What More do We Have to Gain?

I have enjoyed the LCT offerings, wish I could afford more, BUT I really want to see more Ives and Dorfan. Not Flyer or Lionel with Ives badges either, but real Ives. Because of the stunning litho, I doubt we will see Dorfan freights, but it's a nice dream.

 

Steve

I was hoping that they would release a couple of things.  First, I was hoping that they would release an O gauge 253E in a variety of colors.  Second, I was hoping that they would release a variety of 607 series Pullman cars in a variety of colors (I really like the pea green and yellow combination).  Third, I was hoping that they could release an O gauge 263E Baby Blue Comet with the same coloring as the Standard Gauge version (red spoked wheels, red cow catcher, etc.). Finally, I have seen some really cool 1668E engines on the internet with awesome paint jobs.  It would be cool to see them release some of those.  It would also be cool to see some new tinplate accessories as well. 

JoeG,

After reviewing my new 2015 MTH Catalogs a few weeks ago. LCT is going to fall behind even farther. The offerings by MTH this time around are very nice. While this volume of their 2015 catalog and the RTR catalog are not dedicated to tinplate. The offerings are very good in Traditional O & Std. Gauge. Of course this is the opinion of one old man.                                                                      

I think what MTH gains is the customers who want anything with the Lionel logo on it and exclusively so.

It simply saves Lionel the expense and trouble of setting up their own tinplate production.

 

Rusty

What more do we have to gain?

 

A handful of more 400e repaints?

 

 

Maybe some of us consumers that have not yet had the opportunity to purchase any of these items would like them to still be available when they are able to purchase them. Not everyone has everything they want already. And what about the folks that may be in other scales/gauges and develop an interest for tinplate. The bigger the selection we have the better the chance we have of getting new folks interested in the hobby. The more folks that acquire an interest, the better off we will be in the future.

The agreement does no more than put Lionel badging on MTH trains. There were a lot of people out there saying they wanted Lionel badging.

As I mentioned before, there will be another LCT catalog and there will be newly tooled never-before made tinplate items in this catalog.

 

I personally look forward to more Lionel tinplate, but specifically stuff that has never before been done.

This would be great.

 

Jeff Davis

Thanks everyone for your insight on this. It has brought a few things to heart that I had not thought of.

 

JoeG

Gentlemen,

   What we have to gain is more nice Tin Plate Trains, in all the difference makes.

I like all the different Tin Plate and hope the production continues on all of them.

My 263E P2 is one of the nicest well  running Trains I own, missed purchasing a 260E P2 Christmas Train recently that I really like, not done trying to pick one up even yet.

PCRR/Dave 

Second, I was hoping that they would release a variety of 607 series Pullman cars in a variety of colors (I really like the pea green and yellow combination

 

MBA - I believe they issued these cars a few years ago in sets. This color, red/silver, and one other combo.

 

JoeG

frankly i am scratching my head trying to think about what hasn't been done before (rolling stock) and would still be period (prewar) pieces (ie: i would think something like double stacks wouldn't be appropriate).  ...anyone?

 

cheers...gary

Yes, I cannot think of anything that has not been done yet either. My thinking is if someone really wanted the Lionel badging, there are plenty of parts suppliers out there that carry these. I am concerned about the pricing of Tinplate, as the new items that are coming out seem to be on the rise, so if I can save a few bucks buying tinplate traditions rather than LCT, I am ok with that. I don't think there is anything keeping MTH from making other items with their own badging on it. Heck, they are making it all anyway.

 

JoeG

I didn't say the new items were based on "period (prewar) pieces".  As a matter of fact they are modern, but not as modern as double stacks.

You make a good point, however I don't believe you will see a significant price difference between current or new "Lionel Corporation Tinplate" and "Tinplate Traditions".  Example: the MSRP pricing of the recent Leland Detroit Monorail offerings.

What has not been done? 252, 253, 248 for starters. There was also a number of Lionel Ives transition era stuff in O that has not been done. 325x anyone?

There is a lot of tinplate beyond the 400 and the 318

What items in O gauge (tinplate or otherwise) have NOT gone up in price in the last year or two? Everything has gone up in MSRP and many items have taken at least as big of a jump (or more) in street prices as well. Looking for savings is good, but I don't think we are going to see it no matter what they continue to make or not make. I only re-entered the hobby about 4 years ago and there have been some substantial (IMO) increases in just that very short time period.

Why would MTH make anything new and modern in tinplate and put it into the LCT catalogue when they can put it in the Tinplate Traditions catalogue and not pay royalties. That is why some monorails and Ives stuff was in the Tinplate Traditions flyer last year.

 

i'm sure you're referring to new production, but if you don't mind original pieces with a little history (aka playwear), auction prices on common pieces have been steadily falling over the past decade.  this is likely due to less demand from those who favor shiny, new reproductions.  personally i can't see the attraction, but it certainly has made collecting original prewar tinplate more affordable.

 

cheers...gary

Yes, I was referring to new MSRP's. Although I haven't had real good luck so far with used items, the used market is becoming more of a consideration with each new catalog. Some of the new tinplate items with the colors and shine they have are really nice looking though!

Some of MTH's pricing was held for years. I went back and looked at some of the tinplate traditions pricing from the 90's and to my surprise a lot of them stayed the same until LCT was introduced.

 

Therefore, dealers are paying more and cannot afford to discount as in the past, due to Lionel's cut.

 

JoeG

 

Right......MTH's MSRP pricing across most of their product lines did hold steady for years, specifically I know from 2001-12 or thereabouts.  The Lionel Corp. Tinplate margin did shrink a little starting in 2009 but so have the margins of the most recent releases of the Tinplate Traditions line.

 

The good news is there are still good deals to be had:

 

Check out our monthly sale posts of highly discounted Lionel Corp. Tinplate items.