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todays lionel showroom layout

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 11, 2008 1:04 AM
 anjdevil2 wrote:

Let me preface this before I go on,

I'm like everyone else, I'd love to have Lionel build their product here in the USA.

I don't like Huckabee & I didn't vote for him either, but the idea of the Fair Tax will bring monetary power back to the people of the USA and jobs back here as well.  This is probably the only way the USA will become competitive in manufacturing agan.  www.fairtax.org

Bob, if you feel this is not appropriate, feel free to delete it.  I understand this is not a political form, I'm putting out there why jobs like these are leaving these shores...TAXES!!!!

 

the tax is not the reason they are leaving ,  its the 3.00 to 5.00 a day that they only have to pay a worker out side the USA.   IMO the fairtax is not a good thing.

 

if you want the jobs to come back here  we need to put a higher tax on imported goods.  china has a 100% tax on alot of goods that they import from the USA.  one of the things is harley davidson motorcycles.  so if the bike costs 25,000.00 , after their tax it costs them 50,000.00 .  guess what, harleys are the #1 selling motorcycle in china.  china has over 100 motorcycle manufactures of their own , and HD still is #1 there with a 100% tax. HD has been trying to put a factory there but china will not let them. they want to sell their stuff here , but they make it hard for us to sell our stuff there.  

 

i say we tax the crap out of their stuff like they do ours. 

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Posted by LL675 on Sunday, February 10, 2008 11:17 PM
 magicman710 wrote:

 PostwarMan07 wrote:
MTH to do it first?

 

Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D]

Honestly, I wish we can once again see "New York - Chicago - San Fransisco" or "New York - Chicago" and "Made in USA" again on Lionel Boxes instead of "Chesterfield, Michigain" "Made in China".

Made in China for Korea for USA. Banged Head [banghead] Banged Head [banghead]

 

 

I agree, with the corp headquarters back in NYC

Dave

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Posted by PostwarMan07 on Sunday, February 10, 2008 10:58 PM

I dont see why it would be deleted.  Has a lot to do with the topic.  I also would love a Fair Tax.  I personally am a huckabee guy, but think if he didnt talk religion as much he would have a chance because the fair tax is a GREAT idea.

Hes not getting elected and I dont think the fair tax is anywhere in the near future.  This means Lionel and other companies will also be staying overseas.

BUT, getting back to the showroom layout... I honestly think they NEED a showroom in new york and chicago even if its a holiday only layout. Heres and example of why:

A week ago a friend of mine saw my lionel trains and was very interested.  He asked if the lionel company is still around!!!

He wasnt someone who grew up in the 50s and lost touch with the hobby after his childhood.  He was in his 20s!  A lot of people have no clue that lionel exists anymore.  They need to present their products to the public.

John W
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Posted by anjdevil2 on Sunday, February 10, 2008 8:32 PM

Let me preface this before I go on,

I'm like everyone else, I'd love to have Lionel build their product here in the USA.

I don't like Huckabee & I didn't vote for him either, but the idea of the Fair Tax will bring monetary power back to the people of the USA and jobs back here as well.  This is probably the only way the USA will become competitive in manufacturing agan.  www.fairtax.org

Bob, if you feel this is not appropriate, feel free to delete it.  I understand this is not a political form, I'm putting out there why jobs like these are leaving these shores...TAXES!!!!

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by Rescuedtrains on Sunday, February 10, 2008 6:25 PM

Can I assume that everyone who is complaining about making all these trains in Asia is using only Gargraves and Ross track products? As far as I know MTH, Lionel and Atlas track is all made in Asia. So if you really feel strongly about jobs going overseas I'm sure you'll want to purchase and support these two American companies producing the product they sell right here in the good old USA.

 

Steve

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Posted by dsmith on Saturday, February 9, 2008 9:03 PM

I have gone to the Lionel Visitor's Center twice about a year ago.  They do allow photos.  You have to make reservations to view the layout.  It's free but they want to limit each group to about 20 people at the most.  While you are waiting to go in, there is a Lionel movie that is shown for about 1/2 hour.  Then your whole group goes into the layout room and they operate about a dozen trains.  Around the walls are glass cases with historic information and examples of Lionels trains.  There are many buttons on the layout so that visitors can operate the many accessories.  The layout is down low so that kids can see very well.  There is also a small kids layout with 4 trains that they are allowed to operate.  After about 45 minutes you are ushered out and into the small Lionel gift shop.  Here are a couple photos I took.  Click on the photos for a larger view.

David

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Posted by Nick12DMC on Friday, February 8, 2008 2:29 PM

While we are at it can we have a London office and showroom??? New York, Michigan, Peckham has a certain somthing Wink [;)]

Nick

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Posted by palallin on Friday, February 8, 2008 1:35 PM

 Ogaugeoverlord wrote:
Yes, and like most rumors, it was totally wrong.

 

That's good to know!  It would have made the lawsuit trials more interesting, though, I'm sure. . . .

 

Blush [:I]

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Posted by Bob Keller on Friday, February 8, 2008 1:31 PM
Yes, and like most rumors, it was totally wrong.

Bob Keller

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Posted by palallin on Friday, February 8, 2008 1:21 PM
 ozzy wrote:

JLC was not stupid,  and like everyone was out to make money,  i bet if he had the same opition to have his stuff made oversea's cheaper then here back then he would have. 

He did, as a matter of fact.  A fair amount of tooling and a few end products were produced in Italy.  Cost was one consideration, though factory capacity and expertise was another (and perhaps more important).  The Italian contractor was an off-shoot of some of his top production staffs' families.

Wasn't there a marriage or at least a rumor about one between someone connected with Sanda-Kan and someone with one of the importers here?

 

Shock [:O]

 

All that said, *I* would rather pay Americans to make the trains, but current economic trends and way too many spoiled Americans conspire against it.  Still, never say, "never."

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 8, 2008 1:14 PM

 LS1Heli wrote:
I think that MTH should be concentrating on making their own products first instead of capitalizing on the Lionel Corporation. Building a layout should be the last thing on their minds.

 

 

thats funny,  i dont remember seeing any of lionels copys out side there tinplate stuff in any of my mth books,  but i do see lots of things that MTH offers that lionel dont offer at all, let alone it being an exact copy of lionel......

 

BTW, lionel copied from the train manufaures that was before lionel. YES , THERE WAS TOY TRAINS BEFORE LIONEL, 

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 8, 2008 1:09 PM
 LS1Heli wrote:
 magicman710 wrote:

 PostwarMan07 wrote:
MTH to do it first?

 

Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D]

Honestly, I wish we can once again see "New York - Chicago - San Fransisco" or "New York - Chicago" and "Made in USA" again on Lionel Boxes instead of "Chesterfield, Michigain" "Made in China".

Made in China for Korea for USA. Banged Head [banghead] Banged Head [banghead]

 

If everyone is so concerned about Lionel being made in the US, then they never should have bought MTH. MTH is the reason why they moved. Michigan made Lionel products could not compete with the MTH products made overseas with cheaper labor and other costs. In order to keep the dirt cheap frugal people in this hobby happy, they had to suck up their pride and pack bags. If Lionel ever does move back to US production, it sure as hell isn't going to be our lifetime. Lionel Trains are made in China because thats what people want.

I bet JLC is rollin' over in his grave.  

 

 

JLC was not stupid,  and like everyone was out to make money,  i bet if he had the same opition to have his stuff made oversea's cheaper then here back then he would have. 

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Posted by PostwarMan07 on Friday, February 8, 2008 12:52 PM

I bet he is rolling over in his grave.  I personally sold all of my MTH stuff (the little I owned) along with a lot of my new lionel stuff in exchange for postwar stuff a few years ago.  I wanted to wait and see how people have responded to the overseas produced goods before I purchased anything else.  Just recently, I purchased my first new lionel item in the last few years.  It was a C&O coal dump car that was on sale.  The 3469 was on my wish list, but I settled for a great deal on a new one instead.

The republican debate in michigan got me thinking about this topic again.  Romney was promising all the jobs would come back...this includes lionel.  McCain was honest and said they wouldn't.  He is right.  As said above: "Lionel Trains are made in China because thats what people want."

We want an affordable product and a healthy lionel company.  The production in China provides a path to both.

John W
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Posted by LS1Heli on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:45 PM
 magicman710 wrote:

 PostwarMan07 wrote:
MTH to do it first?

 

Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D]

Honestly, I wish we can once again see "New York - Chicago - San Fransisco" or "New York - Chicago" and "Made in USA" again on Lionel Boxes instead of "Chesterfield, Michigain" "Made in China".

Made in China for Korea for USA. Banged Head [banghead] Banged Head [banghead]

If everyone is so concerned about Lionel being made in the US, then they never should have bought MTH. MTH is the reason why they moved. Michigan made Lionel products could not compete with the MTH products made overseas with cheaper labor and other costs. In order to keep the dirt cheap frugal people in this hobby happy, they had to suck up their pride and pack bags. If Lionel ever does move back to US production, it sure as hell isn't going to be our lifetime. Lionel Trains are made in China because thats what people want.

I bet JLC is rollin' over in his grave.  

 

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Posted by LS1Heli on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:39 PM
I think that MTH should be concentrating on making their own products first instead of capitalizing on the Lionel Corporation. Building a layout should be the last thing on their minds.
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Posted by magicman710 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:39 PM

 PostwarMan07 wrote:
MTH to do it first?

 

Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D] Laugh [(-D]

Honestly, I wish we can once again see "New York - Chicago - San Fransisco" or "New York - Chicago" and "Made in USA" again on Lionel Boxes instead of "Chesterfield, Michigain" "Made in China".

Made in China for Korea for USA. Banged Head [banghead] Banged Head [banghead]

"Lionel trains are the standard of the world" - Jousha Lionel Cowen

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Posted by PostwarMan07 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:22 PM
MTH to do it first?
John W
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Posted by LS1Heli on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:19 PM
They really need to open a large public scale landscaped layout in NYC. What are they waiting for?
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Posted by LS1Heli on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 5:17 PM
 dwiemer wrote:

As to Seattle, don't know if they will have offices there, but if a large number of imports are through Seattle, it would make sense.

Well there is everyones answer in regards to "when is Lionel moving production back to the US." 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:16 PM

I sure like the idea of a Chicago office Wink [;)]

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by dwiemer on Monday, January 14, 2008 11:58 PM

Latest word I know of is that the layout in NYC is for corporate buyers only and it is not open to the public.  Beyond a guest article/photo shoot from one of the magazines, I doubt any non corporate personel would be able to see it.  As to Seattle, don't know if they will have offices there, but if a large number of imports are through Seattle, it would make sense.

Dennis

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Posted by traindaddy1 on Monday, January 14, 2008 9:44 PM
 PostwarMan07 wrote:

 I think the new showroom should be in New York. (Then I can see it) ...imagine what a layout  in New York City would do for Lionel.

Better still, build it in the Bronx.  Wink [;)]
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Posted by chuck on Monday, January 14, 2008 8:33 PM
There is a small layout at the New York Office that is intended for demo's for coporate buyers.  The existing visitors center is still showing up on the web site.
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Posted by PostwarMan07 on Monday, January 14, 2008 8:21 PM

 LS1Heli wrote:
What about that whole NYC thing. And whats in Seattle?

I have also been wondering the same thing.  I like the Chicago idea but I think the new showroom should be in New York. (Then I can see it)  From what I hear Macy's layout is a very popular place to visit...imagine what a layout in new york would do for lionel.

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Posted by Chris F on Monday, January 14, 2008 8:02 PM
Cameras, both still and video, were allowed in the Visitor Center when I went there during the LCCA/LOTS 2000 Convention.  The Lionel website ( http://www.lionel.com/CentralStation/Findex.cfm (click on Visitor Center)) doesn't indicate cameras aren't allowed, but you could give them a call to be sure.
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Posted by LS1Heli on Monday, January 14, 2008 7:52 PM
What about that whole NYC thing. And whats in Seattle?
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Posted by kpolak on Monday, January 14, 2008 7:29 PM

Sorry I don't have any photos.  Latest I heard, from my local hobby shop, is that Lionel is currently moving out of Michigan.  Administration is moving to Chicago, and others are moving to Seattle.  So I'm not sure if there is anything left.

I have not found anyone to back this up yet.

Kurt

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todays lionel showroom layout
Posted by PostwarMan07 on Monday, January 14, 2008 7:00 PM
Haven't found many pictures of the current layout at the visitors center.  Has anyone gone and taken pictures? Are cameras allowed?
John W

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