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My wish list is getting smaller as I purchase older systems, mainly 3rd Rail, and upgrade them.  As mentioned, multiple times, the chance of seeing new tooling is probably non-existent to nil.  So, looking at Lionel's current stock plus their recently acquired MTH molds, what would I actually buy if re-issued.   Using their various current boxcar molds, I would like them to continue to add more Friendship Train cars.  With descent trucks. That's it.

ADDED: Rereading this, how about new trucks that actually work well to replace those terrible "Mike R" trucks they produced a couple years ago.  Maybe even provide as a no-cost replacement for those that bought cars with those worthless trucks.

Last edited by CAPPilot

Shouldn’t there be some leaks by now?

Well, certainly not on here. I think the last catalog had a leak that had been posted somewhere on the forum and the moderators deleted like they should. I do remember a couple of years ago there was catalogs showing up on eBay before the date, I think that was either when the VL Challenger's were re-released or somewhere around that catalog.

@Anthony K posted:

From existing tooling- How about Conrail SD40-2Rs which were SD40 rebuilds 6960-6999.  
Buffalo and Pittsburgh SD40-3s or SD60Ms would also be cool.
New freight car tooling- 34,000 gal LPG tank cars?  

If Lionel comes out with new freight car tooling for the 34,000 gal LPG tank car, Lionel needs to add the brake lines and air reservoir to the underside. They missed those details on the 30k gallon ethanol and tank train tank cars.

Totally agree!  Not sure the still do lionmaster but do the same thing under the lionchief plus 2.0 brand.

I don’t think they did any Lionmaster in 2022. But they’ve done a few in the last few years. Maybe we will see one this year. Would probably have to be old tooling tho. So a Lionmaster reissue with LC2.0 they first produced in the early 2000s perhaps. They did the SD80MAC again a few years ago with LC2.0. It’s certainly close to Legacy and runs well on the smaller curves.

@GregK posted:

I don’t think they did any Lionmaster in 2022. But they’ve done a few in the last few years. Maybe we will see one this year. Would probably have to be old tooling tho. So a Lionmaster reissue with LC2.0 they first produced in the early 2000s perhaps. They did the SD80MAC again a few years ago with LC2.0. It’s certainly close to Legacy and runs well on the smaller curves.

We can only hope!

@GregK posted:

I don’t think they did any Lionmaster in 2022. But they’ve done a few in the last few years. Maybe we will see one this year. Would probably have to be old tooling tho. So a Lionmaster reissue with LC2.0 they first produced in the early 2000s perhaps. They did the SD80MAC again a few years ago with LC2.0. It’s certainly close to Legacy and runs well on the smaller curves.

Time for a csx bright future and Christmas sd80mac at around 400 preordered. That would be the perfect lionmaster 2.0 release.

@breezinup posted:

Still beating the drum for a return of the LionMaster Hudson, preferably with Legacy but LionChief internals if nothing else. Also the drum continues to beat for a traditional J with Legacy/LionChief.

Yep that would be a really great candidate and the best use of LionMaster I can think of right now. They would probably use the LC2.0 internals, which are at least based on Legacy sounds and carry many of the premium features. It would be pricey for sure tho - but probably halfway between the LC2.0 Hudson they did last year, and a scale model. Would people pay $999 for it? But the fact they just reissued the LionChief Hudson (albeit LC2.0 this time) makes me think they wouldn't turn around another Hudson for at least a few years...

Last edited by GregK
@Csxcellent posted:

If it is lionmaster and old tooling I’d hope they would have an msrp of $500 or less. However, the prices keep skyrocketing

I'm just basing it on the current pricing. The "normal" LC2.0 stuff, which are generally just "regular" traditional sized models, are going for $550-650 MSRP right now. I would imagine any Lionmaster diesel would probably be in that range.

@GregK posted:

I'm just basing it on the current pricing. The "normal" LC2.0 stuff, which are generally just "regular" traditional sized models, are going for $550-650 MSRP right now. I would imagine any Lionmaster diesel would probably be in that range.

Hi Greg,



I think lionel reproduced their one and only lionmaster diesels (SD90MAC and SD80MAC) back in 2019 Volume 2 (for $450).

I'm not sure they would reproduce their only lionmaster diesels so soon, but for pricing, I think would be closer to 500 (because the latest fullscale SD90MACs in 2022 were 650 with legacy) and there would have to be some difference in price between the two systems.



Thanks,
Adam

@breezinup posted:

Still beating the drum for a return of the LionMaster Hudson, preferably with Legacy but LionChief internals if nothing else. Also the drum continues to beat for a traditional J with Legacy/LionChief.

I'm wishing for a reissue of either the LionMaster N&W Class A or LionMaster Big Boy steamers (or both). My layout has a mix of 072 and 054 curve (non less than 054) so I can't run Visionline Steamers. Fingers and toes are crossed !

Last edited by Junior
@GregK posted:

Yep that would be a really great candidate and the best use of LionMaster I can think of right now. They would probably use the LC2.0 internals, which are at least based on Legacy sounds and carry many of the premium features. It would be pricey for sure tho - but probably halfway between the LC2.0 Hudson they did last year, and a scale model. Would people pay $999 for it? But the fact they just reissued the LionChief Hudson (albeit LC2.0 this time) makes me think they wouldn't turn around another Hudson for at least a few years...

The LionChief Hudson is smaller and without the detail of the LionMaster version, so that isn't a substitute. Your LionMaster pricing thoughts are correct, though, it seems, based on a comment by (I think it was) Mike Reagan a number of years ago. He said that the LionMaster engines cost almost as much to produce as the full scale versions, so Lionel was left in a pricing quandary. Just because an engine is  a little smaller, since it has the same electronics and essentially same production costs as the physically larger ones, smaller doesn't equate to cheaper to make, or at least not that much.

That said, MTH seemed to figure out marketing of their successful RailKing Imperial line.

@miller3 posted:

Hi Greg,



I think lionel reproduced their one and only lionmaster diesels (SD90MAC and SD80MAC) back in 2019 Volume 2 (for $450).

I'm not sure they would reproduce their only lionmaster diesels so soon, but for pricing, I think would be closer to 500 (because the latest fullscale SD90MACs in 2022 were 650 with legacy) and there would have to be some difference in price between the two systems.



Thanks,
Adam

i'm actually more confident that we will see a LC2.0 GP38/GP39 hopefully a BNSF H1 scheme with ditchlights and an RS5T horn or Rio grande

did DRGW roster 38's or 39s?

@GregK posted:

That would be nice, but more likely to be $550-600 less the preorder discount. 😊

And that right there is why LC 2.0 doesn't interest me.  I'm not interested in paying Legacy prices for a traditional sized piece with inferior electronics, details, and features.  350 would be a good price on most LC 2.0 items.  Lionmaster steamers such as the Big Boy would be tempting at around 700.   MTH always got the railking pricing right... and with full dcs package and sounds....and without those silly stamped handrails and cheesy details that lionel still uses on their "traditional" models.  There is absolutely a market for LC 2.0, but not at the prices they want.

Last edited by Brian DeFazio

Couldn't agree with you more Brian. The last run of MTH Imperial big boys (2022) were $350 less than the LC2 ones from Lionel (2022). The first Lionmaster Big Boys blow the current LC2 ones out of the water with whistle steam and full Legacy electronics, they were worth their price (2010 MSRP of $900).

When LC2 locomotives cost just as much or more than a Premier MTH model or you're only 50 to 100 bucks from the Legacy equivalent, I'm out.

Last edited by H1000

I hope Lionel does more Lionmaster (and that they sell well) but I really hope that Lionel reverts to putting full Legacy in Lionmaster, including whistle steam.  (Cylinder or blowdown effects would be particularly amazing.)  Whistle steam obviously fits in there because it's been done before - don't release downgraded models!

Not to derail the topic but I think the pricing on the LC2.0 stuff is a little high. I have a mild interest in trying something out but not with what they have been offering. I've seen you can get the Century Club Hudsons for about what they want on those LC2.0 Hudsons. Not quite apples to apples but Lionel needs to understand that older equipment at reasonable prices also drive sales.

@RamblerDon posted:

Not to derail the topic but I think the pricing on the LC2.0 stuff is a little high. I have a mild interest in trying something out but not with what they have been offering. I've seen you can get the Century Club Hudsons for about what they want on those LC2.0 Hudsons. Not quite apples to apples but Lionel needs to understand that older equipment at reasonable prices also drive sales.

tell me about it I've been trying to make lionchief 2.0 my main source of motive power since it rolled out in 2019 but have been unable to score any of the releases due to cost even though my railroads are mostly diesel powered and diesels tend to be cheaper than steam although i really want a turbine and j class

even starter sets are pushing past 500 bucks these days

i'm very excited for this catalog but i may be in for severe sticker shock and thats saying something because i only collect traditional o gauge and traditional is SUPPOSED to be CHEAPER than full o scale

Not to derail things again but I'd like to add that for the most part I find the pricing from Lionel to be reasonable. But certain items like the LC stuff which they push as entry level or slightly above, really needs to be at a better price point to get the sales they want. Of course I don't know what kind of sales they get so maybe I am in the wrong. But that is my 2 cents worth.

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