Lionel's new "Hobby Shop" Exclusive sets!

Charlie, Just a a quick question to clarify. Are these Lion Chief or Lion Chief Plus?

Going to assume from the prices that it's the former.

 

Looking forward to seeing them. Thanks.

LionChief Sets

 

Here is the link and pricing! 

 

http://www.nassauhobby.com/XC4...eady-To-run-Catalog/

 

We are taking orders now!

Charlie. Any idea when we will see these.  I'd be interested in the B&M set.  Any larger image? Eyes aren't what they use to be!!

   I'll definitely be purchasing that tank car from Nassau.  These are very nice sets.

 

Oct 1st

 

 

 

 

 

It's hard to see if there are any other B&M markings besides the minute man on the nose of the engine. Looks like a remake of the original 1776 set.    Thanks for the larger image Keith. 

Some interesting trains there and a good idea by Lionel.  I'd be interested to know what the criteria is for a shop to be able to qualify to sell these trains as there are hobby shops straddling the line between traditional small hobby shop and internet retailer at various degrees.

 

But I'm going to wait until the catalog is released to decide on any purchases.  The images are just too small to make any commitments.  Thanks for the early head's up though!

Nice, good sets (sad not LC+) thanks for sharing with us!

 

I agree. I have to see a better picture before I would consider Pulling the trigger. 

really like the bethlehem steel set, but it,s not lc+ or convrentional so i won't be getting it

dave

As always thanks for keeping the forum informed of the latest news!

-Greg

Seeing the Docksider Steel set got me thinking - Lionel could have a blowout hit with the Docksider 0-6-0 saddle tanker if they put LionChief Plus in it. I can't think of any tank engine with electro couplers and "command" control. Perhaps it is in the pipeline but regardless, I'd grab one in a heartbeat. Heck, I'd pay outright for one right now!!!!

Some nice looking sets, but all Lion Chief. I don't think Lionel has put out a Lion Chief Plus set yet. Maybe they're coming?

With the term "Docksider" used, I was studying the photo hard for a saddle tank 0-4-0T, for which I would have been on the lookout for the engine from broken sets.  This is a side tank 0-6-0T that Lionel has offered before, probably in other roadnames.

That Chessie U36B reminds me of the Royal Limited set from 1980.

 

 

I really like the 1776 set. I Tyco HO engine as a kid. Yes it was a piece of junk. This would be a nice replacement for that.

Scott Smith

Yes, I was wondering the same.  Nice to see Lionel favoring the Mom And Pop shops if this is truly the case.  Interestingly, the SNAFU that led me to get the 6-81028 Pere Marquette Freight instead of the 6-81280 Victorian Christmas set got me researching the former only to see that it is supposedly distributed by Lionel "Value Add" dealers.  In this case the retailer was an Internet only outfit that so far has demonstrated very little regard for its customer service and I am still waiting for my return shipping label after 3 weeks.  Hardly "value add."  

 

These sets do remind me of the exclusive Service Station Sets which truly were exclusive to shops that had service as a service.  Imagine that.  Hate to see the industry going to these Internet clearinghouses so the more that Lionel can do to differentiate the true hobby shops the better IMO.   

The 1776 U Boat does not have any Seaboard markings.

 Michigan & Ohio Valley Lines,

 

those pictures of train sets you posted!!
It hit me all at once 1950's Era Lionel catalogs.
thanks for the memory.

Also the B&M diesel is missing the stars in the sashes. But didn't the B&M have a bi-centennial diesel that was a GP-40 or 38? I would think the GP-38 in the original paint scheme would have been a better choice.

Charlie, These sets really help the smaller inside hobby shops compete with the big box dealers? The target for these sets are small. The market is the catalog guru....Gee, L throws some corn feed down on the ground. A last meal for the once fat chickens turned skinny by "L" themselves.  Skinny..just like people in the "amazon". Any healthy competition is being killed by a mass murder policy on the small hobby shops. Legally, the Manufacturer may have little control over street pricing. But, remember what EJ Korvettes 

did the lion? I hope the dealers enjoy the tiny dog bone they've been thrown. I hope it keeps them in business....

 

Is this a small catalog or is it part of the upcoming 2015 Ready-To-Run catalog?

 

 

Andrew

This reminds me of the service station sets that were offered earlier in the modern era. They were only sold through authorized service stations.
I hope the program goes well for all involved.

I was wondering if these sets are only supposed to be sold to value-added dealers who purchase them from wholesalers. What about the wholesalers who also sell to the internet only dealers. How are the sales of these 6 sets going to be monitored so that only value-added dealers get them?

 

I would like someone from Lionel to answer this question.

Does this help?

 

"These sets will only be available for purchase through our Value Added Dealer network and not sold through any other channels of distribution. They will be featured on Lionel.com to advertise them to consumers, but it will be noted they are only available at a “Dealer Near You”. The consumer can then go to the Dealer locator feature on the site to locate their nearest dealer."

 

In other words, According to this they will not be offered directly from Lionel to the likes of Amazon, etc..

 

My only question (opinion) why at these MSRP prices are they not LionChief Plus sets??

To Wurlitzer:

 

Are you saying that all of the Value-Added Dealers can only purchase these sets directly from Lionel and not from their wholesalers? I know that there are wholesalers who also sell to internet only dealers as well as store dealers.

 

That Chessie System gondola with coil covers is a car that would fit with my Chessie System freight cars.

These 6 sets intended are to be sold only by Lionel Value-Added dealers. There is no way to keep wholesalers to from selling these sets to their internet only dealers if they really want to according to my local valued added dealer. This is actually what happened in the past when the those value added sets were offered for sale be some internet only dealers and at train shows also. There is one dealer I know from train shows who gets all the Lionel product he wants from his wholesaler. We will see what happens as these sets come out.

The Pennsylvania set concept must be that the PRR never merged with another railroad before the 1976 CONRAIL merger.

 

Andrew

The Chessie System ready-to-run set 6-82324 in on the Walthers website.

 

Walthers sells to Hobby Shops.

Andrew

Yes a new set with a Steam switcher! Hope the front coupler is a working one.

I have question that has come to mind, pardon my double post, would I be able to get these sets from my local Lionel hobby shop?

You would have to wait until the catalogs are released, find the set you have to order in the catalog, and show them what you are ordering in the catalog.

 

Andrew

I wish it wasn't Lionel Chief at all!  Otherwise, I could go for one or two of these sets.  I just don't like the entire future use of any engine hinging exclusively on the longevity of a cheap, hand-held unit that has a high probability of breaking, being dropped or lost in its (hopefully) decades-long lifespan.

Why have the M7 sets gone to 3 cars as the basic set. It was like this starting with the Batman set that when announced had 4 cars and then magically went to 3. The first Metro-North and later LIRR sets both had 4 cars and an add on pair. Because these cars have A and B ends they look silly with blank ends on the outside because of the odd number of cars.

I would have been much happier if they had made some tooling changes to make the Metro-North/ConnDOT M8 cars with big red blisters on the roof and Pantagraphs. That I would love to buy.

Agrees with gramps. My 3 & 5  yo grandchildren abused a lionchief set alot over the holidays and it survived just fine

I just don't like the entire future use of any engine hinging exclusively on the longevity of a cheap, hand-held unit that has a high probability of breaking, being dropped or lost in its (hopefully) decades-long lifespan.

I remember the same being said of the TMCC/CAB-1.  Mine is still going strong 14 years later...

 

Jon