What I would like Lionel to make

Auto Racks...............................

Regards, Frank

Tiff is right though, doesn't matter if its the Flyer or O side of Lionel.  Thier QC has really went south in recent times.  They do need to deal with thier QC, even if means paying someone to put thier hands personaly on each model, run it and then carefully pack it in the box with his/her inspection tag in the box.  This would go a long ways to gaining back consumer confidence in the brand that has suffered in recent years.  If the core buyers are backing away from the table, you are going to struggle to make a profit on anything.  Mike

I'm bored so I'll reiterate that I would support Lionel continuing down the path that they started with scale Legacy equipped engines and scale rolling stock. There are so many things that could be made, but it seems that Lionel feels they can only be profitable selling low end high margin AF offerings. That's debatable, but it's their company and they'll decide.  Here is my wish list (again):

Steam: 4-6-4 Hudson, 2-6-0 Mogul, 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler, Update the 4-6-2 and 2-8-2 models, N&W J, SP Daylight, B&O EM-1

Diesel: GP30, GP7/9, SD 7/9, MP15, GP/SD 40-2, SD90/43 Alco RS-1-2-3, Alco S-2/4 

Passenger: Take your pick... I'd like scale dimensions, with interiors and LED lighting with keep alive capacitor. I like 50-72ft cars personally.

Freight: I like boxcars, flats, gons, and reefers. I think (hope) MTH will cover most of this. Lionel could make PS-1 boxcars with sound like O scale. I think a lot of people would like to see modern freight though.

Misc.: S scale structures would be great. Also, with their die-cast capability why not offer 1/64 die-cast vehicles? Very popular with lots of cross-over potential.

That's my 2 cents...

Well, I'm all for a Mogul, especially if it's SP style M series, and um, 1727 would fit my bill perfectly! Actually I love to see some steamers with vanderbuilt OIL tenders! As to Die Cast vehicles, I wouldn't bother L with that, there's lots out there already (although more stuff from the '30s to '60s would be nice to see.).

Ha, sort of a similar question was going around earlier... If you were CEO for a day... well a month maybe...

1) First is I would sell off the American Flyer 2 rail tooling and rights. Focus on O. Look at the O scale market instead. Tool up some 2 rail trucks and continue with Kadee compatible cars

2) Revise their fast track to prevent dead spots, make it more realistic, Look at a different material to quiet the noise.

3) Work with an agreement with Menards to produce a JV on Ready to run sets, cars and buildings.

4) Shore up the Vision Line releases to ONE newly tooled item per year with all the goodies!

5) Stop with the reissues. No watering down the product releases. Just cause it has Legacy doesn't mean its worth 600 dollars more.

6) Make more products geared to the operators market with more advance sound and technology.

7) Continue working with ERR to offer upgrade kits for current products.

But who would you sell the S tooling to??? Your response probably won't be well-received here as we are discussing what we'd like to see L make in S!

traindavid posted:

But who would you sell the S tooling to??? Your response probably won't be well-received here as we are discussing what we'd like to see L make in S!

Besides, given how hard it was to convince MTH to purchase the SHS tooling, about the only company that would be mildly interested in Flyer tooling would be Kader (Bachmann.)   I'd bet Lionel would want either an astronomical price or destroy it rather than sell to a competitor.

OK, I'll finally throw my hat into the ring.  The USRA Pacific's and Mikado's with a scale wheel option. 

I'm not holding my breath.

Rusty

In my opinion, for Lionel to really open the flood gates to the AF line selling better is to bring its offerings up to the level of thier O gauge line.  Espicaly in the way of scale signals, buildings and more modern freight cars to go with those engines already produced.  With the "trickle" of new stuff and total lack of others, its no wonder the S line is sluggish in sales.  The S gauge Polar Express is leaps and bounds better over the O gauge version(not the scale O version mind you, but thats a whole nother price point!).  But the lack of add on's and growth pieces that are offered in the O gauge line but not in the S.   Its half assed from anyway you look at it.  Make a beautiful basic set, semi scale in appearance(think 773 post war hudson semi scale), but only offer 2 add on passenger coaches.  No buildings, no figures, or all the other stuff that isnt even movie related but yet carries the PE logos.  Whoever does thier market research for the AF Line is obviously clueless to the needs of the S gauge community.  S gauge diecast cars and more would sell very well, both to us train guys and those that do the farm dioramas with the Ertl line of 1:64th farm equipment and buildings.  The Flyer line has languished for years under Lionel control, obviously originally purchased to eliminate a competitor.  I am working other angles for needed figures and buildings for my polar express layout, not gonna count on big L for anything new, anytime soon.   Mike

I'm with Artfull Dodger on making post war like engines.

The 773 Hudson and the 746 would be two great engines to produce.

Also, how about reproducing some of the A/F transformers to power these sets.

Thanks, Phil     

You guys are wishing for things Lionel will never make in S.  It feels like you frustrate yourself and get mad at Lionel with these impossible wish lists.

Here is my impossible wish.  Get rid of their 3 rail O gauge line and concentrate on American Flyer S Gauge.  No real trains have 3 rails!!

All I want is a Legacy Hudson. 

Roundhouse Bill posted:

You guys are wishing for things Lionel will never make in S.  It feels like you frustrate yourself and get mad at Lionel with these impossible wish lists.

Here is my impossible wish.  Get rid of their 3 rail O gauge line and concentrate on American Flyer S Gauge.  No real trains have 3 rails!!

So it's our fault for wanting MORE of what LIONEL started to make, but then abruptly stopped? Impossible would be asking Lionel to make autonomous automobiles. Asking them to continue with what they started seems entirely reasonable to me. They created this problem and they will have to deal with the negative PR backlash if they continue down this path. We didn't imagine Challengers, Y3's, Mikados, Pacifics, U33s, SD70s, and ES44s. They built them, got a bunch of people excited, and then left us holding the bag. That sucks.

FWIW, I agree with getting rid of 3 rails.

I'm still asking for a Reading T1 in any variant: 2100, 2102, 2124 rambles. 2102 D&H, 2101 Chessie Special, 2101 AFT, 2102 Blue Mountain & Reading or any of the other variations.

I know, it's going to be a Looonnnng wait, but I can ask and hope.

Roundhouse Bill posted:

You guys are wishing for things Lionel will never make in S.  It feels like you frustrate yourself and get mad at Lionel with these impossible wish lists.

Here is my impossible wish.  Get rid of their 3 rail O gauge line and concentrate on American Flyer S Gauge.  No real trains have 3 rails!!

Ummmm....

Anyways...  I'm not seriously expecting anything groundbreaking (or on these wish lists) out of Lionel anytime in the near future.  Right now, they seem to be in "throw something against the wall and see if it sticks" mode with Flyer. 

Currently, that appears to be FlyerChief.  I have no problem with that, but it's not stuff I'm particularly  interested in.  And we have yet to see if Mike Regan's departure has any effect one way or the other with Flyer.

I'll get the next catalog, look through it a couple of times and keep it for reference, but I seriously doubt there'd be anything I'd want out of it.

Rusty

Speaking of catalogs, anyone know when the 2017 is due?

 

Rich

artfull dodger posted:

Tiff is right though, doesn't matter if its the Flyer or O side of Lionel.  Thier QC has really went south in recent times.  They do need to deal with thier QC, even if means paying someone to put thier hands personaly on each model, run it and then carefully pack it in the box with his/her inspection tag in the box.  This would go a long ways to gaining back consumer confidence in the brand that has suffered in recent years.  If the core buyers are backing away from the table, you are going to struggle to make a profit on anything.  Mike

I've been happy with my Flyerchief Berkshires, two dockside switchers, and my Big Boy.   Compared to some of the quality gaffes Lionel had in the early 1980's, I would say they've been doing pretty well.

sgriggs posted:

artfull dodger posted:

Tiff is right though, doesn't matter if its the Flyer or O side of Lionel.  Thier QC has really went south in recent times.  They do need to deal with thier QC, even if means paying someone to put thier hands personaly on each model, run it and then carefully pack it in the box with his/her inspection tag in the box.  This would go a long ways to gaining back consumer confidence in the brand that has suffered in recent years.  If the core buyers are backing away from the table, you are going to struggle to make a profit on anything.  Mike

I've been happy with my Flyerchief Berkshires, two dockside switchers, and my Big Boy.   Compared to some of the quality gaffes Lionel had in the early 1980's, I would say they've been doing pretty well.

I seem to recall some folks here having to send their Polar Express and regular Berks back when they came out.

You didn't watch three Y3's in a row (including the one I was going to buy) go up in smoke on the test track at my LHS...  The 4th one finally was a charm.

Or get a U33C missing yellow stripes on one side.  Shame on me for not checking it out at the store:

To be fair, Lionel did replace the shell, but it took three months:

Since then, I check everything out at my LHS before buying.

Rusty

A Santa Fe auto rack on Trailer Train flat car in this real paint scheme from the 1970's.

How about a UP Turbine?  The Alco PA trucks and motors could be used.

 

Super "O" Track, including 54" and 72" radii.  Unfortunately little chance of that happening, I strongly suspect.   An alternative might be for Lionel to license another manufactured to make Super "O" track, if an entrepreneur would be willing to take on the task.

An updated LionChief+ Polar Express Set.

Super O switches  0-60 and 0-72

Dennis,

Perhaps Menards might won't to be the entrepreneur to produce the Super "O" track system?

Thanks, Phil 

 

I have always liked Super O track, I recall the first time I saw it in a store display layout at Horne's in Pittsburgh. My thought way back then was that if I had to have 3 rail track it would be Super O, but I was still glad I had 2 rail American Flyer trains. 

I am thinking we have some Lionel operators adding their wish list to the S gauge forum. I do agree it would be fantastic if Lionel released new production Super O track. 

Once again, all I want is a Legacy S gauge Hudson for Christmas!

PHILA posted:

Dennis,

Perhaps Menards might won't to be the entrepreneur to produce the Super "O" track system?

Thanks, Phil 

 

Thanks!!  I'll go with:

Phill,

"Perhaps Menards might want to be the entrepreneur to produce the Super "O" track system?"

Thanks, Dennis 

...ROTFLOL    

Another S Gauge topic fielding O Gauge replies because the OP did not mention S in the title of his post.

An SP AC-4 cab forward. Lionel cataloged this about 5-6 years ago but never made it.  We do have enough AC-6s, AC-12s, and AM-2s from MTH, Lionel, and 3rd Rail, but not that AC-4. Would be nice with the Legacy system. Yeah, I know, not another one, but still......

And a Legacy SP P-8 or P-10 4-6-2, a la 2468 or 2472.

See my post....44 tonners with side rods, much more interesting visually

Jeff B. Haertlein posted:

See my post....44 tonners with side rods, much more interesting visually

Them's called 45 tonners.  And they're physically smaller than 44 tonners.

(HO models shown)

Smoky Mountain Model Works is researching the possibility of an S Scale kit.

Rusty