Is the FlyerChief Polar Express still on schedule for a March 2015 delivery or has the West Coast ports dock workers slow down pushed it back even further into 2015? Any dealer update is most appreciated. Thanks.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
People think April now.
The way things are they should just about be good for this Christmas 2015.
A good bit of timing then?
Charles Ro showing June now.
Might make in time for "Christmas in July" celebrations.
Rusty
I am still excited about my first S set and look forward to it. In the meantime i will try to get an older Flyer repaired to work.
The Lionel shipping schedule was updated today and the Flyer line was addressed. There are now 38 items listed. The PE set shows October of 15. Crazy.
Ben
The separate sale FlyerChief Berkshires seem to have fallen off the shipping schedule.
I try to be optimistic about this stuff but Lionel making it awful difficult to care about anything they announce for the American Flyer product line anymore.
Rusty
Rusty
I did not even notice that. I posted the where are they question on the American Flyer Facebook page. If they are canceled, that would seem to be the nail in the flyer coffin.
I should rethink HO.
Ben.
I understand the seperate sale Berks were cancelled?
Gunny
Originally Posted by gunny:
I understand the seperate sale Berks were cancelled?
Gunny
There's no proof of cancellation, but there does appear to be a shell game going on with Flyer.
I get the feeling the current head honcho doesn't have any interest in the Flyer line.
Rusty
I don't understand why for the past year or so of this nonsense can we not just get a straight answer from Lionel about this. If they are getting out of the new S gauge model business so be it...but let us know.
Ben
There is an explanation on the AF Facebook page as to the reason for the delay on the PE sets development. I attempted to copy and paste it here but was unsuccessful.
One needs only to got to the American Flyer Facebook page and look under the posted comments section To see the response.
Ben
Apparently, according to the American Flyer FB Page, the Shipping Schedule has been changed, but the 2015 Items will be added later. I typed in each SKU for the Separate Sale AF Berkshires, none showed-up, but this is their explanation.
Hey American Flyer Fans! There have been some updates to our current Shipping Schedule that can be found on Lionel.com. Please Note: This list does not contain any of the NEW 2015 items. Once all orders are finalized those items will be added. The listed represents all items that are pending shipment or have been recently canceled. Thank you for your understanding and the NEW items will be added in the near future.
The separate sale FlyerChief Berkshires and Telephone Poles-Standard are only new items
in 2015 American Flyer catalog.
I am contacting Matt Ashba at Lionel to see if the October date is confirmed and if I can find out about the delay. MTH is now showing the F3's for June. Will these companies ever get the Chinese to deliver on time!!
New 2015 items also consist of products with new color schemes/roadnames.
Originally Posted by Roundhouse Bill:
Will these companies ever get the Chinese to deliver on time!!
Maybe the problem is not with "the Chinese",as you so colorfully put it...
Mark in Oregon
Here's the response given to Ben's question for the delay of the PE set as posted on the A/F Facebook page:
"During one of our testing phases, we weren't happy with the way it was taking some of the curves. We want to give you the best product we can so we had to make some adjustments in tooling, which is one cause for delay. We are also jam packing it with great features that are equivilant to our LionChief Plus, which can take more time. On the shipping schedule we have listed as October 15, but we would like to see it out this summer. We appreciate your patience, but we want to give you a set that is amazing and not one that will become a headache. Thank you for your comments and have a great weekend."
Rusty
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
If the product had been rushed to delivery to meet the Christmas season and it performed poorly this forum would have crucified Lionel for not taking the time needed to produce a good running product.
Ah contraire. We reserve the right to bash Lionel at our discretion. It's way too much fun to criticize both MTH and Lionel. Besides, they make themselves such easy targets!
(Note: Wad not thou panties. The above was in jest, a good natured cajole, you know, a witticism.)
I feel the response that was given is a plus,I understand Manufacturing very well as it was my life's work, as long Lionel just keeps use informed, I can live with that, it's when we hear nothing, that is my issue, if they could just keep a dilogue with the AF community on the status of there products especially when they are late they will have come a long way with me and I assume others.
I got an answer back from Matt Ashba of Lionel.
___________________
Hi Bill,
Sorry if I haven’t got back to you on this, Ive been pummeled with work and travel. It’s correct the Polars are pushed back to October. The engine and cars have been on the production line but they ran into some issues and are working through those issues now.
Best regards,
Matt
