My thoughts on the Acela high speed train sets in the Lionel 2021 Volume 1 catalog

[@eclipz4129]

Lionel has always been pricey, that’s why I switched to MTH for a while when I modeled O scale. I eventually left O scale and moved over to the HO hobby due to being driven scared away by the prices. HO scale offers 80x more detail and prototypical sounds and operations for hundreds of dollars less. No hate towards O scale, I love O scale don’t get me wrong! It’s fun, big and very robust. But it just wasn’t for me and not enough realism for such ridiculous prices.

[@TheJordanHunt3r]

I can see in the future that if they make the Lionel set of the Amtrak Acela Avelia liberty that would be amazing. IF they ever decide to make it, it would be released in like 2023 or 2024 maybe 2025. I guarantee the set with like 3 cars and both engines would be SUPER expensive, like close to $2000 or 3,000 because of the features it would have, plus about close to $1000 for the add on cars.

[@Harbormcann]

I'm not annoyed with your video at all. Thanks for the info! A (2021) Lionel Acela set at a list price of $2500. is way out of my price range and way too expensive for me anyway, Lol! (Seeing this video makes me think, do you really get what you pay for anymore? Now there are Less features in the set but, the set is MORE expensive, lol!) If a Lionel dealer can help price wise that's nice of them. Be well and stay safe!

[@ashtonmorrison642]

I’m getting the full set plus the expansion pack in my opinion I think it’s really cool

[@Shipwright1918]

Not really annoyed, more akin to disappointed and a little bewildered towards Big L. Honestly would like to see them do well, but I wonder how exactly they're going to manage it with their current business strategy. I will come clean and admit I put in a preorder from the 2021 catalog, but it was for a *Lionchief* locomotive, and only then because a dealer offered a handsome discount on it. Would've liked to go for the Baby K4 but alas, the inner train nut said yes but my wallet said no.

[@AussieGunzel]

I was considering ordering the O scale Acela train set to make a garden layout but after seeing this I'm having second thoughts due to the pricing.

[@exit6610]

Very informative video but what's with the blank screen for the last 4 minutes of a 12-minute video? You should have at left up a still photo of the Acela page in the catalog or maybe the front cover of the 2021 catalog.

[@MichaelB450]

This video was mainly a "talking head" style video, with a few reference pictures for those who felt like actually watching the video.

[@exit6610]

@@MichaelB450 No worries 👍🏾

[@FutureChannell]

Mortised doors removed?! I would never order this set without these doors . If one fall in love with the a girl full of make up then the girl wash it off - the shock is permanent. This was the only feature was keeping the beauty about the set.

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

I want to get that eventually

[@ernierobinson4368]

Lionel's marketing is so poor. They overpriced their stuff. While they make pretty good stuff, you think they would care more about their regular customers and actually price their items more properly. No way the acela is worth 3k unless you make the set fully loaded with even more features like improving tilt mechanism, improved mechanical sliding doors and much more. This is why MTH has always been the best alternative as far as pricing is concerned for realistic scaled trains. I love Lionel's products, but holy crap, their marketing needs serious improvement.

[@chicagolandrailroader]

Those other road names on the accela are very "interesting"

[@rjsrailroad6166]

If Lionel made one that could handle 036 curves they could have sold a lot more and dropped the price as well Heck, they could even make a Lionel chief plus version so even the average train enthusiast would purchase !

[@TehBellcarl]

It’s not worth the effort. The problem with doing any modern Amtrak equipment is that more often than not that’s all it can be. Take for example Lionels LionChief Berkshire. You’ve got the polar express of course but also tons of other road names you can do. Nickel plate, C&O, etc. plus it’s a generic enough steam engine you can do pretty much any road name as they have. Putting the money and labor into developing specifically a Lionel Acela means that’s the one thing that it can really be. An Acela. That’s why in the latest catalog Lionel offered fantasy schemes. They need to justify using the unique tooling.

[@BenWayne85]

Lionel will not drop the prices if ppl keep preordering. If orders keep being placed, they won’t get the message because they will assume we’re ok with the pricing.

[@MichaelB450]

Lionel did drop the price on the GE Evolution Hybrid and I am pretty certain that they still got quite a bit of orders from people with the high prices. Besides, there's a pretty good chance that the orders to non-orders ratio is pretty low currently. I did state in the video just because I placed a pre-order doesn't mean I am accepting the price on the items, people should not assume that it's always the case when someone orders something. But I can see where you're coming from. For all we know Lionel already has at least a hundred e-mails flooding their system about the prices. Unfortunately all of the forums and Facebook groups I am in related to O Scale stuff are basically saying "if you have nothing nice to say about the items in the catalog, don't say anything." Which is basically shutting out the people who want to say "we like the return of the Acela, but please price it more appropriately for the downgrade."

[@BenWayne85]

@@MichaelB450 Lionel actually didn’t have a lot of pre orders for the GE Evo Hybrid. No one wanted it until Eric dropped the review on it and then they started selling. That’s straight from the horses mouth on that. Yes there is a chance they might still drop the price even though ppl have preordered. Regardless, it’s about having leverage on Lionel to drop the price. The more preorders, the less leverage the consumer (us) has, even if one is accepting of the price or not. If anything , lack of preorders might get more attention than emails.

[@BenWayne85]

In addition , I think everyone should be able to freely express their opinion on the catalog. The groups that don’t want anyone to offer constructive criticism are part of the problem in itself. If there is an obvious problem (in this case the pricing) it needs to be called out and you did an excellent job doing so.

[@MichaelB450]

I totally see where you're coming from, but we live in a completely different world when it comes to O Scale items from Lionel. For all we know Lionel will only drop the price after the pre-order deadline, and once that closes there's likely no going back to place a pre-order. Thus they'll very likely cancel the Acela items, if there's indeed a lack of orders, and we'll have to wait who knows how long until they bring it back again (if they even will go through a 3rd attempt to release it). If I really had a choice, I'd skip out on this upcoming release and go with the TMCC version (if it didn't have the zinc rot issue). Currently I could go out an buy a TMCC version, there was one for sale on eBay with the fixed journal boxes but it vanished randomly. But even if I get a brand new unopened Acela set off eBay for around retail price, I'd very likely have a 2500 dollar paperweight and would probably not be able to return it. Cause eBay will be like "He said in the listing it was brand new and sealed, so you got what was advertised..."

[@BenWayne85]

@@MichaelB450 yup I get it, I’m not knocking people who preordered, what I’m saying is logically it is wiser to preorder closer to the deadline, as opposed to a week after the catalog comes out. If Lionel gets a ton of preorders right out the gate, they are not going to see that there is a problem with pricing, it is likely that any emails at that point would fall on deaf ears. This is a game and it’s all about what the market will bare, it’s basic economics.

[@photozen8398]

Your price point is not accurate factoring the inflation in, actually it is reflecting the downgrade from 2012 again factoring in inflation.

[@brandontylerproductions2202]

I need this set!!!!

[@felixthetrainfan4819]

Try to get the Santa Fe 2-10-10-2 model!

[@MichaelB450]

No way, I don't do articulated steam engines... The overhang around curves would give me anxiety over it hitting things.

[@felixthetrainfan4819]

@@MichaelB450 oh

[@jameswilkerson2020]

I pre-ordered the amtrak acela concept and add on cars for under $2700

[@MichaelB450]

Not everyone is gonna want the concept scheme, since it's not exactly realistic. Everyone is gonna want to go for the Amtrak (non-concept) version, but the prices will likely scare them away. Even with dealer discounts, it's still a lot of money for the Acela items.

[@sandiegodreamhome]

Where did you preorder, may I ask?

[@MichaelB450]

Just found your reply, I ordered my Acela items from Charles Ro, but his special pre-order price is no longer available since the pre-order deadline passed a while ago

[@sandiegodreamhome]

@@MichaelB450 Thank you.