New 2005 Lionel Catalog is now on Lionel's Website.

[1688torpedo]

Hello ! Just took a look at Lionel's new Catalog on their website and they have some very nice items indeed.Think I'll get the new 773 Whistle Tender For a 2046 that I'll have Painted and put together from new & old Parts..Keith

[Anonymous]

I saw the catalog yesterday. I think I will get the Keystone Super Freight set. It is TMCC ready. It will be my first set. Not available until July though.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I just saw it and I was blown away. I wish I could buy all the items I liked. I get my job back in March, as the labor department said I couldn't work until I was 14, so I think I will treat myself to a Transylvania Railroad (No, I don't mean Pennsylvania) 4-4-0.

It is a very attractive loco. I am also going to buy the Polar express, the 2 extra coaches, The Pennsylvania Flyer and Both expansion packs, Just the basic stuff really, I think I'd like to buy the new Santa Fe 0-4-0 swicther with slope back tender.

Due to all these great new Items, this is a great time to be a Toy Train Fan. I am going to buy everything that catches my fancy, and then some.

Also, the add on packs come with track, and are offered as separte slae items. Life is good.

Bert and Mary Poppins

[Anonymous]

The Transylvania RR stuff is great and would go well with my old Black Cave Flyer set from my 80's childhood. Very nice, can't wait. All this and the right price range.

The add on sets that pair with the starter sets are a great idea too.

[brianel027]

I have gone through the actual catalog... it's so much more enjoyable to thumb through a catalog than to scroll through it on line. I was diasappointed to see price increases on nearly everything across the board. And especially since the prices of many consumer goods coming from China are going down, not up. But then again, Lionel is also doing a lot of new tooling right now which doesn't pay for itself off the bat. I suppose given Lionel's current financial troubles, it should be no surprise - but then again Lionel is not the only one riding in that boat.

I was very pleased though to see the set add on packs. MARVELOUS! This is a very good idea!!! Spelling out the cost savings in the catalog is something Lionel once did many years ago and is a good idea to be done again. They should do it for the sets too, just to show the novice consumer the value in buying a set.

I'm also very happy to see the old less-detailed 027 steamlined passenger cars back in the catalog. The PRR and NYC ones in the add-on packs look very nice, especially the Pennsy ones. Even the Lionel Lines one's look nice.

I was thrillled to see some modern road names finally on the lower priced starter cars. CSX, NS, and BNSF have been obviously absent from cars in this price range, so BRAVO Lionel.

Yes, some of the stuff is just ridiculous in prices, but there are some values. Good to see the popular new Docksider back and also in a starter set too! Good to see the Icing Station still bargain priced with the Icing Car also included in the price. Lionel should try some kind of incentive package like that every year with something different.

The catalog was bigger than I expected it would be, but it seems the major push right now is in the selection of starter sets. And minus the disappearance of the RS-3 type stater set, there seems to be much much more variety this year, with sets that will please advanced modelers as well as first timers.

And I did notice one change (or mistake)... the previously announced CSX work caboose (shown as a thumbnail on page 58) and reffered to on page 74 is instead a C&O work caboose... oh darn. Would much rather see the CSX.

As a final note, I was also given the new MTH 2005 catalog. I may gripe about Lionel's prices going up, but MTH's prices aren't a whole lot better. Not much for me in that catalog (since size-wise Railking is now "Scaleking" and Rugged Rails has become "Forgotten Rails"). At least Lionel hasn't given up ship on the traditionally sized trains that were once the mainstay of the hobby and has a least a few locomotives that aren't loaded with extra electronics that some of us don't want.

Also ironic because while I was getting the catalogs there were some guys there who were pretty annoyed because the electronics in their engines were not working right, even after being repaired. I chuckled to myself... I know many swear by the new electronic features and are back in the hobby because of them.

But it also seems there are a lot of guys swearing at the new electronics too!

[tschmidt]

I just got back from my favorite dealer and picked up a copy of the new catalog. What's great is that I found some things that I was hoping would be in there. What's even better is the pre-order form from the dealer with good discounts for ordering early with 10% down.

Thanks Lionel!

Tom

[Anonymous]

I wish my dealer got the new catalog. They never got the shipment. I went yesterday to look for it. No dice, will try again later.

The online catalog is nice but slow and a little hard to navigate.

[prewardude]

I checked out the online catalog. Didn't see any Standard gauge again, so MTH will be getting all of my train budget this year. [;)]

[railfanespee4449]

How about the 0-8-0? I'm getting one in a few weeks? (island trains, $525)

[Anonymous]

Hello

Why go for the expensive Lionel and go for a cheaper MTH with Protosound????

Bert and Mary Poppins