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Post by rockymountaineer on Jan 12, 2023 15:28:42 GMT
Received an email from Lionel around 9:30am this morning (Thursday) indicating their new catalog was online. Within a few minutes, sure enough... the catalog was online earlier than their announced 10am drop... all 254 pages of it.
Wonderful catalog. Kudos to those responsible for it. Always a pleasure to see new items being offered for this special hobby of ours. Of course, it goes without saying you'll need to hold on to your wallets and temper the new-product enthusiasm with the reality of actually paying for it!!!
$2,900 Vision Big Boys. $500 Vision Car 3-packs. $600 Legacy Switcher locomotives. $200 Hot Metal cars (former MTH tooling?). And a $4,500 Vision Freight Set will bring you back to reality REAL FAST. (All prices MSRP.)
Thankfully, my current train roster is quite full. So my purchases will be VERY selective this year. After a quick pass through the catalog, the following goodies called my name:
Bottom line... a great catalog. But I'm so glad I bought what I did YEARS ago at much more realistic prices. By and large, the bang-for-our-buck is simply not there anymore. And I'm thankful I can say that here without moderators pouncing on me for MAKING AN OBJECTIVE MARKET OBSERVATION. I couldn't believe the nonsense that occurred just the other day, when someone posted his displeasure with Lionel's recent delivery of its Black River & Western passenger set on a Facebook group. Moderators and fanboys quickly came to Lionel's defense. But I guess they must have overlooked the fact that they paid GOOD MONEY for flawed products. Simply unacceptable... no matter how much a good ambassador of the hobby you're trying to be.
I don't say this to rain on anyone's parade today. Just a cautious reminder that the enthusiasm of Catalog Day needs to be tempered with the reality of what actually gets delivered 12-18 months down the road. And if that bothers some people today, sorry. They'll have to just get over it. For the money being paid out, high quality products should never be compromised.
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Post by curtis on Jan 12, 2023 15:49:33 GMT
After a quick pass and seeing the prices I passed out. Woke up and thought I was dreaming. Checked again. Got Dizzy. NOTHING in my budget range. So much for newcomers and old timers on fixed budgets. And just the thought that IF I did order would it be the correct color or have issues was enough to slam the door shut on anything listed. Maybe I should order a Halloween or Christmas set. No Wait they are always showing up AFTER the holidays. Nope NOTHING there for me!
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Post by sdivtim on Jan 12, 2023 15:54:36 GMT
If Lionel can get the 2900 class engines correct, I'm planning on picking up a 2926 In Service engine
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Post by g3750 on Jan 12, 2023 16:00:38 GMT
As far as I'm concerned, RockyMountaineer nailed it.
The PRR Decapods caught my eye. They're beautiful (probably MTH Premier tooling from the 2006-7 era)! And I would love one or two or three, but I've already got 2 Sunset / 3rd Rail ones and at $1500 MSRP they are waaay out of the budget.
George
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Post by phil55 on Jan 12, 2023 16:42:37 GMT
meh.......Above my pay grade!
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Post by firewood on Jan 12, 2023 16:44:54 GMT
I took a peek for entertainment's sake. $650 TWO-car passenger sets? $110 boxcars? I've only bought a new Lionel item once and that was a decade ago - that tally will stay the same. Dave
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Post by oldenginehouse on Jan 12, 2023 17:01:42 GMT
Buying groceries last night was good preparation for this catalog.
Nothing is cheap any more.
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Post by josef on Jan 12, 2023 17:15:45 GMT
Both me and the wife sat down to look at all the offerings, then I saw the MSRPs. She said if I could not say anything nice, to not say anything.
SO-------------------------------------------.
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Post by Joe Saggese on Jan 12, 2023 19:01:48 GMT
I like the 4-4-0 Gold Mountain set pg 115 and the PRR on pg 137.
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Post by david1 on Jan 12, 2023 19:30:32 GMT
The pricing to me was shocking, but even more was the amount of high priced items. My days of buying new items is at an end. Yes I like Lionel and Legacy for alot of reasons but the new catalog has pushed me to rethink what I buy. Looks like the secondary market is where I will look. There is no shortage of great trains on the secondary market and it will become even more important as the new Trains keep increasing in price. Prices will increase on the secondary market also because of more people looking and inflation. Shop carefully, know what you are buying and what the price should be. You will be able to buy what you like and stay in your budget.
Dave
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Post by RickyTanner on Jan 12, 2023 19:32:21 GMT
There indeed are some beautiful products galore but these offerings are crazy expensive reruns for the most part. I’m very happy with my near 30 year old Korean built versions of these exact trains that I purchased for 90% less than todays MSRP. I won't comment on the enormous amount of fantasy/licensed starter sets whose silly and overzealous decoration made me nauseous.
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Post by jdekan on Jan 12, 2023 20:20:04 GMT
I've only looked at it about 1o times today already just because I want a Big Boy, and the prices are comparable to the second hand ones I want and find. I'm sure ill end up preordering one, it will definitely hurt the wallet, but I've been holding out to try and get a new one, it is about the only thing I will get even though id like to get more. Doesn't make it easier my local shop wants 50% down and the only other shops are completely across the state from me.
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Post by Adam on Jan 12, 2023 20:31:49 GMT
The Camelbacks are neat (I like smaller engines), but at $700, not worth it to me.
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Post by Sir James on Jan 12, 2023 20:34:27 GMT
I've said it before, I'll always be a Lionel guy. But I ain't buyin at those prices.
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Post by Adam on Jan 12, 2023 20:48:11 GMT
For the heck of it, I wanted to compare these prices to what you can buy equivalent MTH. There aren't many direct/equivalent comparisons, but one that is close is the Lionel Legacy GP-20 at $650 versus the MTH Premier GP-35 at $500 (on Pat's Trains).
Pretty significant premium for Lionel it seems.
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