New Lionel Arrives!

Pictures please.

 

doug

Should be interesting to see how well those new steamers sell.

I noticed Lionel had a serious price increase on Fasttrak. Actually all track, especially switches.  Its becoming a rich mans hobby..

Joe

 

Not if we leave the latest new stuff on the shelves. 

 

True that it's still not a poor man's hobby.  But we can still get a good bang for a buck if we shop carefully and NOT trip over ourselves on the way to be the first kid on the block to have the latest and greatest items shipping this week.  Have you noticed the latest prices of 2012 Mikado's and Shay's lately???  Several large dealers are blowing them out now, just like the Northern's, Mallet's and Giant's over the past 2-3 months!!!

 

David

 

P.S.  BTW, thanks for keeping us posted Charlie!!!  You're better than Lionel's website shipping schedule... which is dated 2/25/2013 with these items still listed as due to ship.

I don't get it Lionel says the daylight is not shipped . Or the j owell

Interesting the Mechanical Reefers have shipped... they weren't due to ship until July 2013 according to the last online shipping schedule.    Don't get me wrong... they were on my "buy list" so I'm happy.  But does Lionel here in the States really have a clue what their overseas suppliers are shipping and when anymore??? 

 

David

And I must ask you to reconsider the Issue on "Becoming a Rich Mans Hobby"

 

Check the prices in a 1950's catalog for an engine.

Then look at the average Pay back then.

 

Speaking as a middle income guy:

We actually pay a lower portion of our income now than then for a given type of item.

Then again, perhaps my Father was Poor and I didn't see it that way. After all he worked for the county on the Highway maintenance crew, His specialty was driving a D-8 cable controlled Bulldozer. It was considered a good job.

When I look at the catalogs and see premium engines at $1,000 - $2,000, I shudder.  But, $1,000 today has the same purchasing power as $102.79 in 1950. Amazing how inflation of just 3.68% cuts into the value of the dollar.

 

My point is that premium Lionel items have always marketed to the rich (or at least middle class).

I am not here to start a fight but I only make 40k and have 4 kids and I still can buy trains .

Want a good laugh???  One of my FAVORITE Lionel catalogs in the 1960's was the 1966 catalog.  I have the fondest memories of browsing through that catalog with my Dad when I was 7 years old.  

 

I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I think the ZW was listed for $40, and the Fairbanks Morse TM's listed for $65.  I can still remember the  train shop guy crossing out the $65 in the catalog and writing in $52.    And even THAT was too expensive for us at that time.    But we left with an O-27 boxcar (for $6) that we COULD afford.  Simpler times, for sure.  But even then, some things were just a bit out of reach.

 

David

I can't wait to see how the new J's turn out!

I guess it all depends on your lifestyle as well. I don't drink, or smoke, or really go out. I'm married with two kids and my only hobby is trains. That doesn't mean I spend like a crazy man, but I do get to splurge here and there. I also recycle from time to time, selling older items and investing that into new product. In fact I'm about to order one of the new Alton Limited engines as you can find them for about 40% off which to me is a good value for a new Legacy steamer.

That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about!!! 

 

David

I was another one of those kids who wanted that 2322 VGN Train Master and didn't get it. People scoff at the $65 list price now but that was a huge amount of money in 1966.

 

Bob  

The NYC Hudson 5344 retailed for 72 bucks in 1932..

Oh great!  They've shipped the N&W J and the GSs.  I was worried because they still showed on their shipped list as of this morning.

 

Thanks.

I might, just might consider buying the new SP Daylight even without the neat smoke whistle effect.  But, the price would need to come down a bit for me to justify spending that kind of money on an engine that doesn't compare to my Southern Crescent Limited in features and at the same price.

I gonna mod mine to have smoking whistle. 

Please post a video and/or photos when you complete the modification.  I would love to see how it turns out.

I have the Southern Crescent and just love it.  Its a pretty small loco, although a really good one.  The paint was a bit garish and I repainted mine flat black and relabeled it UP, but I love it and run it every day - currently it get smore run time than any other loco I have.

 

Still, I expect the GS to be larger and more impressive to look at.  Bigger.  As to features, we'll see.  I will post pictures when I get mine, but I think, overall, it will be pretty close to spectacular. 

Lee,

 

I agree with you on the Southern Crescent.  It truly is a beautiful engine and sounds great too.  I love running it just as much as any Vision Line loco that I have.

 

Please post some photos of your GS when you get it.  I bet that it will look fantastic.

Lee did you order yours from Charles ro? I ordered mine from hobbystation so I don't think I  will   see mine for at least two more weeks. 

Did the Burlington Northern 57' Mech Refrigerator, GTW 60' Boxcar and CN 60' Boxcars get produced and delivered in the past month?

 

Andrew

No smoke loader yet? Maybe one of these years it will be produced? Should have been a simple production to do since Train America made it and Lionel should have used the same design and parts.

 

Andrew,

 

All three cars you mentioned are part of the Lionel shipment arriving at train stores early this month (March).

 

David

Dave...

 

You're kidding....right? 

 

After all the blogging, b_tching, bloviating bewilderment on this forum about the U.S. ivory tower relationship with their Chinese 'trenchers'...this is a rhetorical question...right?

 

KD

I'm pretty sure based on seeing the prototype back when it was shown a few Yorks ago (maybe more than a few? -I'm thinking yellow hall demo - same time the Rockville Bridge was new), Ernie significantly modified the design from the TAS version.

 

But you're still right that it's probably a bit late by now.

 

-Dave

 

I don't know, but I bet I know why things don't work right out of the box!

 

 

While we're at it, has anybody heard if the woodsided cabooses (I ordered the GN) have been shipped yet? Lionel's website says "Jan. '13" still.

WOW, that's great news. I have a Lionel GS2 DAYLIGHT ordered. If anyone gets one before I do, how about some info or pictures!!!

 

Fredstrains