lionel ho scale

[Anonymous]

The initial Lionel HO offering is a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger.Die cast with lots of added detail. Seven hundred dollars American.
That's entering the collector market, and the deep-pockets market.
And after all these years, Athearn is going into steam profiles, with what ?
Yes, a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger.
IMHO, the serious HO steam loco market is looking for frequently seen locomotives in smaller prototype sizes, like a 'modern' 4-4-0, 4-6-0, 2-8-0, 2-8-2 etc....but market research at Rivarossi, Marklin-Trix, BLI, and now Athearn & Lionel indicates that special, rare, expensive, articulated is what will give them the best return on capital.[:0]
Go figure.
regards \ Mike

[Anonymous]

The initial Lionel HO offering is a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger.Die cast with lots of added detail. Seven hundred dollars American.
That's entering the collector market, and the deep-pockets market.
And after all these years, Athearn is going into steam profiles, with what ?
Yes, a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger.
IMHO, the serious HO steam loco market is looking for frequently seen locomotives in smaller prototype sizes, like a 'modern' 4-4-0, 4-6-0, 2-8-0, 2-8-2 etc....but market research at Rivarossi, Marklin-Trix, BLI, and now Athearn & Lionel indicates that special, rare, expensive, articulated is what will give them the best return on capital.[:0]
Go figure.
regards \ Mike

[dknelson]

If I read the article correctly Lionel proposes a die cast boiler Challenger. I think it is interesting to note this return to metal in certain situations -- Lionel is not the only one to do this lately.
Unless the Lionel drive train is first rate, I predict that Bowser will make a quality regearing/remotoring/rewheeling after-market set for this Lionel engine, just as they did for the older Lionel Daylight engine.
Dave Nelson.

[dknelson]

If I read the article correctly Lionel proposes a die cast boiler Challenger. I think it is interesting to note this return to metal in certain situations -- Lionel is not the only one to do this lately.
Unless the Lionel drive train is first rate, I predict that Bowser will make a quality regearing/remotoring/rewheeling after-market set for this Lionel engine, just as they did for the older Lionel Daylight engine.
Dave Nelson.

[Anonymous]

the standard today is a lot higher than in the sixties, i would assume lionel is aware of this and will produce a high grade product. if they don't it will not sell.

[Anonymous]

the standard today is a lot higher than in the sixties, i would assume lionel is aware of this and will produce a high grade product. if they don't it will not sell.

[dknelson]

This would be at least the third time Lionel has gone into HO.
Once was around 1960 -- they actually had good quality al metal trucks and wheels (deep flanges though) and they added gearing to what would otherwise be the Athearn rubber band drive Hustler.
That stuff can bring collectors prices these days esp if you have the original box.
Then in the early 1970s they tried again, most notably with a SP Daylight 4-8-4 that was a pretty good looking model, in American Freedom Train colors. I think their GP 30 was also pretty good and I recall an Alco diesel as well. Trainset quality but not bad. I think Bachmann picked up the tooling for some of the freight cars.
So we will see what they do this time.
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

This would be at least the third time Lionel has gone into HO.
Once was around 1960 -- they actually had good quality al metal trucks and wheels (deep flanges though) and they added gearing to what would otherwise be the Athearn rubber band drive Hustler.
That stuff can bring collectors prices these days esp if you have the original box.
Then in the early 1970s they tried again, most notably with a SP Daylight 4-8-4 that was a pretty good looking model, in American Freedom Train colors. I think their GP 30 was also pretty good and I recall an Alco diesel as well. Trainset quality but not bad. I think Bachmann picked up the tooling for some of the freight cars.
So we will see what they do this time.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

i meant to say lionel products at the start of my last post.

[Anonymous]

i meant to say lionel products at the start of my last post.

[Anonymous]

i have not heard anything on the pricing on the athearn ho. i think with dcc coming of age the manufacturers are looking to jump into the ho market, because thats were the money is. dcc is becoming cheaper by the month and eventually it will be a better choice for beginners.,. so buying a good product to invest your dcc equipment on will make a lot of sense. i use kato and atlas with a couple of proto products. with athearn producing a cf7 i'm going to give one a try . normally athearn will not run well with command control mixed with other engines, but i will give it a shot . i am using nce,dcc with digitrax decoders. the system is flawless and bullet proof. hopefully lionel will put a decent product out there to compete with the front runners.

[Anonymous]

i have not heard anything on the pricing on the athearn ho. i think with dcc coming of age the manufacturers are looking to jump into the ho market, because thats were the money is. dcc is becoming cheaper by the month and eventually it will be a better choice for beginners.,. so buying a good product to invest your dcc equipment on will make a lot of sense. i use kato and atlas with a couple of proto products. with athearn producing a cf7 i'm going to give one a try . normally athearn will not run well with command control mixed with other engines, but i will give it a shot . i am using nce,dcc with digitrax decoders. the system is flawless and bullet proof. hopefully lionel will put a decent product out there to compete with the front runners.

[Anonymous]

I

I thought broadway products was expensive. It's out of my league since the lionel version
will be pricey. I don't believe Kato-Atlas currently make steam but with new leadership at Atlas
anything can happen.

Back in the 60's Athean made HO steamers-diesel-sets for lionel.

[Anonymous]

I

I thought broadway products was expensive. It's out of my league since the lionel version
will be pricey. I don't believe Kato-Atlas currently make steam but with new leadership at Atlas
anything can happen.

Back in the 60's Athean made HO steamers-diesel-sets for lionel.

[Anonymous]

it has been announced that lionel is going into ho scale . how will that affect the big players kato atlas and athearn?

[Anonymous]

it has been announced that lionel is going into ho scale . how will that affect the big players kato atlas and athearn?