Lionel Why No Vision Line Products

Easy, because Lionel realizes we are not this guy!

 

 

Personally, I'm thankful that there are no vision line items this time around.  My train budget needs a huge recovery...

 

Now I'm saving up for York even if I go just to have a good time with friends.

After leafing through a catalog full of $75-$95 rolling stock and knowing its current extreme depreciation in the secondary market,  I more then ever appreciate what I now own.

For a hobby usually contained to couple of 4'x8' tables and with many great alternatives around, the cost to participate in the Lionel saga has become so excessive, for those peeking in for the first time, it has to be laughable.

Joe

 

 

 

I think there should of been a few Vision Line freight cars with sound like what Broadway Limited is doing in HO and N. How about some Vision Line Passenger cars?

I like your thinking Pat, I love me some good passenger trains. Id love to see somebody go all in on the cats meow of passenger cars with sounds and lighting features, maybe a smoke unit for a steam line leak.

Ok..my two cents.  I think it would be nice to have a Vision Line offering once a year.  One year a steamer and one year a diesel.  Now if I had to pick something to be made I would re offer the die cast ES 44 Canadian (National?) and GE Evolutions.  Those were hot items and I bet they would sell out again.  Now here is a question...would you buy a Vision Line Santa Fe F3 AA in die-cast?  I am thinking both might have to be powered so oh man, the cost. But I think it might be a winner. Thoughts?  BigRail

Vision Line Die-cast F-3s and  Vision line Passenger cars in the Vision Line would be a HOME RUN

BigRail, you might want to save your two cents, you may need them to pay fro your Lionel order. Every penny counts

FWIW I share your opinion. I believe we'll see the F3s at some point. It's an obvious candidate for the next VL diesel offering and definitely would not go the way of the Centipede if not priced at near enough $1900 for a pair. VL passenger cars (with individual car sounds? Prototypical interiors with scale passengers?) would probably have a smaller market at the price point where a set of 4 or 5 would be.

Need more freight cars with sound.....

 

Lionel has already done two groups of freight cars with sound and obviously they were both tremendously successful.

 

I thought one of the strategies behind Vision Line was the transference of features to non Vision Line products......If this is the case then I hope we start seeing sound migrating to  rolling stock. Given the investments in the auto-racks, hy-cube, GLa, auto parts, and N5b tooling seems like we have some some really good candidates to start with......   

The market I assume Lionel is tilting at with VL offerings can't be first timers but I agree that overall the prices of rolling stock are a deterrent to any but really keen buyers (who probably aren't concerned about depreciation even from discounted retail prices).

 

Nonetheless it's interesting to see a dealer talking up the idea of more VL products! Apart from the ill-fated Centipedes I have not seen a single one of those at a large discount in the secondary market.

 

VL offers revolutionary effects on high quality locomotives, why do you think that first time buyers would shy away from such a product. I have known people who were first time buyers and wanted the best available to drive around their Christmas tree and entertain their kids. Their view was they were only going to buy one train for Christmas time and maybe past it down as a heirloom. Yea they are wealthy but still first time only time buyers. Additionally what about first timers that see what VL is and VL shatters their perception of what traditional boring trains offer. Then decide that they want a VL.

Vision Line passenger cars would definitely draw interest.  I recall a fellow in the front of the Orange Hall at York who produced SPLENDID interiors for passenger cars.  The diners were so realistic, you could decipher silverware on each candle-lit table.  Simply superb!  And I'd expect nothing less than that level of detail with Lionel Vision Line passenger car interiors.

 

As for die-cast F3's?  That's a complete non-starter for me, but to each his own.  

 

David

The cost would be astronomical.   Just look at the $1K MSRP Lionel wants for the newest non-VL, non-die-cast E8 AA's in the 2015 Vol 2 catalog.  And they only have ONE powered unit!  

 

Quite frankly, I really couldn't justify spending more than I would already be spending on a multi-powered, custom-selected Atlas-O F7 configuration, which I'm thinking (hoping) we might see in 1H2016.  After seeing what MTH accomplished with its latest Santa Fe E-6's stainless-steel appearance, i have no doubt Atlas-O is gonna hit a grand slam with their Santa Fe F7's.

 

For me, the V/L die-cast diesel shell is an overhyped feature.  While sellers successfully played lots of games with the die-cast ES44's, the V/L Centipedes were a complete bust (with perhaps the exception of the UP livery).  And although Lionel's UP Veranda (TMCC) pre-dated Legacy and Vision Line, its die-cast shell hasn't helped the Veranda hold its value over the years.  Not even close... despite the lack of a follow-on offering.

 

No need for die-cast diesels on my roster beyond the two ES44's I already own.  They're nice, just don't need to go there anymore.

 

David

I'm with Dave on the die-cast stuff, nice but don't need it. 

 

Especially since Lionel's prices for it are now in brass territory. 

 

And, Dave hit the nail on the head with the UP Veranda (TMCC) version-you can now buy those at half to a third of what they originally sold for new. 

I would buy a 3rd Rail Trains set of F7 locos before I bought a set of Lionel Vision line F7's. Lionel Vision Line stuff is pretty nice but not nice enough to justify the money any more. I dont personally need depleting coal loads and whistle smoke effects. I will say the blow down function is cool and adds to the realism but i can live without that too. Vision Line should be something special, not just another re-has of something everybody has already made with a couple new fangled doo dads that push the price through the roof. Id rather have more detail than more smoke

Matt,

This is still my favorite comment of the thread! 

Absolutely agree!  

 

David

Yeah mine too, I seem to be stuck on price and comparing to 3rd Rail, I must have a man crush on Scott Mann or something and now I'm just talking in circles

I've been kicking myself for not looking out a passenger car interior specialist on my one and only (so far) trip to York in April. 

 

RM, by lucky chance do you happen to remember the name of the vendor you are referring to? I haven't come across one who does that level of detail.

 

Realistically I think we can't expect a manufacturer to do what you describe.

He is probably referring to Jack Pearce. Contact info in this thread.

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...er-car-lighting-kits

 

Pete

Pete, yes... That's the fellow.  Thanks for providing a pointer to his contact info.

 

David

Yes, thanks from me too. I will try dropping him a line.

The diesel-electric locomotive bodies can be made out of stamped Stainless Steel.

 

Andrew

If you're a UP fan and come across a Lionel die-cast Veranda at 1/3 its original street price, you'd be a fool to walk away... It's an outstanding piece..

BTW, say what you want, but there's something special about those die-cast ES44's that screams high end.  In reality, its no different then comparing a die-cast steamer to one made in plastic.. 

Joe