Every time high prices come up in conversation its always Lionel that is expected to lower prices. No other manufacture is held to the same standard even though their prices are essentially the same as Lionel's.
Well all I can say about it that sometimes you do get what you pay for. Yes trains can be expensive but the current level of technology and detailing is far beyond anything that any Lionel engineer ever could have imaged back in the postwar era. We are not just paying for the trains, but our dollars go towards the research and development of new trains and technologies to enhance our hobby. It also costs money to maintain the facilities of Lionel. Selling trains undervalued below what they should be sold for would slowly starve a company to bankruptcy. K-Line is a prime example. So as far as I am concerned, yes trains are expensive, but I do feel I am getting all that I pay for and by spending money on new trains, I hope that I am doing my small part in keeping the hobby going.
