New Lionel Catalog -

[jlong]

Or the latest MTH catalog. either.

ICK!!!!!

[MYmoo]

Interesting that there are NO RailChief locos.

...A diffeerent mfgr, contractor, retailler, , if I recall correctly.

Still made in China, tho.

[E7]

Anyone take a look at the catalog that was just released this week -

http://catalogs.lionel.com/18c2/


Thoughts?

As a heathen 2 railer, I seldom look at this stuff. What I see in this catalogue, is that prices are surpassing a lot of very nice secondary market O Scale (2 Rail) brass. I have zero interest in all the electronic crap (either 2 or 3 rail wise). If I were into 3 rail, I would likely be interested in the post war stuff. It looks to me like a race to see how close they can get to 2 rail detail on 3 rail track, and I really don't see the sense in that. The crystal ball is getting cloudy!

Rich

[rogruth]

Interesting that there are NO RailChief locos.

...A diffeerent mfgr, contractor, retailler, , if I recall correctly.

Still made in China, tho.

Either too many Chiefs or too many Indians, I should have typed LionChief.

[rogruth]

Interesting that there are NO RailChief locos.

I should have said LionChief.

[Mitch]

How do they justify an S scale Flyer Legacy engine costing $100 more than a O Scale Legacy engine? The prices are just crazy. Even if street prices are discounted 20%, the prices are still obscene.

[webenda]

How do they justify an S scale Flyer Legacy engine costing $100 more than a O Scale Legacy engine? The prices are just crazy. Even if street prices are discounted 20%, the prices are still obscene.

Selling Price times Predicted Sales has to exceed Business Costs. S scale Flyer does not sell as many units as O scale. Even if S scale costs less to make than O scale, it still has to have a higher price tag.

Remember the lawsuits? The lawsuits hurt everyone financially. Who paid for the toy train wars? I noticed a big jump in prices after the dust settled.

Costs of doing business with China are rising. One of Lionel's spokespersons, when announcing the return of some production to the USA (pre-Trump) said that rising costs in China were making it economically feasible to produce trains in the USA.

THE SCOUT READY-TO-RUN FREIGHT SET
2018: $239.99 (SKU: 6-30127)

In the 50s Lionel's 0-27 Scout sets sold for $19.95. (My dad got mine for $12.95--sold from the trunk of a car.)
Considering the Federal Minimum Wage Rates Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938, were $0.75/hour in 1950, $239.99 is not unreasonable today.

[jlong]

Anyone take a look at the catalog that was just released this week -

http://catalogs.lionel.com/18c2/


Thoughts?

As a heathen 2 railer, I seldom look at this stuff. What I see in this catalogue, is that prices are surpassing a lot of very nice secondary market O Scale (2 Rail) brass. I have zero interest in all the electronic crap (either 2 or 3 rail wise). If I were into 3 rail, I would likely be interested in the post war stuff. It looks to me like a race to see how close they can get to 2 rail detail on 3 rail track, and I really don't see the sense in that. The crystal ball is getting cloudy!

Rich

That was the thinking back in the day. This quote is from O scale kings story on Mort Mann of 3rd Rail. Times have changed for sure.

Mort's business quickly outgrew the garage and he moved the business to an office building in Campbell, CA in 1979. For many years Mort produced 100s of different prototypes of the steam era which Samhongsa has copied and built for countless other importers.

In 1985, he attended a Cal Stewart meet in San Jose. He brought a converted and unpainted brass NYC 4-6-2 K-5 to the meet fitted with 3-Rail pickup rollers. This was his test market of the first highly detailed brass engine in 3-Rail. Many who witnessed the shiny brass model gliding back and forth on the track commented, "What would anyone want with a detailed model in 3-Rail?" Mort was not deterred, but he did not see an opportunity to enter the market until 1993.

[rogruth]

Although I appreciate the fine detail on the Lionel top line locos and rolling stock, I do not have a layout appropriate for their running.
I have been selling the scale stuff that just looks too long on my layout.
I cannot afford to have that much money tied up in a piece of "art". The LionChief locos are more my style.
It is not likely that I will ever buy another loco and not much else.

[MYmoo]

Interesting that there are NO RailChief locos.

...A diffeerent mfgr, contractor, retailler, , if I recall correctly.

Still made in China, tho.

Either too many Chiefs or too many Indians, I should have typed LionChief.

...and I should have remembered that 'L' made a set in 1936 (700E,700TW,792,792,793,794), (and repeated again in the 1990's) that was called "RailChief", which were made (mostly) in NY/NJ, & MI respectfully.
-------

Getting 'old' is said to be 'no fun' by some, but I am fortunate to be able to do so, w/out much anguish.

Yes, I DO have guardian angels.
Many.

[rogruth]

If I could see better I think the arthritis pain would not bother me as much.
That may seem like apples and oranges but if you have the problems it makes sense.