The title of the thread is "Who will buy…? Some responses are basically stating why they would not buy, which seems to answer the title.
It seems to me that the train is a model of a cartoon. A train in a movie series. That’s fine, and it may sell very well, but I’m not sure why Lionel would use this toy as a gauge for getting back into HO scale on a volume basis.
How does the Lionel “toy” differ from the Rapido “toy” or the Athearn “toy”? At the end of the day, aren’t they all approximate facsimiles? Whether it be a very real engine or from a fictional movie?
Anyway, to answer the question I’d consider buying the Lionel train. I’m a huge fan of their 50’s and 60’s era HO, and don’t take my layout so seriously like some people here.
Hi sir madog
Know exactly what you mean was lucky enough to slowly build up a train load
of suposedely very rare Dublo mineral wagons for glass sand for a reasonable price.
They where not rare they can’t of been other wise I could not have picked up a train load (15) at roughly $10 AU each
If they where that rare they would have been a lot more per wagon and far harder to find.
So like you say you have to be a bit on the careful side with the older now colectable trains even the new colectables can be ouch prices.
regards John
If this thread proves nothing else, it does demonstrate the wide range of interests when building a model railroad layout. Some guys strive for absolute realism and strict adherence to prototype, while others could care less about such concerns, choosing instead to design and build whatever pleases them, even if that means that the layout is not prototypical.
There was even one recent thread from a guy who planned to let his grandkids design the solar system on his layout. So, I don’t see any harm in someone adding a Lionel HO scale Polar Express on his layout.
Rich
It is tooled and being marketed at kids clearly, so I think rastafar is right about that. Most seem to agree when this new Lionel offering is brought up in response to the new announcement.
That said, obviously there are many middle aged men building layouts and running “toy” O-27 trains from Lionel; I’d wager the lions share of the money being spent on O-27 is by older men who remember the trains of their childhood and now have the cash to go all-out. Popularity was such that other companies have joined in making O-27. My first electric train set was Lionel O-27 which I received for Christmas back in 1963 as a wee 4 year old. When I got older, I preferred “scale” trains so didn’t follow the Lionel route in middle ages. Nothing “wrong” with it; whats the old saying, the difference between men and boys is the price of thier toys! That said, I think it’s safe to say that Lionel tooled and marketed the Polar Express at youngn’s.
I’m not sure what you mean. The Polar Express fits very well into the genre that Lionel builds electric trains for, the toy train genre. It doesn’t seem “out of the box” for Lionel at all, but the type of thing I would expect them to make.
David,
You did ask a question in your title “Who will buy Lionel’s HO polar express?” If you don’t want or you’re not interested in people answering the question then you should probably rephrase your posts titles. That helps to avoid any misunderstandings.
OTOH, if you do ask a question then don’t get bent out of shape if folks answer it honestly, not to your liking, or how you expected. Our hobby is broad and we can all enjoy it how we want to - whether we see or model it the same or not.
Tom
Good point. There seems to be a trend of some starting topics and then not liking the responses yet the responses were elicited by the original posts supposition or question to be completely fair. If you aren’t prepared to take the responses, then think more carefully before starting a new topic - or to quote an old saying, if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
In response to the opening title, I won’t be buying the Polar Express from Lionel; I am not into fantasy stuff or toy genre trains, but I certainly expect it will be a popular and a good seller!
Threads are like conversations - they wander.
Since I already have the O27 Polar Express with extra cars, I won’t be buying the HO version. My PE is the older version that runs off the regular power pack (CW80 in my case) vice the LionChief.
My basement is large enough that I have a separate 6’x12’ Lionel layout for my 5 year old grandson.
Enjoy
Paul
Looking at the pics Lionel has on their website
It looks like the engine is a scaled down 3-rail model. Same “toy train” level of detail. It’s an interesting approach, and not meant to compete with the Bachmann model at all.
While modeler types will look down at the cast on parts, horrible (to us) cab detail, and no front coupler, it will appeal to parents buying it for children. No fiddly bits to break off. It has that durable “Lionel” look. The coaches have the same look to them. It may be surprising how well this sells.
$ 249.99 for the loco, plus $149.99 for the three-car set, plus track - adds up to $450 minimum. That´s more than the O gauge set, which certainly has more “play value” than the scaled down version call HO scale.
I expect that the discounted price will be $100-150 less for engine and 3 car pack.
But I agree that the O27 has more play value.
Paul
I am going end up picking up the set in Ho. Yes the locomotive might not be as detailed as a prototype berkshire but it does represent the 3d movie locomotive pretty well.
Hi IRONROOSTER
No great surprise there since the lionel “O” seems to be primaraly aimed at childeren or the older inner child.
Would not have been that hard to do the flip top with hobo etc on top of the coach?? in HO but that might have been to fragile for childeren to play with.
But the quoted price is way over the top a longer proper model passanger train
With all the good bits could be had for that.
regards John
While looking for something else entirely, I found a 2015 “American Flyer” (Lionel S Gauge) catalog. Lionel are offering the Polar Express in S gauge as well and the illustration looks exactly the same as that supposed to be the HO model. I sspect that the same photograph was used for both scales.
However, the Berkshire is being offered in prototype road names as well, with the same coarse moulded on detail but with a more realistic pilot and pilot beam. The C&O model has the wrong configuration of sandbox and dome (should be reversed from the Nickel Plate version).
Of course S scale isn’t as competitive a market as HO, and the coarse detail might be regarded as acceptable.
But Lionel might try to do the same in HO…
M636C
First,I’m amaze how they scaled down a Lionel 3 rail locomotive.
While I won’t be buying any for obvious reasons I still think these sets will be enjoyed by many.
Most of the American Flyer line are Toy Train quality - deep flanges, very large couplers truck mounted, and fairly coarse/oversized detail.
Better detailed S scale models are made. The S Helper line, now being reintroduced by MTH has better detail and both HiRail and Scale wheels are available. American Models is somewhat less detailed than MTH, but much better than American Flyer. It is also available in HiRail and Scale wheel versions. KaDee couplers are available in S scale. There are also numerous small manufacturers of scale equipment in S scale.
Enjoy
Paul
Pass here. I have no doubt Lionel can make good HO stuff, Ive owned some. But this? This is a Christmas train set. A hollywood train. Not ment to be for someone like moi. Kids will love it! Sure beats the Lego version. It goes with the movie.
Walthers, and now Lionel have both made PM sets. Neither belong in the PM genre unfortunately. So what next? Tyco gonna make a PM set out of a Milwaukee Hiawatha?
Attn model manufacturers: Can we please have a real PM train set in HO? PLEASE???
It’s perhaps a symptom of how good model rail products have gotten that so many people think of the HO Polar Express 2-8-4 as being crude and toy-like. 30 years ago, HO modellers would have been snapping these up to re-letter them for Pere Marquette and other railroads that had Berkshires…and back then, they wouldn’t have come with DCC and sound.
This has been a “Project for when I have nothing else” for me. I mean, at least buying the Berkshire Bachman makes in Undec, and creating my own decals for it.
Make that 60 years ago and you may be right - 30 years ago, the level of detail was not much less than some of today´s offerings.
I don´t think Lionel intends to enter the market of scale models with the Polar Express. My guess it is intended for those who do not have the room to set up an O27 gauge PE or want their kids to see the PE run on their HO scale empire in the basement/garage/attic/spare bedroom.