Why isn’t Lionel producing any of its accessories?

[abbieleibowitz]

Why isn't Lionel producing any of its classic animated accessories? There is nothing in the new catalog - or last year's in either Lionel or American Flyer. What's the story?

[Dave45681]

Only the Lion can say for sure, but probably not as much money to be made as when they produce all of the big engines.  There is never a lack of offerings in that department in recent years.

It's not that they don't make any accessories, there still seems to be the occasional offering of a special decoration 193 Water Tower, some Control Towers, some small passenger platforms, small covered bridges, etc.  (and as another example, there is the recently produced Rocket Launcher)

As to the classic Post War famous accessories, it's definitely been on the light side for at least some of them for a while.  Lionel did remakes of most of the Post War Classics in the late 90's into early 00's.  Many have not returned to the line since though.

One of the oddest ones to me, considering how popular it was in general is the simple 445 type switch tower.  There was of course the original 445 PW version, then the MPC one (# 2324), and then the modern 1996 one (6-12917).  There was also the original Burning variant in the early 90's (6-12768). 

After that 1996 one, there have been various color schemes of the Burning variety (probably at least 3-5 different ones), but never a regular 445 style switch tower that did not have the burning effects and decoration.  If not for the burn decoration, it would be simple enough to just not power the smoke unit and change the bulbs from the fire effect flashers to clear, but that just means you now have a burned out looking tower without the smoke and light effects ;).

So the short comment from my long winded history above is that it's now been 28 years since Lionel last offered a 445 style tower that was not intended to look like it was on fire. 

That always seemed odd, considering it should only be a matter of a diferent paint job and different bulbs to create a version that is not simulating being on fire.

[pennytrains]

Most of the simplest accessories (signals, lamps) disappeared from the catalog for several years to re-emerge as plug and play versions.

But I suspect that isn't the case with 38 water towers, 445 switch towers, icing stations or coal loaders.  Market decline and product over saturation (mostly caused by MTH) coupled with the inevitable diminishing of the target audience (fewer boomers adding to their collections) just don't justify the expense of new product runs.  A lot of those boomers who blew the market wide open back in the 90's are downsizing now and everything from originals to reproductions are showing up on the market again.

Your best bet is to seek out used accessories in good operating condition because newly manufactured versions probably won't show up in classic colors any time soon.

[BigAl 956]

Lionel reproduced all the classic postwar accessories towards the end of the last and earlier in this century. I don't think they were big sellers and can be foud readily on eBay at very good prices.

[wjstix]

It could in part be a generational thing. In the 1980s-90s I think many folks wanted to get the accessories they (or their parents) couldn't afford when they were kids in the 1940s-50s. For younger folks, particularly with the rise of hi-rail and scale 3-rail, there probably isn't as big an interest in the old style accessories.

[Flintlock76]

wjstix

It could in part be a generational thing

Or a personal taste thing.  I like engines and rolling stock but accessories don't do anything for me.  While I find them interesting I really don't care to own any.