The Lionel 2023 Volume 2 Catalog is up! Whadaya gettin'?

There are some enticing locomotives! the 1309, the 844, the S2. But I don't know if they'll really be in my financial wheelhouse this go around. I'm entering the territory of want vs need at this point. I want several pieces from this catalog but I need to make some progress on the layout I'm almost considering just stashing the money away for next years possible Visionline release.

Overall though, cool catalog. Short and solid.

I know what you mean but those F-19 Pacific's are pretty nice.

Boy, lots of stuff for a volume II.

"Maybe" an M1, not sure. I have the early legacy M1b and I have the L1 and I1 from previous catalogs on order.

It's nice Lionel is continuing to offer different variations of loco and tender.

Also good to see the F19 again. For C&O fans ,this is about the best detail you can get from Lionel.

I was not expecting those F-19's. I'm very much considering one. The 1309 is enticing because of the real one being sort of in our region.

I like to go through these discussions and whatnot, then let the excitement die down a bit for myself, then make my choice.

I was hoping for another M1b, but I guess you could make an M1b with engine #6888?  Or do I wait until an "official" M1b comes out again??  Decisions, decisions...

I wonder if it's the same tooling as all of the other M1s or if this is MTH's M1?  The class lights are different on the 6888.

@RickO posted:

Boy, lots of stuff for a volume II.

Also good to see the F19 again. For C&O fans ,this is about the best detail you can get from Lionel.

I Know I'll get grief but the Halloween one is kind of standing out.  I need to hear the sounds on it first so I hope they add them to the on-line catalog.  It would only help them sell it.

Even if I could afford it, there's nothing that sparks my interest.

I'll be getting the CUSTOM RUN Reading & Northern SD50 Red Head from METCA, once it's on their website.  Will also be getting the CUSTOM RUN New Hope & Ivyland #40 2-8-0 from METCA.  Oh yea, plus the SD70ACe's that METCA will be doing.

More info to come when they're online.

https://metca.org/store.html

But they're not there just yet.  Stay tuned.

Stu

Wow - that's a lot to take in for a vol.2 catalog ??? - maybe it's me !

Anyway - looking forward to see / hear all the podcast / YouTube upcoming shows to maybe answer a few questions

Thanks Lionel

@Larry Mullen posted:

I wonder if it's the same tooling as all of the other M1s or if this is MTH's M1?  The class lights are different on the 6888.

It's based on the M1b tooling. New body slides all around. We've also redesigned the front end to bring the pilot and truck to more scale proportions. It was pretty stretched before.

PS - Nice catalog

AOE cars look very nice. Cant figure what I have that would pull them  Suggestions?

Nothing in the catalog grabs me other than the Lackawanna 1074 heritage unit.   My wallet can breathe a sigh of relief 😌

Good start MARTYE!!!!

Western Maryland 1309 FIREBALL and a new paint scheme Reading & Northern SD50 for me!!!!!👍👍

I shouldn't do it because $ is tight these days, but I am kind of attracted to this one:

@MartyE posted:

I now I'll get grief but the Halloween one is kind of standing out.  I need to hear the sounds on it first so I hope they add them to the on-line catalog.  It would only help them sell it.

I have the Halloween Pacific they did a few years back and if the sounds are like the ones on the Pacific, this will be a fun engine to run.  I'd consider this one myself if my budget didn't have to accommodate the upcoming car payments on the vehicle I just bought.

Andy

I also like the LC+2.0 Berks.  I really like the tooling for these!  I have the CC Berk and this is a nice engine.  It looks like the same or similar tooling.

@Allan Miller posted:

I shouldn't do it because $ is tight these days, but I am kind of attracted to this one:

I agree with that too but with 3 Christmas engines already I have to pass.

The AUX tenders are nice with or without sound.  Is the flag a separate detail I wonder or a paint / decal?

@Dave Olson posted:

It's based on the M1b tooling. New body slides all around. We've also redesigned the front end to bring the pilot and truck to more scale proportions. It was pretty stretched before.

@Dave Olson Thanks, Dave.  Will the 6888 have have the piping on the fireman's side like the 6750?  I don't think the M1s had it, but I could be wrong.

(This is my photo of my engine)

The M1 is the one that kinda' stands out for me, I don't have a PRR M1 currently.

@NOT LionelLLC posted:

I'll be getting the CUSTOM RUN Reading & Northern SD50 Red Head from METCA, once it's on their website.  Will also be getting the CUSTOM RUN New Hope & Ivyland #40 2-8-0 from METCA.  Oh yea, plus the SD70ACe's that METCA will be doing.

More info to come when they're online.

https://metca.org/store.html

But they're not there just yet.  Stay tuned.

Stu

Let me know when the orders go in on this one, STU.  This is their new paint scheme.  Hope LIONEL abets the colors right.

@NOT LionelLLC posted:

I'll be getting the CUSTOM RUN Reading & Northern SD50 Red Head from METCA, once it's on their website.  Will also be getting the CUSTOM RUN New Hope & Ivyland #40 2-8-0 from METCA.  Oh yea, plus the SD70ACe's that METCA will be doing.

More info to come when they're online.

https://metca.org/store.html

But they're not there just yet.  Stay tuned.

Stu

Stu saves the day with NH&I 40!

I don't know. I know of one thing that stands out, Black River and Western which it is not exactly as is. There are some other things that I do like, but I know that they will come around again(a little pricier the next go around), so I'm stuck thinking what not to buy. I will maybe just sit this one out.

Just one item: SP Friendship Train boxcar.  Maybe next time they will offer a Chicago Great Western 2-6-6-2

@MartyE posted:

The AUX tenders are nice with or without sound.  Is the flag a separate detail I wonder or a paint / decal?

A magnetic plate.

@Larry Mullen posted:

Thanks, Dave.  Will the 6888 have have the piping on the fireman's side like the 6750?  I don't think the M1s had it, but I could be wrong.

M1 is different. This is 6888. Lots of detail variations of each sku all based on prototype photos.

Nice to see some emphasis on the vandy tendered steam genre.

Too bad there's not a separate painted/undec./ vandy tender available...for the folks so inclined to change things up a bit.  Maybe with a rudimentary RS package?...like some of the other tenders-only Lionel once offered.

Just a thought...

wow, alotta R&N stuff!  always loved the FF 50s.  cool they did the LGSR set as well!  also LNE 611, which is being restored by a friend of mine. 

You know, I was planning on trying to take this catalog off (I've got an (un)healthy backlog of orders I'm waiting on), but a few things caught my eye:

• Aberdeen + Rockfish GP7 (NC short lines have great paint schemes) - definitely ordering
• John Deere box car or flat car - strong maybe
• D+H or B+M Box car - softer maybe
• One of the consolidations for relettering - either Lehigh Valley or Colorado Southern with the plow - very slight chance, leaning no.

I'm also going to wait to see what special runs come out.

I wish both reading sd50s were powered, instead of 1 being a super bass,  no way to get two powered, and if I get the Metca red one they will both be same road #

@Allan Miller posted:

I shouldn't do it because $ is tight these days, but I am kind of attracted to this one:

Ah, a fantasy engine. Good for you Allan. I always liked the fantasy aspect, but I'm not a rivet counter. It wasn't that long ago that you had to have them custom made. But if memory serves me correctly, at some point the Lionel "girls set" was Williams biggest seller. And there's no reason not to give the consumer what he or she wants if its not harmful. The picture of the "Morlitz Lines" GG1 was taken in 2009, before Mike did fantasy engines.

Gerry

I don't think anything caught my eye. No preorders this go around for me.

I'm surprised that there isn't a C&O variant of the 1309, given that it was the last Class I Baldwin produced and sat on display at the B&O Railroad Museum all of those years in its C&O livery. Here's hoping a dealer arranges for a custom run!

Whatamy gettin’? Not a d*mn thing! PS1 boxcars over $200? And why offer passenger cars for the now defunct American Orient Express that hasn’t run in years and with no motive power for it? Why not do the Rocky Mountaineer instead?

Nothing in it interests me and I’m satisfied with what I already have.

A lot of nice steam but they have priced me out of the toy train market.

Actually, the single sheath and double sheathed boxcars aren't a bad deal and I need more boxcars. That might end up being it for me given the low cost.

Nice Catalog.

NASA S2 Switcher

Area 51 Gondolas

B&M Boxcars

Boston & Maine F7

This catalog's pricing gives a clearer picture of how Menard's lower-price offerings, despite issues discussed in various OGR threads, attractively fits into the starter-set market. 

Dave Olson

Director of Engineering

Lionel LLC

Dave, no Flyer this time around?

Rich

Something that appears missing from the catalog is the inclusion of the Cab3/Base3 ad. The catalog is mostly new items but starts with the LionChief app full page ad. I was expecting to see it in the catalog again.

Lots of new options. As someone that is newer in the hobby, it seems the catalog represents something that is 1+ year out after you order it vs coming soon.  I'd like all of them, or at least all the ones that would fit on my current layout.