Right On Tom. There is nothing Lionel could ever make that I would be > interested in!!John B.
John, et al, This is not necessairly directed at you, it was just convenient to use your post for reply, and it represents the thinking, apparently of others on the list. Frankly, I don't get it. Is the Flyonel bashing because (a) Lionel took over Flyer? Well, at least SOMEBODY took it over. A.C. would not have lived forever. Flyer would have had to be taken over by somebody, sometime. Lionel, Marx, Marklin, etc., etc., are all owned not by the founders, and in most cases, not even by any one remotely connected with the original owners. Or is it (b) poor quality? Now personally I have not experienced poor quality in the (only) six Flyonel engines I have purchased. I did find them to be smooth runners with perfect paint schemes, and where sound was involved, superior audio. To look at poor quality, one doesn't haven't to search very far: MTH, older Lionel 0 gauge, Bachman in all scales, Third Rail, etc. Point being that Lionel made Flyer has no corner on what I can only assume to be spotty quality. Maybe it is (c) the fact that Lionel has done, in effect, reissues of the same stuff? For you folks who have been collecting Flyer for 20 years, have easy access to large Eastern or Chicago train shows that have lots of Flyer, I hear your pain. But for myself, the reissue stuff gives me a chance to have some updated equipment of classic color schemes, and road names. And I have read on this list, and heard from my die-hard Flyer friends, when looking at some Gilbert-kit-bashed piece of equipment, "Well, it's nice, but Flyer never made it," their noses upturned, sniffing. So which way do they want it? Never produced, items from the Gilbert factory (which is gone of course) or new road names and new items under the Flyer name? (Just BTW: the few pieces of Gilbert Flyer that I have been able to acquire has required considerable labor, in some cases, to operate as intended. As far as accessories goes, I KNOW the older Gilbert or Lionel stuff worked with great inconsistency. And so does some of the new stuff. So what's different?) MTH produced a UP Veranda Turbine that would not round corners because of truck problems. Entire run was recalled, and fixed. Perhaps the bashing is because (d) "Lionel did us dirty by"....(fill in the blank), among other things, promising to produce items and then not doing so. What manufacturer hasn't? Even our beloved old Gilbert cataloged but did not produce certain items. Lionel, MTH, Bachman, etc., continue the tradition. But it might be because of (e) "Lionel did not produce what I PERSONALLY WANTED THEM TO PRODUCE! Brace yourselves, now, this will come as a revelation: Any company makes only what it believes will sell, and sell very well. Projected runs of everything from cars, to toy trains are based on the best market research, the best information available at the time. Is there anyone on the list who really thinks that Lionel would not make mega quantities of Flyer if demand warrented? The ONLY reason for being in business, the ONLY reason is to make a profit. (Unless, of course a company is set up as a non-profit or not for profit-but that is to avoid taxes) Period, end of story. Any other motivation, and said company is out of business, sooner or later. Hey, how a collector/operator spends his/her money is absolutely none of my business. If someone is dead set against buying any new Flyer, more power to him/her. However, I submit that attitude may be partly (and I mean that just as it sounds: PARTLY) the reason that Lionel has not produced more and more variety in the Flyer line. "You guys" won't buy it. Heck, I wish A. C. Gilbert were still with us, holding court in New Haven. I wish the Big Boys were still out on the high line, attacking Sherman Hill. I wish Elvis were alive. I wish I were younger, better-looking and rich. Not. Not ever. Respectfully, Roy Inman > From: "John Brockmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 23:20:17 +0000 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [S-Trains] Re: new Baldwin > > S-Trains list sponsor: http://www.americanflyertrains.com All the Flyer you desire...books and accessories too! To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list send a note to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
