@0-Gauge CJ posted:I think Lionel is making the smart business decision to sell an engine that will have the broadest appeal possible.
I'm sorry, but on what planet is a VisionLine Big Boy, 3 years after the most recent run, the broadest appeal possible? It can't run on many layouts, it's going to cost a pretty penny, and a lot of people just bought one (Lionel ran them in 2019 V2), especially because MTH did a run around the same time.
Let's take a hypothetical where Lionel a) uses existing tooling, that b) can fit a bunch of the recent upgrades, and c) lots people recognize. What if Lionel had done a run of Berkshires and Kannawahs? They have the tooling, everyone knows 765 and 1225, and C&O 2716 has been making news as well. They can run Nickle Plate, Pere Marquette, C&O + Virginia (with the alternate smoke box front, low headlight), Polar Express and they can do a wide variety of paint schemes in each (I'd love to see 2716 in the scheme used to transport it to KSH's new site, with the CSX tender logo). I can even think up some interesting fantasy schemes in each that match that road's passenger car schemes.
While a Berk is not at the top of my wish list, there are certainly configurations I would heavily consider ordering, and I'm sure that's true of a lot of people. The risk exposure to Lionel is similar, if not better, and it has been far longer since they've done a run of them. I'm not saying it had to be Berks, I'm just using this as an example of something that makes a lot more sense than another run of Big Boys.
I really try to cut Lionel a lot of slack, and I usually criticize comments like mine, but this seems like a real let down after the hype for a new Vision Line loco.
