Does anyone on here buy the President’s Choice HO sets that come out in Canada each year? I buy them as they come out and have all of them but the first 3 sets. Does anyone know when they’ll come out this year or what the set is? I have a friend that actually talks to the guy from President’s Choice that is in charge of putting out the sets. The guy said he was thinking of having it with a hudson (I hope it’s the Royal Hudson). Last year, the sets had already come out by this time. I’ve been asking about them at local Superstores (where you buy them in western Canada). One said they’d call me when they got them in. I got a call from them today saying that they weren’t going to get any this year. One year the sets weren’t sold in western Canada, is that the case again or are they not coming out with one?
For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, President’s Choice is a Canadian company that makes food products. Each year they have a special limited edition train set made for them by Mehano. Although they have horn hook couplers and the rolling stock is basic RTR, the locomotives are usually of a very high quality. The sets reatil for $99 Canadian, which even for just the engine is very cheap. The sets that have been produced have had the following locomotives:
I never bought one of these sets, but I enjoyed seeing what sets were coming out every year. I just might this year if a version comes out. Too bas if there isn’t one.
I have to admit that I have almost all the steam versions, some doubles in case Santa did not come through. Right now I am working on an adaptation of the Ian Rice Generic Jigsaw switching layout from his Small, Smart & Pratical Track Plans book. This will end up at the cottage using (for now) the 080 from the Yard Bull set. Next is a hankering to go for a steam service facility using the CP pacifics, CN Bullet Nose Betty, and Mikado for props. I was lucky to see the Toronto Roundhouse from the CN tower early in the seventies. I believe that Bob Boudreau of the Maritimes has a sectional display encompassing that format on the web.
I have not seen what is out this year, no flyer yest but there are still Yard Bulls from last year in the stores so I’m not holding my breath.
I bought one just to get the camelback. Have swapped the boiler to a 4-4-0 chassis to get a more common camelback design. Will probably repaint most of the cars. Tossed the cheap track and transformer.
I always thought those were cheap beginner sets (junk) and you’d get what you paid for. You’ve convinced me to have another look at them. I saw them locally last year (for the first time) but never paid much attention - had no idea it was a different set year to year…is the production year noted somewhere on the package??? I think I’d like to buy a current release…
OH NO!!! I certainly hope that they aren’t quiting making them for good!
As for finding previous ones, ebay is the way to go. It’s quite common to find the past three sets on ebay brand new. The earlier sets do show up from time to time, but they usually go quite high and there seems to be a demand for them.
I found a site that shows pictures of most of the sets. There are some errors in it, though. The set it says was the second to come out was actually the first. The second set had a CN 2-6-0. The order of the CN SD-45 set and the CP Mikado set should be switched around, I think.
So just as I am reading about train sets at Walmart and at large Canadian Food chains (President’s Choice), what arrives by tiny reindeer but a catalogue for a store grouping owned by Sears Canada - Land’s End. And what is on the cover of this catalogue, but the faces of children and beneath it a steam engine. So here is the propaganda on it:
"All Aboard the Land’s End Express Authentic Lionel Train.!
This limited edition set includes smoking locomotive with whistle, tender car, boxcar, gondola hauling miniature Christmas trees, caboose, 8 curved tracks, 4 straight tracks, terminal track, and transformer. Track size assembled: 50" by 60". Famous Lionel “O” gauge showcases greater detail. Certificate of Authenticity indicates which set - in a limited series of 500 - is yours. For ages 8 to adult. UL listed. Imported. Set $225 (Canadian)"
This info was also posted on the YahooGroups CanModelTrains. There was a “production” reason posted, but I forget the details. Since last years’ set, a CN 0-8-0, did not appear to sell very well, I wonder if this might be a reason? One local store still has 10 or so sets, all at their original $99.95 price. Someone on the above list reported one store in his area still had a hundred sets still on hand!
I have the CP 4-6-0 Pacific and the CN 4-8-2 Mountain of a several years ago. I modified them somewhat to appear more prototypical. I had an article in “Canadian Railway Modeller” on modifying the Mountain.
I sold off the cars from the sets, as well as the track and power packs.
FYI: President’s Choice is a brand name owned by Loblaw of Toronto, Ontario Canada. I used to work for their US retail grocery stores (National Tea Company / A.K.A. National Supermarkets) until they sold it to a competitor in 1995).
I don’t think the fact hat last year’s set didn’t sell well should be a reflection on all future sets. The fact that the 0-8-0 is a much smaller engine makes the set less of a bargain. Some of the sets like the CN mountain type or the 6060 northern were far more popular, especially the 6060 set, considering that it’s quite a famous engine. Also, I don’t think having ore cars again with last year’s set when they were with the mountain type set was a wise desicion. They have different numbers from the older ones and look good all together, but something different would have probably been better. Had they offered a hudson set like I heard they would have probably sold like hotcakes.