Lionel News from the LOTS (Lionel Operating Train Society) Convention in Rochester, NY

[anjdevil2]

Thanks Neil, great information.  I'm looking forward to the AMerican maded cars.  If Weaver can do it, why not Lionel?

[cheapclassics]

To all,

Neil, thank you for the update.  I hope they extend this concept to non-Thomas items as well.  Would be a good fit for the Scout sets as well. 

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[nblum]

Some news from Rochester, NY, home of the Edgerton Model Railroad, the Flower City Tinplate Trackers,

Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Wegman's, Xerox, and the late lamented Kodak :).

From yesterday's LOTS Lionel Seminar in Rochester, NY. The Thomas, James and Percy locomotives are probably just the first of  many to contain this new control system. Bill Leto wasn't sure if it was 27 MHz or 2.4 GHz spread spectrum. My money's on the latter as the range was over 70 feet and control was rock solid as far as I could tell. No need to use the wall wart that comes with
the set, the loco can be put on any layout set at 16-18 volts and will respond to the controller even if the transformer is made by, gasp, MTH, MRC, Atlas, etc. This is one very nice set for about $160 MSRP, which will undoubtedly sell for 10-20% less in some places. A great bargain, IMO. J. Don also confirmed it was entirely likely the system would begin showing up in other
sets in time. A nice complement to TMCC and Legacy. This is the cheap remote command control system that some have been waiting for.
Remains to be seen whether they will sell components for retrofitting other equipment. However, the locos and sets are so reasonable in price, I'm sure some people will just buy the sets and cannibalize, or even reverse engineer using cheap radio control airplane/car
industry electronics and speed controls. They are going to sell a lot of these is my guess and this will foster additional use of the technology in, at first, the lower cost sets. If the controllers can be reset to control additional locos, beginner heaven will have arrived. Command control and a set for less than $150 street price anyone?

 Apparently the American made Presidents series boxcars are definitely happening and just awaiting final production numbers from dealer orders at the August deadline. These are, according to J. Don, at a MSRP of only $5 more than they would be if made in and shipped from China (admittedly no bargain at $60 plus). He also stated he thought there would be an entire series if these sold well (which they apparently are so far). And that manufacturing additional rolling stock stateside was highly likely.

At last night's LOTS Lionel Seminar, Bill Leto and J. Don Reece announced that Lionel would be offering a mid-size transformer that looks like the CW-80 but puts out an additional 100 watts using the existing Powerhouse platform for a total of 180 watts. No price or delivery date but I'm guessing 2013. Four of these puppies will power just about any layout short of the NJ Hi-Railers or Carnegie Museum . Hopefully priced at less than $250 MSRP, but who knows. If it's under $200, as it might well be, meet the new transformer sheriff in town .

American Flyer Fastrack will have solid T-rail rails, according to Bill Leto and J. Don Reece at last night's LOTS Lionel Seminar.

Norfolk Southern Heritage series locomotives will come in both powered and dummies , according to Bill Leto and J. Don Reece at last night's LOTS Lionel Seminar.