Saw that one earlier today and you it looks like no shipping cost if you pick it up at the store.  Lone Ranger set and others available for higher prices.

I didn't know Wal-Mart carried Lionel products at all.

Amazon has basically the same price w/ free shipping.  $179.97

quote:

I didn't know Wal-Mart carried Lionel products at all.

It's my impression that Walmart lists many items on their web site that are not available in stores. I guess they probably do something like Amazon, where a third party actually fills the order.

Last year when we decided to get our son a Lionel train, I was under the mistaken impression that I could just run out to one of the big box stores and pick one up.

No luck, but I was confident a place like Toys R Us would have them.  "The world's greatest toystore"......Right?!!

Thank goodness I found a (not so local) LHS a few days before last Christmas.

Why did the big box merchants stop selling trains?

Most kids dont want to play with trains anymore thats why......What do you expect when the STUPID parents give them a Droid phone for their 4th birthday

How well do these "new" General's run? Are they like the MPC James Gang, where it's got a starter set type can motor? Do they pull well? My wife pointed out that Target.com had the Lone Ranger set on sale for something like $105. Can these new Generals pull more than three or four cars?

Sam

Got it from Amazon 12/27/2011, $140 free shipping.  Run moderately during the year, Giraffe car added.  Kids love it!

In November 2012 the engine quit running in forward.  Got a warranty RA #, sent it to Lionel, had it back in two weeks to the day from the phone call to Lionel customer service, runs better than ever.  I've never tried to coax it to pull its limit, but for what it is it's a nice little engine.

Pete