Not to start a flame war or anything, but why is everyone so obsessed about the Hogwarts set? Not offededning anyone who may have created or participated in one of them, but I think there are 5 or 6 so far! Why is this? Is it like another Polar Express set?
"Lionel trains are the standard of the world" - Jousha Lionel Cowen
magicman710 wrote:...Why is this? Is it like another Polar Express set?
...Why is this? Is it like another Polar Express set?
That's a good parallel. It's a substantial set for the price, with expansion/accessory potential, it is the first English outline loco Lionel has produced, & it has a strong hook to contemporary interests. More "top-of-the-funnel" numbers for J.C. & Co.
Rob
I so [See?] no reason for a flame war here
-Ken
Well, regarding my short time being on this forum, flame wars can start over just about anything, fromt the most obvious to the most stupdist (Like somebody not liking your signature) Now dont let that start a flame war!
magicman710 wrote:I so [See?] no reason for a flame war here -Ken Well, regarding my short time being on this forum, flame wars can start over just about anything, fromt the most obvious to the most stupdist (Like somebody not liking your signature) Now dont let that start a flame war!
magicman710 wrote: Not to start a flame war or anything, but why is everyone so obsessed about the Hogwarts set? Not offededning anyone who may have created or participated in one of them, but I think there are 5 or 6 so far! Why is this? Is it like another Polar Express set?
I have been wondering the exact same thing. It actually bothers me that this set has been given so much attention when many other exciting locomotives and trains in the same catalog are hardly mentioned, and, no offense, but they are much better than this set. I wasn't on this forum when The Polar Express was released, but I don't expect it got as much attention as this one does.
No offense to anyone who likes the Hogwarts Express (actually it is a nice looking train), but I find it troubling of how Lionel makes such a big deal about making a Harry Potter train and really no emphasis is made to excite the typical model railroader who likes to buy prototypical trains that they would see in the real world, in North America. Now I'm not saying Lionel doesn't make any realistic & modern diesel & steam locomotives...they do. But it seems that the new and exciting diesel & steam locomotives are few and far between. Why? Probably because this Harry Potter train set is put at the top of their priorities, only because everybody makes such a big deal about it. Was the Polar Express, the movie that was titled and actually about a train, this much of a deal when the Lionel train came out? Oh yeah...it was sold out big time after the movie was released. Will that happen to the Harry Potter set? Has it happened? No... will it happen? Probably not ...I see a problem here. I have never read any of the books, but I don't think Harry Potter is about trains...the train is just in some parts of the story. Will very many hard-core Harry Potter fans want this train? Maybe, but I don't believe very many of them will want it after seeing the $300 price tag. A train to most people besides us model railroaders just isn't worth spending a whole lot of money on. It's the way the country has gone. It's sad, but that's the way it is. So I figure, Lionel is making trains...so I would think it great if they try to appeal more to the actual TRAIN BUFFS, rather than just the normal people in the world. Sad to say it but I doubt many "normal people" would buy a train nowadays.
Once again, no offense to anybody who likes the Hogwarts Express. Just my opinion.
Anyone that has kids can say without a doubt that $300 for a Christmas gift is a bargin. I guess you never saw the high ticket electronic items fly off the shelf with prices double plus that of the HE set.
You could put a popular theme on anything and it would sell out, the product doesn't have to have one thing to do with the popular theme.
Most train people said that the Polar Express set would fail big time. It became the best sell train set of all time and at a price around $300.
The name Hogwarts Express is big and it will have no problem selling. Another plus it is quickly becoming a big ticket item for those that want an European type steamer in their collection.
Lastly it is a darn great looking locomotive.
Renovo PRR
I agree. $300 bucks is low compared to the video games and player equipment. I remember almost coming to blows with another parent to buy a $500 Xbox 360 (or one of those) when the came out. (and the games were extra)
Anything that gets another kid interested in trains is a good thing.
The only people I see making a big deal out of the HE set are consumers. Not Lionel. The vast majority of posts I've seen about the set have been positive. Too positive. Every time I read one, I start reconsidering my decision not to buy one. And they can be had for well under $300.
The European outline appeals to me. I hope Lionel decides to make more. The Flying Scotchman comes to mind as one I'd like to see. Or a Mallard. I'd settle for a die cast Gordon from Thomas.
I haven't been in the hobby for very long. But almost since the beginning, I've thought that Lionel was missing out on a huge opportunity to expand their market share by making a line of Euro-styled trains that would appeal to countless hobbyists here and abroad. It will be interesting to see which, if any, of these great looking trains Lionel and the me-toos bring to market.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
I often wonder what people get their kids when they say $300 is a very expensive gift, I don't know maybe coal. I can remember even when I was younger and working three jobs not like the two I work today. I found a way to do it.
My oldest daughter wanted one of those pink TV sets with the cat on it. In addition she wanted the DVD player to go with it. I had no clue how I was going to buy it. But I was the dad and I found a way since spending $500 on a gift was more money than I was paying for my mortgage at the time.
This years gift list is no different with items such as the top of the line IPOD, PS 2, WI FI, a total of 10 new PS 2 ganes at $50 a pop and the list goes on. No they can't get it all but I will and have always done with less so the kids do get some of the nicer things they want.
$300 is expensive to me. But then again, my kids are still young and I don't allow video games in the house. I advocate reading, creative and physical activities over that stuff. For me, it's not a matter of if I can afford it, but if I want to spend the money. Do I think it's worth it kinda thing.
As for coal, while I was at the Conway Scenic R.R. this fall, I grabbed 3 big chunks of coal from the bunker. One for each kid.
Jim
I know something about coal. Like I said the set is cheap. I beat you I got them 1 ton each.
Do you folk know the story behind "a lump of coal in the stocking"?
From the days when coal was used to heat a home in just one stove in the middle of the room, a lump of coal was quite valuable. Whether the parents were unable to afford a toy for their child, or if the child were incorrigible and deemed undeserving of a 'non-essential' "toy"; by giving a lump of coal they were assuring the child that they would provide the warmth of a home fire for the child. What greater gift could a parent give?
Of course, it could also be that the parent was lazy and didn't buy a gift and just grabbed something convenient from the coal hod on Christmas eve to make the stocking look like it was full of gifts.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
What do you mean from the days?
I can't complain you can see the savings your self, it take 6 tons of coal to heat the house for the winter. Just one of those pain in the neck things I do so we have some extra money.
I don't see what the big deal is about people making a big deal about the Hogwart. People are talking about it and that is a good thing because it promotes the hobby. The Flying Yankee is for me. Nobody seems to talk about it and it bothers me the least.
The Hogwart gets a lot of attention because it is a colorful european train with classic lines. It is also a good price. It is unique to the American designs we see all over the place. The Hogwart styling and price make it attractive to newcomers to the hobby. It's Calabreese's funnel theory in the works. He wasn't fooling.
I agree Hogwarts has received a lot of unwarranted criticism. Part of the problem is that a minority of folks in the hobby (but a majority of posters on the train forums) want the entire hobby to be aimed solely at the products THEY want to see made. And many of those products do not get made in large quantities because there simply is not enough of a market to support tens of thousands of a single high end product being made.
Remember, the first large step in K-Line's demise was running up a large debt because of all the new high-end tooling they were doing, without the sales to full justify it.... until those products became blowouts.
Whether Hogwarts does as well as Polar Express, remember that Polar Express was the most succesful single train set in Lionel's history selling over 100,000 sets. That number alone should be reason enough. Obviously what the established adult train buyer wants and what appeals the first-time new train customer are TWO totally different things.
And I'm sure Lionel would love for Hogwarts to do as well. Not to mention the strong sales of the starter end Lionel sets like the NYC/PRR Flyer 4-4-2 steam sets and the basic GP-38 diesel sets.
There are more than plenty of high end nice scale products. The problem is that there aren't enough buyers and that current number will absolutely get smaller in the upcoming few years. Jerry Calabrese knows this, and I think he's doing a spledid job to introduce the hobby to new customers.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
I dont think ill ever get a HE set 1) because Im not a harry potter fan 2) I usually stick with postwar, but it does look like a nice set and seems like a good idea. I think that its getting so much attention because harry potter is so popular.
Lets face it... our hobby is in a similar position as it was in the 1960's. If you ask a kid today if they would rather have a $300 train set or a $300 PS3, 9 out 10 will say they want the PS3. The problem is that our hobby has the image of grandpa running his 1950's Lionels in his basement. I bet theres people who think lionel stoped making trains in the 1960s!
Lionel needs to find a way to introduce this generation of kids to toy trains. The HE set is an attempt to do this. Kids like harry potter and if their parents get them a HE train set, they may not only like it's theme but also like the fact that its a toy train. Cheaper starter sets and theme sets seems like a good idea...let's just hope that this attept doesnt fail like the military and space trains of the 60's.
I think any new Engine gets some press in the hobby. Any new low cost engine (far and few between) like Porters, Switchers, Beeps and Peeps gets more attention to established train buffs. Any new starter set ($225 street price) with an all new engine is almost unheard of so it might get some response from non train buffs. Any new low cost starter set that piggy backs on a very popular story, has a theme actually related to trains as the public sees them (ie not NASCAR or Sponge Bob but actually a train from real life or from a story) is very rare. In the last ten years I only remember about four....Thomas, Polar Express, Hogwarts Express (HE), and perhaps Atlas.
So it is not surprising that HE gets a lot of press. It is a new set, with a new engine outline, and it is linked to a very popular story. I for one hope that is enough to get ordinary folks to purchase HE. The larger the market the more sets get made and the larger the selection we will have from which to choose. So the HE (and Polar Express) are good news for all of us established toy train buffs.
Jim H
When the Polar Express was introduced, I was looking for an 027 steam engine for my NYC train. After looking at the 'promos' and asking the guys on this forum for an assessment of the PE engine, I decided to look at one. I bought it, changed the tender logo to New York Central and have been very satisfied with the engine.
If it wasn't for the PE hype, I probably would have wound up with a less favorable item.
Personaly, I like the idea of Lionel producing a train set that will expose more younger folks to the hobby. And, who knows, maybe someone will have the experience that I had with the PE.
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