.  Comments such as...

"They should have done..."

"I could do better than that"

"Too bad they didn't do..."

"They could have made..."

...are indeed "critical comments," but in the context of the thread they can also be viewed as whining.  It's FREE (aside from the costs incurred by Lionel) holiday exposure for toy trains and, by extension, the hobby, and that's quite enough in and of itself.  It doesn't have to sell trains and it doesn't have to promote participation in the hobby.  It's quite enough that it exposes people to the long-standing tradition of toy trains and Christmas.  That is a pretty darn good thing, whether it's done in a couple of minutes or in a full hour or more.

Kudos to Lionel for getting the exposure, and kudos to NBC for seeing some value in presenting the segment.

Well, I for one enjoyed seeing the segment, and thanks, Keystone, for linking it.  Sounds like some of our posters have green skin, and garlic in their brains!  

Awesome. It's no secret to my friends and acquaintances, business and personal, that I am a train and Lionel fan. I must have had ten people ask me today if I caught Liinel on the Today show. This led to holiday layout talk and more. Great little holiday segment. 

PVR's it and it was about half way through 2 hours in.

Great little piece like the layout and the station nice.

They did a good job showing it. The Santa sleigh ride Lionel tower with Santa spinning around at the top was a nice touch.

It did a great job of featuring trains, perhaps some will look for a set on the Boxing day sales!

Pity there are not more O train sets in the various stores.

When in New York last month did not find any sets at any of the toy stores in the downtown core.

The thing that I noticed the most was that the reporters were talking at the start and then when the trains were turned on they had to start yelling to be heard over the roar of the trains on the very very noisy Lionel Fastrak??? Was it screwed directly to plywood??

Had this been Atlas, Super snap track or even Lionel 0-27 mounted correctly on carpet or a sound deadening board this would not have been an issue.

Fastrak is loud even on soft carpet around the Christmas tree.

Apparently the "Today Show" producers enjoy it!  Isn't this the 3rd. or 4th. time this segment of Lionel trains has been shown?  This little segment probably does more to expose the hobby to people than just about anything else and what better time to do it.

Happy Holidays to all.

Ken.

Thank you for asking about my work, Pete. That handsome layout had been crafted previously by TW Designs (of Texas) and had been holding its very fine place in Lionel's reception area, as I mentioned, previous to my arrival on Monday. Last week, I received the call to further detail it, re-configure it to feature prominently the Grand Central Terminal building (also by TW) as a locally quickly identifiable landmark, to more fully "winterize" the overall "acerage," and to bring a new unity to the renewed whole. I listened carefully to the preferences I was asked to consider and spontaneously responded with the results you see. Frankly, being able to build on and blend with TW's work already in place, working with my dear friend and assistant, Paul, helped make the 6 1/2 hrs. all the more productive and enjoyable. An especially positive element in the whole experience and responsibility was the Lionel personnel in attendance. Every one of them was an authentic pleasure with whom to interact. Paul and I left the offices pleased with our efforts and the results. When I received a subsequent phone call that Lionel was very pleased, I actually shouted out loud with happiness. Seeing the work of my hands and imagination, blended with TW's original accomplishment, displayed so nicely during the "Today" segment, gave me much personal joy.

Attached are a few more shots for your attention.

Frank M. of Layout Refinements

When they do this segment, I always imagine the thousands of folks who are probably saying, "Wow, Lionel still makes trains."   

As Jay Leno says......'Even bad Pizza is still Pizza!!'......in other words......even if you think the coverage, segment, layout or whatever was bad......it's still trains on TV!!!!

I for one like the little layout....and think it represents the hobby well all things considered.

I had to work, so I miised the segment.  But I do remember the yearly Lionel layout on Cap't Kangaroo!

Good thing no one from NBC asked Lionel what the price of the Grand Central Station accessory was or I think a lot of parents would have been really turned off on the idea of their kids asking for one for Christmas.