The "cheaper" one is the price when it was first cataloged 5 years ago.
6-83635 is $349.99 on the Lionel web site.
How much is 6-37821?
Two different SKU?????????????
I just paid 189. Charles ro
Oman posted:6-83635 is $349.99 on the Lionel web site.
How much is 6-37821?
Two different SKU?????????????
There are actually 3 different SKU. See the Nassau Hobby "Lionel Shipping this week" thread.
As others have mentioned, the original was cataloged nearly 5 years ago. The price went up for the more recent versions. I don't recall exactly how the original catalog pic looked, but I'm pretty sure it didn't have any roadname or business specific graphics, so the new ones are probably better decorated.
-Dave
I think that it is a nifty accessory given it's first look. But my question it: How do you stop the engine directly under the spout, every time? Seems to me that I'd have a lot of smoke fluid on the tops of my engines. Is there any kind of signal or stopping device for the engine to be sure that it's lines up? If so, Lionel will have my order for one.
Paul Fischer
The thing that interests me, is a measured dispenser. Is there a simple device out there that can dispense an appropriate amount of fluid without guessing (can't see) how many drops came out of the bottle? That method doesn't work for me. Regardless I want one of these.
It's called an eye dropper
Oman posted:The thing that interests me, is a measured dispenser. Is there a simple device out there that can dispense an appropriate amount of fluid without guessing (can't see) how many drops came out of the bottle? That method doesn't work for me. Regardless I want one of these.
The original TAS unit (to the best of my memory) was a variable flow, but I don' think there was any way to measure out a certain amount, you still did it by eye. (same for aligning with the stack or exhaust grill on the engine - it's best to have this close to the edge where you can see it)
I watched the video and I could see the disbursement of fluid. Maybe it's not metered, but at least I can stand back and see it.
Nassau has three different versions online listed as in stock. But it still doesn't explain why one is $50 less. WHat makes the new ones more expensive?
The newness
Schnucks posted:Nassau has three different versions online listed as in stock. But it still doesn't explain why one is $50 less. WHat makes the new ones more expensive?
Time. A similar engine in a catalog from 5 years ago will also likely have a different (higher) price if offered/released today. Difference being there has not been a 5 year delay in releasing a steam engine so it comes out the same time as one cataloged less than one year ago (like the smoke loaders).
Lionel has claimed that the challenges they have run into with this unit caused them to not make much money on the initial run (might very well be true), but they committed to not changing the price for those who pre-ordered the original. So they seem to have done the next best thing to try to recoup once they got it working, offer 2 more units at a (now more realistic for current manufacturing) higher price point to try to improve the financials a bit. Can't hold that against them.
If you can get an earlier cataloged unit for the cheaper price today, go for it!
This is not a unique scenario. Way back when DCS was first announced and offered for pre-order, the price on the remote/TIU pair was an MSRP of $200. In the mean time, while waiting for the units to actually be produced, the MSRP jumped up to $250 in one catalog, and then $300 (I think in the catalog released right when the hardware came out, as I recall picking up my set at April 2002 York). It is of course now higher than that, but it went up 2 times before you could physically hold one in your hands.
-Dave
This ought to be interesting... Charlie Ro has the earlier-numbered model listed at $189, and the two later-numbered models listed at $263. 
Aside from external graphics, is there ANY internal difference between the unit catalog'd in 2011 and those catalog'd more recently?
David
Rocky Mountaineer posted:This ought to be interesting... Charlie Ro has the earlier-numbered model listed at $189, and the two later-numbered models listed at $263.
David
Considering they are all showing up at the same time, I'd make an educated guess and say no.
Why would there be differences? The first ones were mature enough in the design/test they felt confident to offer the new ones one or two catalogs back. You can be sure they were not about to do that until they were pretty confident they had a solution to the issues they experienced.
It seems highly likely they were all made to the same production drawings (less maybe an external detail or so - I didn't do a side by side compare of the catalog images).
To know for sure, someone will have to buy both and disect them to find out. (unless Lionel already has exploded diagrams for them on the site, I did not just check)
-Dave
Rocky Mountaineer posted:This ought to be interesting... Charlie Ro has the earlier-numbered model listed at $189, and the two later-numbered models listed at $263.
David
Interesting... all three models are now listed on the website for $263. Ya szooze... ya lose!!! 
I received mine a few days ago but I did not open one up until earlier yesterday. I ordered mine back on 9/26/11 for $180. I also ordered the new North American one earlier this year, I was not sure if I was ever see the first one and both came from Charles Ro together in separate orders. I opened the North American first not realizing that the other one was the first one offered.
The directions are fairly simple in a 8 page manual. About the smoke fluid dispense rate, 1 drop per press on the brake button. The directions for setting it up are very simple and straight forward.
After I realized that the other one was the first one that I ordered way back when, I opened it up and it don't look bad since no one knew what it would look like.
Maybe one day in the near future I will get a chance to use one on a layout of mine. This is a ideal accessory to go in a engine service area. My 1st impression on this accessory is a A+ for Lionel.
