2012 xmas boxcars made in US?

[railroaded]

 I must have missed the news. Whats the story on the new 2012 catalog's  xmas box cars being made in the US? Whats the "new tooling" ? They look like any old Lionel boxcar?

[Seayakbill]

They look like any old Lionel boxcar?

 

Yep, the Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays boxcars are made in the USA along with a few other traditional size boxcars. The tooling looks identical to other Lionel traditional size boxcars that are currently made in China. Since the 11 or so Lionel traditional boxcars in the Christmas Catalog are made in the USA one would think that eventually other traditional boxcars will also be made in the USA if the contracted manufacture has the volume capacity.

[Kwikster]

I think it's a good sign, Lionel is getting the message, we want USA made products. Personally, I'd be willing to pony up a few extra bucks to have that option. We're already giving China too much hard earned cash. Just my 2 cents.

Carl

[railroaded]

  I don't see any reference to the USA made box cars in their regular 2012 catalogs, only in the Xmas edition.

  Are they making these themselves here in the US or are they using some other firm to make them for Lionel?

  This seems strange. Why would they shift production of one type of car only with 99% of the rest of their stuff made overseas? Why would they call it new tooling when it looks exactly like the old tooling? Sorta seems like a gimick to get people who have nostalgia for the USA made tradition to buy stuff for Xmas.

[sir james I]

I don't know about the tooling. The car parts and assembly were made in Michigan, packaged and shipped to their distribution center in NC.

[railroaded]

  A little diggin on the 'net reveals some interesting info. These were announced in 2010. Tooling was made in china, then sent to US for production. The original contractor called Topcraft in Philly, PA went OOB. Lionel dropped the line a year ago. They must have found someone else to do it but they only have the stuff from the xmas catalog listed right now, the NYC & SP boxcars from the year end brochure were dropped from the line.