Neil Young Signature Line Ship date

Anything to do with Lionel aluminum passenger cars is being delayed. My guess is there are issues with Lionel's Chinese manufacturers. Hopefully, they will get this straightened out in the near future, but don't hold your breath for just when.

I suspect your correct, Brian. Heaven knows how long it will be before you'll realize your Bluebird. I have 18 Lionel passenger cars on order and have no expectations of their delivery anytime soon. I received my Milwaukee set 740-days from preorder, with, of course, issues all-too familiar with their owners. That said, Lionel must be fairly optimistic of future timely deliveries since they continue to offer them in greater numbers. One can only hope...

Chris,

A quick look at the shipping schedule, and you'll see a TON of uncertainty/inconsistencies surrounding Lionel aluminum passenger cars and sets.

On first look, when Lionel catalog'd so many new sets in the 2013/2014 catalogs, I thought the Lionel aluminum passenger car issues were history.  Then the Milwaukee Road 18" cars were finally delivered after an almost two year delay, only to find many folks here complained about problems with interior lighting/wiring.  Turned out most of the issues centered around sloppy labor.     And we haven't seen a Lionel aluminum passenger car delivery since.  Lionel can't be happy with this situation.  At least the paint scheme on those Milwaukee Road cars turned out exquisitely, and Lionel did a great job on the sky top observation.

As you noted, the Neil Young stuff has moved to May 2015 delivery ETA's, while other stuff catalog'd with it is still showing Nov 2014.  But the N&W Pocahontas set that includes the #611J locomotive (reportedly produced well over a year ago with #612) has slipped more times than I can count -- now showing December 2014, and that was catalog'd well before the sets showing a Nov 2014 ETA.    And the Lionel California Zephyr -- catalog'd as a 4-pack and two 2-packs -- is still showing a July 2014 delivery on the shipping schedule (after numerous slips) -- despite two shipping schedule revisions (7/30 and 8/27) that should have updated the delivery date for the CZ.  Instead, it's still showing July 2014, which we know now hasn't happened -- nor did it ship in August either.

Logic would tell us that until we see sets like the CZ (2012 Volume 1 catalog) and Pocahontas (2012 Volume 2 catalog) ship, it's unlikely we'll see any of the more recently catalog'd sets from 2013/2014 being delivered.

Just my analysis... no inside information whatsoever.  But something is clearly amiss with Lionel's overseas aluminum passenger car factory... which leads me to believe it may be even longer before we see StationSounds cars for all of these sets that were catalog'd without those cool diners. 

David

I don't believe Lionel will leave the Neil Young set buyers high and dry.  If they do I am sitting on the powered and dummy "B" units still in their shipping boxes.  I believe the AA sets are already made and being stored awaiting the passenger cars.  I just hope Charlie at Nassau Hobby still remembers those of us who have the Texas Special sets on pre-order......it's been a long time since I placed my deposit.

Steve and Lady

No worries, Steve, they may be late, but they will arrive. And your dealer is very reputable.

Well....I wonder about the AA sets.  There's a set of Neil Young Signature Line Texas Special AA's on the auction-we-shouldn't-mention as we speak.  The photos thereof do not appear to be of the catalog-type.....IOW, the seller has a set already.

Could it be a shipment for Lionel's MFC's (Most-Favored-Customers) has landed???? ...Of which we (LHS)...and others..., apparently, are not among those so counted?

Hmmmmm........  Must add this to my list of York inquisitions inquiries next month!

Here's the lynk...

NYSL Link

So much for pre-ordering ahead of the cut-off date! 

I already have the PRR AA Set, but I have the "full" Texas Special Set on Pre-order.

Look at the bright side, more time to save money for them!

Also, I predict a Neil Young Santa Fe set and Southern Set in the next catalog!

dkdkrd, Lionel released and shipped Neil Young Texas Special AA sets as listed in the 2014 signature catalog.  These are the same locomotive set without the passenger cars.  This is why I believe the AA engines for the set are awaiting delivery of the aluminum passenger cars.  Lionel has already shipped the powered and dummy B units for this set also.  Same is true for the Penn Neil Young engine.

Maybe its time for Lionel to consider making aluminum passenger cars in America along with their nice line of American assembled box cars.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Steve, I just got a Williams unopened and sealed Texas Special set with the AB Units and the 3 passenger cars, for only $250!

George Brown is currently testing both Neil Young motive power sets, PRR and Texas Specials,  at our Texas office.  We decided not to wait for the arrival of the aluminum passenger cars before bringing you a review because it is our understanding that the dealers already have the locomotives.

Got mine from a dealer.

Ed Boyle

Great find chipset.  Can't beat that price for a complete Texas Special set.  All we have to do now is wait for our pre ordered Neil Young set.  The good news its money in the bank until then.

Ed, I didn't know you had an office in Texas.  A great train state at that.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Ed, do premium members or digital subscribers get your column or anyone else's column as a "video" with you guys doing the hands on reviews, or are they all still just the articles with no video?

Reason, I ask is that I REALLY enjoy your Collectors Gallery and the Review Articles, and thought it would be cool to see and hear you guys on video.

Hi Steve,

Originally I had Nassau switch my order from the Neil Young TX Special Set to just the AA units, and then to the Neil Young PRR AA units instead.

You and PTC gave me the bug again, so I pre-ordered the Full Neil Young TX Spec set this time around!

I like my Neil Young PRR AA's and hope Lionel releases a Neal Young Santa Fe and Souther set.

Could not pass up on that $250 Williams deal as well!

Now all I need is a vintage A unit, and a PWC A unit to complete my Texas Special Collection and sleep well at night LOL!

Steve,

George Brown, who is an experienced editor and technical type to boot, does our product reviews, lives in Texas. As a result, we have an honest-to-goodness Texas office We make the UPS guys very happy with all the cool stuff we send to George to test. 

By the way George and his wife Kitty, do copy editing for us as well.  Thank goodness for the Browns and computers. They are one of the reasons our editorial is virtually "mistake free" as well as accurate.

Chipset,

The last two issues of the magazine have videos showing the trains we wrote about in Collector's Gallery in the Premium Edition. The upcoming December issue has video of the 10th Anniversary Polar Express sets and the January edition of OGR will have operating video of the two accessories we are featuring in Collector's Gallery. 

The Collector's Gallery videos concentrate on the trains and accessories rather than the author, and when I look at my ruggedly handsome features in the mirror shaving in the morning I realize that this has been a good decision on our part to do it this way.  

Ed Boyle

Thanks Ed!

I think I am going to upgrade to a Premium Edition.