S Gauge Mint Cars

Here is a pic of the one I ordered.  I am partial to plated type cars...reminds me of the old stuff Gilbert did that was plated.  Much nicer looking than in the catalog.

Please enlighten me.  Why would a "scale guy" ever buy something like this?

Isn't it a completely fictional piece of rolling stock?  What era would it fit in?  Which railroad?

Unless I'm missiing something here, scale guys don't buy stuff just for the sake of buying stuff.  It's supposed to fit with their other stuff, right?

Perhaps, just for fun?

Rusty

I think you are correct.  Not many, if any, so-called "scale guys" buy fantasy cars.  Realistic cars are preferred.  However, fantasy cars apparently sell well or else Lionel and others would not continually make new ones.  Must be those "Flyer guys" who buy them.  On the average, about half of the "high-rail" guys probably buy them because they are caught in the middle.  The mint car must remind everyone of how much money they spend on this hobby.  Right?  Cheers.......Ed L.

You know, when I originated this thread, what I really wanted to know was were the majority of sales to folks already in S (be it Scalers, Hi-Railers, or Traditionalists) or were they to O gaugers who just wanted all the variations of Mint Cars.  

Any O gaugers out there who have any ideas?

Little Tommy

I don't see why you can't like scale, traditional, etc all together?  I can appreciate all.  Lionel and AF have always mixed up scales where some pieces look too large for others...but that's the way its always been.  I personally wish Lionel would rebuild the entire Gilbert line down to improved AC motors and the right trucks, tooling and couplers.  The Gilbert heavyweights had a charm that is missing from the new sterile scale pieces.  Original Gilbert heavyweights are pricey and fragile.

I think that mint car would look good with the Frontiersman set I recently received. It might look similar to the General sets that had the Fort Knox car.

Do you happen to have a catalog number handy for that car in the picture? I can look for it on Lionel's site, but if you're using the box as a mousepad or something...

Thanks,

J White

You can find the catalog page with the mint cars at the following link:

http://www.lionel.com/products...neID=&CatalogId=

Thanks Craig! That's new enough that it may still be obtainable

J White

I just got an email about the Charles Ro After Christmas sale.

http://www.charlesro.com/afchristmas1.html

A couple of the mint cars are pictured on sale for $43.95. If you go ahead and look at the full catalog listing you will see that ALL of the mint cars are listed at that price.

EDIT: I just saw the post for the sale at Trainworld. The mint cars are listed there also at $44.95. It looks like the Fort Knox car is on backorder.

http://www.trainworld.com/manu...ight-cars/?PAGEN_1=2

Nassau has a couple of the cars even cheaper:

http://www.nassauhobby.com/XC4/S-Gauge-AF-Freight/

Wow Craig, you're really making my shopping too easy! If you keep it up, I'll be asking for a credit card to pay for it all too

Looks like if it is backordered, there shouldn't be too much of a hurry for me to hunt one down.

Thanks again,

J White

I just noticed that there are several mint cars, including 4 "Fort Knox" cars, for sale on eBay right now. Prices vary.