TIME Magazine December 6, 2004 Issue

[Buckeye Riveter]

If LIonel wanted publicity, I do believe they got it. [:D][:(][:0] Check out TIME, the magazine for a short article about the POLAR EXPRESS
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101041206-832180,00.html

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: from the article
Finally, Steve at Steve's Train City in Minnesota tells me he has a set — for $450. The retail price, I say peevishly, is $249. "But you want it," he says. "That's why you're calling, right?" Looks as if it's time to hit eBay. Score! My "buy it now" price: $449.99.

I know Steve, but I didn't think he would do that. This is crazy.[:(]

[dougdagrump]

My wife still wants one, but I'm not about to pay the inflated prices they are asking. Unfortunately she might not be happy for a little while but thank goodness we don't have any rugrats to make us feel guilty. [swg]

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougdagrump

My wife still wants one, but I'm not about to pay the inflated prices they are asking. Unfortunately she might not be happy for a little while but thank goodness we don't have any rugrats to make us feel guilty. [swg]

I think you're right Doug. I have a feeling you'll be able to pick them up for $200 or less once the second batch hits the shelves.

[FJ and G]

They left out Beanie Babies

[cnw1995]

Too bad this made train store owners look like greedy unhelpful persons - I'll bet Steve wishes he had that quote back. Too bad no one offered an 'alternative' like putting together some similar passenger train set. But I think I'm overreacting a tad - from just anecdotal responses, most of my non-train-loving friends still recognize the Lionel brand and think the old sets can be sold at high enough prices to put their kids through college - they think these 'old trains' are completely unaffordable. So this article is moot. They are generally surprised to find Lionel still in business and absolutely sticker-shocked at the price of even a low-end set - like the Lionel set with the Great Northern RS-3. I think the larger article in Time had some real truths about the toy market.

[Back2Trains]

Some of this sounds kind of like the people who waited in the drive-thru lines at McDonalds to get a carload of kid's meals with Beanie Babies in them then stopped at the trash can and threw out all of the food. Next stop - THE RESALE MARKET!!! Some of these guys could find themselves stuck with a lot of merchandise they can't move.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Let's face it guys, on December 26th the Polar Express market flips on its head, going from a seller's market to a Buyer's market. Dealers need to make sure their orders are confirmed, or they could get stuck, big time.

I can't tell from the story, if the set the reporter bought off eBay was Steve's, or someone else's. Steve does occasionally list items from the store. Also remember, just because we see a buy it now price on eBay doesn't mean the item sold. However in this case, $450 seems to be a selling price.