Any comments on the set? Does it seem to be priced right?

FYI - Sears has a line of "A Christmas Story" products that you can use on your layouts such as Ralphie's school (Harding), his house, the dept store (Higbee's), etc. But remember, no BB gun - you'll shoot your eye out.

Are the the right scale? Dept 56 also has some Christmas Story buildings that should be the right scale.

Right scale? Yeah I guess. Still prefer to stay away from sets where the boxcars are noticably shorter than the engine. But the set is cute.

Couldn't find anything on Sears yet, but found it on Dept. 56. They definitely work for 'O' layouts.

http://www.department56.com/co...64725&smenu=products

Fra-GEE-lee

I don't get it. Might be mistaken but don't remember a train in the movie.

doctrain, at best you hear a steam engine whistle blocks away, perhaps twice in the movie. No train is shown. There is a streetcar, though.

quote:

Originally posted by doctrain:
I don't get it. Might be mistaken but don't remember a train in the movie.

Yes there are some trains in Higgbies window, some postwar and I believe there was a M-1000, all in the beginning of the movie.

Yes the set is a little to high for a non command set, nice engine but the cars are eh OK. That brown boxcar does not seem to fit. It would have been nice to see a pop up lamp leg come out of the crate, or would that be to much electric sex.

They missed the boat with the crate load gondola, they could of had the action version with Ralph being chased around by Scut Farcus!

quote:

Originally posted by Silver Comet:
Are the the right scale? Dept 56 also has some Christmas Story buildings that should be the right scale.

I believe these are made by Dept. 56 - thay have a couple of items on the Sears.com website. I saw alot of product at the store - but I was more interested in the buildings by Lemax: Bijou Theatre and Jack's Auto Parts - picked them up.

quote:

Originally posted by KevinE:
They missed the boat with the crate load gondola, they could of had the action version with Ralph being chased around by Scut Farcus!

Or it could have been the "Old Man" chasing one of the Bumpus' dogs (with a turkey in its mouth).

Andy

I suppose making little Ralphies with Daisey Air Rifles shooting at each other on the Sheriff & Outlaw car would be in bad taste.

One of them could be dressed in a pink bunny suit.

Jon

The Sheriff & Outlaw car could be Ralphie vs. Black Bart...

Andy

I would have hoped for a Mint car with a leg lamp in the window. The set is very overpriced for what you get. I think the list should be $199.00 at the most.

quote:

Any comments on the set? Does it seem to be priced right?

$359 list for a 0-8-0 starter engine and 4 traditional size freight cars is pretty steep considering the 4 car Area 51 set listed at $229.

I said this on another thread:

I WAS excited at the prospect of the "Christmas Story" train set, but it is an overpriced disappointment. No operating car, but a non-operating gondola! I guess all the money must have gone to licensing.

Where is the imagination in this set when there are so many possibilities to choose from? How about some sort of illuminated "Leg Lamp" car... with an illuminated leg mounted in a mint car display housing?

I've seen pre-order prices of around $281 on several sites, and even this seems a little high. Of course, we don't know how much the licensing cost Lionel, and they do have to build that cost into the product.

Andy

Lionel definitely missed the mark on this set. As mentioned in previous posts, the cars just don't seem to fit.

If you take Andy, Jon's, and Kevin's ideas, maybe you'd have a winner. I'd even suggest a remake of the PW Christmas tree flatcar....anything but what they've come up with.

quote:

Originally posted by John Pignatelli:

quote:

Originally posted by doctrain:
I don't get it. Might be mistaken but don't remember a train in the movie.

Yes there are some trains in Higgbies window, some postwar and I believe there was a M-1000, all in the beginning of the movie.

Don't forget the Hiawatha!

quote:

Originally posted by Andy Hummell:
I've seen pre-order prices of around $281 on several sites, and even this seems a little high. Of course, we don't know how much the licensing cost Lionel, and they do have to build that cost into the product.

Andy

I agree it seems high for the features that you get. Railsounds would have been nice.

A little high for what it is. Now if it was one of the trains in the Higgbies store window at that price....I'd be in!

quote:

Lionel definitely missed the mark on this set. As mentioned in previous posts, the cars just don't seem to fit.

If you take Andy, Jon's, and Kevin's ideas, maybe you'd have a winner.

I suppose making little Ralphies with Daisey Air Rifles shooting at each other on the Sheriff & Outlaw car would be in bad taste.

One of them could be dressed in a pink bunny suit.[ala Bugs Bunny operating car!]

They missed the boat with the crate load gondola, they could of had the action version with Ralph being chased around by Scut Farcus!

Or it could have been the "Old Man" chasing one of the Bumpus' dogs (with a turkey in its mouth).

It would have been nice to see a pop up lamp leg come out of the crate, or would that be to much electric sex.

The Sheriff & Outlaw car could be Ralphie vs. Black Bart...

I'd even suggest a remake of the PW Christmas tree flatcar....anything but what they've come up with.

NOw Those are some Creative Ideas! Maybe Lionel will issue them as add on Action cars... a la Polar Express add ons!

NOw Those are some Creative Ideas! Maybe Lionel will issue them as add on Action cars... a la Polar Express add ons! [/QUOTE]

Yes but if the set does not sell there will be no add-ons. Maybe they should have started with the cars first to see how they sell.

The way I see it...why can't Lionel change the cars right now? The catalog is just a proposal of items anyway.

I would pay the price for the set if the cars were different/more creative.

Being a lover of the movie, I was really curious to see what Lionel would come up with, but I'm not going to buy the set just because I'm a fan of the movie, and I think that's what Lionel was counting on.

Oh...just got another idea for the set...

How about an aquarium car with the kids' faces glued to Higbee's window display?

See Lionel...this isn't difficult!

According to Lou Caponi in the "more on lionel 2009 x-mas product" thread, the design of this set was dictated by the studio, and the studio's royalty demands is the reason for the high price. I think that, given creative freedom, Lionel would have come up with a much better looking set. Looks like the movie studio suits have ensured that this will be a one-time set with no further add-ons. I hope I'm wrong, but personally I will be passing on this set. I will consider it if it gets blown out, but the set just isn't attractive enough at even a 20%-off-MSRP price.

Andy

quote:

Originally posted by Nawlins:
Oh...just got another idea for the set...

How about an aquarium car with the kids' faces glued to Higbee's window display?

See Lionel...this isn't difficult!

Or how about a cardboard school with a flagpole and a small figure attached to it by his tongue.

quote:

Originally posted by Andy Hummell:
According to Lou Caponi in the "more on lionel 2009 x-mas product" thread, the design of this set was dictated by the studio, and the studio's royalty demands is the reason for the high price. I think that, given creative freedom, Lionel would have come up with a much better looking set....... Andy

Yes, Lou's comments should be carefully noted by all. Judging from some of the comments above, a lot of folks are ignorant of the constraints put on Lionel by the companies that own the rights to the names. Obviously, Lionel knows they could sell more of an item if it were less expensive. In addition for charging for use of the names, in most cases, the owner of the rights is in a position to dictate what is made, and exercise rights to approve of final design.

Some of the comments by others above well illustrate the classic line about shooting the messenger.

Lionel hit a home run tying into licensed pop culture with the Polar Express and to a lesser extent, the Hogwart's Express. It failed with the nascar sets, and I'd wager it will with the Christmas Story set. Ditto for the Wizard of Oz stuff. Lionel is so closely associated with the holiday season. Perhaps they should market the 100+ years of that tradition instead of tie-ins with these types of things. Nascar? Wizard of Oz? Come on...that stuff is better left for the HO "mint" trains advertised in the Sunday papers.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by cpsteamer:

Or how about a cardboard school with a flagpole and a small figure attached to it by his tongue.

  They already have.......             and the school, too.....    
 

Frankly, if the set were cheaper, I'd buy it, a bunch of the Dept 56 buildings, make a small table layout and hang the "tapestry of obscenity" overhead. As it is, though, I'm such a die-hard Christmas Story fan that I have to admit I am tempted despite the price. If it was TMCC equipped, then it'd be more palatable. But as it is? Ugh. I hate license deals like this.

If I pay that price, I'm inclined to purchase it from the actual A Christmas Story House gift shop to at least support their mission/museum.

Rafi

quote:

Yes, Lou's comments should be carefully noted by all. Judging from some of the comments above, a lot of folks are ignorant of the constraints put on Lionel by the companies that own the rights to the names. Obviously, Lionel knows they could sell more of an item if it were less expensive. In addition for charging for use of the names, in most cases, the owner of the rights is in a position to dictate what is made, and exercise rights to approve of final design.

Thank you...makes a lot of sense.

How about an operating coal dump car filled with hubcaps and lugnuts? When it dumps, you could have a RailSounds chip go: "Fuuuuudge"!

Jon

Good one, Jon.

You may need some assorted soap-filled gondolas trailing that car.

Rick

I think a animated brakeman car with the younger brother falling over in his snowsuit would be a good addition to the animated cars list.

Is there a pink bunny suit boxcar filled with Lionel Girls sets from the aunt who thinks Ralphie is a girl?

Use the damsel and mounty operating accessory but change the damsel to the little brother in the snow suit and the mounty to Ralphie. Mold some plastic snow around the base and sell it as a seperate item.

quote:

Originally posted by doctrain:
I don't get it. Might be mistaken but don't remember a train in the movie.

There is a little bit of streetcar action. Could be L's chance to take a shot at a PCC

It really is a shame the studio dictated what the set would contain. The movie is so ripe with memorable scenes and jokes that Lionel could have easily marketed an entire fleet of add-on cars, each depicting different scenes like we've described here, and let folks pick and choose their favorite scenes from the add-ons. A LifeBuoy Soap Boxcar would have been fantastic, and you could have an animated Ralphie leaning out the door with a bar of soap in his mouth. The ideas are really endless given the amount of classic scenes in that movie. Possible cars that come to mind as instant classics:

• Scut Farkus and Grover Dill chasing the other kids around the back alley with Randy laying on the ground like a slug (his only defense)
  
• Bumpus Dogs with turkey in their mouths being chased by the Old Man
  
• Red Rider Box Car
  
• Coal dump car filled with hubcaps and lugnuts, as Jon suggested, with the Oh FUDGE
  
• Animated Santa Slide with appropriate RailSounds "Ho Ho Hos" and screams of terror
  
• Aquarium car with kids noses firmly smashed against the glass looking out, as H. Barker suggests
  
• The Major Award Car, instead of just a flat car, a true shrine to the old man's Major Award--a boxcar with a clear plastic showroom window, lit brilliantly from the inside, with a scaled down leg lamp mounted "a little to the left" and glowing triumphantly. RailSounds accompanying the exchange between Swede and the Old Man, followed by taps playing, gently.
  
• An illuminated, operating smoke car depicting just the glowing furnace the old man battles with RailSounds quotes from said battles, "Oh for cripes sake open up the damper, will ya? Who the hell turned it all the way down? AGAIN! Oh blast it!"
  

I mean, really. It's a gold mine.


Rafi

With all due respect to the process that dictated what is contained in this set, it really is fun to come up with cars!

Here's more:

A Chop Suey Palace billboard reefer
A LifeBuoy liquid soap tank car
A Bumpus hound stock car
A Jean Shepard "talking" boxcar
A flatcar with antique radios strapped down

quote:

they said this was the deco the studio supplied and they must honor the studio's request or lionel would not be able to put the set into production, plus LIONEL must pay them a royalty.

If any of you have ever read the Rogue Warrior, then you will plainly see what a goatfudge this is. "Demo Dickie" could have seen this coming from a mile away!

Why in the wide wide world of sports couldn't Lionel use some guts and imagination and push through something better for this set?

Just look at all of the good ideas that you guys have come up with!

It's a no-brainer...in more ways than one.

 
Let's hope that someone from Lionel is reading this thread and passes it along to the "powers that be" (Warner Brothers Consumer Products [WBCP]!

quote:

Warner Brothers Consumer Products
4000 Warner Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91522-0001
United States
Tel: 1/818/954-6000

Brad Globe, one of the entertainment industry’s most experienced and well-respected consumer products executives, is President of Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

In this post, he oversees all Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ business functions, including domestic and international licensing, worldwide marketing, business and legal affairs, finance and retail business development.

Globe joined Warner Bros. Consumer Products in February 2005 as Executive Vice President and General Manager.

... or, let them know, yourself.
 
There are some extremely creative ideas offered here, which........       who knows !  
 
I'll have to agree, the current  A Christmas Story set is extremely bland, considering the possibilites!
 
The movie was non-stop action from start to finish.....     and so should the train set.
 

I can't find anything about this train set. Link please! I'm A Christmas Story junkie! Thanks.
-Rick

Flat car with Oldsmobile ( one tire flat)


store front of the "chinese restaurant)


rat

quote:

Originally posted by RBHarper:

I can't find anything about this train set. Link please!     I'm A Christmas Story junkie!   Thanks.

-Rick

Pages 13-14 of the   2009 Lionel Christmas Catalog.....    
 
   
 

Thanks Alan! You made my day! I love it!

Too bad they did not have a nameplate on the engine. The "Gene Shepard" would have been nice. As far as the deco scheme I am sure the art work WAS provided by Lionel as a choice among several and it really is unfortunate that this was the way they decided to go.

quote:

Originally posted by John Pignatelli:

quote:

Originally posted by doctrain:
I don't get it. Might be mistaken but don't remember a train in the movie.

Yes there are some trains in Higgbies window, some postwar and I believe there was a M-1000, all in the beginning of the movie.

I thought I also remembered seeing a train sitting on a shelf in Ralphie's room. You don't see it very long, and I never could tell if it was Lionel or Flyer.

But anyway, I went and looked at the set, and I'm with Jim. It reminds me of those HO scale "mint" sets you see in the Sunday papers. I think a display using Dept 56 movie-inspired buildings would be really neat (and I'm sure my wife would agree, since it's one of her very favorite all-time movies), but I'd sooner use a late prewar or early postwar set (and pretty much any late pre/early postwar set at that) in such a display before I'd use this.

Did someone mention an "Ovaltine" Operating Milk Car?

Jon

I think Lionel absolutely "missed it" when they created this set. Everyone's input and designs on this forum are alot better than what Lionel produced for this set.

An overpriced, train store dust collector Lionel set - is what this set will be.

It is just dissapointing what Lionel created from a fun/classic movie.

Lionel- listen to your clients, not your flakey, board room quack designers!!

quote:

Originally posted by Planes and Trains:
It is just dissapointing what Lionel created from a fun/classic movie.

Lionel- listen to your clients, not your flakey, board room quack designers!!

Don't blame Lionel, they didn't design this set - the movie studio did, and Lionel's hands are tied by the movie studio's terms (which is also the reason for the high price tag).

Andy

My prediction: The set will sell quite well. Not at the MSRP, of course, but almost nothing sells at MSRP anyhow. There are a lot of fans of the movie out there--most of whom are not model railroaders--and I imagine a good number of them might well be attracted to this set, assuming it receives a good bit of ad exposure so folks know that it exists. Just my guess; we'll see how it went along about late January or so.

And some here have obviously not had to deal with licensing agreements in the past. Trust me, it can be a bear. I've had the good fortune of having negotiated deals with some of the genuine "biggies" in the past--Disney, Coca-Cola, Harley Davidson, King Features Syndicate, Mattel, and a host of others (even Lionel itself), and I can assure you folks it's not a whole lot of fun in many cases.