The sudden end of postwar remakes

I think you make perfect sense.

And, case in point, as I've posted elsewhere in some of the Lion Chief Plus threads, I'm one of the target markets for these. I run mostly PW, conventional only and have no interest in TMCC/Legacy. I was initially not interested in LC+ but once I realized that they could be run conventionally or with the remote I gave it a shot.

I know have 2 LC+ locos and a few more on preorder.

I think this is on track, so to speak. I counted the conventional sets in the recently released Lionel catalogs, forget the total, but there were very few conventional items. Looks like they have already almost been replaced by LC & LC+.

They have been re-arranging things in the store, making more room for displaying stuff. I will mention this to the owner tomorrow on my weekly visit. Might save them from ebay.

I am only interested in the newer command control stuff personally, so I have no idea about postwar prices? I don't know if they are good deals or not at my LHS? If there is any interest left, then they may not be priced well (or would that be too well?)? They are the only real O gauge train store in our entire metropolitan area of abut 2.5 million people. We have a hand full or train shows per year, all HO & N with maybe a hand full of tables of O gauge, postwar stuff and very little new modern command control stuff. I don't know if it sells at the shows or not either, I only went to a few?

My '07 Chevy came from the factory with neither ABS or traction control. Haven't wrecked it yet! 

Remember the electromechanical E-unit? How could I forget it? That's what ALL of my real postwar locos use!!!  

I hesitate to comment here, but I will add my $.02 worth of opinion. I agree, as posted earlier that the CC series was defined as finite up front. I also think it was something of a trial balloon floated by Lionel at the time to test the market in response to customer input. This trial evidently showed this was a soft market for reasons previously stated , this point being evidenced by the carryover of a number of these products for 2 or 3 catalogs (nearly 2 product years) and the clearance prices offered on many of these products. I do not think the PW recreation products have ended abruptly. As others have stated there still are (new) PW flavored products on offer. I do think the PW recreation products faded a great deal as the CC products found limited success.  That said, I think they were all excellent products for their intended market and I bought them all.

As a Post War enthusiast and conventional operator (using a cab 1 for the walk around throttle function) I have a small layout and favor the display layout visual format. For me, watching trains and accessories of the age much of this stuff is, still operate is a large part of the fun. I find myself wondering whose Christmas or Birthday present a given item was. Who's hands did it pass through over the years? What place of importance did it hold. For some of the items I have I was able to get those stories. This is another part of the fun for me. Repairing and restoring these old trains/accessories is enjoyable and rewarding. I like and acquire Post War, PWC, CC and some MPC. I suspect I am nothing special and there are a fair number of people in the hobby like me.

Obviously a large number of people in the hobby like the scale side of things and the electronic control and sound. I like watching their stuff run and talking with them about how they enjoy the hobby. These locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories are impressive to see and hear. I think these more contemporary products have more appeal to the general crowd likely to see trains in public for obvious reasons. I really think the number of people interested in searching for a $5.00 part to get a $150.00 50 year old locomotive running, and paying $6.00 to get it via mail, and then spending time repairing/restoring is a small and finite group. I think the out of the box/sound/electronic products draw a much larger following. There will always be those of us who like the old/conventional stuff just as the antiques business at large seems to do well and be fairly stable.

Conventional no longer a viable product? Not a contemporary product. But one with it's niche market certainly. There is so much Post War, PWC, CC and MPC stuff out there that I do not fear not being able to find what I want. At the end of the day it's all trains, it's all good, and we all are having fun. If I meet you I look forward to talking with you about how you enjoy the hobby. When I am at a train event/show I like to estimate the crowd and then compare that number to the population of the larger area in which the event is being held. It's always a (very) small percentage by comparison. Sort of puts all of the aspects of the Model/Toy Train Hobby in perspective. 

Now, time to go put 6 or 8 PW cars behind the Nickle Plate GP7 diesels I just acquired and find a suitable caboose to run a train with. Where's my Cab 1?  

First I want to raz you about cab1 not "really" being conventional

  I don't think it plays much into it, but home repair & restore has been a part of the hobby for twice as long as I have been alive. Old & new breakdowns alike, its going strong. The electronics have only changed how we might have to repair them. I have trains running today that are 78 years old. 2 more PW took every childhood beating I could give them. If I had then, what we have now, I wouldn't have anything. No way it would have made it.

 Even on a shelf, I don't think we see enough quality for that many years to go by, and to have it still run. Its part of what I meant by "disposable". Chips die, replacements are less likely than normal parts.

 We'll see I guess

There's a new Lionel Boston & Maine GP7 out with a 2346 road number. It looks just like its PW cousin of the same number. It's part of a set, and none of the cars are PWC or CC versions. Is this an unintentional CC locomotive?

Although, I am a 100% DCS/TMCC/Legacy user, I do enjoy buying and collecting "Conventional Classics" by Lionel as well as the "Post War Celebration" series.

There is just something about these remakes that I cannot resist if they are released as a set.

Unfortunately, some sets were bad performers, such as the one Mr Boyle reviewed in OGR.

Yep, several folks commented on this set (B&M Paul Revere Set) when it was released. It does have a PW or CC "flavor" to it. The lobster car, of course, is a variation on the Operating Aquarium Car.

I'll keep my eye on this one as a possible pick-up down the road. 

Edit: Actually the 2346 in that set is a GP-9. 

So as not to confuse anyone who may not be aware, there are two modes for using the CAB-1 - Command & Conventional. Conventional is simply traditional transformer control using the CAB-1 as a wireless remote, as opposed to, for example, the wired remote for the MRC Dual Power 270(there was also a 100 watt version) which is also traditional transformer operation using a tethered control.

I also wish the CC series would have been continued.  Postwar & MPC are pretty all I have w/ and a very small group of traditional  newer engines.  Usually the the CC offerings  would be all I would buy from the catalog. Sometimes I would pick up a starter set if I really liked the contents ( the Strasburg set comes to mind). With Lionel going to all LC on sets, I won't be buying anymore sets.   I  feel by doing that, they are limiting the market on the sets.    LIke others have said - there is a bunch of postwar & MPC out there to buy, that is original & made in America. That's pretty much all I buy now. I understand time marches on, but in some ways , Lionel doesn't even seem like the same company anymore

The cab one when used for conventional engine control requires a tpc to be added too.

That about doubles the price of a fling with tmcc for conventional operation.

 I'm still waiting for a cab one system alone to cost less than my two command engines cost put together.

 I never said I didn't shop for them, a used PW loco always gets in front of me on my way

Considering my sickness is being 'loopy'-vs-"the creeper", and don't run sound...Even used, it will always be hard for me to consider command a justifiable purchase.

You know... on remakes I'm sure we will get some close "copies" for sure.

But the "PW conventional feel" new?

Are there any horizontal open frame steam motors left in production?

(not exactly the same without the plastic Pullmor cap. To me anyhow.)