Quantity of lionel trains

[Anonymous]

Is there a website or anywhere that I can find out how many of each train that lionel made. Any help would be appreciative.

[brianel027]

Good luck, but Lionel isn't too open about production numbers. Same goes for nearly everyone else too. I've never seen any web site with that kind of information. Classic Toy Trains has done some stories on various items where production runs are listed. The recent article about operating milk cars comes to mind. As a general rule, if you see an item being blown out, it was probably produced in greater numbers... but not always. It could be a case where the item didn't sell well. The Gil Fin Aquarium Car was done in high numbers. The Lionel Conrail U36B 027 diesel from last year disappeared fast. Dealers told me it must have been a very low production run. But it also seems to have sold fast and well. So your guess is as good as mine. One thing is certain though. In general, production runs are being reduced due to all the competition. Certainly there is a strategy here of enticing the consumer to buy the trains he or she wants immediately and not wait for a blowout price, or risk not finding it at all - again the Conrail U-boat is a good example. I waited hoping for the blowout (the thing only had one motor) so I felt the MSRP was way out of line compared to others. Williams has been noted for smaller runs, but they will reissue or rerun popular items, and offer an outstanding selection of road names.
Lionel and MTH have both claimed starter set sales are up. So more than likely, production runs will reflect this. But are the production run numbers as high today as they were during Lionel's heyday of the 1950's. Most certainly no. But if you were to add together all the product being made from all the manufacturers... that would make me wonder.
brianel