Thoughts on Lionel 2015 Signature Catalog

Only two Mikados?

 

 

Looks like my GN Light Mike didn't get the memo.  

 

 

Like the one they made in 2005, with Legacy?

 

 

I really like the prototypical photos intertwined in the catalog. Intertwined so well that it gets your hopes up as your turning the page!  Good Job!

 

Gonna give the NS ES44AC both numbers a hard look. 

 

Missing: NS ES44AC Veterans paint scheme, steam era N&W coal hoppers and caboose to pull behind a Y6b. 

 

Glad I ordered the Wabash Bluebird Aluminum passenger cars.  Looks like they may be the end of an era. 

I have the 2 CN's 2014, and I would describe the paint as "traditional" flat finish rather than being dull, ordinary and "plastic looking".  Detail levels are quite good IMHO.

 

When the NS Heritage models came out in 2012, Lionel chose the glossy finish to depict the newly painted prototypes from Norfolk Southern.  MTH, on the other hand, produced their models with flat finish.  Both versions have their followers and detractors.  When Lionel got the colors right, the glossy finish was superb.  But Lionel's Jersey Central had the incorrect blue/orange.  So I preferred the MTH version for that roadname even though the prototype had the glossy finish.

 

If I were a betting man, I'd expect Lionel's upcoming 2015 ES44's will have the more traditional flat finish as we saw in 2014.  Just a hunch, FWIW.

 

David

Yes I agree, They could even name the cars after four recent celebrities took a ride on it. the Sheldon Cooper, The Howard Wolowitz, the Amy Fala Fouler, and the very hot Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz!

The new horn on the es44s are better imo .. The cn es44 was a home run for me and was 399.. 

I'd be curious to know the source of that statistic.

I didn't know MTH was 57 years old.

And the last time I saw price guides, Lionel had many more listings than MTH, and produced greater volumes. 

Car isn't not long enough for Bernadette's moniker.

Doubt Lionel will do another wine train anytime soon, given the previous production. 

Now that would be funny to see....Greg

I like the Norfolk Southern ES44 engine, specially since you do not see a whole lot of modern NS engines in Lionel's catalogs.  Nice that the headlight is in the right spot unlike all the others. The NYC J3a is very nice looking also, however pre order price is up $200 from the Berkshires and Polar Express, enough to keep me away? Im am a little disappointed where the price is going….. UP, as well as the quality control in some of their products here lately, kinda suspect for high priced models.  Makes me nervous forking out the extra money in a product I haven't seen or heard anything from yet. MTH is starting to look more appealing to me everyday, not to mention there engine & crew sounds  seem to be more custom to each of there engines.  Lionel needs to take a page out of MTH's playbook and have the ability to upgrade your Lionel engine sound files, specially when Lionel fumbles on horns and crew talk from one engine to the next.  Customize, customize, customize…. in todays time of wireless options, this should have been mandatory by now.

 

Long live the Milwaukee S3 261, best bang for your buck engine Lionel has ever made. I want more like it! 

The signature catalog is stunning graphically. The products inside are tempting but the wallet says no right now. I've got close to $2000.00 in MTH products from the 2014 catalog. The one item I did order was from the R-T-R catalog. I usually don't buy "collector" type boxcars such as the MLB ones except I bought the Washington Senators (sic) boxcar. What happened to the Washington Nationals? Who knows, it might be a real collector!

I was a very hot for the new J3 Empire express engines but since the delivery date is nine to twelve months out, it's hard to know what my finances will be like then.

 

Question, will dealers stock these or just order enough for pre-orders?

Considering these are Built to Order engines, it's more likely going to be the latter.

If its anything like the VL Bigboys you shouldn't have any problem getting one after they arrive. Just don't procrastinate. I recall Charles Ro had multiples of every cab number after they were delivered.

 

Pete

Anyone know what's the deal with the black wheel?

Me thinks nothing pretty about it.

Joe 

With all the buzz above, I thought I should make an effort to track down this catalog,

and did, just as the shop got in a case of them.  In the Signature one, there were

the several Mikados, three, for western roads, AND an UNLETTERED one...However,

not inexpensive.  There is a Rio Grande flat with a load...probably a modern car,

and Rock Island (and other) passenger cars, but no head-end cars.  The Ready-to-Run catalog really startled me....lots of cutesy-poo stuff, not for high railers.  And THAT does not require pre-order?   Gee, just think of all the stuff they COULD have filled

those pages with....

According to Mike Reagan, these offerings represent the different (and photographed) versions of the ESE through its career.

 

I also think it ugly from the original designers product, but for those modeling a different time or version it makes sense.

 

This is another "test" for Lionel that really has been asked for the O gauge community, so credit (and sales) really should go to them for trying something different. The information was received from the Notch 6 Podcast.

 

Charlie

Really???  If it's gonna be as "hot" as dealers are saying, let's see them put their money where they mouth is and stock up on a few. 

 

Seriously though, I've yet to have a problem purchasing a Lionel item after the BTO pre-order deadline.  MTH and Atlas-O is an entirely different call, but I think Lionel dealers still feel the Lionel "name" carries a bit more of a license to move some extra goods.  Exactly how much "extra" is the big wild-card.  So I wouldn't wait too long.

 

Believe it or not, I've encountered more difficulties in past years purchasing a "regular run" item that was under-produced  (i.e., if I didn't act soon enough).  BTO items?  No problems... yet. 

 

David

Interesting point, David. Lionel's Centipede would be an extreme example. Their UP edition evaporated nearly overnight, and yet dealers are hard pressed to all but giveaway other road names. Is this a case of underestimating demand for one livery and being overly optimistic about the popularity of others? Perhaps this model was the seed for the BTO concept. I doubt we will ever see Lionel offer these beautiful monsters again anytime soon, if ever.

A more recent example is the Pere Marquette Berk on its third issue.

Who would have thought it would be the first to go.

It brings a decent premium if it can be found.

If they'd only make a caboose, I'd call it a home run...

Joe

Hot water will correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe the mixed wheel types occurred at the end of the steam era.  At this point the NYC shop guys would use whatever they had available for maintenance and repairs, not being concerned about asthetics.

 

A really good weathering on one of these would likely make the oddball wheel more fitting/ convincing as well as the missing shrouding. Obviously the locos were not delivered new this way.

 

Charles Ro always orders extras, probably a few other major dealers will too, but for sure Ro will have some.

 

Seems like a good idea to get those folks gettin' off the fence.

 

FWIW he still has some of the "BTO" VL bigboys and berks in stock.

 

Was off the grid all week, looking forward to viewing the catalog. Finally got to see it today.

0 EJ&E items... Again. For the love of God slap EJ&E on something.

So GGD does not have a problem with their aluminum supplier for their passenger cars?

Midwest roads of yore always are comparatively ignored as a defacto rule with the Rock Island as an exception these days.How about roads that actually exist rather than being long dead as a door nail? Midwest roads... Iowa Interstate? Indiana Railroad? Kansas City Southern with it's striking color scheme.Wisconsin Southern  Etc Etc

I could go on and on. Only the West and East roads are repeated over and over and over. Want some colorful road equipment?

 

 

 

The manufacturers assume that no one is aware of these roads but most modelers are also rail fans. Duh...They are stuck on the PRR and NYC like a broken record.Take your pick of mud brown or shades of grey if color is appealing. Even their repaints match their repeats of previously issued prototypes. 

 

Mike's Train House produced the railroads Indiana Railroad, Wisconsin & Southern, Iowa Interstate, and Kansas City Southern within the past 2 years.

 

 

Will Rich Trowbridge make a comment about the railroad specific detailed Grand Trunk Western SD40 diesel-electric locomotives?

 

Rich, you posted about the GTW GP9s and GP18s. Would you get the GTW SD40s instead?

 

 

Andrew

 

 

Falcon Service

The SD40 is not too different from the SD38. The new SD40 has changeable detail parts. That could make it possible to also produce accurate examples of the SD38 locomotives.

 

Andrew  

I think we need more not less diversity. That was my point. The dead roads far outnumber the living ones. I don't think our choices have changed that significantly but you are right in the sense these are exceptions to the rule.

We are going to order a few extras of the BTO pieces like the Hudsons. As pointed out we did the same with the Big Boys and Berkshires. We have four 4014s left and one each of the PM and Erie in the Berks. Still on sale, and free shipping. 

 

Orders for the Hudsons, like everything over $300 ship free from us. 

I have a short bucket list of new items that I would like to get, and the NS ES44AC is on that list (if I can get a Reading heritage unit).  It looks like the new NS model is a pretty good representation of the real thing, so, I definitely am considering pre-order this model.

 

Jim

There shouldn't be a Reading Heritage ES44AC in the catalog, as the Reading unit is an EMD SD70ACe...

I received my "hard" copies from Lionel yesterday and after going through them a few times, there is nothing I am interested in ordering.

 

Jeff Davis

I'll give it another go-round later but my orders will probably be limited to: Lion Chief Plus Virginian Rectifier and the REA operating merchandise car. I've already preordered one of the LC+ NW-2s from 2014.

 

May pick up a few items from the holiday catalog, too.