Quantity of Lionel scale cars vs bto products

You are asking for proprietary information from a non-publicly traded corporation.  John

@rattler21 posted:

You are asking for proprietary information from a non-publicly traded corporation.  John

Yes, but I’m not looking for exact numbers, just if anyone has noticed a down tick in production, since they have embraced a bto production plan on their legacy engines.

Lots of Luck and stand in line,  it gets political so I  will simply shut up! I isn't what it used to be, ! but it is what is is!

Hello Rattler,  we're friends and you are absolutely correct....  However.... without purchasers like us, they would be SOL!

Enough nonsense, we are adults... no more malarkey.... the truth and nothing but the truth, Etc. Etc.

@john in western pa posted:

However.... without purchasers like us, they would be SOL!

Seriously, are folks going to stop buying because Lionel won't release production numbers?

Rusty

@john in western pa posted:

Lots of Luck and stand in line,  it gets political so I  will simply shut up! I isn't what it used to be, ! but it is what is is!

Oh no, not political! I purposely leave my politics out of my goofy hobbies (sports and trains), since I am an avid follower of politics, philosophy, and economics. Also, if you am following your later comment correctly, I will buy new products if I absolutely have to have something (e.g.the b&o sd70), but if I don’t need something, but would like to have it (sled ex trailer car) I’m gonna look for a used piece or bargain. Furthermore, we’re largely interdependent as our standard of living ( keeping our beloved hobbies ) is sustained by Lionel and their livelihood depends on consumers (insert Smith’s quote about the butchers bakers and brewers here). I hope I understood you correctly or I went on a long rant responding to something that went over my head

@Csxcellent posted:

I have my eye on the sled ex trailer car, but I’m waiting for someone to have a good deal on it, either a shop or eBay.

What do you consider a "good deal"?

I remember some of the scale boxcars being abundant and later sold at a discount.

Yes, but box cars are really not in the same league as the PS-4's with trailers. I have most of them and some are easy to find and others are very difficult. Not sure about the Sled-X car.

So, is Lionel producing rolling stock at the same rate as before they started the bto program? Thanks

Numbers are not available, but my observation is no, they are not producing at the same rate.

Charlie

Not being smug, but the difference in a “good deal” swings $5-10 on one of these cars. If you find it, buy it.

Thanks to the past few posters for elucidating the scale car market (especially the trailer cars). Considering the fact that I haven’t seen one of these cars outside of the catalog art, ( I could have to have it if the colors look really good) and my current train budget, a price where I would likely bite would be $75-80 shipped. This is about 20-25 cheaper than I’m currently seeing it on a few sites. Thus, the item would either have to go up to an eBay bid, or they would be on clearance. I was just trying to get a feel for the amount of inventory for this category of item compared to (a) scale boxcars and (b) previous production levels. So, thanks to your info, I have a better understanding of this market segment.

@Csxcellent posted:

So, is Lionel producing rolling stock at the same rate as before they started the bto program? Thanks

I'd suspect they're producing them at the rate that they perceive they can sell them at.

I recall at one time or another, that Lionel was adjusting production to prevent product blowout - hence the BTO marketing. I don't think that this is the case for rolling stock, but it's not like way back when, when you could walk in the store and pluck something off the shelf or go online and the dealer may have a few 'extras'.

Sometimes you just can't predict when something will become the proverbial 'doorstop' and not sell well, and become a 'blowout'. Other times, production is completely sold out before it reaches the shore.  In the case of the Sled-Ex PS-4 Flat, me thinks this will be around and some point before the holidays, someone will  have it available at your preferred price range.

@DaveP posted:

I recall at one time or another, that Lionel was adjusting production to prevent product blowout - hence the BTO marketing. I don't think that this is the case for rolling stock, but it's not like way back when, when you could walk in the store and pluck something off the shelf or go online and the dealer may have a few 'extras'.

Sometimes you just can't predict when something will become the proverbial 'doorstop' and not sell well, and become a 'blowout'. Other times, production is completely sold out before it reaches the shore.  In the case of the Sled-Ex PS-4 Flat, me thinks this will be around and some point before the holidays, someone will  have it available at your preferred price range.

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your insight. I am just trying to get a good feel for the market. Before the pandemic I had a very good feel for the market and pricing of my other hobby (since 2020 that mkt has went nuts) and an okay understanding of some of the Lionel/mth engine mkt. In the mid 2010s, I was able to wait out a number of boxcars that I was interested in and was seeking the forums knowledge of the current state of the rolling state market. Once again thanks.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'd suspect they're producing them at the rate that they perceive they can sell them at.

Correct, but whether they err on under production or over production and whether that’s changed recently (like it did for the legacy engines) was what I was trying to get at. Furthermore, there may be some reason (economy of scale or something that the consumer doesn’t know) to make more than demand at around msrp.

@Csxcellent posted:

Are Lionel scale cars mass produced like they use to be? I have my eye on the sled ex trailer car, but I’m waiting for someone to have a good deal on it, either a shop or eBay. I remember some of the scale boxcars being abundant and later sold at a discount, but that was a few yrs ago. So, is Lionel producing rolling stock at the same rate as before they started the bto program? Thanks

Good luck on getting a "new" Sled Ex TOFC at a discount! That was a really nicely decorated car and perhapse the sleeper collectable of TY hat year. It fits well with the Polar Express freight and looks a LOT flashier than the Polar Express TOFC cars!