Challengers ..

@breezinup posted:

They're great engines, but at $2,300.00, it's pretty hard to say they're "the workingman's gold standard." 

Breezinup, everything is relative.  My comparison is a $7,000 Key.  Also contingent on where one works and their personal budget.  I purchased all my SS articulated engines when I was working and all less than $1,500. new.  China pricing has gone nuts, time to move the operation to another country IMO..

Very interesting to see the loco actually shown on O72 track, to give an idea of the overhangs

@Tom Tee posted:

........everything is relative.  My comparison is a $7,000 Key.  Also contingent on where one works and their personal budget. 

The Sunset model is still not anywhere close to a "workingman's" model engine. Comparing it to a Key engine and saying this shows it's a "workingman's engine" is like comparing a $140,000 Porsche to a $400,000 Lamborghini and saying this shows that the Porsche is a "workingman's" car. It isn't.

@breezinup posted:

The Sunset model is still not anywhere close to a "workingman's" model engine. Comparing it to a Key engine and saying this shows it's a "workingman's engine" is like comparing a $140,000 Porsche to a $400,000 Lamborghini and saying this shows that the Porsche is a "workingman's" car. It isn't.

The average blue collar wage in the United States is $32,844 or an equivalent hourly rate of $16.00. In addition, they earn an average bonus of $473.00. Those are "workingman's" earnings. Buying a $2,300 toy is so out of reach for these folks that it's laughable. This is one reason that LionChief engines are such big sellers. I'm sure Lionel sells boatloads of these as compared to expensive Legacy engines. There have been countless articles about the pricepoint required to sell O gauge trains to families during the holiday period. As things start to get priced at anything over $250.00 or thereabouts, I seem to recall, it starts to get dicey.

Just IMHO.

You're splitting hairs now.  If you're in the market for a scale Challenger, you're not going to get it for $250 or less.  Also, there are plenty of people earning a lot more then $33K.  In 2020, the average U.S. household income is $87,864, and the median is $61,937.  So, at least half the people in the US make $62K a year, certainly a reasonable customer base.  I discard the average income since that includes folks that make billions a year!