Thoughts on Lionel 2015 Signature Catalog

Lots of rehashes on old accessories with much higher price tags was the first thing that caught my eye.  

 

Was surprised the new crane is only command control.

 

---Greg

Lee,

 

  Would have liked to see LionChiefPlus F-3s instead of FTs.

 

Art

What caught my eye was on page 8 in the left hand corner was a NS F7 in the round house.  Does this mean it is in the near future to be built? 

 

The other was the Santa Fe ES44AC, love that one.

 

I have the CC Empire State Express so I don't think I'll be biting on the Legacy one.

 

Otherwise nice catalog.

 

 

Not to happy with the prices on the es44s

Empire States Express J3a Hudson with PT tender.  Could very well be my first Legacy engine.

Nice offerings in all catalogs. The LC+ line is really expansive and the FT's will be a nice addition to the line.

 

Also, the graphic design of the catalog is really nice. Seems to be somewhat styled after some of the late 90's catalogs with the darker photos and full size equipment.

 

Yeah, I like the way it was laid out but other then that...same stuff, just different colors on the accessories and same road names on the engines.

 

Glad to see the Lionmaster articulated's back. Still upset that they discontinued the PWC and CC series...

 

As for Tubular O gauge track, Hope they are NOT discontinuing it.....Forget that Fastrack crap!

I saw a lot of stuff that Lionel has made before (clearing out inventory?) and nothing that jumped out at me.

 

I also noticed that the only track I saw listed was AF and G gauge.

 

Oh well, that'll save me some money.

They almost fooled me when I saw that pics of F7 especially with the NS OCS. 

I'm personally getting nothing from the 2015v1 catalog, i was a bit relieved actually that there was no new steam i NEEDED, and the PFE Reefers are the same ones as what was in the 2014v2 Catalog, i already have them, have already run them, and love them, don't need a 2nd set of the same road numbers though!

 

I am sure my wallet will enjoy the break, and i am POSITIVE there will be a zinger in 2015v2 that will wreck my savings!

I can tell that the high dollar big boy created a lack luster rendering this time round.

I can relate time for the wallet/credit cards to heal.

 

it has a few nice items within it but nothing that is a WOW order it right now affect.

 

and sorry but msrp prices for rolling stock wow.

 

and I must have misunderstood that the lion chief sets were more or less entry level to get younger generations involved at those prices I don't see it happening.

 

and the ICab App at back of catalog guess they were afraid to list its cost!

 

I am curious as to why!

 

No must haves will wait till I have a hard copy to see if anything changes my mind.

New passenger cars will be fantastic! ESE set is hot

You and me both preorder price of $519...that is ridiculous.  I wonder what has changed from the last ones that were $399 preorder?  

       
       



Yup that is a big increase ..

But at least the lights are in the right location for the NS ES44 

Same old stuff.....at higher prices. Nothing really interesting. Wallet stays closed.....  

Lol....that big a jump makes me want to buy less not more.  

So glad to see Lionmaster is back.  I like some of the new halloween stuff (Friday the 13th!) and the DC comics stuff (the Flash!).  Also the John Deere water tower.  Also FDR in the president boxcar series.  That should hold me for this year.  Just when I thought I was done buying things for the layout.

Do the SD40 models look more like SD40-2s? I ask because these appear to have the long front and rear porches, which were a -2 modification. Even the rear porch with the brake stand looks like -2 to me. 

 

Still may consider since they did a Clinchfield. I can't seem to find any older Atlas Clinchfield SD40s, so might have to get one (can't afford both numbers).

 

Glad to see the West India Fruit boxcar, seems Lionel is keeping up with political trends, given the loosening of restrictions on Cuba. 

 

I must agree...the prices are a total turn off.

Frankly, my pre-order days are over because, i can always find this stuff for less on the secondary markets...you would be surprised how many people buy and then want to unload it.....and NEW!

On the subject of CC and PWC...although, I am not a fan of Pullmor and TMCC, with proper power lock on placement and setting stall speeds properly the Pullmor/TMCC combo is quite tolerable, and at the prices I have purchased new PWC stuff, I am very happy.

Also, certain PWC and CC items actually do appreciate if MIB.

       
       



I haven't see one picture of a bnsf  es44 with the headlights in the roof.. For a second I thought they where metal at the 649 retail price .. (Joking)

Nothing that attention-getting for me. The ES44's would have been, but once again the headlight is in the wrong place for every paint scheme except one. LOL. And once again, not ONE Amtrak item makes the signature catalog.

 

I'm also not sure how wise it is to put these photographs of real trains at the beginning of each catalog section. People may start to think Lionel will eventually make the engines/cars pictured, when they probably have no intention in doing so.

 

I did like the extended truss bridge and how it apparently can function as a lift-out for a walkway. This may work perfectly on part of my future layout.

 

Only 2 things for me.  Since I'm 100% Legacy only, I have been waiting for the Pennsy B6 switcher in Legacy for a long time and the Hudson J3a finally also in Legacy, plus it will have the extra cars and Station Sounds car so that will be my major purchase for this catalog.  Interesting to see how these new passenger cars turn out!

Interesting that there are so many "G" sets.  Also, unless I missed it, I see no regular transformer powered sets?  It's either LionChief or LionChief Plus?  As others have mentioned, prices are sky high even after discounting.  Hard to justify $40-$50 for a boxcar.  Maybe that's where the profit is going to be this year - sets at the hobby shops with a few add-on cars. 

Yep $649 MSRP and over $500 retail for a plastic body....MTH is looking more appealing lol....

Agreed. I was excited to see a BNSF plastic ES44, but not with the incorrect light location. With all the "specific road details" for other recent diesels (GP30s, SD40s come to mind) do you all think Lionel would revisit this mold? 

 

AND the NS horse is facing the right direction too!  (Sorry, I'll stop now)

Why the tease with the f units in the front of the catalog..sure

would have jumped on a New Haven set...bummer 

Agree

 

Art

 

The Empire State Express is the most likely candidate for what I am surely going to buy. Lionel really seems to have gone all out on producing the new version, so I'm glad I waited for this. This may also be a sign Lionel WILL do the other J3A Hudsons soon. The passenger cars look excellent, too, not to mention the (YES!) StationSounds diners are back.

 

The new B6's are a bit of a disappointment, and not from the no wireless tether standpoint, but I'm sure they'll find customers.

 

I should point out that the black unlettered Heavy Mikado is a GREAT idea!! I'm also quite intrigued how the catalog shows how the insides of the Mikado will be arranged for the final production.

 

The new versions of the SD40's look really nice, but a bit steep on price.

 

I'm very glad Lionel is bringing back the Lionmaster line, and the whistle steam in the Challengers is very welcome.

 

The new LC+ ELC Rectifier is cool, but sadly no new steam engines in the line, nor any new Thomas the Tank characters...

 

I'm a little curious to see how the New coaling station will plan out, as it looks like the same marketing strategy Lionel did in 1996 with the oil derrick and made the oil pumping station.

 

I do like most of the miscellaneous merchandise in the Holiday catalog, and many of those things will likely find their way into my house.

 

The new Superhero merchandise is probably the highlight of the lower end line, though. Plenty of famous faces and bright colors to attract younger enthusiasts.

 

Probably the most dubious item for myself personally is the Jason Voorhees Friday the 13th boxcar - think Lionel's gonna make a horror movie train to slowly build from here on?

 

Overall, the new catalogs may not do much for the lower end line - then again, that seems to be the case for most of Lionel's volume 1 catalogs - but the higher end material definitely pleases me. I'm sure when the volume 2 catalog comes out the lower end line will have much more to offer.

The all new railroad specific Grand Trunk Western SD40 diesel-electric locomotives are great.

 

The Chessie System Auto Rack on the Trailer Train flat car is great.

 

The Pullman-Standard 60' Boxcar is finally being made in Burlington Northern and Conrail.

 

That Ontario Northland PS-4 flat car has different graphics and a brighter color than the version from about 10 years ago.

 

They have a Detroit Edison color scheme on the coal gondolas.

 

They are producing the 1960's and 1970's SD40 loco, the older coal gondolas from the 1970's and 1980's by Pullman-Standard and Thrall Car would be worth producing to match them.

 

 

Andrew

       
       


I was gonna sell my dcs remote .I think I have changed my mind.. Mth needs to start making all there steam have smoking whistle..

I would love to have the new Legacy B6 switcher but for 699........The lionmaster seems to be of better value...

if they keep doing pilot versions, a 773 would be good. whats up with showing f7 ns executive and selling sd40's, that is really dumb.lionel must like us getting our thirst quenched at mth and williams. where and what happened to the neil texas special and add on cars. to many repeats and high rolling stock prices. dave

The ACF Cattle cars caught my eye.  If Lionel has that tooling pulled out, I think they should consider offering 3 packs.  Lionel could make one of the cars the in the set a sound car featuring cows or pigs making their usual animal sounds.  There was a Vision line cattle car a few years ago, it would nice for that to return with these. 

There are a few new things, but this was not a WOW catalog for me.

I too was hoping for Legacy F3s or F7s.  They will be cataloged sooner or later.  

I should point out that the black unlettered Heavy Mikado is a GREAT idea!!

 

I agree..