The New Lionel Catalog is Excellent

The new Lionel catalog is excellent. I am referring to the catalog at http://www.lionel.com/ (the new Signature catalog). Why is it so good?

It has probably one of the best interfaces for perusing or looking at the catalog on the web. Period. The Adobe Flash technology is not sophisticated from an interface perspective however it is extremely clean, easy to use and consistent. I have to say I loved it.

I also really liked the design of this catalog. It was by far the strongest design statement Lionel has made in decades. It gave me a feeling that the catalog or the items in the catalog were really "larger than life". Items that are steeped in legend and that haven't seen the light of day until Lionel reproduces them in their factories. I know, I sound a little gaudy. But the catalog works very well. It is simple yet makes a bold statement. I really liked looking at every page.

Product choice: I know, it is O gauge. It looks like Lionel is parceling up their customers quite a bit like MTH has. K-Line, Signature Series, Ready to Run, Vision Line, Classics Line, etc.. I have to say, the Vision Line products are really cutting edge. The LCD Billboard and Grand Central are devastating. I'd like to have a little better idea of what the finished Grand Central product looks like; it appeals to me greatly however a $1400 investment is sort of daunting in this financial environment.

The motive power is definitely impressive although the prices and curves may appeal to a smaller audience, I'm actually not sure. The Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 loco is just jaw dropping. I'm actually incredibly anxious to see one in action.

Since there isn't any tinplate in this catalog I don't want to wax on too long about how great this catalog is. I really like the fact that Lionel seems to have captured the spirit of their past and created a very unique O gauge vision for the future. I like the fact they aren't reproducing everything under the sun; they focused on a couple of O gauge post war classics and will do those well. Coupling this catalog with the Lionel/MTH announcements I have to say I think Lionel is really turning a corner. I wish the economy was better; unfortunately right now trains are a luxury item many, many, many folks can't afford. I think now is an ideal time for Lionel and MTH to examine the lower cost market segments and continue their spirit of cooperation. I also am really glad to see the whole Lionel team and Jerry Calabrese lining up this wonderful catalog. Welcome back!

Marc

Lionel is Brilliant

The above is the kind of thing that says good things about a company. Why? Because it is a concise, consistent communication to customers. Keep up the good work Lionel, between this kind of web messaging and the new TMCC Legacy product, I think you are on a roll. I almost wish they'd commuicate every announcement with some kind of countdown timer. It's just brilliant.

Marc

New Lionel Catalog (Yawn)

Well, the above is all of the new Tinplate from the Lionel catalog. A Lionel Christmas set. Go out and take a look at the catalog for another (better) shot of it.

All told, the catalog is mediocre at best. It's a yawner. Hey, they have the new GG1! Ok, so that's been done (alot) before. They also have exciting new roadnames of the GP-7. Yawn, been done before. They also have a ton of new electronic gizmos to further enchance the running of trains! And if your brother in law or family member is an electrician, maybe you can get them installed and decypher how to use them.

By the way, I am going to ask this "Conventional Classics"? Why? To compete with Bachmann or low end MTH? Wow.

Conventional Classis is truly is one of the worst marketing attempts at branding I've seen or heard in a long time. It's like calling a Batman Villian "the Mediocre Menace". And worse, it's already been done by Jerry Williams.

Look, I still like Lionel but they're going to have to come into the 21st Century both with their product direction and with some kind of understanding of their demographics. Did the spirit of Gary Moreau creep back into Lionel headquarters somewhere? I'm not going to hide my disappointment at the non-existent tinplate offerings but do we have to see the same postwar crap vomited up every year as well?

I'll leave one ray of hope open, I did like the MTA offering. I also would love to see Lionel keep evolving products like the Harry Potter Train and Acela. The Acela is the kind of innovation that makes the catalog worth looking at. The 101 Trolley was our mini-ray of hope for tinplate people.

How many UP Boxcars or Christmas sets have we all seen floating around train shows or hobby stores?

They can do better than reheated Postwar.

Marc

Lionel Catalog - One more thing...

I saw this in the new Lionel catalog. Yes, it isn't standard gauge. Yes, it is brilliant.

I liked this for a couple of reasons: it makes setting up a slick looking layout, backdrop, track and so on a no-brainer. It will get more people into the hobby.

The design or concept isn't new. In the days of prewar World War II Lionel trains the displays to show off Lionel's wares in store windows and at retail in stores were very similar to the little layout to the left. The graphics were a bit nicer and the displays plugged Lionel's accessories but the concept was essentially the same. I'll see if I can dig up some pics of the old Lionel displays. Some time ago American Flyer displays were reproduced as well. Same concept: big and colorful backdrop, mock-tunnel the train could run through and a place for accessories and the like. Looked great with O or Standard gauge.

I hope Lionel reproduces this for standard gauge as well.

Marc