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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 29, 2021 2:57:11 GMT
I've been watching the Lionel online web store recently, and some interesting updates have been occurring. I wish Lionel would communicate more definitively about these updates. But until they do, we need to piece snippets of information together to glean a clearer picture of what's just around the corner.
In particular, it appears the online store had the 2-10-10-2 steamers in inventory recently. 3 of the models are now "sold out" through the web store, and one is marked "few left". Purchasing is by "add to cart" as opposed to "preorder", which is what's leading me to believe the locomotives are here in the States. I have my eye on the Santa Fe Valley Flyer version, so we'll see what the story is with dealers actually receiving their pre-orders. I missed the first release of these fine steamers when Lionel first started offering Vision Line products. So perhaps now will be the time to grab one.
Two other big-ticket items are still marked as "pre-order", but with estimated ship-dates in January. The Valley Flyer passenger set, which includes a Santa Fe Valley Flyer Pacific 4-6-2 steamer decorated to match the Valley Flyer 4-pack of passenger cars -- only available with the locomotive -- is showing an estimate ship-date of 1/5/2022. However, Charles Ro is still showing an ETA of 3/10/2022. And the Veranda Turbines are showing an estimated ship-date of 1/18/2022 on Lionel's web store, but Charles Ro is showing an ETA of 3/10/2022. So there are still some disconnects on product delivery within Lionel's sales channels. Why this is such a moving target of inconsistent information is still puzzling to me. But I don't expect this to change anytime soon. So we'll just need to see what arrives, when the products actually hit dealer shelves... or somebody gets a shipping confirmation from the Lionel online store.
Nonetheless, there definitely appears to be SOME big-ticket activity coming from Lionel in January -- the specifics of which are just now beginning to come into focus.
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Post by JDaddy on Dec 29, 2021 3:11:47 GMT
I believe I did hear the 2-10-10-2's are coming in soon, but I have not seen them at our LHS. The Turbine was supposed to be in around January, delayed from before Christmas. But that's ok. I have to pay off my D&H passenger cars first.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Dec 29, 2021 12:19:58 GMT
I'm very interested in - and slightly worried about - when the Veranda turbines are going to appear. If it's not until March that would not bother me.*
But in any case, I expect that the reason for Lionel not updating their information is that they don't know themselves what's arriving when (or they can't be bothered to find out and publish it). The shipping schedule is pretty farcical and has been for years. People with long memories may remember that years back Mike R. announced an effort to make it pretty much up to the minute but that did not happen.
I also look at the Ro website as in the past it's been very accurate. I don't look at the Lionel online store as paying, or even seeing, their prices certainly doesn't appeal.
*P.S. As an aside, I thought that the 18 Jan. 2022 expected ship date on the Lionel Store site is probably a holdover from a past shipping schedule that just has not been updated. However, the as of today the shipping schedule is showing Jan. 2022 for the Verandas. I don't recall anybody from Lionel saying that these are "on the water" yet, but of course these days many things sit still on the water interminably.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 29, 2021 15:42:24 GMT
....
But in any case, I expect that the reason for Lionel not updating their information is that they don't know themselves what's arriving when (or they can't be bothered to find out and publish it). The shipping schedule is pretty farcical and has been for years. People with long memories may remember that years back Mike R. announced an effort to make it pretty much up to the minute but that did not happen.
I also look at the Ro website as in the past it's been very accurate. I don't look at the Lionel online store as paying, or even seeing, their prices certainly doesn't appeal.
.... Indeed, I've never placed much credence in Lionel's shipping schedule. On it's best day, it was -- and continues to be -- a shot in the dark.
But what got me looking at the Lionel web store is this: at York, Lionel had what they called their "locomotive of the year" on display. It was the first time I saw it... never saw it catalog'd. And it really looked cool in Lionel blue/orange. At first, I thought perhaps it was a club special-run from LCCA or METCA. But it turned out to be a special offering that Lionel announced back in late February 2021 via email... only available directly from Lionel or its retail store in NC. Orders had to be in my the first week of March... so it had a very small pre-order window. Bottom line... I missed the window. And when I looked into things after October York, all indications were it was "sold out".
I even called the Lionel retail store in NC and spoke to the store's manager. And she did some checking around with the guy at Lionel who was managing this project, but called me back and said all 25 units were spoken for. So I figured, "Oh well... life goes on... no big deal. It is what it is."
Then... one day in December I was checking something on Lionel's web store... and lo-and-behold, the "Locomotive of the Year" pops up with a banner saying "Few Left". So I clicked on it... and sure enough I was able to add it to my cart. As an added bonus, I double-checked online for Lionel store coupons... and sure enough... I tried one for 20% off AND IT WORKED! So I was happy camper. The locomotive arrived a couple of days later... an early Christmas present from Santa. 
In any event... I've now been checking the Lionel online store every once in awhile to see what "new arrivals" are in stock there. And that's how I saw the 2-10-10-2's and ETA's for the Veranda Turbines. Aside from that, I don't even look at the Lionel shipping schedule anymore since it's so unreliable. 
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Post by laz57 on Dec 29, 2021 18:21:05 GMT
Yes I am still awaiting to come in the American Railroad S1. I did check with RO and it is still set for 1/10/22, so fingers are crossed. I do have the Tuscan fantasy version and that is a hit with people who see it but I do think this one is really going to be special?
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Post by kstrains on Dec 31, 2021 2:09:47 GMT
Video from Legacy Station 2-10-10-2. Sharp looking fantasy paint scheme.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 31, 2021 3:05:23 GMT
MANY thanks for sharing that video clip, Ken. Although the title slide in the video shows the Black Bonnet model, the locomotive in the video on Legacy Station's test-track is actually the one I've had my eye on: the Santa Fe Valley Flyer.
That is one FABULOUS locomotive!!! I have been shying away from articulated locomotives in recent years -- simply because of their size... plus the fact that I grabbed a couple many years back and my interests moved elsewhere. But as I've mentioned here already, I missed Lionel's first release of the 2-10-10-2's back when Jerry Calabrese started Lionel's Vision Line product offering. And these well-detailed models with enhanced steam effects are simply the cats-meow. Not to mention the world-class Railsounds are -- true to form -- an added bonus. And I'm always a fan of roadname/roadnumber-specific Crewtalk and Towercom dialogs. Plus this model also has a swinging-bell. So yes, Virginia... there definitely is a Santa Claus. 
However, this one is gonna most certainly make an impact on the wallet -- just as we close out 2021. 
Matching passenger cars will be another hit, because Lionel shrewdly packaged the 4-pack (containing an observation and a StationSounds diner) with a Pacific Locomotive also in the Valley Flyer paint-scheme. Wonder if any dealers will be breaking up that set? I suspect not in this market. But one never knows. Might need to grab the set and then try to sell the Pacific locomotive at some point. Hhmmmm...... at this rate of expenses (including the Veranda Turbines AND the Red Mohawk Pacemaker set), I'll most likely skip Lionel 2022 offerings completely -- including the N&W Class A. Just have to resign myself to be content watching from the sidelines in 2022 while I enjoy these 2021 goodies, because we all have our limits. Taking a year off to recover from a 2021 big-ticket product splurge can DEFINITELY be a good thing!!! 
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Post by david1 on Dec 31, 2021 5:15:34 GMT
One impressive engine, thank you Ken for posting. David, if you buy this locomotive you will not be sorry. If I had a big enough layout and the money it would have been mine for sure.
Great paint scheme Lionel came up with this engine. Very classic but understated.
Dave
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Post by harborbelt70 on Dec 31, 2021 11:33:02 GMT
MANY thanks for sharing that video clip, Ken. Although the title slide in the video shows the Black Bonnet model, the locomotive in the video on Legacy Station's test-track is actually the one I've had my eye on: the Santa Fe Valley Flyer.
That is one FABULOUS locomotive!!! I have been shying away from articulated locomotives in recent years -- simply because of their size... plus the fact that I grabbed a couple many years back and my interests moved elsewhere. But as I've mentioned here already, I missed Lionel's first release of the 2-10-10-2's back when Jerry Calabrese started Lionel's Vision Line product offering. And these well-detailed models with enhanced steam effects are simply the cats-meow. Not to mention the world-class Railsounds are -- true to form -- an added bonus. And I'm always a fan of roadname/roadnumber-specific Crewtalk and Towercom dialogs. Plus this model also has a swinging-bell. So yes, Virginia... there definitely is a Santa Claus.
My real interest, however, is in whether this tells us anything about imminent availability of other models from the same catalog - Verandas in particular. Don’t suppose anyone’s heard anything about that?
On the engine itself, yes, it’s a winner although I am not keen on this particular fantasy scheme. I have the original VL issue, which I got in the aftermarket and had to have repaired by AlexM. It’s a treat to run and I plan on getting it out today!
POSTSCRIPT: Kinda weird but this morning the Ro website while still listing the #67 Greyhound Veranda version as expected availability on 3/10 doesn’t say the same or give any date for other versions. Also the prices have reverted to their pre-order discount from something higher the last time I looked just a couple of days ago. Not sure what gives about all this . . .
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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 31, 2021 14:22:57 GMT
.... POSTSCRIPT: Kinda weird but this morning the Ro website while still listing the #67 Greyhound Veranda version as expected availability on 3/10 doesn’t say the same or give any date for other versions. Also the prices have reverted to their pre-order discount from something higher the last time I looked just a couple of days ago. Not sure what gives about all this . . .
Hmmm.... I'm a bit confused by your POSTSCRIPT, because that's not what I'm seeing. When I checked Ro's site, I see all the Veranda models still showing an ETA of 3/10/2022 with a price of $1,485. Ro's "early buy" price when the catalog was first released was $1,380, if I recall correctly.
Meanwhile, Lionel's webstore shows an estimated ship date of 1/18/2022. Given the arrival of the 2-10-10-2's, I can certainly use a break with Verandas coming in March rather than January. But it will be what it will be. This stuff tends to happen every year in December, when practically everything in the Volume 1 catalog arrives all at once. Unfortunately for 2021, Lionel had a BUNCH of locomotives and premium sets in the "near $2,000 price-point" that were pretty cool. And with all these big-ticket items arriving now, it's gonna be more challenging to take advantage of year-end 2021 or early 2022 "clearance sales" if you're also tempted by these goodies with hefty pricetags. Hazards of the hobby I suppose.
BTW, I can confirm that Charles Ro also has received the 2-10-10-2's. So they are, in fact, starting to appear at dealers and train shops as we speak.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Dec 31, 2021 15:14:06 GMT
.... POSTSCRIPT: Kinda weird but this morning the Ro website while still listing the #67 Greyhound Veranda version as expected availability on 3/10 doesn’t say the same or give any date for other versions. Also the prices have reverted to their pre-order discount from something higher the last time I looked just a couple of days ago. Not sure what gives about all this . . .
Hmmm.... I'm a bit confused by your POSTSCRIPT, because that's not what I'm seeing. When I checked Ro's site, I see all the Veranda models still showing an ETA of 3/10/2022 with a price of $1,485. Ro's "early buy" price when the catalog was first released was $1,380, if I recall correctly.
But all that matters now is when they arrive, as to which Lionel makes us none the wiser. I'll go with what Ro says unless I hear something different.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Jan 8, 2022 2:54:48 GMT
When I was a youngster decades ago, January 6th was often called "Little Christmas". I don't hear that term too often these days anymore. But for being "Little Christmas", Santa brought me something very big in 2022... namely a 2-10-10-2 Santa Fe Valley Flyer. It's currently getting acclimated to room temperature in the train room as we speak, after being in the garage in its shipping box most of today. So I haven't put it through its paces YET. But I did manage to grab a few quick iPhone snapshots on the layout tonight. A very nice model, indeed!!!
I opted for the Valley Flyer paint scheme, because it was a unique "fantasy scheme" that I hadn't seen before. The other fantasy scheme looks pretty cool too... the Black Bonnet. But I already have that design from two recent special-run offerings from Pat's Trains: a Northern 4-8-4 and a smaller 10-wheeler 4-6-0.
By the way... if you're so tempted, this model does come with an optional dummy O-Gauge front coupler that can replace the standard scale-sized front coupler, if you're thinking about double-heading two of these jewels!!!!
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Post by david1 on Jan 8, 2022 4:16:19 GMT
Glad you picked The valley flyer Dave. Its a great looking engine. A very nice paint scheme Lionel picked for this fantasy scheme.
Dave
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Post by Adam on Jan 8, 2022 10:09:06 GMT
Very cool engine and fun paint scheme Dave!
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Post by ptc on Jan 8, 2022 12:40:45 GMT
Wonderful choice, David.
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