LionChief Plus 2.0 Baby K4s.  NOT in that outlandish red scheme!

Jon

I haven't gotten mine yet, will eyeball tomorrow when it goes live. I will say Mohawks will be a very likely on my list. See what else catches my eye Marty.

Here's my takeaway. As I paged through the catalog I was surprised at how little was Legacy and O scale. 60 pages of interest than 175 pages of product I'm really not interested in.

When I look at a camelback priced at $650 and think, oh that's affordable, what's that say about pricing.

Some great stuff for me to buy second hand in a few years, especially the red Pacemaker.

Was able to glean a little from what I've seen posted here but really need to see it as a complete catalog (the hard copy always helps, too).

Doesn't appear there's much for me. Usually focus on anything PW-inspired, conventional, etc., but I'm interested in the Lion Chief + 2.0 offerings as well so we'll see.

a starter set with LVC and the recording feature

possibly the NASA set or john deere set

The Asa Packer set is calling me....of course my wallet is calling me names for even thinking about it!

@KOOLjock1 posted:

LionChief Plus 2.0 Baby K4s.  NOT in that outlandish red scheme!

Jon

Jon,

What is a "baby" k4? Smaller than Railking?

Haven't been able to thumb through the whole catalog yet but there are a couple of things that I will be preordering so far:

LIRR Camelback

Strasburg SW8

The Presidential Boxcars

- I would consider the Pacemaker boxcar set but until I know what types of couplers and trucks are used on the non-VL boxcars, I am out on those. I just got in the new Lionel Milk Cars and we all know how those are.

The Pacemaker mohawk with match freight set.

I was gonna add the B&O SD70, but i opted to get the MTH Big Boy. So i hope to get the B&O SD70 down the road.

Isn't today supposed to be the online day for the catalog?  I don't see it yet.

@jhz563 posted:

Isn't today supposed to be the online day for the catalog?  I don't see it yet.

Tomorrow (Friday) morning.  The Ryan and Dave show follows that afternoon.

@BradFish1 posted:

Jon,

What is a "baby" k4? Smaller than Railking?

Actually, Lionel got sued over their "Baby K4s" tooling as being WAY too close to the RailKing tooling.  So, about the same size... yes!

Jon

As of now, I am leaning towards a couple things. Of course it's not set in stone. Anyway here are the ponderings from this catalog.

1) The Pacemaker boxcar set. Not to concerned about the trucks and couplers because I will convert everything over to Kadee's.

2) The Santa Fe Flyer passenger set and add-on 2-pack is a possibility.

3) From the American Flyer side either the NYC or Santa Fe Pacific's.

I would like to get a L2a Mohawk from this catalog but the previous 5 L2a's Lionel has done can be found on the second hand market. So the L2a's in this catalog are a pass for me.

The New Hope and Ivyland set looked interesting to me...

D&H 21" passenger cars IF the blue color is correct, and a more than reasonable match with the blue on my previously released D&H  PA's

Personally, I think it is a great catalog! For preordering, I would have to go big with either the "Black Bonet" 3000 or the prototypical 3001 offerings. When I first saw the original 3000 I missed out on getting one, and with them being hard to find, I am defiantly not passing up this opportunity. There is much more I would like to preorder but $2500 for this locomotive fills the budget.

@Trainmaster04 posted:

Personally, I think it is a great catalog! For preordering I would have to go big with either the "Black Bonet" 3000 or the prototypical 3001 offerings. When I first saw the original 3000 I missed out on getting one, and with them being hard to find, I am defiantly not passing up this opportunity. There is much more I would like to preorder but $2500 for locomotive fills the budget.

I personally think it's one of the better catalogs in a few years.  Lots of stuff and lots of sets.  Quite a few items we haven't seen in a while. 

Not a darn thing,  I'm done with the poor quality, bad designs, cheapening of the product, and the high prices Lionel charges.

@superwarp1 posted:

Not a darn thing,  I'm done with the poor quality, bad designs, cheapening of the product, and the high prices Lionel charges.

Don't hold back Gary, how do you really feel?  I understand where you're coming from.

I'm not getting anything. Nothing caught my eye for the time period I model (1947-1951 ATSF and SP). SP 4-6-2 was a maybe but I decided against it because SP didn't have a USRA Pacific and I'm not sure what motor configuration (motor in smokebox or motor in firebox) it will have. I thought about the SP Vison Line boxcar but I'd rather just have a plain sound car, which is cheaper. ATSF 2-10-10-2 is way before when I model and so is the ATSF "Valley Flyer" set.

So nothing for me this time around. I have ordered rolling stock from the previous catalogs. This will be the first catalog in 3 years I haven't ordered from.

LionChief Plus 2.0 Baby K4

@Jeff T posted:

Some great stuff for me to buy second hand in a few years, especially the red Pacemaker.

Maybe it will change, but I have found (and I'm not the only one) that a lot of stuff has gotten very hard to find on the secondary market. With many of these BTO pieces, there are not a whole lot of them made in the first place. As others have noted over the recent past, these days, if you want something, don't wait too long after it comes out to get it, or you may be waiting a long time to find one.

@breezinup posted:

Maybe it will change, but I have found (and I'm not the only one) that a lot of stuff has gotten very hard to find on the secondary market. With many of these BTO pieces, there are not a whole lot of them made in the first place. As others have noted over the recent past, these days, if you want something, don't wait too long after it comes out to get it, or you may be waiting a long time to find one.

So true!! I just hate sticking my wallet out for items with issues... Secondary market is scarce and priced high.

The three N&W MOW cars are tempting. However, the new pricing structure puts me on the sidelines. I have three nice ones from Weaver. They will have to be "good enough".

I am numb at the number of Acelas. Perhaps the WORST offering in Lionel history so, lets make them in a bunch of fantasy liveries. 

The Soo GP30 caught my eye. There have been very few Soo scale engines made by Lionel. The engine is only a possiblity, though. After looking for many years for some Atlas O Soo GP35s, a bit over a year ago I finally  found a set, so the Lionel GP30 is arriving too late, essentially.

The Great Northern Pacific is there, but already having the Mikado, it's not a necessity, although the Vanderbilt-style tender is interesting. But there's no way I'd make a commitment until after seeing the actual production model. While the catalog picture looks correct, given Lionel recent multiple disasters with the GN green color, who knows what the actual model will end up looking like? Could end up being another pea soup green mess.

Disappointed to see Lionel is only offering one new item in the LC+2 line (the K-4). Really thought they'd charge ahead more with these. Was really hoping for a N&W J and/or SP GS-4 Daylight, or a LionMaster-type Hudson. They'd sell the daylights out of all of those (sorry for the pun) if they'd make them.

It's a dream come true.

Three PA sets in midwest road names!  MKT, Cotton Belt, and GM&O!!!

Oh wait.  This is a Lionel catalog?  Never mind.  Nothing.

Not planning to buy anything right away, but hoping to pick things up over the course of the spring instead. One of the NYC L2a Mohawks will be high on my list. First compare it to one of the previously-run L2a's, then either buy one of the second-hand engines or a new one. I'm not opposed to buying used but it carries its own risks (of which I have fallen victim to a few times). Pacemaker boxcar set looks nice too. An SW8 and LC+2.0 RS3 are also on the wishlist.  The NASA set looks fun and the Pacific engines look great, but those aren't at the top of my list.

@breezinup posted:

Disappointed to see Lionel is only offering one new item in the LC+2 line (the K-4). Really thought they'd charge ahead more with these. Was really hoping for a N&W J and/or SP GS-4 Daylight, or a LionMaster-type Hudson. They'd sell the daylights out of all of those (sorry for the pun) if they'd make them.

Agreed.  Would have loved to see the LionMaster Allegheny in last year's catalog make it to production too. But no shortage of LionChief sets and engines - makes me wonder how well the 2.0 engines are selling as opposed to regular LionChief. Edit: I forget that LC+ 2.0 is a fairly new offering, it may still be trying to establish its ideal market. I wouldn't know, I'm not a business man

@Gilly@N&W posted:

The three N&W MOW cars are tempting. However, the new pricing structure puts me on the sidelines. I have three nice ones from Weaver. They will have to be "good enough".

I am numb at the number of Acelas. Perhaps the WORST offering in Lionel history so, lets make them in a bunch of fantasy liveries.

You probably need to take a few minutes and review the issues with the "first" Acela.  You won't see those problem points again.

Probably that big 2-10-10-2. It'll be the biggest model railroading purchase I ever made and all the shade throwing towards Lionel sure makes me hope it's worth it haha

We'll see other than that. My layout's industries make my rolling stock choices pretty limited. Especially because I care more about period correct rolling stock than period correct locos.

The 1361 baby K4, ill save 3750 for another time. With all the license tie ins I wish they would make a Captain America Buy War Bonds boxcar, I would get two of those.

The GP30 diesel and the GP35 are a different locomotive design.

If you truly model the SOO LINE you have to get the series of the GP30, GP35, GP40 diesel-electric locomotives.

The SOO LINE got 22 of the GP30s in 1963

The SOO LINE got 4 GP35s in 1964.

The SOO LINE got 6 GP35s in 1965.

The SOO LINE got 4 GP40s in 1967.

The much larger number of GP30s present on the SOO means that you have to get the pair from LIONEL for a proper ratio of motive power.

Andrew

@falconservice posted:

The GP30 diesel and the GP35 are a different locomotive design.

If you truly model the SOO LINE you have to get the series of the GP30, GP35, GP40 diesel-electric locomotives.

The SOO LINE got 22 of the GP30s in 1963

The SOO LINE got 4 GP35s in 1964.

The SOO LINE got 6 GP35s in 1965.

The SOO LINE got 4 GP40s in 1967.

The much larger number of GP30s present on the SOO means that you have to get the pair from LIONEL for a proper ratio of motive power.

Andrew

It's hard to argue with that logic

SD70ace B&O,  also I may obtain one of them Pacemakers.                                                                                                 after seeing the prices                                       

Well I'm 77 so my buying days are pretty much over but it's sure nice to look.  Kind of like sitting on the front porch in my rocking chair watching all the pretty girls go by.

I looked at the catalog, and especially re steam engines, the pricing seems high.  Probably taking advantage of MTH closing.  Order volumes will decrease, IMO.

Looks like the catalog is also hitting the Lionel webpage via the search function right on the home page.

@breezinup posted:

Disappointed to see Lionel is only offering one new item in the LC+2 line (the K-4). Really thought they'd charge ahead more with these. Was really hoping for a N&W J and/or SP GS-4 Daylight, or a LionMaster-type Hudson. They'd sell the daylights out of all of those (sorry for the pun) if they'd make them.

The Baby K4 tooling needed less modification than a J/GS-4.  Just a retro-fit of a fan-driven smoke unit, and electronics swap-out.  The J tooling has never had a can-motor set-up.

Jon

• Sorry to say, with Lionels track record of wrong colors, pricing that is absurd, packaging that is horrible, Bto items, items showing up with detail just laying in the box.
• My days of ordering anything new is over.
• Secondary market is looking very good.
• And if I miss anything on the secondary market, who cares!! They are trains not a necessity.

Dave

@MartyE posted:

Don't hold back Gary, how do you really feel?  I understand where you're coming from.

I'm really really sad we are in this position.  I blame upper management and the owners of Lionel for this.