Lionel 2015 Christmas catalog. What are you getting?

Am I the only one here that thinks that Lionel has gone a little too far?  I mean seriously, take a look at this.  

 

They are releasing a new Polar Express "Mail Car" which is essentially a baggage car with small lettering on it that reads, "North Pole Mail".  What were they thinking?  Do they really think we're that stupid?  Don't get me wrong, I love the Polar Express line it's just that anymore, Lionel's "new" Polar Express offerings are just repaints of old rolling stock and accessories.

 

What happened to the days where Lionel released creative and exciting new Polar Express Products like, the Hobo Car, the Elf Handcar, or even the Conductor announcement coach?  I honestly feel that Lionel has reached a point where all they really care about is slapping the P.E. logo on anything they can to make a profit.  It doesn't matter what the product is so long as it has the Polar Express logo on it.  

 

And if you take a look towards the back of the catalog, you'll see the infamous "Flyerchief" Polar Express set, an item that is actually worth while, that has been cataloged at least 3 years but never produced. Let's hope that by Easter 2017 it will be released!

 

Oh, and did I mention they are selling a new Polar Express boxcar for $85!? Good grief!

It's disappointing that Lionel isn't putting any effort into producing new, creative Polar Express products. 

I agree train boy. This one was a disappointment. Won't be buying anything

Lionel is in business to do business.  I, for one, as a PE fan, look forward to the many ways they try to benefit from whatever deal they have with Warner Bros for the PE line.  The marketplace decides how successful they are.

Ill probably go for the operating Santa Gateman.

 

Sunrise

Just reviewed the catalog again. Nothing of interest to me.  However, under the "What were they thinking" column.  Lionel has a bulk head car with candy canes (technically stripped pipes). Further back in the catalog a Christmas Log dump car. Really? If something ever screamed for candy canes it would be the log candy cane dump car.

Steve

I have ordered the:

Single Dome Santa’s Reserve Cocoa Tank Car

2-Dome Santa’s Sleigh Rocket Fuel Tank Car 

Santa Claus Auto Gateman

 

and probably will order:

Escaping Snowmen Handcar

 

rdeal

 

 

snowman handcar looks fun.  Made me think about making relay controlled section that I can run my MTH Santa car with the snowman car.  

Make sure you check out our pricing and also our "May Mahem" sale too this month!

I think that it will appeal to a broad market with many offerings that are in line with Christmas season related buyers. This is not for the scale folks, but that's OK.

I am interested in the North Pole Central 0-6-0, but will wait and look for set break-ups.  The PRR Christmas ore cars mildly interest me, but I won't pre-order them.

Been done a few times already(though the canes were wrapped). 

 

(The offering in this catalog is also meant to pair with the TMCC "Santa's Workshop" sawmill.  It makes a little more sense to dump logs into the "workshop" than it would to dump candy canes into the sawmill and have gifts come out the other end )

 

See here on Lionel site.

 

-Dave

 

If the docksider was deco'ed differently, I might have been in the same camp as Keith.  At the moment, I'm not sure I even would be interested in a break up from the set.  Maybe.......jury's still out.

 

I'm OK with the PE Boxcar price.  While none of us likes price increases, it's a Made in USA piece and it is $10 ($7.50 street difference) more (licensing - PE and Kinkade) than the traditional boxcar and Angela Trotta piece.  I will at least consider all 3 (the traditional Christmas Boxcar is still a must for me each year)

 

I do have a bit of an issue with the Gingerbread Shanty pricing(though I will likely end up with one).  I'm not sure what about it causes it to list $10 higher than the regular Christmas Shanty.  I don't think there is a Gingerbread King or Gumdrop Fairy Lionel has to pay licensing for on this piece.

 

As much as I like accessories, I'm probably going to hold off on the Christmas ones here.  I've got the earlier Santa gateman and I'm not yet sold on "plug n play" accessories.

 

Still need time to review catalog a bit more I guess.  I'm a definite on at least one or 2 boxcars and maybe the snowman handcar.

 

-Dave

 

I'm going to buy the "Psychiatric Booth" (Peanuts).  It will cause my friends to laugh when they see that under the Christmas tree.

HO Hum! Looks like a Christmas were I'll be saving, rather then spending.

Hmmm...I may have to get one of those scale N5 PE cabooses. I think that might look better following my scale PE than the Polar RR I 12 offered a few years ago

 

That was my thinking too.

 

Seems I'll be spending a couple hundred dollars even though the catalog doesn't have too much stuff I "need".   But that only proves my point how "easy" it is to spend money these days without trying to hard. 

 

Don't like a catalog that much?  You still might spend $100-$200.

 

If you like a particular catalog a lot?  Whoa... look out!!! 

 

David

All of the AF PE items in S gauge.  But then, I have been saying that for 3 years now...

Ben

I have it up year round.  

 

 

The PE work caboose, PE aquarium, PE Kinkade boxcar, and PE N5B caboose.  I would greatly have preferred blue/burgundy Polar Railroad livery for all those, however.  Favorite of the bunch is the new caboose... I already run the I-12 right behind the tender of the Berkshire, so I'll be switching out this one with the new one at the back of the consist.

 

The reindeer car seems a bit redundant, as it got an almost identical release in Polar Railroad just a couple of years ago.

 

Big disappointments for me are the "Christmas Pennsy" ore cars and ice breaker, which would also have been lovely in Polar RR colors.  If those ore cars HAD been Polar RR, I would have bought six sets and made a new train out of them!

maybe the Christmas car with the snow man on it & the Christmas song car with the bells on it !  

I am sad there was no LION CHIEF +  Atlantic or pacific with North Pole Central markings on it . or the hudson ! 

 

the Gp-9 lion chief + in north pole central colors would have been great  !

 

I am still waiting for last years Christmas water tower !  Did they cancel it & not tell the dealers about it ! 

 

No new cars for the Frosty set either ! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think you represent the voice of the Lionel "Christmas scale crowd" PERFECTLY!!! 

 

Those ore cars in the Polar RR livery would have been very tempting, but I'm sure Lionel would have made us dig deep and pay dearly for them.  Six sets would set you back big time!!!    For now, I'm settling for a PE coal train I'm creating with the PE GLa hoppers due out any day now.  I think I have 8 on order with Charlie Ro... it's been so long ago that I ordered them, I've forgotten the exact quantity!!! 

 

There's always 2016 to look forward to building a Polar RR or PE ore train.    Just that Lionel keeps us guessing with respect to scale Christmas goodies.  We never know if the next year's crop of scale offerings will be Polar RR, Polar Express, or North Pole Central.    I'm still recovering from the shock of Lionel's Polar RR 2012 "identity crisis" when Lionel produced the SD80MAC in Polar RR livery using that stunning red/green/silver color scheme instead of the typical blue/burgundy/gold Polar RR color scheme, but then never produced a matching caboose to go along with it.   Who knows if they ever will, but that SD80MAC has become one hot item on the secondary market (if you can even find one).  We just need to run it with North Pole Central scale rolling stock to get matching colors.

 

David

I like the Polar Express/ Kinkade boxcar and will likely preorder one of those. I also like the Christmas docksider set, but I already have the earlier conventional docksider. I don't know if I "need" another one.

 

That Polar Express work caboose makes me really regret never buying the PE freight set from a few years ago.

 

I missed the 2015 boxcar in the catalog. If its made in the US, that will likely be another purchase.

 

J White

 

I had the conventional Christmas Docksider and I just may consider the Lionechief version this year.  I do wonder how it will sound with the tiny little speaker in it with Railsounds? As anyone knows who has a Docksider the "screaming" whistle leaves a lot to be desired!  I'm certainly not expecting Legacy sound from the little switcher but I guess that will have to wait and see. 

OTOH, I will be getting the PE RPO for my boys.  They have the rest of the cars; I want them to have the whole set.  I suppose I am the sucker for whom Lionel painted this car, but, having started, I am not going to back out now.  (And, yes:  our original PE engine pulls the whole shebang.)

Not really into those theme things.

But several years ago I did buy the operating gateman for under the tree. It is colorful and fun to watch.

Yep, we had a good chat about the Polar Express freight / Polar Railroad "identity crisis" here a few months ago.  Also, those PE 50-ton hoppers were supposed to ship in April--still waiting!  

 

I think the work caboose and previously-released searchlight car are a good start for a Polar Express/RR MOW train.  How about a Polar Express/RR snow plow and bunk car?

And here's another thread from earlier last year that started the discussion as well.

 

Hopefully we'll see UPS delivering those PE GLa hoppers in a week or two. 

 

David