Update on Lionel’s Scale Jupiter and 119

I too received the call.  Apparently not enough were made or something along those lines.  I'm not quite sure how the built to order concept is supposed to work if they aren't going to build what was ordered and I'm not overly happy about this.  I only ordered direct through Lionel because of the special package they were offering, otherwise I would have supported a smaller hobby shop by ordering through them.  The 10% is great, but now I'm still out the two cars that I would have just ordered separately had I known the individual sales ones would be shipped.

I nearly missed out on the matching two packs that I had ordered in May of 2019 when announced because Lionel shorted the major dealer that I had ordered (and prepaid) from and all the dealer could do was refund my money.  Thankfully Lionel had a couple sets left in stock in their online store, but I certainly shouldn't have been left scrambling to get ahold of those sets and the dealer shouldn't have lost a sale due to that.  Needless to say, I hadn't preordered anything this major before and probably never will again after this experience.

After programming the handsome Jupiter with its sound car for Legacy, and giving it a test run (forward, reverse, bell, whistle), I put it up for display on the wall with the other Lionel Heritage sets. The mirrored display cases are from Daves Bases and Cases who most people know from his booth in the Red Hall at York. The cases are floating on the wall using Cascades Iron J-Brackets.

I am disappointed too.  For the amount of the set you would think they would take care of us and then the general public.  I'm talking of course about the coach cars included.  I would have purchased them separately before if I knew about this.  I'm still waiting for my engine set while others have received them on the 16th of this month, With the two car coach included. How did that work?  The article says a savings of 299.98 but they are only discounting 220.00.  Go figure! 

I received the Central Pacific 2 car set last month without any warning.  I am curious if anyone has received the Union Pacific set yet or aware of a status with them?

I also had placed an order for the Transcontinental Anniversary set that included the sleeper cars.  I placed the order on the same day that I received the e-mail announcing the set, though I didn't receive any notification that the sleeper car set would not be included.  I have been charged for the anniversary set, and it appears the charge is less than I expected, so I infer it will not include the cars.  I also have not received any shipping notification, the charge occurred on 30 Oct and a shipping order may yet to be created.  I will try to call this week to fully understand my shipment.  I expect it will be a disappointment...

@Pitts posted:

I received the Central Pacific 2 car set last month without any warning.  I am curious if anyone has received the Union Pacific set yet or aware of a status with them?

I also had placed an order for the Transcontinental Anniversary set that included the sleeper cars.  I placed the order on the same day that I received the e-mail announcing the set, though I didn't receive any notification that the sleeper car set would not be included.  I have been charged for the anniversary set, and it appears the charge is less than I expected, so I infer it will not include the cars.  I also have not received any shipping notification, the charge occurred on 30 Oct and a shipping order may yet to be created.  I will try to call this week to fully understand my shipment.  I expect it will be a disappointment...

I ordered the full special set with both locomotives and sleepers and then eventually also both two packs of cars through the Lionel store.  Both sets of cars (UP & CP) arrived in the same shipment.

They called me last week to inform me that the sleeper cars would no longer be included and that a 10% discount would be applied to the order.  I was billed for the set at the reduced cost and there is a Fedex tracking number under the order in my Lionelstore.com account, however it's just because they printed the label.  I assume (hope) they'll actually be shipped on Monday or at least early in the week.

@Caliyo posted:

I am disappointed too.  For the amount of the set you would think they would take care of us and then the general public.  I'm talking of course about the coach cars included.  I would have purchased them separately before if I knew about this.  I'm still waiting for my engine set while others have received them on the 16th of this month, With the two car coach included. How did that work?  The article says a savings of 299.98 but they are only discounting 220.00.  Go figure!

I believe the deal was basically buy both locomotives, get two sleeper cars free.

I'm conflicted between being content with having the locomotives for $220 less without the free cars and being irritated because I won't be getting what I originally ordered and now don't have any real option to obtain the cars at a reasonable price since the $220 won't cover the $299.98 MSRP of the cars if a set can even be found.

Hi Jake, correct, that was to be the deal with the anniversary set.

I agree with you, I find it irritating that Built to Order doesn't even mean you will actually receive a physical product that you ordered through any means.

It's one thing for phosphorescent orange to show up on Milwaukee Roads, misspelled road names that contain the name of a state in the Union, promised detailing to make items unique gets struck.  I get it, things happen.  But not being able to actually deliver a product to a known quantity of buyers seems to be a new level of loss in any resemblance of being a manufacturer.  They weren't 'guessing' or 'forecasting' how many to make.  They knew...

It really makes me question any commitment they will have when the dust settles once it is understood what will happen with MTH.  (I'm going to miss their product if or when it goes away).  I fear the lack of any competition will further erode the big one left standing.  There just doesn't seem to be much attention to detail now as the BTO business model is showing signs of becoming haphazard in execution.  I guess they are not happy, until we are not happy! .

How about good faith to the customer base to deliver on commitments, even if later.  Not just offer a cursory discount that is less than what they advertise as the retail price of the free bits.  They should spend more time engineering their product requirements, QC, and the supply chain and less time engineering their message.  A very good friend of mine from days gone by used to say, if we all keep telling the same lie, it will be truth.  I guess if it works for politics and big businesses, it works for the nitch companies too.  That's just sad.  It was special order, limited quantity, never to be made again, order now!  Oh, but it only applies to a few of you who order, we didn't really mean 'All' of you, sorry...

It doesn't help they are owned by an equity firm, and I get this too, they are about 'equity', not about instilling confidence into your customer base regardless of the size, or keeping promises, or to promote and grow any of the business.  It's about money, not the product.  It's just return on investment, which equates to death by a thousand cuts.  Does an L in LLC stand for laughable?

I keep thinking Hot Water may have the right idea, as painful and sad as that makes me feel.  On a side note, my grandfather worked for "Missiouri Pacific" as a sheet metal worker in St. Louis.  He bought a 700E in the late 30's, which my Dad now has.  This hobby has been my thing too for a very long time.

Just received my set today (both engines).  Very nice detail.. great job.  I figured by ordering a set both engines would be numbered the same.  I know its just a sticker.  One was out of 260 and the other 277.  Thought there were 270 sets made.  Funny the manual is for the engines and the couch cars the were not included. 

Yeah I figured the same at at least in a set they could be the same number but it’s not really a special sticker. Cool to know how many were made though. I had the same issues (lack of communication) from Lionelstore. When I ordered on May 10th 2019 my card was to expire that month but they want card information. So when I called in October to update the card since I got tired of waiting for them to call the lady was very nice but said that order was closed because they were unable to Bill the cars in August, I was pretty upset when she was telling me I may not even get the sound cars I ordered with NO communication from them, no calls no email. Everything worked out but I don’t know if I’d ever order through Lionelstore.com again

I'm curious the shipping cartons on the locomotives seamed to be a thicker and heavier cardboard. Is this just me? Maybe that’s why these things are actually showing up relatively unscathed