For some reason, my three year old son loves the UPS train set. What is the attraction? It is not very colorful. He is already asking to get the set for next Christmas (the UPS set has now surpassed his desire to get a blue comet set).
There was a thread a couple of weeks ago regarding CTT’s review of the NASCAR sets. I was in my LHS a couple of days ago and they had several of the expansion packs on display. I was impressed with the race cars that ride on the flat cars. The detail and color are extremely well done. I can now see why these are attractive to NASCAR fans. If they had a Richard Petty, David Pierson or a Cale Yarborough, I would have immediately bought one.
Harry Potter, NASCAR, Polar Express and Thomas the Tank Engine. Lionel appears to have several “franchises” on which to base not only train set sales, but also future add-ons (e.g. Mavis and James being added to the Thomas line this year). Add these to the Christmas and Halloween themed products and Lionel appears poised for growth over the next several years.
Could it be that the UPS set is one of the few things in the Lionel catalog that he has seen in real life. Most of the items in the catalog other than the other items you mentioned above were long gone when todays kids were born.
The strong attraction to that set is indeed probably due to the truck on the flat-car.
Kids see the potential play-value in something like that.
As a kid myself in the 70’s, I remember wanting the Tyco HO Piggyback trailers because they came with a truck to pull the trailers. Kids don’t see that a similar flatcar with vehicle could be added to any O gauge set for under $30. I would try to point that out before deciding on a set.
That said, the UPS set is pretty cool looking. It has a very business-like look to it.
Good luck,
Mike
John, aside from some of the explanations given towards the vehicle, I can offer one more which I have mentioned in the past. For the better part of a decade I went to shows with a portable layout that was detailed enough to hold the adults interest, but very much geared towards beginners/families/kids.
There was no doubt was so ever that kids showed a very strong interest and excitement about current road name trains. It wasn’t even close, nor a contest. No PRR or NYC loco generated the visable ooohs, ahhhs and excitement from the kids than a Norfolk Southern all black diesel or a all blue Conrail diesel. I’d put a colorful Lehigh Valley loco on the layout and the kids would ask for the all black Norfolk Southern loco to be run instead. The REASON is this is what kids are likely to see today and they relate to that. I even have a NS steam loco. Kids don’t see steam today, but they sure recognized the slanted NS logo on the tender and would exclaim “that’s like what we saw today on the train.”
Today’s real rail rolling stock is mostly an affair of mostly non-descript austere minimal markings/colored cars. But locomotives are another story. Canandian National, Canadian Pacific Railway, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, Conrail and Union Pacific all have very distinctive color schemes and for the most part, eye-catching graphic locos that were designed to be easily remembered. The horse logo of the NS is a true kid pleaser. And it was amazing all the analogies kids came up with for the Conrail “Wheels-on-Rails” logo. Little girls called it a “rainbow.”
Remember, in this advertising media conscious age of television and visuals, that companies spend big dollars to come up with simple easily remember logos and trademarks, and it works! This includes the railroads who hire advertising agencies and designers to come up with graphic logos that will be easily recognized and remembered having only been seen for a flash of a moment. Pen
You may have a point. My son certainly recognizes the UPS logo. While I am a PRR and NYC fan, I agree that these should not be the starter sets Lionel markets to new hobbyists. Starter sets should be CSX, UP, BNSF or NS (even CP or CN would be okay). I think Lionel is doing an excellent job in expanding their marketing breadth. But while they may generate additional revenue with NASCAR, Harry Potter, or Polar Express sets, it is questionable whether the purchasers of those sets become repeat buyers. If Lionel (and others) offered starter sets with trains that kids see every day I believe: i) more sets would be sold; and ii) you would generate repeat buyers as more kids would move down the funnel and become hobbyists.
As for my son, when I asked him today if he wanted the UPS set for Christmas he responded that he would rather have the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer set (from MTH). Well, he only has 10 months to make up his mind…
I agree with Brian’s assessment: Kids go for things they can identify with in some way, just as many old timers in the hobby did fifty or so years ago when we were kids. There are exceptions, of course, but breaking away from the time-worn Pennsy, NYC, UP, and ATSF liveries in the lower-end offerings would be a good move for these manufacturers if they truly want to attract more kids, and by default their parents, to spend more on train sets and individual items as an entry to the hobby in the future.
Amtrak. When i take my son to the hobby shop he gravitates toward anything Amtrak. Its what he sees rolling through town. What happened to the Amtrak sets? Does MTH make them anymore?
Cant agree with you guys more. Would love to see starter sets with current roadnames. Even the GP-20’s in modern roads would work.
Great suggestions! I see this engines run near my house every day. They would make ideal starter sets. The goofy color scheme has to be attractive to younger kids. I think your two hypothetical sets would sell better than a PRR or NYC starter set, at least here in the midwest.