Win a Lionel train at Napa

[Boyd]

Was just in to get wipers for my truck and saw the flyer. 1 set for each participating store. Didn't see the set in the store but didn't look for it. Looks pretty gawdy and overdone on the flyer. Napa blue and gold on everything plus BRIGHT red handrails/frame sides on the loco. If I won it I would put it on ebay and then use the money for other train stuff most likely Lionel. Enter in person at the store before December 15th.

[Papadiesel]

Boyd,

Thanks for the info. I am in the need of brake pads and will check it out in the Sterling Hts, MI area.

[Train Memories]

   This reminds me of the early 50's when a big supermarket named HEB in San Antonio,TX had a Lionel set running on top of a head isle with a big sign  saying "WIN THIS LIONEL SET", hurry, drawing, etc. At Christmas time, Lionel was almost everything for a young boy.

                                       Reuben

[bfskinner]

Boyd,

I presume it's a wine train. Cheers! Everybody into the pool...!

As an aside: I managed to get one of the Napa Valley wine tank cars by Industrial Rail, and wouldn't part with it. When it comes around in a "unit" train of tank cars, everyone laughs. I wonder why?

 

[vsmith]

Nope, he's referring to NAPA auto parts company, not the Napa Valley Wine Train, which is gold and burgandy in color, this set is blue. Must be a custom job for the contest.

[bfskinner]

vsmith,

Really?

[rtraincollector]

went to local napa store knew nothin about it must be napa owned stores only

[bfskinner]

DJSpanky wrote:

Hey wiseguy, are you trying to be funny or something? 

Certainly not. I always find vsmith's posts informative and helpful. Evidently there are 7,363 of them, so he is no newbie.

Besides, we've already discussed how little humor there is on this forum. But that's the second time today that you've taken a whack at me. One more and you'll qualify for your own personalized bucket of sand! See, lottsa smiley faces, just like I've been taught!

[Andrew Falconer]

Napa Valley or NAPA chain stores?

National Auto Parts Association is what the acronym NAPA supposedly means.

Is this NAPA set from LIONEL just like the MOPAR Sets?

Andrew

[bfskinner]

Andrew,

NAPA auto parts.

The bit about Napa Valley Wine Trains, etc., was my "contribution" based upon three facts:

1. NAPA was not capitalized in the first post of the thread. Sorry Boyd, but it's true;

2. Evidently NAPA stores are having some kind of a train giveaway;

3. Several train manufacturers, including at least three in O-gauge, (Lionel, K-Line, Industrial Rail) have offered train items with the Napa Valley Wine motif.

It occured to me that NAPA missed a bet by not offering a "Napa Valley Wine Train" as the prize, but apparently they have ties to NASCAR which superseded other possibilities. As you no doubt know, Lionel has advertised NASCAR items, so perhaps that's the principal connection between toy trains and NAPA.

Somehow, I'd be willing to bet that there's a NAPA store somewhere in Napa Valley; placed there, no doubt, just to confuse the public. It probably ought to be spelled N.A.P.A, and may have been at one point, but who cares?

It really doesn't matter, because down the road there will be only one brand left in America: Wal-Mart. Oh yes, it will have subdivisions with names like Wal-Napa (auto parts), Wal-Ionel (toy trains), Wal-Bucks (coffee), Wal-Exxon (gasoline), WalNetto (candy) and so forth -- and they'll all be owned by China.

You say there's already a candy called Walnetto? Hah! Told you so. See how fast it's happening....

[Papadiesel]

Hi Team,

The NAPA store on VanDyke in Sterling Heights, MI 48312 is participating. I was there on the 29th of Nov.

 

[Andrew Falconer]

Click on this address

http://www.napaonline.com/FlyerHoliday/Main.asp

Have a Great Time at NAPA.

Andrew

[brianel027]

For years there's been speculation about Lionel advertising in the public arena and lack thereof. National television advertising is enormously expensive. So this is a great idea: Have a product tie-in with a national retail chain where you might reach new potential customers. In my thinking, the typical guy going into an auto parts store is buying auto parts so he can work on his car. Meaning the guy is probably somewhat mechanically inclinded. So this seems like a perfect kind of customer to try and entice.

In days gone by, Lionel was sold in your local train shop, which may have very well been some other kind of business like hardware, radio/electronics stores etc. So the tie-in here seems like a very logical step to make. It's a train set give-away, so while NAPA stores are probably not becomming Lionel dealers, it's a good promotional idea for both NAPA participating retailers and Lionel.

Granted, this RS-3 starter end Lionel loco is certainly not top end with its plastic frame, and probably one single motor (couldn't tell if it had two motors, which would make it a much better loco). But this is exactly the kind of thing Jerry Calabrese has indicated he wanted to do.

The cost of doing something like this is far less than TV spots. And it's been written that there are radio spots for this promotion, so all the better. This isn't intended to entice the established train modeler: it's an outreach to those who may not even be aware Lionel is still around. And it plays off the nostalgia of a train set running around the CHRISTmas tree.

Many of us when we were younger (and not nearly as critical) had our humble beginnings in this hobby with what was problably a cheaper Lionel or MARX train set. So I'm sure, many a boy would be quite happy to have something like this. And the winning parent will probably be happy with the initial price tag of free.

Good job, Lionel.

[Jumijo]

 

Brian,

My kids have one of those RS-3 locos with the plastic frame, trucks, single motor, etc,...Believe it or not, it's a very nice locomotive! It pulls pretty well, glides smoothly to a stop, and has a decent horn. Considering the price, it's a darn good value. 

Jim