Lionel USA made boxcars have arrived

Those are really sharp.  Thanks for posting the pics.

The people at Lionel have to make theThrall Car and Pullman Standard Auto Parts 86' Double-door Boxcars the next boxcar types made in the USA.

Andrew

Thanks for posting.  Shame they didn't keep with the original box decorative design they were planning, but I'm still of course looking forward to these.

-Dave

I am eagerly awaiting mine. I think these will look great behind my 1776 Bicentennial engine.

J White

Wow!  That is a nice box design.  Wonder why they didn't go with it?

Nice.  I wonder where they were built and what vendors?  Lionel provided that info on the previous attempt.  IMO it would be nice to have the story to go along with.  Perhaps Lionel should have a promo video or pics showing these being built.

I can't tell how "modern" those cars are supposed to be...obviously, what they represent is not modern...are those friction bearing trucks appropriate for those cars??

Lionel really seems to like that style of truck.

Being the cars are essentially the 6464 boxcar design from the 1950's, Bettendorf trucks are appropriate.

Rusty

These are nice. What are the part numbers? How many in the series?

So far just the 4 presidents on Mt Rushmore:

6-39337 George Washington Boxcar

6-39338 Abraham Lincoln Boxcar

6-39339 Theodore Roosevelt Boxcar

6-39340 Thomas Jefferson Boxcar 

Andrew, I am curious as to why recently you always say the various train companies MUST or HAVE TO make such and such an item.

Seriously, the train companies do not have to do anything but please the broadest range of customers in order to remain profitable, and therefore remain in business in these trying economic times. Lionel does NOT have to make anything in the USA if they choose not to. The fact they are is to be applauded.

I'm sure the folks at Lionel are well aware of production cost factors, and therefore whatever gets produced in the USA (or overseas for that matter) needs to be profitable. Notice how quick ALL of the train companies are to cancel any product that does not generate enough pre-order interest (from both customers and more importantly distributor wholesale suppliers).

Business capital is too tight for any of the train companies taking the risk of making products that they know will have to become blowouts... especially high end products or newly tooled products that cost more to manufacture. I know people here argue with this, but all the train company CEO's have publically stated it takes several sell out production runs to simply BREAK EVEN (not make profit but to cover development costs) on newly tooled scale products. Since they are the ones in the know, I'll take their word that this is the truth.

Check the back issues of the OGR magazine. Even the OGR editorial staff stated that even paint masks were expensive, in reference to the OGR Magazine RMT BEEP.

There was a time when the train catalogs were the wish book. You got the catalog, looked it over and thought about what you would like to purchase. Now in the internet era, folks get the catalog and then complain or make demands about what hasn't been made yet. Maybe there is a reason why some products get made and others don't. Maybe the 3-rail market is simply not big enough. Maybe the train companies have also noticed customers are not spending money the way they once did.

There are products not yet made for the HO market, which is by no comparison, vastly larger and generates more sales than does the 3-rail market.

Thanks.

Having seen them in person at Catoctin Trains, they are very nice, and well-done.

I guess I am just left scratching my head at why we had to have Presidents on the boxcars.  I am just not inclined to buy any Presidential stuff.  Dunno why, it's just a total non-starter for me, especially at $50-60 each.  I think I'd sooner buy the Titanic set. 

And it's a shame, I'd have liked to bought them just to support the US company that made them. 

Nicely done, though.

IF I was head of Lionel's Marketing Department, I would of had them produce four food products box cars. My four choices would of been Cheerio's, Oreo Cookies, M. and M's, and Bazooka Bubble Gum. These four cars would of been a lot more colorful and in the business world you should be looking for sales and not a history lesson. If I want another history lesson I will read a book or go back to school. However, since I'm about ready to turn 66 I won't be going back to school. 

Why should these be "Made-in-America" boxcars?  Unless the point is that Americans are fat and eat a lot of junk.

The "Presidents" are hardly plain -- rather fussy and a perhaps a bit garish -- but certainly appropriate subjects.

Don't forget that as of now there are ten Made in the USA catalogued cars. The next three are the Peanuts Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas cars. I've ordered all three.  There are also 3 Christmas cars but none interested me.

The Peanuts cars I could get into, but these other ones seem designed for people who will keep them in the box, and like you say, in 5 years or so they'll be gobs of them taking up space at the train store, marked way down.

Not criticizing, just curious of their choice.  Colorful food brand box cars would have been great.  I still remember the "Campbell's Soup" HO train we had as a kid.  Heinz car, Vlasic pickle car, etc.

Why should these be "Made-in-America" boxcars?  Unless the point is that Americans are fat and eat a lot of junk.

The "Presidents" are hardly plain -- rather fussy and a perhaps a bit garish -- but certainly appropriate subjects.

The thread has taken the turn for "but will they sell?".  And in that vein I've believe that Jim Sutter may know what he's talking about!

I think that it is supposed to be more symbolic, rather than being just something designed from the start to be a commercial success.  The Mount Rushmore presidents fit the bill nicely.  I'm sure that if they had done a set of PRR, NYC, UP, and Santa Fe boxcars as their initial "Made in America" offerings, they would be accused of just trying to make a quick buck by picking out the most popular (and arguably over-done) road names.

I really don't think these are destined to be blow-out specials unless a lot of dealers out there go crazy and overestimate the demand for these, or if Lionel over-estimated the demand and decided not to set the production run based on the pre-order numbers they got when they first announced these, or if we have a bunch of speculators that buy these thinking that they are going to be a hot collectible.  In this economy, I don't see any of those scenarios playing out.

Andy

There were a lot of folks here who were saying they'd buy them soley because they were "Made In America."

So, it's now time to see if they will.

Rusty

Yep, definitely time for those folks to put up or shut up!  We soon shall see!

A view from the Marketing Department:  Make the cheapest junk for next to nothing -- price as high as you can get away with.  And get rid of those dealers, too -- they eat up a lot of potential profit.

As for a "history lesson," obviously Americans only need to know how to make a quick buck -- everything else is a waste of time.

Wonder if this series might sell better than Presidents:  "Wall Street Crook" -- "Corrupt Congressman" -- "Philandering Preacher-Man" ???

I agree with Mr. Sutter here. Being in marketing my whole life you have to go with what will sell. A history lesson is not it.  IMO this may be the only USA made car they do so buy them now while you have the chance. I'll pass and wait for something I really like.

So far, none of the USA boxcars are a must have for me. Maybe the next production cycle will have some USA rolling stock that I would be interested in.

Doubtless Lionel's marketing dept. has access to the company's sales figures and has an idea of what will sell. It also may be that someone thought it would be nice to start the Made In America line of cars with U.S. presidents commemoratives rather than bubblegum and breakfast cereal cars, for example.

Once the initiation is completed, however, I certainly agree that it would be great to see another run of the product cars from the MPC days, including the soft drink, cookie, cereal, candy etc. boxcars and reefers. Those are some great cars, still some of the best graphics and colors ever put on any freight cars, IMHO. I still have a number of them. That MPC Oreos car is really sharp, incidently, and quite scarce, and the soft drink cars are particularly nice as well. There have been two Cheerios cars made already, the MPC one and a more recent one done for General Mills and available through their Betty Crocker catalog a number of years ago (along with a Wheaties car).

These cars aren't easy to do, though, given that it takes a fair amount of effort and money to secure the right to use names and logos. These cars are generally more expensive due to this.  

the president cars are not the only ones being made in the USA.  there are several others.

I would go with Daisy BB guns, Schwinn bikes, Crayola crayons, Flexible Flyer sleds, Duncan Tournament Tops, etc.

Is anything but Crayola made here?   I don't know offhand.  Harley Davidson would be appropriate.  Heinz anything.  Folger's Coffee.  I don't particularly know why the big multi-nationals are better for a made-in-America series than a regular large run with the usual stuff.

They're the first. They won't be the last, of course.

The products I listed were some of the more popular boys' toys during the period when Lionel Trains were also a big favorite, and with the demographic that even today constitutes a significant portion of the overall market for toy trains (and especially higher-end items).  Nostalgia is, or certainly can be, an important consideration.

They could do a Toyota or Hyundai boxcar. They're made here.

I have the first four on order I have to give my dealer a call. They look great and thank's for the photos Ed.

Crayolas are made in Mexico.  Some of our favorite Heinz ketchup is made in Canada.  Harley's are still made here, though (for the moment).

Crayola has a factory in Pennsylvania just over the Delaware River crossing  on Interstate 78. It is the exit right after the bridge toll going West, and the last exit in Pa. if you are going East.  There are signs that direct you to the factory.  Dennis M.

I agree that these cars aren't the most attractive I've ever seen. If Lionel was going for symbolic maybe a National Park/Monument series instead? I just have a hard time justifying spending $60 on a boxcar no matter where it's made unless it's something I consider truly unique or interesting. I kinda like the idea of a foods series Oreos, Cheerios or Otter Pops or maybe iconic toys like Playdoh or Silly Putty or Tinkertoys or Matchbox. If those sell there is a veritable endless mine of ideas that can be tapped for those. I do like the Charlie Brown cars and will be getting those, it's a nostalga thing.

Jerry

Sure.  Honda, Mercedes, BMW, too.  I'm only questioning the "Made-in-America" angle.  What's the point if there's no real connection to the USA?  Maybe American railroads would work.  Walmart items should certainly be made in China.  Superman?  Hooters?  Viagra?  Heinz makes food in India, the UK, etc. but for that market.  Pennsylvania House Furniture moved to China, but Harden is still in upstate New York....