I am deeply disappointed in Lionel’s threatened overseas move. I prefer Lionel products over MTH or Williams because I know Lionel at least manufactures some products with Americans paid a decent wage, not teenagers living miserably in substandard conditions, barely living under a Chinese military dictatorship I intend to send them a message and hope others do too before it is too late.
Mike
Mike again… I forgot to list our e-mail
it is UAWLocal417@bignet.net and the fax is (248)689-9594
My name is Mike…I am vice-president of Local 417
and represent the nearly 400 Lionel employees.My co-worker (Dan) is meeting with Lionel as I type this. We believe the decision has alreadly been made and todays meeting is a PR smokescreen. We have gotten wonderful response and support from train collectors and dealers. If Mr. Maddax is convinced that an overseas move will reduce his overall sales, maybe it will effect his decision.
For more info e-mail or call us at (248) 689-9592
Keep on rollin’
Mike
Hi Mike,
There is another thread where we discuss the same issue. I think we will all be very disappointed if they close the factory.
Tim P.
NO MORE MADE IN GOOD OLD “USA”,THAT COULD BE REAL SAD,I WONT STOP BUYING LIONEL,BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTS,BUT NOW THEY ARE FALLING BACKORDERS ON THEIR PARTS,THAT SOMETHING “LIONEL” NEED TO THINK HARD ABOUT,NO MORE USA PRODUCTS
I encourage consumers to contact Lionel’s website www.lionel.com and go to their “talk to us” section and leave a message encouraging them to keep their USA plant open. If all the pundits are right and our economy is faltering, year 101 of Lionel is not the time to desert America’s shores. I called the factory’s union local on Friday and they told me Lionel’s new ownership believes consumers don’t care about country of origin Some e-mails, letters and comments could make a significant difference.
Mike
KEEP UP THE FIGHT UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS !
If we let big business tell us that they can make a bigger profit over seas,than let them.Then stop buying their product all together.They’ll figure it out sooner than later that there will not be any " good " paying jobs out there to by their product.
I was ,to be honest, under the assumption that Lionel had already done away with it’s union "Made in the U.S.A. " products.Sorry I thought that.
What ever happened to a companies pride in saying “Made in the U.S.A.” anyways ?
And moderators let the people speek their minds on this one.Because it could be your jobs next.
My Dad and I have tried to steer clear of much of the “post-American” made Lionel products.I guess that’s why I’m not running these nice,new and improved products.
Seems to me my old “Tinplates” and "pre-overseas " Lionel products keep on going and going.They may not have all the bells and whistles,but that’s just fine with me.
And as long as theres parts avaliable to repair them.I’ll keep on running them till they won’t run any longer.
Lionel needs to listen up,as well as the rest of the industry ! [2c]
You are reviving a very old thread, but it is still relevant. Lionel
has long since gone off-shore in the name of profits. Quality has
suffered terribly. Defects abound and service and parts are hard
to come by. I don’t have any “overseas” Lionel products. None.
The Lionel that I have is all “made in USA” and runs like the day
it was new. I remember that when Lionel was made here that
it was almost 100% correct out of the box. And the FEW problems
were easily fixable at the LHS or Service Station as parts and
skills were on hand. When I became an adult, I was proud to
look at my “made in USA” Lionels and know that my fellow citizens
had a job and a part in making an icon. All gone now. Just a commodity
to be bought, sold and traded. Pride…gone, Jobs…gone, Quality…
gone. Pretty soon as we grow grayer the memories will also be…gone.
That is just plain sad. I have several postwar models all of which are still in excellent running condition. Lionel needs bring it’s operations back to the US.
Athearn still makes their HO blue box engine and rolling stock kits in California. They also sell parts just for about everthing they’ve made since the 60’s and 70’s. They aren’t as detailed as the imported Chineese built ups but they cost half as much and run really well.
California??? I am a Texas boy, and I think I will take China over California. LOL
Lionel has recently changed some of their manufacturing to
another supplier and quality is down. Apparently it is something
to do with the old K-Line thing and that manufacturer has a
bone to pick with Lionel. Some of the latest product reminds me
of “lionel Mexico” when they moved down there and had such a
fiasco. Maybe Lionel will fix this before it gets out of hand.
I hate this whole situation as well. I do cherish my PWC Inspection car that has made in USA on it. Made in Chesterfield near the end.
I pretty much stopped buying lionel after that, except for the docksider, which has already seen a repair.
Mike S.
What years were the failed Mexico experiance? What year did they move everything overseas? What years can you purchase and know it is made in the USA?
Jim H
Hmmm…SOME of the Lionel stuff from 1991 was still Made in the US. The 18010 S2 Turbine I have on order was made here. And I have a 11914 NYC GP-9 Command Control Freight Set from 1997 that I think says Made in USA. I wonder if there is a list anywhere of USA made (remember that TECHNICALLY Mexico is part of AMERICA) and imported Lionel stuff.
Dep
From the Lionel website:
Were original Lionel® trains made exclusively in the USA?
Yes. “Original” Lionel® trains are generally considered to be those trains made by the Lionel® Corporation from 1900-1969. The Lionel® Corporation manufactured trains in New York and New Jersey until 1969. After 1970 ownership of the Lionel® name and trademarks changed several times and trains continued to be manufactured in Mexico, the United States, and most recently, in the Pacific rim. The last made-in-the USA Lionel® train was manufactured at the Michigan factory in August, 2001. That manufacturing facility has now been closed and Lionel® trains are now produced in the Pacific rim. The trains are produced according to the precise high quality standards of Lionel® LLC.
Deputy;
Mexico IS in North America
BUT…
Lionel Trains were made in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Much of the engineering and design work (including tool manufacturing) for Lionel from 1922 to 1933 was done in Italy by a Lionel owned company Societa Meccanica La Precisa. The low cost of labor in the US (depression) and the rise of Mussolini in Italy lead to the move to pull this type of work back to the US.
jeez - this is proof the archive works.
As for Lionel Trains retaining manufacturing in the US, you can still find that being the case, if you know where to look:
[:-^]
LOL! Don’t get that started again, Frank! [:D]
- Clint
P.S. The layout’s lookin’ good. [:)]