Johnny,
I was referring to the never ending delays of the big boy, challenger and u33. Even models that have been in production for decades get pushed back month after month. The first run of U33Cs have been out for a while, but the second run has already been bumped back one. I will be pleasantly surprised if the 2-8-8-2 steamers show up as scheduled but I will not hold my breath, same with the scale rolling stock.
How does Lionel get the O Gauge Santa Fe Northern, 2-8-8-4 and Mikados on the boat before they are even cataloged, but they can't stick to a production schedule on our stuff? It is what it is I guess, I have been, and will continue to buy them.
I also think that RTR sets should be a top priority for obvious reasons.
Rusty,
The AM Texas Special is nice, and prototypical as apposed to Lionel's, but everything I have is TMCC/Legacy and I love the look of the ALCO Pa's. I was thinking about maybe getting a second one down the road if this Pa with the new electronics works well, and swapping out shells with some of my older PA sets. TMCC and smoke would be cool on the Pennsylvania set, or Santa Fe set from 1997!
I have the AM C&NW A.C. high rail FM Trainmaster. It is a great model, and once I learned that I have to handle it differently then the flyer stuff I have (broke a window out of the cab and broke a detail piece off of the undercarriage taking it out of the box for the first time) I have been doing well with it.
Brady,
I would pay the same for some of the MTH buildings if they were in S. I love that green barn. It might be pricey, but if one is willing to spend 800 on challengers, big boys, and 2-8-8-2's, whats 50 bucks for a nice barn or house to run them by? JMO. Despite the production issues, I hope that Lionel announces another new steamer and diesel for next year.
On a side note about the s gauge fast track, I have noticed that the pickup shoes on the PA sets (the ones prior to the new roller style) slip off the rail on the inside of the curve and end up running along side the outside rail of the curve. Then when the track straightens out the shoe binds and causes a derail/short. This happens on all the PAs I have (about 5) that have the old style shoe pick up. The new style with the roller does fine. My guess is that the rail head on the old flyer track is wider then what is on the S fast track, and there is a lot of side to side play in the spring loaded shoes.
Ben
