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Luxury Lines

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Luxury Lines
Posted by NYC Fan on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 8:43 AM
Is it just me or is anybody else scratching their heads and saying, "What are they thinking?" I would never buy a set of passenger cars or a steam locomotive with a tender that said Luxury Lines.

Williams would be much better off putting a real railroad's name, if they can't use Lionel Lines for it's nostalgic value.

Just my opinion. What do you think.

BTW, I just got the new Williams catalog, and except for this one point....It's a fine catalog with alot of nice things.

Skip
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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 8:45 AM

Skip,

I agree. I'd rather see NYC or even "Williams" instead of Luxury lines. But I guess they feel that since luxury and Lionel both begin with L and have six letters each...

I'd guess that it wouldn't be hard to eradicate the Luxury Lines text and replace ith with dry transfer or rubber stamped Lionel Lines.

Jim 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:56 AM
I dunno - just to be contrary, I don't mind it. Then again, I can barely see the level of detailing or station stops listed on the rollers on my beloved trolleys...

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:21 AM

I too am vaguely bothered by "Luxury Lines." I can't really say why. I don't think "Williams Lines" would bother me nearly as much.

Does anyone know how the "Luxury Lines" stuff sells? I feel a little sorry for Williams when I see it, because I have sort of a negative reaction to it (again for no good reason). But their recent catalogue is absolutely chock full of the stuff, so I would assume SOMEONE's buying it. Right?

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Posted by bfskinner on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:24 AM

Personally, I don't care for "Luxury Lines." Then again, I never cared for "Lionel Lines" either, much preferring either a real railroad (Pennsylvania, B&O, Santa Fe, etc) or a left blank so I could add my own decals or leave generic.

The other two things I am less-than-enthusiastic about are the Johnny-one-note horns and whistles (long-long-short-long sequence only) and the size of their freight cars -- nothing in Lionel 6464-series sizes, as I see it; and the catalog is inaccurate regarding at least some dimensional specs. I do like all the road names....

Other than that, I just love Williams, especially the Golden Memories locomotives. They're relatively inexpensive and they run and run and run and I don't have apoplexy when a kid touches one of them.

bf
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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:24 AM

 cnw1995 wrote:
I dunno - just to be contrary, I don't mind it. Then again, I can barely see the level of detailing or station stops listed on the rollers on my beloved trolleys...

Doug,

You're always so contrary! Wink [;)]

Jim 

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Posted by laz 57 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:26 AM

Seems to me Williams is trying to look like Lionel on this one.  I agree why not Williams Lines, and be your own compny,not try to ct the part of some other company.

laz57

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:28 AM
 bfskinner wrote:

Personally, I don't care for "Luxury Lines." Then again, I never cared for "Lionel Lines" either, much preferring either a real railroad (Pennsylvania, B&O, Santa Fe, etc) or a left blank so I could add my own decals or leave generic.

The other two things I am less-than-enthusiastic about are the Johnny-one-note horns and whistles (long-long-short-long sequence only) and the size of their freight cars -- nothing in Lionel 6464-series sizes, as I see it; and the catalog is inaccurate regarding at least some dimensional specs. I do like all the road names....

Other than that, I just love Williams, especially the Golden Memories locomotives. They're relatively inexpensive and they run and run and run and I don't have apoplexy when a kid touches one of them.

 

It's an odd thing. "Lionel Lines" doesn't bother me nearly as much. My father's 726 Berk is obviously labeled that way, as is my PWC bay window caboose (the latter is kind of nice, because as most know it's a pretty cool looking caboose that works with almost any consist).

I guess my disquiet is because "LUXURY LINES" is so cleary intended to evoke "LIONEL LINES," yet equally clearly does nothing of the sort.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:40 AM

I love seeing Lionel Lines on cars and tenders. But Luxury Lines just seems weird to me. I'd just cover it over if I had any.

I'd also agree with the Truesounds comment. I'd much rather have an air whistle or old style horn in the Golden Memory series. One that will sound as long as the button is pressed. The same sound every time gets old after a while. 

Jim 

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Posted by Dr. John on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:50 AM
Luxury Lines doesn't really bother me. Obviously, they are trying to evoke Lionel Lines and I guess they thought Williams Lines didn't cut it, for some reason.
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Posted by trigtrax on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:41 PM

I've got Luxury Lines on my Williams UP Set And Lionel Lines on my Great Lakes Express.

It doesn't bother me either way.. Both are toys, Probably made in the same factoryWink [;)]

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Posted by nblum on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:53 PM

Luxury Lines always struck me as truly weird, evoking nothing meaningful except that Williams had a failure of the imagination.  Maybe they thought "Williams Lines" would put people off?  I think "Williams Lines" would sound much prouder and more accurate and I would suggest they go ahead and do it.  Williams has been around a long time, and should be justly proud of their history and product, just as Lionel should be.

When Williams was blatantly ripping off Lionel postwar advertising copy in recent years, without permission or acknowledgement, I thought they might want to relabel those cars "Larceny Lines :)."  I didn't buy any Williams during this period as a form of protest, however modest.

In recent ads, Williams has acknowledged the origin of their reproduction toys as Lionel's products,  and ceased using advertising copy that properly belonged to their competitor, Lionel, a change that is much to their credit.   They're back in my personal good graces and I recently purchased some Williams for the first time in a few years. I'd be much more likely to buy cars marked "Williams Lines" than "Luxury Lines," for the reasons mentioned above.

Neil (not Besougloff or Young) :)
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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:02 PM
The words " Luxury Lines " , were on Lionel 0-27 passenger cars and tenders. Also, on some Lionel aluminum passenger cars. Those words have been around for quite some time.  Personally, I have no problem with them. As the saying goes....." If you don't like it, then don't buy it ".
Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:07 PM

 Blueberryhill RR wrote:
The words " Luxury Lines " , were on Lionel 0-27 passenger cars and tenders. Also, on some Lionel aluminum passenger cars.

Are you SURE about that, Chuck?

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Posted by AKKevinT on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:33 PM

Chuck is 100% dead on– Luxury Lines can be found on some Lionel Post War passenger cars.

 

Kevin T. 

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:35 PM
 AKKevinT wrote:

Chuck is 100% dead on– Luxury Lines can be found on some Lionel Post War passenger cars.

 

Kevin T. 

Get outta town! I don't believe you guys! 

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Posted by NYC Fan on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:44 PM
I'm not from Missouri, but to believe this, you're gonna have to show me anyway.
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Posted by Warburton on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:49 PM

"Luxury Lines" on post war stuff? What cars? Numbers? I never saw any like that!

Why doesn't Williams just put "Pullman" on the passenger cars? That'd work.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:52 PM
I was born at night, but not last night. Is April Fool's Day just now making its way to Alaska?

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Posted by LL675 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:16 PM
first I 've heard of that myself

Dave

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Posted by AKKevinT on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:00 PM

I have been looking through a bunch of photo archives of Lionel postward and I have not found an example yet so maybe I am wrong. It sure seems to me that I have seen some post war 027 lionel passenger cars with Luxury Liner printed along their sides.

Of course you guys would probably not believe me either if I told you I saw a two headed caribou in the archives of the UA museum either– but I did– true story.

I'll keep looking. Chuck, how about you any luck with digging up some proof?

Kevin T. 

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:23 PM
 AKKevinT wrote:

I have been looking through a bunch of photo archives of Lionel postward and I have not found an example yet so maybe I am wrong. It sure seems to me that I have seen some post war 027 lionel passenger cars with Luxury Liner printed along their sides.

Of course you guys would probably not believe me either if I told you I saw a two headed caribou in the archives of the UA museum either– but I did– true story.

I'll keep looking. Chuck, how about you any luck with digging up some proof?

Kevin T. 

Nope. But I know I have seen it. Maybe someone with some old 50's catalogs, can help.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:27 PM

Chuck,

The mind is often the first thing to go. You're still the man!

Jim 

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Posted by Cheese on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 4:05 PM

Hmm,

I agree with the fact that Luxury Lines just looks awfull on Locomotives and Freight Cras, but I can understand passenger cars.

When you think of a streamliner, you think of luxury, so putting Luxury Lines on a set of streamliners is acceptable for me. Heavyweights, not so much, but still acceptable.

Cheese

 

Nick! :)

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Posted by trigtrax on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 4:06 PM

Chuck is 100% dead on- Luxury Lines can be found on some Lionel Post War passenger cars.

I've always collected Postwar Passenger cars and I've never seen anything but Lionel Lines on them.

Luxury Lines is strictly a Williams invention.. Feeling the need to put something in that space but not wanting a lawsuit from Lionel..

If such cars exist I'd like to see one..

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Posted by trigtrax on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 4:09 PM

Of course you guys would probably not believe me either if I told you I saw a two headed caribou in the archives of the UA museum either- but I did- true story.

I'm more likely to believe a two headed caribou since I actually had a snake that gave birth to a two headed offspring ( stillborn). But the Luxury Line Postwar Lionel you'll need to show meBig Smile [:D]

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Posted by msacco on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 6:15 PM

Luxury Lines has never appeared on any Lionel postwar rolling stock or passenger cars period.

 

Mike S.

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Posted by csxt30 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 6:22 PM

Well, I can't say it's that big of a deal !!  I think Chuck saw it somewhere !   

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Posted by ADCX Rob on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 6:52 PM

I have never seen any postwar Luxury Lines equipment.  But then again, my memory is not as good as it used to be.  Also, my memory is not as good as it used to be.

Rob

Rob

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Posted by csxt30 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 7:09 PM
 ADCX Rob wrote:

I have never seen any postwar Luxury Lines equipment.  But then again, my memory is not as good as it used to be.  Also, my memory is not as good as it used to be.

Rob

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