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Post by jdekan on Aug 15, 2023 23:46:42 GMT
Does anyone know how accurate the Lionel delivery schedule accuracy is? Also, is it Lionel taking delivery or delivering to shops? I made my first ever pre order and it says Oct. 2023 on the latest schedule and am not experienced on what to expect on accuracy of this list or expected due dates. I understand where the product is coming from and the state of things that seem to always cause delays, I figured on it being later than it let on, but just not sure where I should set my expectations.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Aug 16, 2023 0:03:12 GMT
I stopped looking at Lionel's delivery schedule YEARS ago. That's how meaningless the dates became. However, don't lose hope. With the catalogs as big as they are nowadays, LOTS of new goodies are shipping.
The most accurate estimate of delivery dates is actually Lionel's own webstore. I've found that to be reasonably accurate. I also keep an eye on Charles Ro's website, which is also a decent indicator. But Lionel's webstore dates tend to have any recent changes, when dates begin to slip. It takes some time for the Charles Ro website to "catch up" with Lionel's delays.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Aug 16, 2023 3:45:46 GMT
I remember that some years back, Lionel said it was upgrading its shipping schedule to correspond more closely to factory production timing. That initiative got nowhere after Mike Reagan exited Lionel. An additional problem seems to me to be that Lionel exercises little control over its various foreign factories and can’t accurately predict when items will be built and shipped. Of course, you’d expect they’d know when a particular shipment is “on the water,” but publishing that info does not appear to be any sort of priority for them. So, the best indicators you have are those that David has already identified. I also monitor was Lionel says about product development through the “Demos with Dave” broadcasts, but that only covers a small part of Lionel’s output.
The result is that many of us stopped referring to or relying on Lionel’s shipping schedule. Items will get to dealers when they do.
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Post by ptc on Aug 16, 2023 16:28:25 GMT
Nothing on order so no worries for me.
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Post by quietman on Aug 26, 2023 18:41:31 GMT
Well, so you know what I think about delivery dates. I posted this under the Lionel presentation for the Base 3 on youtube (not on the Lionel youtube channel) "Nice presentation. But this keeps getting delayed. I hope to see it released by 2050."   |
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Post by runamuckchuck on Aug 27, 2023 21:26:06 GMT
You can't complain about the delivery schedule accuracy; because there is none!
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Post by quietman on Oct 21, 2023 15:13:31 GMT
You can't complain about the delivery schedule accuracy; because there is none! 
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Post by sdivtim on Oct 21, 2023 21:55:07 GMT
I still find it hilarious it has taken two years from catalog date to now to get Strasburg 90 out and it is still not on the water, and still not in dealers hands. However, I did find it surprising that the Santa Fe 2900s are two months earlier than anticipated.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Oct 21, 2023 22:47:57 GMT
I still find it hilarious it has taken two years from catalog date to now to get Strasburg 90 out and it is still not on the water, and still not in dealers hands. However, I did find it surprising that the Santa Fe 2900s are two months earlier than anticipated. What's even more frustrating for enthusiasts is the fact that ALL of these offerings are now so expensive... and 9 times out of 10 something like this will arrive out of nowhere along with a few other expensive jewels. So this has truly become a hobby catering to those who have the disposable income.
There were a few good deals I passed up at York, because some items I pre-ordered are arriving as we speak: Lionel's North Pole Central "sleighbell limited" passenger cars AND some of the AC&W passenger cars. None of these things are small-ticket items. And even though I don't pre-order all that much anymore, it doesn't take too much to spend a couple thousand dollars in this hobby. 
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Post by Adam on Oct 21, 2023 23:37:32 GMT
For many specialized goods, the supply chain is still struggling. It is very true in high-end computing, and I am not surprised it still an issue for our hobby. Not sure if Lionel is really to blame, but keeping close communication with suppliers and manufacturers and sharing regular updates with customers would certainly help. Even with that, sometimes it is difficult to impossible to get ETAs for components.
If you search for "Causes for current global supply chain challenges" you get some answers, but it is a very complex system.
Not justifying the crazy lead times but wanted to offer an alternative view as there are issues in the high-end computing industry as well, where I make my living.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Oct 23, 2023 12:37:18 GMT
I still find it hilarious it has taken two years from catalog date to now to get Strasburg 90 out and it is still not on the water, and still not in dealers hands. However, I did find it surprising that the Santa Fe 2900s are two months earlier than anticipated.
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Post by Adam on Oct 23, 2023 13:23:02 GMT
For many specialized goods, the supply chain is still struggling. It is very true in high-end computing, and I am not surprised it still an issue for our hobby. Not sure if Lionel is really to blame, but keeping close communication with suppliers and manufacturers and sharing regular updates with customers would certainly help. Even with that, sometimes it is difficult to impossible to get ETAs for components. If you search for "Causes for current global supply chain challenges" you get some answers, but it is a very complex system. Not justifying the crazy lead times but wanted to offer an alternative view as there are issues in the high-end computing industry as well, where I make my living. To add on to this, there is a lot of news about dropping birth rates in the larger economic engine countries (G7 Countries) such as China, India, Russia, USA and others. Ultimately this will not help the supply chain as it currently stands and functions. As I said, Supply Chain is a complex system. it will be interesting to see how this evolves.
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Post by rtraincollector on Oct 23, 2023 13:31:24 GMT
You remember when you were a kid and the Sears Christmas wish book came out and you wished for this and that, well Lionel puts a date they wish it will come in by.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Oct 23, 2023 13:31:34 GMT
For many specialized goods, the supply chain is still struggling. It is very true in high-end computing, and I am not surprised it still an issue for our hobby. Not sure if Lionel is really to blame, but keeping close communication with suppliers and manufacturers and sharing regular updates with customers would certainly help. Even with that, sometimes it is difficult to impossible to get ETAs for components. If you search for "Causes for current global supply chain challenges" you get some answers, but it is a very complex system. Not justifying the crazy lead times but wanted to offer an alternative view as there are issues in the high-end computing industry as well, where I make my living. As I said, Supply Chain is a complex system. it will be interesting to see how this evolves.
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Post by Adam on Oct 23, 2023 14:07:06 GMT
To add on to this, there is a lot of news about dropping birth rates in the larger economic engine countries (G7 Countries) such as China, India, Russia, USA and others. Ultimately this will not help the supply chain as it currently stands and functions. As I said, Supply Chain is a complex system. it will be interesting to see how this evolves. Thank you for the hard work to grow the population. it's hard work but someone has to do it!
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