Lionel battery-powered large scale?

[Anonymous]

Last night I came across an ebay auction for a large scale train set, the "New York Central Flyer" that is "battery operated." It's new in the box, clearly a Lionel product, and it clearly says "battery operated" on the box. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5975190896&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I searched these forums, the Lionel site, and the 'net (with Google) - but could not find out a thing about this set. Does anyone have any info about Lionel's venture into battery power for large scale? Specifically, how is the train controlled?

[Anonymous]

in my years of ls. i don't remember any battery sets in ls by lionel can't help you. don't think of battery set's very highly my 2 cents.

[cacole]

I saw that on e-Bay, too. I wasn't interested in it, but my assumption is that there will just be an on/off switch and battery compartment for flashlight type batteries. Turn the switch on and it runs; turn it off to stop. I certainly would not expect it to have any type of remote control. An electric train for very young children so there is no danger of them playing with a live transformer, in my opinion.

[vsmith]

Part of Lionels half baked and looking at it today, idiotic attempt to stay in largescale by offering cheap low quality battery opt'ed New Bright type sets as legitimate "Large Scale" trains. These sets were produced by Echo and Scientific toys of China and sold under the Lionel logo, they bombed with serious modelers and had a great deal to do with the "Plastic in the Petunias" label being applied to Large Scale. Many who bought them , got frustrated with the poor operating options (on/off, back, forward) and gave up with a bad taste for large scale. Lionel's failed attempts at LS are legendary, thier single best offering was the Geep they had early on, it was a very good engine, The 4-4-2 Atlantic looked great, but unless you completely reworked the motor is operating days were numbered. Perhaps the most successfull offering was and still is the unique little 0-6-0 which love it or hate it has managed to stick around longer than anything else Lionel had to offer.

I persoanlly feel that Lionel seeing a new market that could jeopardize its own O gauge offerings, deliberatly offered these cheesy battery opted sets to try to "poison the well" of large scale with the hope that thier customers interested in large scale would "see the light" and return to O, thus protecting its O gauge offerings and existing investment/tooling/patents, etc. This is of course after dumping its finer scale line of Geeps and Atlantic's.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

Part of Lionels half baked and looking at it today, idiotic attempt to stay in largescale by offering cheap low quality battery opt'ed New Bright type sets as legitimate "Large Scale" trains. These sets were produced by Echo and Scientific toys of China and sold under the Lionel logo, they bombed with serious modelers and had a great deal to do with the "Plastic in the Petunias" label being applied to Large Scale. Many who bought them , got frustrated with the poor operating options (on/off, back, forward) and gave up with a bad taste for large scale. Lionel's failed attempts at LS are legendary, thier single best offering was the Geep they had early on, it was a very good engine, The 4-4-2 Atlantic looked great, but unless you completely reworked the motor is operating days were numbered. Perhaps the most successfull offering was and still is the unique little 0-6-0 which love it or hate it has managed to stick around longer than anything else Lionel had to offer.

I persoanlly feel that Lionel seeing a new market that could jeopardize its own O gauge offerings, deliberatly offered these cheesy battery opted sets to try to "poison the well" of large scale with the hope that thier customers interested in large scale would "see the light" and return to O, thus protecting its O gauge offerings and existing investment/tooling/patents, etc. This is of course after dumping its finer scale line of Geeps and Atlantic's.

i agree batterys are for flash lights. [2c]

[Anonymous]

In defense of battery powered "Sow's Ears,"

They are excellent for those with young children for the "training" of them in the later use of real more expensive trains. To all things a purpose and a purpose for all things .

Capt Carrales

[John Busby]

Hi train me
There are some very good quality battery locomotives avalable.
Unfortunatly as far as I know only of English & Aus narrow gauge prototypes.
These come with recargeable battery's charger and have speed control
descretly hiden as the air filter or smoke stack.
They also cost a simillar amount to a larger track powered locomotive and in a lot of cases have metal bodys.
I am not sure if the US has a manufacturer of good quality batery loco's
if there is I would like to know who??
regards John

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

In defense of battery powered "Sow's Ears,"

They are excellent for those with young children for the "training" of them in the later use of real more expensive trains. To all things a purpose and a purpose for all things .

Capt Carrales

Joe you are correct about these with kids, unfortunatley though, it was also many adults first encounter with large scale thru these types of trains and for many the last. [;)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by John Busby

Hi train me
There are some very good quality battery locomotives avalable.
Unfortunatly as far as I know only of English & Aus narrow gauge prototypes.
These come with recargeable battery's charger and have speed control
descretly hiden as the air filter or smoke stack.
They also cost a simillar amount to a larger track powered locomotive and in a lot of cases have metal bodys.
I am not sure if the US has a manufacturer of good quality batery loco's
if there is I would like to know who??
regards John

john
your right over there but not here.