Some of the online stores (Nassau, Train World, Legacy Station, etc.) are putting preorders up but are saying deliveries will not be made until the end of the year - I'm new to the hobby in general, does it normally take a year to manufacture and ship? Is there a reasonable chance it will be longer/shorter amount of time?
@0-Gauge CJ posted:Some of the online stores (Nassau, Train World, Legacy Station, etc.) are putting preorders up but are saying deliveries will not be made until the end of the year - I'm new to the hobby in general, does it normally take a year to manufacture and ship? Is there a reasonable chance it will be longer/shorter amount of time?
The chance of early is near zero. The chance of late is always possible.
Order now and deliver end of year is SOP these days.
@0-Gauge CJ posted:Some of the online stores (Nassau, Train World, Legacy Station, etc.) are putting preorders up but are saying deliveries will not be made until the end of the year - I'm new to the hobby in general, does it normally take a year to manufacture and ship? Is there a reasonable chance it will be longer/shorter amount of time?
If a catalog comes out on January, items will generally ship September to December. If a catalog comes out in the middle of the year, items will ship January to April. This is assuming that there are no delays.
Thanks all, very helpful replies 
is there any disadvantage to submitting preorders later? (eg, say I want to buy some hard-to-find items used first). Thanks again.
@0-Gauge CJ posted:Thanks all, very helpful replies
Usually I submit my preorder on the last day to make sure that I want the items on my list. If you choose to not pre-order, then you run the risk of not being able to find an item that you may really want.
@GOLDRAIL posted:It reads on the side description in the first paragraph for the 2-10-10-2's that there will also be Safety Valve Steam as a new feature, but below in listed features it doesn't say this. Can anyone verify this? I am torn between the 2-10-10-2 all black or the Mohawk either New Haven or NYC Lines. Being I have a Mohawk from the last run(still one of my favorites to run despite lack of modern features), I am leaning 2-10-10-2, but it'd help to have that safety valve steam clarified.
And yes the passenger car set pricing is getting a bit out of hand.
@Trainmaster04 posted:I think Lionel's logic was since they listed it in the description twice they don't have to list it a third time under the features section. Also, I would say the price also shows that the 3000's will have the safety valve feature since the original 3000 did not have the feature and was priced at $2,250. Whereas, these offerings are priced at $2,500. Honestly, I am only basing my thought on past offerings and "Lionel logic."
I can’t see that this point has been answered yet but it was addressed in the Ryan/Dave Facebook broadcast. There will NOT be a safety valve steam feature in this issue of the 2-10-10-2s. The reason that was given is that they can’t fit the required smoke unit in the model, which already has three smoke units. I guess what this tells you is that they decide on what’s going in the catalog description before they’ve even finished the product design phase - or before a production engineer has decided what is really feasible. Anyway, that appears to be this year’s main Catalog Clanger.
The boiler of the original VL 2-10-10-2 is very narrow and I guess it can’t accommodate the extra hardware/control board required for this feature.I thought that they might have been thinking of putting in a dual chamber unit for the whistle and the safety valve but it seems that isn’t an option.
My list
- Cowen's Towing Garage
- Baby K4 #5400 LC+ 2.0
- Fort Collins Municipal Trolley (lived there, college there, rode it)
- Special Trolley Announcement Track
- Lionel Ale Tank Car
- Lionel Ale Elevated Oil Tank
- Space Launch Lionchief set (go with my space area with my Lionel Rocket Launcher)
- Space Launch Allis Chalmers Car
- Romulan Ale Car
I had to stop there for now. There is much too much in this catalog I want. For me and the way I do this hobby, it's one of the better ones.
As someone who does not specifically model scale or prototype, this catalog is full of the kinds of things I've always been partial to. Fun accessories, fun locos/paint schemes, and so forth.
The O scale GP30s will take 6 to 10 months to produce.
Is that enough time to be sure that you can store away the dollars to get them?
Andrew
@falconservice posted:The O scale GP30s will take 6 to 10 months to produce.
Is that enough time to be sure that you can store away the dollars to get them?
Andrew
I probably won't get the GP30s, but I can certainly save enough for something else in that time frame
@Boilermaker1 posted:The chance of early is near zero. The chance of late is always possible.
Order now and deliver end of year is SOP these days.
Are you counting the 2 months it'll take to get from the dealer to your home via USPS?
I, for one, am planning to go a little crazy. I’m planning to get the Acela (prototype scheme), a veranda turbine, the NKP MOW sets, and some of the vision line box cars. I mainly model NKP but I can’t resist certain “famous” locos or trains. I’m waiting to see some of the custom runs before I finalize my order(s). Without any vacations, going out to eat, or other “fun” expenditures, I thankfully have more funds than usual in my train budget.
@Keith Crook 020419 posted:I mainly model NKP but I can’t resist certain “famous” locos or trains. I’m waiting to see some of the custom runs before I finalize my order(s). Without any vacations, going out to eat, or other “fun” expenditures, I thankfully have more funds than usual in my train budget.
This. So much this. I'm modelling the steel industry in north east Ohio in the 1940s-1960s but I'll still buy engines and rolling stock that don't fit or are a bit of a stretch just because I like them. I appreciate the purist approach for how professional it winds up looking but some items are just too sharp and cool to pass up!
From late 2019 thru early 2020 I sold over a third of my collection. I decided to cut way down on the different roadnames that I collect. In 2020, the biggest purchase I made was the Polar Express Lionchief Plus 2.0 locomotive.
There are only a few items that interest me in this catalog:
- Dilithium Crystals hopper and Romulan Ale Tank Car (I know it is from the 2020 catalog). I don't have the Star Trek set. But, these should go well with my AEC/Alien/Area 51 items.
- Roadrunner Aquarium Car. I like Roadrunner, and I have a few other pieces of Looney Tunes rolling stock.
- Amtrak Acela and Expansion Pack. Big $$$'s but I love and have lots of Amtrak. I have the original Acela and expansion sets still in their boxes. They have never been run. I am kind of afraid to run them given all the problems that have been reported.
@Hancock52 posted:I can’t see that this point has been answered yet but it was addressed in the Ryan/Dave Facebook broadcast. There will NOT be a safety valve steam feature in this issue of the 2-10-10-2s. The reason that was given is that they can’t fit the required smoke unit in the model, which already has three smoke units. I guess what this tells you is that they decide on what’s going in the catalog description before they’ve even finished the product design phase - or before a production engineer has decided what is really feasible. Anyway, that appears to be this year’s main Catalog Clanger.
The boiler of the original VL 2-10-10-2 is very narrow and I guess it can’t accommodate the extra hardware/control board required for this feature.I thought that they might have been thinking of putting in a dual chamber unit for the whistle and the safety valve but it seems that isn’t an option.
Well, that threw a wrench into the works. I got real excited about that feature “being” in this issue of 3000's, but I guess that is Lionel for you. They tell you one thing, get your hopes up, and then those hopes are torn down because somebody didn't communicate with their coworker.
I understand why they can't do it but why put it out there if they know they can't do it in the first place? ...smh... I also understand everyone makes mistakes but it just gets tiring to have to deal with the same mistake over and over again. I don't know what hurts worse, the QC of Lionel's catalog, or the QC of their products. ...smh... Personally, I will probably still preorder a 3000 for fun/investment purposes and get over it. It's just sad a person just can't sit down, look at a catalog, enjoy it, and then have to think twice about it being correct or not.
@BillYo414 posted:So the 2131520 #2790 is the only weathered scheme? I'm looking for the non-weathered version.
I believe these are none weathered on the picture. The Pacemaker one looks like it is in the artwork. Top left two NYC, New Haven below those, right side NYC prototypical black with 20TH Century version underneath. To be absolutely sure either contact Lionel(if your lucky), or perhaps your local Lionel dealer will have it listed on their order sheets. Ryan stated he believed the weathered was what I stated that you asked back to me. I'll know hopefully for sure when I get to my local dealer tomorrow as I will ask as soon as I get the catalog, but will wait to order as need more time to consider.
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I am thinking of the New Haven “L2a Mohawk” (although the NH 3507 was actually classified an R2a Mountain, but I don’t count rivets!!!). Also, the Pacemaker expansion set.
@Apples55 posted:I am thinking of the New Haven “L2a Mohawk” (although the NH 3507 was actually classified an R2a Mountain, but I don’t count rivets!!!). Also, the Pacemaker expansion set.
Mohawks are Mountains, but not all Mountains are Mohawks.
@Greg Houser posted:Just saw this on the NP O-Gaugers Facebook page - hilarious:
This is NOT meant to be a political post. There are a slew of Bernie memes going viral and this just adds to the collection.
As to what I'm getting - not much this year. I'll be getting the Angela Trotta Thomas Christmas shop but that's about it. Would like to see a PRR Camelback in the next catalogue.
-Greg
Hahah Hennings memes are fire! this is too much.
Not a lot of love for the Acela Sets here.
I primarily collect electric passenger trains and don't have Acela yet. So, I am ordering the Acela with the expansion cars.
I will also get the New hope set and I am considering the Strasburg switcher.
Hello all,
a newbie here, so apologies if this is a dumb question or wrong place for this: Interested in the LC Baby K4’s. Aside from the tuscan red version, are there any differences in color/markings of the other 3 road numbers? The boiler looks very dark green; hard to tell. I tried to read a little about the numbers; please correct/expand if any errors/new info:
5400 is the first in the Baldwin built series (rest were built at Juniata)
3750 survives at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
1361 is in pieces in Altoona, hoping to become operational one day.
is there anything else about the different road numbers that would sway you towards one or the other?
Thanks!
I have not seen much discussion of the Camelbacks. I already let my local dealer know I will absolutely need a Reading Camelback. Legacy with whistle steam for a list of $649.99 seems actually very reasonable to me. Lionel’s web site lists whistle steam, blow down steam, and swinging bell in the description. There’s no way that’s all accurate.
http://www.lionel.com/products...amelback-652-2131440
I mostly do PRR, Reading, R&N, and demonstrators, but a Veranda is very much of interest. The Vision PRR box car looks nice, but not at a list or $199.99.
Interesting catalog. Most items are not for me, but definitely a few interesting items.
- Matt
@0-Gauge CJ posted:Some of the online stores (Nassau, Train World, Legacy Station, etc.) are putting preorders up but are saying deliveries will not be made until the end of the year - I'm new to the hobby in general, does it normally take a year to manufacture and ship? Is there a reasonable chance it will be longer/shorter amount of time?
Since you're new to this... Strongly suggest against preordering from any dealer that requires a down payment. There are plenty of reputable dealers who do not require any prepayment. (I'm not criticizing any of the online stores that you mention, as I don't know their specific policies.)
@Nucci posted:Hello all,
a newbie here, so apologies if this is a dumb question or wrong place for this: Interested in the LC Baby K4’s. Aside from the tuscan red version, are there any differences in color/markings of the other 3 road numbers? The boiler looks very dark green; hard to tell.
Dark green looks correct - I'm not a major Pennsylvania guy but as I understand, a very dark shade of green (and tuscan red) was one of their distinctive colors, in the same way that UP is yellow, Conrail was blue, etc.
Edit, forgot to answer someone else:
@Mallard4468 posted:Since you're new to this... Strongly suggest against preordering from any dealer that requires a down payment. There are plenty of reputable dealers who do not require any prepayment. (I'm not criticizing any of the online stores that you mention, as I don't know their specific policies.)
I'm curious, is there a reason why? I would personally prefer to pay it all up front frankly (which was part of the reason I was wondering about waiting on preordering, maybe I could minimize the time I wait for my item by preordering later ).
@Paul Finn posted:Already have an Acela so the only thing would be the New Hope and Ivyland set. Have to check if the actual RR uses those cars and how accurate the set is overall.
Anybody know offhand?
The color scheme in the catalog looks like a good match to the prototype pictured in 2011.
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@Lehigh74 posted:The color scheme in the catalog looks like a good match to the prototype pictured in 2011.
Lionel has been having trouble with reds. Whether the delivered product will match the catalog / prototype won't be known until it's removed from the box in a year.
I would be apprehensive about preordering.
@0-Gauge CJ posted:I'm curious, is there a reason why? I would personally prefer to pay it all up front frankly (which was part of the reason I was wondering about waiting on preordering, maybe I could minimize the time I wait for my item by preordering later
It really depends on your view about pre-ordering generally. Some people don't like the "Built To Order" approach although in fact Lionel and MTH operated the equivalent system before it came to be labelled as "BTO." And parting with, say, a 10% deposit several months before the product is delivered is thought to be a financial imposition. I think it helps the dealers, at least in terms of giving them an assurance the order is a serious proposition, although not all of them require it. Also, I'm in the same camp as you as far as paying up front is concerned.
But I don't think that waiting will actually get you the model any faster in the end. Pre-orders generally ship as soon as the product arrives at the dealer. If you wait to see if they have a surplus of the model you want and order it then, it will usually go out slightly later depending on the dealer's existing commitment. Moreover, in the recent past, pre-order prices were generally appreciably lower than later orders through the regular channels although that has not been true of certain models. I think it all really depends on what the specific dealer has estimated can be sold of a particular model.
On that score (quantities), with so many "fantasy" or non-protoypical variations of some of the models in this catalog, I really wonder if the actual quantities of individual versions will be relatively small. I decided to place one order now at the pre-order discount on the basis that could support production of the version I want. And as I don't expect very many of it to be produced, I don't want to take my chances in the later or secondary market after a small quantity has been made and mostly spoken for.
However, nowadays just about everyone factors in the "wait and see" approach given Lionel's QC issues. I don't think I can on this occasion because I think that the production run of what I am after will be small, and if there are issues the dealer I use will be better at resolving them than other (smaller) businesses.
Not pre-ordering a thing. Would like to get a couple new scale Polar Express coaches but won't dare until we see how the paint matches. Their color matching has been a complete debacle, IMO. And they even say they don't need to match in the catalog....so there is no recourse other than not buying...so I won't.
@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Ryan stated he believed the weathered was what I stated that you asked back to me. I'll know hopefully for sure when I get to my local dealer tomorrow as I will ask as soon as I get the catalog, but will wait to order as need more time to consider.
I caught that portion of the video and it sounds like it was the bottom left locomotive that is weathered. We'll see what you find out.
I'm still on the fence about ordering one. I mean I could easily pick up a side hustle this summer to get the money together but something keeps telling me to hold off. Maybe I'll wait to see what's in the second catalog.
@VADarthDad posted:Not pre-ordering a thing. Would like to get a couple new scale Polar Express coaches but won't dare until we see how the paint matches. Their color matching has been a complete debacle, IMO. And they even say they don't need to match in the catalog....so there is no recourse other than not buying...so I won't.
Totally understandable. I'm not a scale, rivet-counting, model-must-match-real-world guy and am not upset when a piece I buy doesn't perfectly match the catalog or my expectation. But, I DO expect consistency. For example, I bought a pair of Williams Golden Memories O27 cars and they're a near-perfect match to my old postwar other than saying Luxury Lines instead of Lionel Lines. Easily fooled my cousins who remembered the originals at my grandfather's house.
I'm toying with buying a LC General set and running the new cars with my old 1960 ones (without the old engine whose motor needs some work), but I fear the yellows will be way off. Will only buy if I can physically see what I'm buying.
@RickO posted:Lionel has been having trouble with reds. Whether the delivered product will match the catalog / prototype won't be known until it's removed from the box in a year.
I would be apprehensive about preordering.
I have to agree.
I plan on preordering the Strasburg and Conrail diesel switchers since both are within my budget, I am a fan of both road names, and Lionel has a good track record with blacks and Conrail blues.
I love the New Hope & Ivyland, and the features on that engine and cars are great, but if the paint color is extremely off, it’s not worth it. I’m not so worried if the engine has electronic bugs (those can be fixed relatively easily), but fixing the paint color is another issue entirely. It feels like paint color inaccuracies are becoming a much more common issue from Lionel than electronic bugs (locomotive-wise, at least in my experience) and definitely need to be looked at.
I'm not pre-ordering but these items appealed to me:
- Ore car 6-packs. At an MSRP of $150 for 6 w/ unique numbers & loads these are actually reasonably priced
- The O-Scale house/structure (roll-your-own) kits seem very innovative. Well done, Lionel!
- The coil loads (probably a re-tread of the Weaver version). If you're modeling steel, you can never have enough coils laying around.
George
To start: The Southern Pacific Veranda.
More to come.
Great catalog.
Nada.
@G3750 posted:
- Ore car 6-packs. At an MSRP of $150 for 6 w/ unique numbers & loads these are actually reasonably priced
I have the UP ore car 6-pack, it's a great way to build a long train quickly. They also have 6-pack hopper cars too - hoping to pick some up to make a coal train 
@Hancock52 posted:It really depends on your view about pre-ordering generally. Some people don't like the "Built To Order" approach although in fact Lionel and MTH operated the equivalent system before it came to be labelled as "BTO."
...
But I don't think that waiting will actually get you the model any faster in the end. Pre-orders generally ship as soon as the product arrives at the dealer. If you wait to see if they have a surplus of the model you want and order it then, it will usually go out slightly later depending on the dealer's existing commitment. Moreover, in the recent past, pre-order prices were generally appreciably lower than later orders through the regular channels although that has not been true of certain models. I think it all really depends on what the specific dealer has estimated can be sold of a particular model.
...
I don't want to take my chances in the later or secondary market after a small quantity has been made and mostly spoken for.
I'm reluctant to preorder or buy brand new on the first day in general - it seems everything from software to appliances, etc, will have some overlooked issues, so my personal policy has always been to wait a month or more for problems to be identified and resolved. But I have the same concern as you here - I was hoping to get a LC+2.0 Lionmaster Allegheny last year but apparently the production run was cancelled due to lack of preorders. I think i'd rather have to send an engine back for day 1 repair than not have that engine at all, but then again I'd prefer to not have to make that choice in the first place and just have everything work perfectly from the start.
So far I am ordering the Canadian Pacific SD70ace locomotive #2021 and the John Deer Refrigerator car. I'm not one to complain about what Lionel has cataloged but I feel I must comment on what isn't in the catalog. I would have liked to have seen more "Lionel Lines" postwar inspired cars and trains, to include new 6464 inspired boxcars. I like the K-4's but it would have been a nice been a nice tribute to their heritage if Lionel had one available as a Lionel Lines version with a postwar number, maybe 2035 or 675. Lionel should not be afraid to offer non-prototypical paint schemes on their scale locomotives and cars. Hey, what's wrong with a Lionel Lines SD70ace locomotive? I would have bought one!
I would also like to see more Providence and Worcester as well as CP and CN.
I am glad that Lionel is doing well and that many people are happy.
Ordered today. Finally got my Turbine and also the Legacy Santa Fe 3001.
Oh also the three Wings of Angels boxcars. I figure I am helping them stay in college
@BillYo414 posted:I caught that portion of the video and it sounds like it was the bottom left locomotive that is weathered. We'll see what you find out.
I'm still on the fence about ordering one. I mean I could easily pick up a side hustle this summer to get the money together but something keeps telling me to hold off. Maybe I'll wait to see what's in the second catalog.
Well, I got nothing unfortunately. I talked to Tony my local dealer, and it appears Lionel has flubbed once again with distribution. This time they got the catalogs out, but not the order sheets. Tony also pointed out that weathered locomotives are usually more expensive. So, I sent out an email to hopefully get a definite answer about what is being weathered and not.
@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Well, I got nothing unfortunately. I talked to Tony my local dealer, and it appears Lionel has flubbed once again with distribution. This time they got the catalogs out, but not the order sheets. Tony also pointed out that weathered locomotives are usually more expensive. So, I sent out an email to hopefully get a definite answer about what is being weathered and not.
Not sure about the order sheets as several forum sponsors and shops have already posted their pricing.
@MartyE posted:Not sure about the order sheets as several forum sponsors and shops have already posted their pricing.
Well, they probably know what their price breaks are and what they can sell for. I am hoping that it is just because my dealer doesn't get direct from Lionel. If I don't get an answer, I'll just drop a line to Ryan and see what he says.
