@Former Member posted:I find it interesting that any idea with new tooling is "too expensive." I can remember when ANY new large locomotive in S was considered "too expensive" and then there was the Big Boy done mostly with existing tooling as a "toe in the water" test--and it sold out! All of a sudden S was worth doing other large engines, some really nice ones too!! But now, once again, "too expensive." "Wouldn't sell." Its kind of a self induced conclusion that the scale is dying.
The Big Boy has one thing going for it: Mystique. It's a big honkin' engine that most everybody is in love with. Had the K-Line tooling not be available, I doubt there would've been one. I will still carp about it being oversized and mis-proportioned for S, but it did open the door for the Challenger.
However, for some reason it appears the Challenger didn't do so well because they were offered in five new roadnames (four of them fantasy) the following year. I would hazard to guess they were available because orders for the first run didn't meet expectations. I don't think Lionel fired up the assembly line to make more for 2011.
The Y3 (arguably the best Flyer locomotive made post-Gilbert, IMHO) appears to have sold well. Even some Scalers ponied up the extra 500 bucks to have them converted to scale. Although had the conversions not been offered by a third party, those sales wouldn't have happened.
So, now we get a platoon of 6 separate sale Pacific's. One prototype (B&O,) one quasi-prototype (USRA. Should have the purchasing railroad on the sided of the coal bunker, but I won't really ding the lack of one. An intrepid modeller could add that with decals.) and four tastefully done fantasy roads (AT&SF, D&RGW, GN and NYC.)
Then there's the two set locomotives: One fantasy (Anniversary) and one prototype (Reading & Northern.)
The Anniversary Pacific is in eye of the beholder territory. The R&N will depend on color accuracy, but both may fall victim to the set prices.
So, what can we expect in the future? Don't know. But if Lionel still has the Mikado drive tooling, we may see those in the near future.
Rusty
