If its shiney...would you buy it?

I'd buy it in a heartbeat! I really like the Polar express colors and in tinplate it would look awesome!

Count me in, Std. Gauge please.



John.

Yep - like this idea. Something different in tin. I also agree that done right the colors would be incredible. Standard Gauge preferably. Might be neat to then add a 400E in the POLAR colors... while we are spit-balling I suppose.

..you know if the scale guys can theirs

rat

If you look at the end of the movie, you'll see a tinplate 0 gauge set running under the tree. Since Lionel & MTH have an arrangement going on at present, this could be a good chance to happen.

quote:

what about a
TINPLATE POLAR EXPRESS SET. Think how good it would look with the dime store lead figures and the putz houses?
O gauge or std ?

Sounds like an interesting idea to me but what would you suggest for the engine and cars. A new design or something that they already have the tooling for. How close to the picture in the book would we want it ? Something that already exist with just the paint job and the engine numbered 1225 and the tender that has polar express on it ? Conventional or DCS ?
Robert

If it were to happen I'm sure it would be with existing models, I can't see them spending the money on the tooling for this. On the other hand, using existing tooling but using the appropriate paint colors and name plates would be so much more cost effective. I would vote for a large engine like the 400E or the A.F. Brass Piper for example with an appropriate complementary set of passenger cars, with DCS so you could have the dialog from the movie.



Just my .02,
John.

I would think it would do better as a RTR set. A standard gauge and an O gauge set. with PS-2. Track,transformer with a wireless commander package like the HO sets. This would give the newcomer an affordable tinplate set as well as the not so newcomer a nice addition to there collection.

It would be an easy and great re-paint project with set of 2640/0/1 passenger cars and a 1666 or 224E.

I would buy one.
Scott Smith

Not for me I would pass on it.

I'd like to see a Polar Express AF Piper with those great looking AF passenger cars.

I would definitely be in for an O gauge set.Great idea.

I would have a hard time not buying one!

Me too. I think it is a brilliant idea.

I'd really like it made here in the good old USA though. Bout had enough of made in China.

Marc

My first set was a third generation AF President's Special. I always thought it looked like the polar express, well the original from the book.

Why not just buy some repainted original stuff and make one. It would be cheaper!

quote:

Originally posted by ratpak:
I was thinking ... what about a TINPLATE POLAR EXPRESS SET?

Genius.

Absolutely!!!
I am a huge fan of the Polar Express and would definitely purchase a Tinplate version.

quote:

Originally posted by ratpak:
I was thinking about a Polar Express project of adding snow(MICA) to the Polar Express rooftops....and I started thinking..what about a

TINPLATE POLAR EXPRESS SET. Think how good it would look with the dime store lead figures and the putz houses?

O gauge or std ?

rat

rat, I had to come back to this question...
The more I thought about it the more I hope it gets produced. O gauge or Standard is fine with me...both would be better
Anyhow, this would be a win as all the Polar Express lineup has been.
I also think Chris is right that a Ready-to-Run would do better. This set could be a first Tinplate for many hobbyists.
Great suggestion!

I just sent eMails with a product suggestion to MTH/LCT...maybe others will do the same.

For snow on your PE cars...here is how I added "snow" to my Polar Express:
Project: Snow on My Passenger Car Roofs I went for a cold frosted roof look with wind blown snow.

Maybe you should send the idea to Lionel too this way they can bring it to the attention of MTH.

rat

I don't see any money being spent on new tooling on it but that would be OK with me so long as the colors are right. We are talking tinplate here so like most tinplate it could be a representaition of the Polar express.

I agree a 400E or a AF "Piper" would look great with PE state cars but I think the price would restrict alot of folks from buying; meaning less sales for Lionel Corp. I think a 384 set for standard gauge and maybe a 249E passenger set for an O gauge version all with add on cars to buy for the standard set. All the tooling is in place and add a PE sound file could be added to go with the 2.0 versions.

I was thinking more along the cheap lines...maybe a 392 with Girad cars making a more manageable Christmas tree layout...even a 384 starter set would work for me.

rat

I vote for an IVES/Dorfan co-production.  1134 + passenger cars with figures.  

If you're listening...  Who can pick up where Rich-Art left off?  

I would agree that producing a tinplate Polar Express would be a great idea on many levels.  First, a tinplate Polar Exp would bring both a modern and popular theme to the traditionally pre-war tinplate niche.  Also, another Polar Exp item would also benefit the movie studio by giving extended product life to the Polar Exp movie brand, which has been out for for almost 10 years.

 

I would think that an O gauge size set would be a stronger selling item over the larger Std. Gauge because of the respective existing market sizes.  A RTR set also would make a nice package.  The careful selection from an existing tooling in both O and Std would be the most financially feasible process.  The paint selection would also be critical to gain hobby acceptance to the point that would make non-tinplaters cross over to the "shiny side".

 

I can't recall the expiration date of Lionel's Polar Exp licence, but I believe that a tinplate version of the Polar Exp would be better sooner than later.

 

I held off from buying the existing Polar Exp offerings.  I did not like the cars (cheap looking 4 wheel trucks and observation car end platform) in the "traditional" set and the scale set was a little too big and pricey for my layout.  If a tinplate Polar Exp was nicely made in 'O' gauge, I would definitely cross over to the "shiny side".

I would cave in and buy one of it was made in O gauge.

Chris, and rat, I think you have the formula that would work.  All MTH would need to do is take the existing ready-to-run "Christmas" set, 384 steamer with the 339-341 cars, and repaint in the Polar Express colors.  Offer special cars, the hot chocolate diner and a coach with the hobo on the roof with his fire, (doesn't have to be disappearing) and you have a winner.  A couple of packs of 1/32 figures.  I have been wanting a Polar Express set but I'm all tinplate and what is out there in O doesn't really fit, and I'd rather see Standard Gauge anyway.  Doesn't have to be a top-of-the-line 400E set, although that might be nice.  

 

Actually, I'm surprised the PE has not already been done in tinplate: it's totally a toy train concept.

 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Std or O-Gauge, either way!

 

Not to long ago one of our forum members made his own PE cars. Wish I could remember who it was? I'd love to know what brands and paint colors he used.

I'm not really surprised.  Licensing fees can be a deal killer, and that's especially true in the case of limited run items such as most tinplate.

Here's a Lionel 262E restored by Vic Panza heading a MTH Tinplate Traditions Ives/Lionel 1695 set on The Christmas Putz in The Lutheran Home at Topton. Apply POLAR EXPRESS lettering BELOW the windows (where Ives Line lettering is) and matching paint schemes. Add a "Disappearing Hobo" car. Use window inserts or a detailed interior to change the baggage car to an "Abandoned Puppets" car and a coach to a "Hot Chocolate" car.

 

Break new ground by adapting a grade crossing to "Track Through Ice."

 

A tinplate version of the clock tower at the North Pole (based on The Pullman Company's edifice in Pullman, Illinois) would be great.

 

Lots of possibilities (and sales) in this thread!

A lot of great ideas here.  I hope MTH and/or Lionel take note.

 

Meanwhile...

 

I submit for your review and general entertainment, a Standard Gauge Polar Express.  

If it looks like it's cobbled together with various components from the parts bin, that's because... it is.

 

The Lionel G scale Polar Express coach and Observation with disappearing hobo.  Plastic, not tinplate, but it'll do in the interim.  Pulled the plastic trucks and couplers and replaced with some Lionel STDG trucks I had on hand from a couple derelict #35 cars.  They look a little leggy, but they work.  I have some big 10 series trucks, but they don't fit, the steps get in the way. Ives trucks didn't work either.  The 35 trucks have a 8/32 taped thread in the middle which was just what was needed for a longish machine screw down through that plastic flange in the floor.

 

The Loco is an MTH 10-1292-1, which is an Ives 1770 (which was a Lionel 384).  Seemed about the right proportions, and a couple of printed labels make it the No. 1225 Polar Express.  It is Proto 2; of course the sound file is all wrong, but I take what I can get.  I had to do something, Christmas is less than 4 months away!

 

Sign me up for standard gauge please

The heavyweights used with the Lionel standard gauge Commodore Vanderbilt set could probably be done in Polar Express colors, and would look good. Maybe a 392E with a modified pilot would work as well. 400E's are too big for a lot of people, and the 390's and 384's look a bit short for what is said to be a Berkshire.

The G gauge Polar Express cars look good with you locomotive.  Nice job with the printed labels for the loco and tender...looks sharp.  It still kills me that Lionel best Polar Express observation car is in the G gauge set.  Last Christmas, there was actually an eBay seller listing the G gauge cars as Tinplate.

 

Again, I like what you did here.

You're right Allan, that's why I agree with the idea of a modestly priced RTR O gauge set which would have the broadest consumer appeal as an around the tree Christmas layout set for families and also as a  tasty intro to tinplate for the many buyers of RailKing sets and Lionel's RTR sets. You'd initially need to sell as many units as possible and that means appealing to where the greatest number of ptential buyers is and that's  the masses rather than the standard gauge or collectors.

That was the winning marketing startegy thast made the PE line what it is today. The popularity of mass marketing and selling to families allowed it to grow to the point where Lionel had the luxury of offering higher end versions ofPE engines and cars to those who later on got with it later on.

Let none of us lose sight of the fact the PE line began with the RTR set  and then steadily grew to what it is today.

I do not own any Tinplate other than a few scap cars. I always look at them with admiration. Whenever I attend a meet or swap I end up spending time looking at them. Each time I come closer to buying one in O scale. If Lionel produced a Polar Express set with cars I would absolutely dive into tin plate and but one. I am not famiar with the types of Tinplate engines so I cant recommend a type they should produce.