I miss Lionel's "Premium Sets"

They offer the expansion packs.  I guess it's just a way to make more money because they figure the people buying the main set will really want to buy the add on cars to go with it.

They always did that, even when it was the longer sets. Now if you buy the expansion pack, you make the amount of cars you used to get in one sitting. Cutting costs and maximizing profit I suppose...

In this year catalog is a premium set (Motor City) which is by far one of the longest train sets Lionel has ever brought out, without any add ons. It's 115" long, which is longer then most of the ones listed above. Only the SP & NS Tanktrain sets are longer.

Photos are deceiving, the Motor City set is around 2' longer then the BN bathtub and the CP grain sets. It is longer then most of the passenger sets, Acela, Alton, Southern  and Florida sets.

I think the Motor City set will be a great set if you have the room, 2' auto cars are going to be something. I believe the couplers on these cars are going to be like the one being used on the Mil. Road S-3 tender.

Paul

I miss the TMCC PWC sets.  Well not that much I guess, I've got 5 to play with, but I liked the concept and wish they had made the Berk sets in TMCC.  There's always room for one more.