Am I the only one...........

[RR Redneck]

..........that somewhat dislikes the design of Lionel's new G-scale Christmas train set?

[Dr. John]

No, you're not.

I saw several of them at Hobby Lobby last week. Frankly, they are a disappointment to me. Lionel has some great Christmas offerings of late: The Polar Express set, The Christmas Dockside engine, the traditional O-27 Christmas set, and several neat Christmas accessories and cars.

So what shows up on most retailer shelves? This odd, G(?) scale set. I wonder why Lionel would market this thing when it doesn't lend itself to add-ons (track, accessories, cars, etc.). Can anyone explain the marketing strategy here?

[msacco]

I think just about every hi-railer and even traditional toy train operator would hate it. Threre's just too much going on for us. I personally have absolutely no interest in it.

    But.......we're not the intended target market. This is strictly a train around the tree thing and maybe add some other stuff in the future.

   Heck, I hope they sell a ton of these. Lionel could use the money.

 

Mike S.

[Anonymous]

No, you're not the only one!

I've been active in Large Scale (G gauge) as well as O gauge and other scales for a good many years, and I think it's one cheezy looking set--not at all what I would hope for, or want to see, from Lionel.  If they were going to do a Large Scale Christmas train, the least they could do is create one that would sell to Large Scale enthusiasts as well as the general public.  I don't know a single Large Scaler who would even give that set a second glance, and I darn sure will not be recommending it to the folks who ask for my opinion about which starter or seasonal train sets to buy virtually every holiday season (primarily because of the books and articles I've written in the past).

If I was going to recommend a Large Scale Christmas set, it would be one from Aristo-Craft, LGB, or even the Bachmann set that's now available through Sam's Club.  And in O gauge I would definitely go with Lionel, MTH, or something like a Christmas BEEP from RMT with holiday cars selected from among the many Lionel offerings.

Perhaps Lionel will do well enough with that set, but it sure won't be with any help from me or most others that I know in the hobby.

And one of these years I sure do hope they'll introduce something new--even just in a new livery--in those low-end starter sets that have been on the market for who knows how many years now.  I'm getting kind of tired of seeing the same, old Pennsy and NYC sets being offered year after year after year.

[RR Redneck]

I went into the local Hobby Lobby, and they had one of the ugly things set up around a Christmas tree. It was the first time seeing one in person and it was as ugly to me as it was in the catalog!

[spodwo]

 

Yah - it is not pretty. 

[prewardude]

[jimhaleyscomet]

Too bad they could not do a Polar Express set in G-scale.

Jim H

[Anonymous]

Too bad they could not do a Polar Express set in G-scale.

Jim H

Well, they, or someone else, certainly could do one in Large Scale, but it would be so big and so costly (if it was faithful to the Polar Express that is depicted in the story) that it would likely not sell in significant numbers.

And if they made a fanciful version of that already-fanciful train--one that could be operated in a normal-size household and that had shorter cars and a smaller locomotive than a Berkshire--people would complain that they weren't faithful to the original.

My guess is that the Polar Express phenomena has pretty much peaked, and that even though they'll still be offering the O gauge sets, public interest in the movie, and hence the train sets, will see a progressive decline.  After all, the American public quickly forgets and/or loses interest in most everything, and is quick to move on to the next "hot" attraction.

[thor]

No you're not, it's pretty appalling isn't it?  I wish Lionel well with sales but its a clunker from the point of view of the non train person and makes no sense at all after Jerry's speech about attracting new people.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty obvious that this set will do nothing to attract newcomers to the hobby, per se, and it definitely won't attract anyone to O gauge since it's not an O gauge set.

It may appeal to some of the general public--the same group that tends to buy the cheesy New Brite sets that have been around for years.  But in all my years in Large Scale,  I know or have heard of few, if any, who actually entered the hobby via the New Brite route (the garden railroading/Large Scale segment, that is).

In short:  If this is the way Lionel believes they can attract future hobby enthusiasts, they really need to gather in the board room and rethink their thinking.

Just my opinion, of course.

[phillyreading]

It's pretty obvious that this set will do nothing to attract newcomers to the hobby, per se, and it definitely won't attract anyone to O gauge since it's not an O gauge set.

It may appeal to some of the general public--the same group that tends to buy the cheesy New Brite sets that have been around for years.  But in all my years in Large Scale,  I know or have heard of few, if any, who actually entered the hobby via the New Brite route (the garden railroading/Large Scale segment, that is).

In short:  If this is the way Lionel believes they can attract future hobby enthusiasts, they really need to gather in the board room and rethink their thinking.

Just my opinion, of course.

If they do gather in the board room can somebody make sure that NO Alcoholic drinks are allowed in!!  Seems like they had a few too many Martinies at lunchtime to come up with something like that! I realize that this sounds extremely harsh but somebody needs to wake-up Jerry C. & the rest of Lionel to the real world.

Lee F.

[mpzpw3]

I too recently saw the Lionel Christmas set at Hobby Lobby. They had a lot of them!! Lionel marketing had surely done their job!! I don't see where this set is going to help Lionel at all. Why choose a scale you don't really make? I wasn't alive until 1971, but Christmas to me was always Bing Crosby and a 3-rail train under the tree for a nostalgic(sp) Christmas, which is what I guess Lionel was going for..., only in modern times. I agree with the above posts, why make a product that you don't support? Why not a plastic Blue Commet that runs on standard gauge 3-rail track, if size is what you are going for? Also seems like the power source is not adaptable to G scale... I don't know what to think about this thing, but it seems it isn't going to help Lionel and the funnel idea all that much. I could be wrong, as I have been before.

[pbjwilson]

Doesnt even look like it is a Lionel design. Did they farm this out to some toy company like New Bright?

If you want to see a great train set for Christmas check out Lego. Their Holiday catalog has a bunch of really cool train stuff. Lego just gets it right all the time.

http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=K10173

[njalb1]

Even though it doesn't appeal to me and I think it looks strange, my 19 month grandaughter will love it!

She will enjoy all the movements of the different elves and sound.

  It is suppose to have a new car to add each year. I picked this up a York for $175.

  A great price which means there must be large mark ups!

[Brutus]

Ah, Lego - I've got a few Lego trains in boxes right now.  Trying to cut down.  Does look cool, though.

Per the interview I read a few months ago in a different magazine, they hired some think tank to come up with this train so it would appeal to non-train people.  Lionel felt that the toy-train fan employees and designers who are used to making stuff for toy train fans are ghetto-izing the hobby out of the big stores and off most folks' radar.  This train is supposed to make appeal to folks at Kohls, Pennys, Sears, etc; not at the local Hobby Shop.  Interesting to see how it will pan out!

[prewardude]

This is the Christmas set that Lionel should have made:
http://www.mthtrains.com/detail.asp?item=10-1250-1

Of course, it's a lot more expensive, but that's the type of set that will get passed down from generation to generation. It appears that Lionel has forgotten their roots.

Regards,
Clint

[RR Redneck]

Sad, very sad indeed, when an industry leader forgets its megar beginings.

[Andrew Falconer]

Where is the investment in a true O Scale Polar Express with actual figures inside the cars?

I know, we have to leave something to the imagination.

Unless it is G Gauge, then everything is way too busy.

Andrew Falconer

[AKKevinT]

I agree, it is pretty poor looking outfit alright. Who knows Lionel will probably make a car or two to add to this set in their next offering and then it will likely go away after that.

Chalk up another bright idea to turning out to be a bust!

I bet the guy who came up with this idea is a descendent of the same guy back in 1958 who pitched that crazy "Girls Set". What a dog that set turned out to be in the long run!

Hmmm, I wonder if Lionel would discount this dog by the dozen?

Kevin T:]

[RR Redneck]

Well ole Sparky, looks like we got to put you down.

lol

[Joe Hohmann]

Doesnt even look like it is a Lionel design. Did they farm this out to some toy company like New Bright?

 

Got news for you...I saw the New Bright one at York, and it looked a H of a lot better than the Lionel one! Joe

[RR Redneck]

Why does that NOT suprise me.

[jimhaleyscomet]

Perhaps since this is a "one off" train to non train people, Lionel figures they can tool it up and keep selling it year after year every Christmas.  No need to retool for finicky scale modelers.  Perhaps even put it in the big box stores.

Jim H

[RR Redneck]

I dont know. I guess it might make a ripple with the non-train crowd, but..............................I ain't gonna be suprised when this lame dog is shot.

[trigtrax]

Chalk up another bright idea to turning out to be a bust!

The official explanation of this train was "G-Scale has more visual impact".. that in an interview in another Hobby magazine. Think of it as being slapped in the face with a Cod Fish rather than a Mackeral <G>

[RR Redneck]

In all honesty, I prefer bass.

[jimhaleyscomet]

I saw it today in person.  I was not even remotely tempted!  But then again, I probably belong to the  wrong market demographic.

Jim H

[RR Redneck]

Well at least I know I aint the only one that hates this thing.

[SchemerBob]

Most likely, people who aren't interested in trains won't buy a train. Why should they? Especially one that costs $170?!! You can get a discounted O gauge set with a lot more detail, realism (and even sound) for just a little more than that! Lionel needs to figure out the fact that, if someone doesn't want a train chugging around the Christmas tree, they won't buy it. I don't think many people can be lured into buying a product when they aren't even interested in it, especially something like THAT. I think the Polar Express was the best holiday set Lionel ever made (not to mention people were so desperate to get it after it sold out in 2004 that people were selling them on eBay for more than $500, way over the suggested $270!).