The new catalog says "limited." I assume the days are numbered. I am thinking on stocking up on new tubular track to have samples of all the varieties for when its gone. The machinery that makes it dates back to prewar days. Whats not to love about that.
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I have tubular track for sale posted on this forum.
Around here (LHS) the betting is that tubular track is 'in transition'....
from Lionel to LCT...Lionel Corporation Tinplate.
As Spock said...."It's only logical."
The veteran tubular track users should be used to this play on words by now. When Lionel moved their production off-shore the seasoned train folks stocked up on the last of the USA product. I still have cases of every radius, half-straights, half-curved and even more cases of all straights.
When Fast Track came out the word then was that tubular track was to be phased out of production. This caused another tubular track buying frenzy. In the years since then there has been many of these buying cycles. With Lionel inserting the word "limited"...here we go again.
We have discussed this with Mike Reagan during one of his visits at the local toy train shop. I have posted his info on at least two other threads here. The last time was on a thread titled something like "what is the consensus."
Ron
I try to keep some extra track on hand so I am not worried about being able to get any tubular track that I may need. Also train shows have enough tubular track for sale so I can get what I need.
Lee Fritz
I would not worry. There is enough tubular tracks around to handle the needs of many for years to come.
Jim 1939,
If your club finds itself running low...I have more than a few factory sealed cases of the vintage Lionel.
There's so much of it out there if they stopped making it today, tubular track will NEVER be hard to find.
What is becoming hard to find are those overpriced O72 $witches.
Most dealers have been out for months.
Joe
Around here (LHS) the betting is that tubular track is 'in transition'....
from Lionel to LCT...Lionel Corporation Tinplate.
As Spock said...."It's only logical."
I will bet the farm that is not going to happen.
I only wish Lionel had put more money into their tubular track with more switches, additional wider curves and a matching rubber roadbed for all types of their "O" Gauge tubular track.
If they even just redesigned or refined the operation of their switches, especially the 0-72 switches, I'll bet more operators would have stuck with tubular.
I will still slowly buy some to have fresh new examples of an icon. I just hope the O Gauge switches have bettern lanterns than they did back in 1990. The tabs that hold them inplace broke if you breathed on them. Very thin.
The way I see it, nothing screams Lionel more then a tubular track layout with bright switch lanterns glowing all over it. Too bad that magic seems to be fading away.
Joe
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