I'd say that the T1s would do really well if Lionel teamed up with the T1 Trust and donated a good chunk of the proceeds to them. A lot of people are excited about that one from what I'm aware, between its status as an icon of the PRR and the fact that it'll be the first new-build steam locomotive in North America in decades.
I read somewhere that MTH sued Lionel when the offered their T1 duplex back in 2000. Something about Lionel developing the T1 extremely quickly compared to their other models and mth thought someone from lionel stole the plans or a prototype for their own t1. Apparently the shipment of mths prototype t1s got tampered with along the way and 6 months or so later lionel offered their own t1. If this is true it might be a very long time untill lionel offers another T1 duplex
Great list Eric very fun choices My personal opinion we need more streamliner's! I'd love to see the Chesapeake and Ohio Yellow Belly Hudson and the New York Central Commodore Vanderbilt! Absolute classic engines from the 90s and early TMCC days, They would sell like wild fire and can do a great mix of sounds and fantasy schemes. Who wouldn't want a pacemaker Vanderbilt!?
I would LOVE one of these also. Different fantasy schemes, each with their own sound tracks. INCLUDING one for Halloween! And for each and every one of these trains, please include extra cars. Whenever I order a passenger set, I always get at least 12 cars for it, for a full train
I would love to see the earlier NYC Mercury train (upside-down bathtube). The only scale ones I have seen are from Sunset. Lionel and Marx had non scale ones way back. Not sure, but from pictures, it looks like the passenger car might be similar enough to the Hiawatha's that some tooling could be shared. 🤔 For scale subway, a DC Metro set would be cool. Maybe the changing marker lights could be implemented to change the line color signs (red line to silver line...).
Absolutely agree that LIONEL will offer a new vision line 700e New York Central Hudson for its 125th Anniversary! I would love to get one of those! I think the super set if made will cost $5000!!
Agree with your #1 and #2 - those are the only ones on your list that I would honestly consider buying. My top 5 wish list would be: 1. Scale Hogwart’s Express Legacy set 2. Proper N&W 611 with all the features plus matching Superbass auxiliary tender 3. SD40-2 with kinematic pilots 4. Scale Genesis with kinematic pilots 5. Scale Burlington E5 with fixed pilot - the prettiest diesel I’ve ever seen in person. It’s always gonna be the lead engine.
I’m surprised that Lionel hasn’t done a Rocky Mountaineer set like MTH did in recent years, seems like it should be on their list of scenic railroads to offer that would likely sell really well
Thanks for the shout out Eric and great list! - just for clarification we used to be the Matt & Matt podcast, but have rebranded so check us out folks!
For me it's the C&O H7 2-8-8-2, Milwaukee Road Hiawatha A class 4-4-2 and matching passenger cars from 2006 like you mentioned the C&O F19 Pacific's which thankfully are now coming back, Baldwin Centipede diesels.
Great video Eric! I wholeheartedly agrre with on GP38-2, the Hiawatha, and the Texas Special! Thanks for including the cameo appearance of my Texas Special! If you can't wait for Lionel to do it again you should order one from Sunset / Golden Gate Depot.
I'd really love if they could bring back the Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson. They did just do the Dreyfuss Hudsons, but the Vanderbilt hasn't been seen for decades and could really do with another run with some more modern features. I'm a bit personally biased here, my dad used to restore old trains when I was a kid and he had several of the tinplate Vanderbilts up and running.
Thanks, Eric. I'm not one who collects fantasy models unless it's a well-done paint scheme in an actual road name that existed at one time. I'm not snooty enough to only run roads that graced only our tracks either. I run anything that catches my eye that contributed to the actual historical significance of railroading in America. Even if it's painted in a fantasy paint scheme thats well done and believable or ran east of the Mississippi. I too find myself drawn to some of the obscure models, likely because I don't have one in my collection and the significance behind the meaning for that model because of it's role it played in the actual history of railroading. We are so blessed with innovation here in America that we have had such diversity that it's hard to collect them all. I would love to see Lionel bring out their first ever model of an Alco RS-1, specifically in the SantaFe zebra striped paint scheme. Talk about obscurity. It's a handsome engine with a great historically significant story and role it played to the advancement of railroading and deserves more recognition than its gotten. I like when a manufacturer brings out a model that's seldom seen before and wow's me like the diesel models from Baldwin and Fairbanks, and of course, any art deco steam engine would be great and I would love to see any scale model of an Atlantic. All that are preferably affordable in conventional only with sound and smoke. I enjoy running my trains, not spending my time chasing down parts and fiddling with electronics hoping I get a good signal and don't have blown boards. I like putting them on the track, with my hand on the throttle, just like the real thing knowing my trains will run each and every time, on time, and without fail. Just like the real thing.
If I were to guess, they're waiting for the 5550 T1 to be completed before they run that 4-4-4-4 model again. That way they can ride the hype train (pun intended) of it running for the first time and make bank on 5550 models.
I’ve been wondering where the gp38-2s have been! Lionel should really invest in a new tooling, I’m sure they’d sell like wildfire. I know I’d grab one or two.
Excellent choices. My top 3 on your list is the Subway, the PRR T1, & the Hiawatha. Some others I would love to see are the PRR K4, the C&O & UP H7 2-8-8-2’s, the Y6B, & the C&O / Virginian H8 Allegheny’s….. with some vision features.
OMG thanks for #11. My grandfather gave me a train many many years ago (early 80's) , it's been lost to time, but i couldn't one like it anywhere, at least now I know what it's called.
7:07 *i really wish Lionel Modeled the Missouri Kansas Texas railroad's H-3a pacifics in vision line just seeing this gorgeous set* they did pull the Texas Special and The Bluebonnet, two passengers trains that the Frisco and The Katy jointly ran. The H-3a pacifics have also been pulling the Texas Special long before the first Frisco T54 mountain built.
I agree with you on the reasoning for the 700E and I hope you’re right because I could see grounds for them doing a vision line double release with the GG1 as well for the role it played in the post war and it hasn’t been done since the first release. Also the T1 may come in 2026 I think depending on the project T1 trust’s completion to celebrate that as a vision line model. They could also do it and do a 5550 with proceeds going to the trust I think that would be a hit as well
6:37 This was my exact thought for the real locomotives. I remember seeing them a few times when I was a kid. I even saw one crossing paths with an Acela, and noted how similar the locomotive and power cars looked. But one day, they all disappeared. Turns out Amtrak decided to retire the HHP-8 in 2014 due to a number of issues. However, they’re not quite gone yet. Maryland Area Rail Commuter still has a working fleet, which were refurbished in 2018. And Amtrak may be bringing back some of their HHP-8s as unpowered cab cars for a short while. So, who knows? Maybe the HHP-8 will make a return as both a real locomotive and a Lionel model.
Honestly, I wish lionel would do some "narrow gauge" o scale engines and cars. I think it would be kind of cool. Although I could just be super weird. I was also thinking of them making a command controlled rotary snow plow that is steam powered with depleting coal load and aux water tender with sounds and a spinning blade. Of course it would need to be prototypical and be pushed by another engine to clear the line. Maybe even have/sell some kind of powder/stuff that you can have the plow clear off the line? Idk. Just a crazy idea. Lol. Another cool thing to see would be a modern day operating line of mow equipment, like for a rail gang: spike puller, speed swing, azer cribber, Grove/hyrail boom crane, a flash butt welder truck/thermite welder truck, a rail heater, anchor machined and spikers. Or maybe go and have a tie replacement line up, spike pullers, anchor spreaders, kickers/Tripp machines, tie cranes, nipper tanper, platers, spikers, anchor spreaders, ballast regulators and tampers. I used to work for mow for a major class 1 rr and this was the kind of thing I was around constantly and I think it would be kind of cool to see/own/operate on the layout. Especially if you could "lash up" or sync them up to run a program it would be down right awesome. Have them all back out of a spur or siding track, then track travel as a group with decent spacing and then when they get to their "work site" they each begin to do their own thing and move along running a programmed set of events for a certain period of time. Having them with sound and some basic moving parts. I have no idea how popular the idea is. But it would still be cool as heck to have something like that running on a layout. Would kind of make doing "track work" on the layout more fun if they're out there working with me as well. Lol. Oh the other thing i thought about, bring back the spotlight car with a spool of wire that allows you to move the light off the car and put it a little ways away from the car. That was always a cool feature that I would love to have had. Ties in well with using it for a wreck site clean up.
I agree with you on the De Witt Clinton, and the other 1800's locomotives. I also agree on the 6344 Hudson, and Milwaukee Road Hiawatha set. The others are fine, but those are really classics!
I worked with a train store in the 70's and have been in the hobby since the 60's. I've spoken with people everywhere who have gotten away from the hobby due to the pricing.
Eric, I waited for years to add passenger cars to my Neil Young set. I was fortunate enough to put together the ABBA with the original Set. They also had, I believe a add on full dome dome car. I just received the Anson B. Jones baggage car and the Tulsa passenger car. The red and silver is just stunning.
From Lionel themselves. The Berksire tooling is getting a complete re-fresh. This goes for NKP and SP versions. The SP tooling was starting to wear out. The NKP tooling got damadged, and therefore they are giving both an overhaul
What a great lineup for Lionel to bring back. All of them were great models. That T1 4-4-4-4 would be an amazing one to bring back. T1 is my favorite of all. I would be inclined to buy that one definitely. I model in HOn3/HO dual gauge the EBT. And collect others such as On30 and I have a few Lionel.
I need to add a t1 to my collection. Was one of my favorite steam enegines playing railroad tycoon 2 as a kid. A blue comet set is my dream bring back though living near the out of service line. it used to run.
Eric, definitely the subways. They are a must. They absolutely would sell, just look at the MTH sales. Sold out at least one year before delivered and the eBay pricing for their sets, the 4 or 6 car are out of site. Lionel needs to use sound files that represent the line they make. Then it's a truly great offer.
I'd like to see a scale 1652 0.4.0 steam switcher in TMCC. The one that I have/had was bought for me at Madison Hardware in 1948 when I was 8 years old. It has front and rear operating couplers and a bell ringing tender (that drove my parents nuts.)
Another thing I think would be a good idea for Lionel to bring back, the railroad tugboat accessories. These tugboats came in Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, Santa Fe, New York Central and Lehigh Valley. They were last in the 2004 catalog and are very rare these days. If Lionel does decide to make them again, they could have Bluetooth, smoke and upgraded sounds.
My favorites that I would buy immediately are the DeWitt Clinton Stream Engine, the MU Commuter Cars and the BB1 Electric sets. Also, New York City subways.
I would like to see a scale version of the North Coast limited passenger set,, which we haven't had a semi scale version since the 90s. It would be cool if they did more scale 19th century steamers like the Inyo or the General.
Eric, I also have that cool set. Works great around the tree, especially if you have small kids visiting for the holidays and don't have to worry about the possibility of having your "good" trains damaged. What I thought was a great opportunity, was the promise of a new car each year. However Lionel only offered a new car at Christmas once. I would love the chance to add a new car every year. I too enjoy all the animation that set and car have. Merry Xmas to you and Lisa.
I have that set too including the add-on car. It is an outstanding set. However mine stopped working the second year and I've yet to find anyone that can fix it. And I understand I'm not alone in the fact that many, many of these sets just stopped functioning.
Awesome list choices! I do agree with the lionel prr t-1 they do need to bring it back since they only made the scale model once and the lionmaster one twice. Same for the Hiawatha too it was an amazing set they made back then and it’s pretty hard to find nowadays.
Love those choices, Eric. They need to put a link in the catalogue to a video of the new stuff running for those looking at the catalogue on a computer or cell phone.
Great list! Love your number one pick the Hiawatha as well! Fun fact … We live in Kansas and there is a Hiawatha, KS! Anyway if Lionel brought back the Hiawatha I would definitely get one. Loved several of your other picks as well. If anyone has some pull in this hobby your it Big Guy!
Another good one they should bring back is the C&O streamlined Hudson, as a full scale model. Great video Eric, different kind from norm, you should do more of these top 10 type videos.
Absolutely agree with the T1, but instead of the 4-4-2 hiawatha, I want to see a modern hiawatha hudson F7. You can find Weaver models around, but I don’t know if one has been produced by Lionel or MTH recently enough.
Bringing back the operating accessories in a big way along with more variety (and affordability!) in the Traditional O/semi scale line would be very welcome in my opinion. That being said, I'm actually more interested to see what Menards is going to cook up next now that the F-Unit is out. Maybe some Geeps or other 4 axle power on the same chassis with a new shell on top, or, and I'm really crossing my fingers here, a steam loco....Yes please!
While the Veranda Turbine has been rebooted lately, I would love to see the Army and UP Verandas return as Vision products. I'd also like to see the Minuteman missile car and train set return as a pair of Vision products, perhaps a realistic version featuring the real-world inspiration for the train, the Peacemaker Rail Garrison. Standard GP38-2 or SD40-2 locomotive painted in UP or ATSF colors, and missile launch cars that look like standard box cars until the missile is revealed. With sound and smoke for the missile launch, command control operations and a realistic launch gantry that rises into position in slow motion, and stabilizers that deploy from the boxcar corners. Basically, a mobile version of their new Rocket Launch Pad accessory. Someone else suggested the railroad tugboats and I could see that as a Vision accessory too. Having them as actual RC boats that can float and have an engine in them would be nice, but they'd also need to have a base so you can stick them on your layout. Those tugboats would fit in VERY well on certain RUclips layouts as well, such as the one owned by PGHTrainFanatic.
That was a very interesting video Eric, thanks for sharing. My own opinion, of course, but I would be quite happy when(and if)Lionel decides to go into the N scale market.
Some solid choices here. Love subway stuff, know all of the variations of the NYC subway probably too well. 😂 the t1 may be coming back sooner than you think since they are building that real one from scratch.
I did hear you correct I need to find the Lincoln funeral vid. Oh man the T-1 4444 duplex. Our did I not seeing Lincolns funeral, not showing up in a search. TY
I just want to see a new Erie Lackawanna set brought back I grew up alongside tracks in Pennsylvania. I have looked online at sets so far and some look good but my luck on used stuff is limited.
This is a rather good list! Im suprised its been that long for the hiawatha and Prr t-1. Those are some major pieces that would sell well i would think they know that. I present one other pick lionel has never dared to touch for some reason... a vision line Reading Crusader. The best model was by Weaver and in terms of electronics its quite outdated and with lionel's additional features it would be i believe a fantastic seller.
Eric, Lionel is going to do what Lionel wants to do whether it makes any sense to you or anyone else. My biggest complaint with them are their prices. It's getting down to the point that the only ones who can afford their offerings are the Kardashians.
Paul, while I agree the prices are pretty high, if you look at the price of Lionel back in the day and calculate it with inflation, it’s pretty much on par with itself. Lionel has never been “cheap,” not by a longshot.
@Lionel Trains RUclips Channel. @Eric's Trains, I believe the reason that Lionel is not producing the NYC MTA Subways. is because the Subway sets were produced under license from the New York City Metropolitan Transit Auth. If Lionel no longer has licensing permission from NYCMTA, they can't produce the Subway sets. Lionel would have to produce Subways, using the former MTH tooling, but only if Lionel acquired the Subway tooling. -JP
I'd like a T1 Duplex in LionMaster or because LionMaster seems to be defunct, Lionchief + 2.0. At least something that can navigate 048 minimum. They did a LionMaster run back in TMCC days.
I would say another engine they should get Lionel has not done in a while, correct me if I’m wrong would be the scale S2 turbine. The other two locomotives I was concerned that they were never going to release, was the southern Pacific Atlantic and the Dreyfus Hudson but they did those within the last five years. Both those locomotives came out around year 2000.
Eric! You've mentioned in a previous video that you live in the Atlanta area. So do I! I've always had a thing for model railroading since I was a kid and I have the itch to get back into the hobby. Are there any local shops you recommend checking out? The only one I know of really is Hobbytown USA in Kennesaw.
That T1 4-4-4-4 would be really cool to release along with the T1 trust project. That would be awesome for sales
Would have to a reasonable price
@@kevinmartin4697 $2,000 and not a penny more
@@kevinmartin4697 hopefully under 1000😭
I'd say that the T1s would do really well if Lionel teamed up with the T1 Trust and donated a good chunk of the proceeds to them. A lot of people are excited about that one from what I'm aware, between its status as an icon of the PRR and the fact that it'll be the first new-build steam locomotive in North America in decades.
I've got a hunch that they have a Vision Line T-1 in the works for 2026 for exactly thay reason.
I read somewhere that MTH sued Lionel when the offered their T1 duplex back in 2000. Something about Lionel developing the T1 extremely quickly compared to their other models and mth thought someone from lionel stole the plans or a prototype for their own t1. Apparently the shipment of mths prototype t1s got tampered with along the way and 6 months or so later lionel offered their own t1. If this is true it might be a very long time untill lionel offers another T1 duplex
Great list Eric very fun choices
My personal opinion we need more streamliner's! I'd love to see the Chesapeake and Ohio Yellow Belly Hudson and the New York Central Commodore Vanderbilt! Absolute classic engines from the 90s and early TMCC days, They would sell like wild fire and can do a great mix of sounds and fantasy schemes.
Who wouldn't want a pacemaker Vanderbilt!?
I was actually gonna put both of these engines as well. Id love fully legacy versions of both those engines
I would LOVE one of these also. Different fantasy schemes, each with their own sound tracks. INCLUDING one for Halloween! And for each and every one of these trains, please include extra cars. Whenever I order a passenger set, I always get at least 12 cars for it, for a full train
I would love to see the earlier NYC Mercury train (upside-down bathtube). The only scale ones I have seen are from Sunset. Lionel and Marx had non scale ones way back. Not sure, but from pictures, it looks like the passenger car might be similar enough to the Hiawatha's that some tooling could be shared. 🤔
For scale subway, a DC Metro set would be cool. Maybe the changing marker lights could be implemented to change the line color signs (red line to silver line...).
Absolutely agree that LIONEL will offer a new vision line 700e New York Central Hudson for its 125th Anniversary! I would love to get one of those! I think the super set if made will cost $5000!!
It would be cool to see a T1 release that has a portion of sales go to the T1 Trust working to build the 5550. What a stunning looking locomotive.
I would love to see the 700E return. It would give me a chance to maybe get one.
Agree with your #1 and #2 - those are the only ones on your list that I would honestly consider buying. My top 5 wish list would be:
1. Scale Hogwart’s Express Legacy set
2. Proper N&W 611 with all the features plus matching Superbass auxiliary tender
3. SD40-2 with kinematic pilots
4. Scale Genesis with kinematic pilots
5. Scale Burlington E5 with fixed pilot - the prettiest diesel I’ve ever seen in person. It’s always gonna be the lead engine.
Why are fixed pilots such a big deal?
Scale Hogwart's Set would be a huge seller
I’m surprised that Lionel hasn’t done a Rocky Mountaineer set like MTH did in recent years, seems like it should be on their list of scenic railroads to offer that would likely sell really well
or union pacific 2001 and 2002
@@jacksonrailroadIreland is that the Olympic torch relay paint scheme diesels?
@@Doc.6466yes it is
You should do a list like this covering brand new trains the company has never done! For example I would love to see a Lionel Pennsylvania Q1 duplex
I would like to see them make the following: E33, E44, E60, metroliner, Prr / strasburg 1223 & Prr 7002.
Yes, the vision line hudson.
However , I think Lionel should use the rest of the K Line J1e tooling, for a highly detailed more accurate model.
Some very nice picks, I'd personally love to see the scale blue comet & southern Cresent return, last offered in 2013
I agree
Great ideas
Absolutely!!
I agree - I have the Blue Comet.
Thanks for the shout out Eric and great list! - just for clarification we used to be the Matt & Matt podcast, but have rebranded so check us out folks!
For me it's the C&O H7 2-8-8-2, Milwaukee Road Hiawatha A class 4-4-2 and matching passenger cars from 2006 like you mentioned the C&O F19 Pacific's which thankfully are now coming back, Baldwin Centipede diesels.
Wouldn't mind the hot box reefers, breakdown B Units, and jet snowblowers making a comeback
Great video Eric! I wholeheartedly agrre with on GP38-2, the Hiawatha, and the Texas Special! Thanks for including the cameo appearance of my Texas Special! If you can't wait for Lionel to do it again you should order one from Sunset / Golden Gate Depot.
I'd really love if they could bring back the Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson. They did just do the Dreyfuss Hudsons, but the Vanderbilt hasn't been seen for decades and could really do with another run with some more modern features. I'm a bit personally biased here, my dad used to restore old trains when I was a kid and he had several of the tinplate Vanderbilts up and running.
Thanks, Eric. I'm not one who collects fantasy models unless it's a well-done paint scheme in an actual road name that existed at one time. I'm not snooty enough to only run roads that graced only our tracks either. I run anything that catches my eye that contributed to the actual historical significance of railroading in America. Even if it's painted in a fantasy paint scheme thats well done and believable or ran east of the Mississippi. I too find myself drawn to some of the obscure models, likely because I don't have one in my collection and the significance behind the meaning for that model because of it's role it played in the actual history of railroading. We are so blessed with innovation here in America that we have had such diversity that it's hard to collect them all. I would love to see Lionel bring out their first ever model of an Alco RS-1, specifically in the SantaFe zebra striped paint scheme. Talk about obscurity. It's a handsome engine with a great historically significant story and role it played to the advancement of railroading and deserves more recognition than its gotten. I like when a manufacturer brings out a model that's seldom seen before and wow's me like the diesel models from Baldwin and Fairbanks, and of course, any art deco steam engine would be great and I would love to see any scale model of an Atlantic. All that are preferably affordable in conventional only with sound and smoke. I enjoy running my trains, not spending my time chasing down parts and fiddling with electronics hoping I get a good signal and don't have blown boards. I like putting them on the track, with my hand on the throttle, just like the real thing knowing my trains will run each and every time, on time, and without fail. Just like the real thing.
Would love the MP54’s comeback as well. Not to mention the Stourbridge Lion set.
If I were to guess, they're waiting for the 5550 T1 to be completed before they run that 4-4-4-4 model again. That way they can ride the hype train (pun intended) of it running for the first time and make bank on 5550 models.
I would like Lionel to bring back the Postwar Celebration Series and have them fitted with Lionchief. I think that would sell pretty well.
I’ve been wondering where the gp38-2s have been! Lionel should really invest in a new tooling, I’m sure they’d sell like wildfire. I know I’d grab one or two.
Great list! I agree with all of these choices, but would add a Commodore Vanderbilt streamlined Hudson alongside the 700E.
Excellent choices. My top 3 on your list is the Subway, the PRR T1, & the Hiawatha. Some others I would love to see are the PRR K4, the C&O & UP H7 2-8-8-2’s, the Y6B, & the C&O / Virginian H8 Allegheny’s….. with some vision features.
Hiawatha all the way!! Each with their own sounds too
OMG thanks for #11. My grandfather gave me a train many many years ago (early 80's) , it's been lost to time, but i couldn't one like it anywhere, at least now I know what it's called.
7:07 *i really wish Lionel Modeled the Missouri Kansas Texas railroad's H-3a pacifics in vision line just seeing this gorgeous set*
they did pull the Texas Special and The Bluebonnet,
two passengers trains that the Frisco and The Katy jointly ran.
The H-3a pacifics have also been pulling the Texas Special long before the first Frisco T54 mountain built.
I agree with you on the reasoning for the 700E and I hope you’re right because I could see grounds for them doing a vision line double release with the GG1 as well for the role it played in the post war and it hasn’t been done since the first release.
Also the T1 may come in 2026 I think depending on the project T1 trust’s completion to celebrate that as a vision line model. They could also do it and do a 5550 with proceeds going to the trust I think that would be a hit as well
4:40 If they bring back those MU cars and you get them then you might be tempted to put up the wiring for the pantographs!
6:37 This was my exact thought for the real locomotives. I remember seeing them a few times when I was a kid. I even saw one crossing paths with an Acela, and noted how similar the locomotive and power cars looked. But one day, they all disappeared.
Turns out Amtrak decided to retire the HHP-8 in 2014 due to a number of issues.
However, they’re not quite gone yet. Maryland Area Rail Commuter still has a working fleet, which were refurbished in 2018. And Amtrak may be bringing back some of their HHP-8s as unpowered cab cars for a short while.
So, who knows? Maybe the HHP-8 will make a return as both a real locomotive and a Lionel model.
Honestly, I wish lionel would do some "narrow gauge" o scale engines and cars. I think it would be kind of cool. Although I could just be super weird. I was also thinking of them making a command controlled rotary snow plow that is steam powered with depleting coal load and aux water tender with sounds and a spinning blade. Of course it would need to be prototypical and be pushed by another engine to clear the line. Maybe even have/sell some kind of powder/stuff that you can have the plow clear off the line? Idk. Just a crazy idea. Lol.
Another cool thing to see would be a modern day operating line of mow equipment, like for a rail gang: spike puller, speed swing, azer cribber, Grove/hyrail boom crane, a flash butt welder truck/thermite welder truck, a rail heater, anchor machined and spikers. Or maybe go and have a tie replacement line up, spike pullers, anchor spreaders, kickers/Tripp machines, tie cranes, nipper tanper, platers, spikers, anchor spreaders, ballast regulators and tampers.
I used to work for mow for a major class 1 rr and this was the kind of thing I was around constantly and I think it would be kind of cool to see/own/operate on the layout. Especially if you could "lash up" or sync them up to run a program it would be down right awesome. Have them all back out of a spur or siding track, then track travel as a group with decent spacing and then when they get to their "work site" they each begin to do their own thing and move along running a programmed set of events for a certain period of time. Having them with sound and some basic moving parts.
I have no idea how popular the idea is. But it would still be cool as heck to have something like that running on a layout. Would kind of make doing "track work" on the layout more fun if they're out there working with me as well. Lol.
Oh the other thing i thought about, bring back the spotlight car with a spool of wire that allows you to move the light off the car and put it a little ways away from the car. That was always a cool feature that I would love to have had. Ties in well with using it for a wreck site clean up.
I agree with you on the De Witt Clinton, and the other 1800's locomotives. I also agree on the 6344 Hudson, and Milwaukee Road Hiawatha set. The others are fine, but those are really classics!
I worked with a train store in the 70's and have been in the hobby since the 60's.
I've spoken with people everywhere who have gotten away from the hobby due to the pricing.
I’d love a Texas special set. Also would like a AC9
Danm, I remember salivating over some of this stuff in the catalouges when I was a boy.
Eric, I waited for years to add passenger cars to my Neil Young set. I was fortunate enough to put together the ABBA with the original Set. They also had, I believe a add on full dome dome car. I just received the Anson B. Jones baggage car and the Tulsa passenger car. The red and silver is just stunning.
Great column, and you're looking terrific!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Eric!
From Lionel themselves. The Berksire tooling is getting a complete re-fresh. This goes for NKP and SP versions. The SP tooling was starting to wear out. The NKP tooling got damadged, and therefore they are giving both an overhaul
What a great lineup for Lionel to bring back. All of them were great models. That T1 4-4-4-4 would be an amazing one to bring back. T1 is my favorite of all. I would be inclined to buy that one definitely. I model in HOn3/HO dual gauge the EBT. And collect others such as On30 and I have a few Lionel.
I need to add a t1 to my collection. Was one of my favorite steam enegines playing railroad tycoon 2 as a kid. A blue comet set is my dream bring back though living near the out of service line. it used to run.
Nice video Eric
Eric, definitely the subways. They are a must. They absolutely would sell, just look at the MTH sales. Sold out at least one year before delivered and the eBay pricing for their sets, the 4 or 6 car are out of site. Lionel needs to use sound files that represent the line they make. Then it's a truly great offer.
Absolutely love my T1 Duplex, so I would buy a new one in a heartbeat if Lionel released a new one
I'd like to see a scale 1652 0.4.0 steam switcher in TMCC.
The one that I have/had was bought for me at Madison Hardware in 1948 when I was 8 years old.
It has front and rear operating couplers and a bell ringing tender (that drove my parents nuts.)
Another thing I think would be a good idea for Lionel to bring back, the railroad tugboat accessories. These tugboats came in Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, Santa Fe, New York Central and Lehigh Valley. They were last in the 2004 catalog and are very rare these days. If Lionel does decide to make them again, they could have Bluetooth, smoke and upgraded sounds.
Get the MP54s that Sunset made. You can get them relatively cheap and they are all brass.
Holy hell, that's my buddy Ricky's set!!! And that's our club's layout too!
I wonder if we will ever get a Royal Gorge Route set? That train is beautiful
My favorites that I would buy immediately are the DeWitt Clinton Stream Engine, the MU Commuter Cars and the BB1 Electric sets. Also, New York City subways.
I would definitely say make some vision line SOU PS-4 and Berkshires. Haven’t had them in a long time..
I would like to see a scale version of the North Coast limited passenger set,, which we haven't had a semi scale version since the 90s. It would be cool if they did more scale 19th century steamers like the Inyo or the General.
Good stuff here. I would love to see the scale Zephyr sets come back! Make a Flying Yankee version for us Northeast folks too
YES YES YES!! Plus the option to purchase extra cars for a nice, long and realistic train, and Northeast as well!!
Agreed on Hiawatha. Been bugging them for a few years on that one.
What about a Legacy Phamton? WITH ALL THE BELLS, SMOKE, AND LIGHTS.......SET
Eric, I also have that cool set. Works great around the tree, especially if you have small kids visiting for the holidays and don't have to worry about the possibility of having your "good" trains damaged. What I thought was a great opportunity, was the promise of a new car each year. However Lionel only offered a new car at Christmas once. I would love the chance to add a new car every year. I too enjoy all the animation that set and car have. Merry Xmas to you and Lisa.
I have that set too including the add-on car. It is an outstanding set. However mine stopped working the second year and I've yet to find anyone that can fix it. And I understand I'm not alone in the fact that many, many of these sets just stopped functioning.
“Yellow Belly” Hudson with passenger cars. That was 1995 I was 13 yrs old I wanted that so bad!
Awesome list choices! I do agree with the lionel prr t-1 they do need to bring it back since they only made the scale model once and the lionmaster one twice. Same for the Hiawatha too it was an amazing set they made back then and it’s pretty hard to find nowadays.
Love those choices, Eric. They need to put a link in the catalogue to a video of the new stuff running for those looking at the catalogue on a computer or cell phone.
Not sure if anyone's ever made an o scale Baldwin 60000, but making that in prototypical and fantasy roadnames would be cool too!
Great list! Love your number one pick the Hiawatha as well! Fun fact … We live in Kansas and there is a Hiawatha, KS! Anyway if Lionel brought back the Hiawatha I would definitely get one. Loved several of your other picks as well. If anyone has some pull in this hobby your it Big Guy!
Need some Pennsy and Long Island G5’s with Legacy
Another good one they should bring back is the C&O streamlined Hudson, as a full scale model. Great video Eric, different kind from norm, you should do more of these top 10 type videos.
Wow the Hiawatha sets are for sale on eBay for 5 thousand! Thanks you for sharing this video!
Absolutely agree with the T1, but instead of the 4-4-2 hiawatha, I want to see a modern hiawatha hudson F7. You can find Weaver models around, but I don’t know if one has been produced by Lionel or MTH recently enough.
I agree with numbers 6 and 11. See what I did there? N&W 611! Not to mention I really like Hudson locomotives and GP38-2s.
Bringing back the operating accessories in a big way along with more variety (and affordability!) in the Traditional O/semi scale line would be very welcome in my opinion.
That being said, I'm actually more interested to see what Menards is going to cook up next now that the F-Unit is out. Maybe some Geeps or other 4 axle power on the same chassis with a new shell on top, or, and I'm really crossing my fingers here, a steam loco....Yes please!
I wonder if Atlas will re-release their Amtrak Dash 8 models, or do a new run using MTH's toolings
There are some great choices that I've forgotten about. Great job Eric ! 👍👍👍
I would love to see the Lionchief 2.0 bigboy for us that have smaller layouts!!!!
While the Veranda Turbine has been rebooted lately, I would love to see the Army and UP Verandas return as Vision products.
I'd also like to see the Minuteman missile car and train set return as a pair of Vision products, perhaps a realistic version featuring the real-world inspiration for the train, the Peacemaker Rail Garrison. Standard GP38-2 or SD40-2 locomotive painted in UP or ATSF colors, and missile launch cars that look like standard box cars until the missile is revealed.
With sound and smoke for the missile launch, command control operations and a realistic launch gantry that rises into position in slow motion, and stabilizers that deploy from the boxcar corners. Basically, a mobile version of their new Rocket Launch Pad accessory.
Someone else suggested the railroad tugboats and I could see that as a Vision accessory too. Having them as actual RC boats that can float and have an engine in them would be nice, but they'd also need to have a base so you can stick them on your layout. Those tugboats would fit in VERY well on certain RUclips layouts as well, such as the one owned by PGHTrainFanatic.
That was a very interesting video Eric, thanks for sharing. My own opinion, of course, but I would be quite happy when(and if)Lionel decides to go into the N scale market.
Some solid choices here. Love subway stuff, know all of the variations of the NYC subway probably too well. 😂 the t1 may be coming back sooner than you think since they are building that real one from scratch.
I really Miss the Lackawanna MU cars that Lionel offered in 1992. My future plans for a future layout is too model the Eric Lackawanna rail line
Very well done video Eric! As time goes on the prototype engines will defiantly be remade. The fantasy ones similar ones will be made possibly
I think you should do a 3rd rail electric train once , it would fit the 3-rail O Scale
I did hear you correct I need to find the Lincoln funeral vid. Oh man the T-1 4444 duplex. Our did I not seeing Lincolns funeral, not showing up in a search. TY
I just want to see a new Erie Lackawanna set brought back I grew up alongside tracks in Pennsylvania. I have looked online at sets so far and some look good but my luck on used stuff is limited.
Lionel made a Texas Special passenger consist in 2015. Honestly, I would love to see all of the items return.
I think the Hiawatha Scaleset would definitely sell.
I think the T1 was one of the engines involved in the MTH lawsuit. I've been hoping they'll make a brass hybrid of all 3 versions of it.
This is a rather good list! Im suprised its been that long for the hiawatha and Prr t-1. Those are some major pieces that would sell well i would think they know that. I present one other pick lionel has never dared to touch for some reason... a vision line Reading Crusader. The best model was by Weaver and in terms of electronics its quite outdated and with lionel's additional features it would be i believe a fantastic seller.
How about some cool rolling stock? Visionline ethanol tankers! They are impossible to find and when they do show up, $$$$
Eric, Lionel is going to do what Lionel wants to do whether it makes any sense to you or anyone else. My biggest complaint with them are their prices. It's getting down to the point that the only ones who can afford their offerings are the Kardashians.
Paul, while I agree the prices are pretty high, if you look at the price of Lionel back in the day and calculate it with inflation, it’s pretty much on par with itself. Lionel has never been “cheap,” not by a longshot.
@Lionel Trains RUclips Channel.
@Eric's Trains, I believe the reason that Lionel is not producing the NYC MTA Subways. is because the Subway sets were produced under license from the New York City Metropolitan Transit Auth.
If Lionel no longer has licensing permission from NYCMTA, they can't produce the Subway sets. Lionel would have to produce Subways, using the former MTH tooling, but only if Lionel acquired the Subway tooling.
-JP
Fun Video Eric! You got me thinking of my picks now. 😆👊🚂
Lionel: please reissue the standard gauge fantasy Hiawatha set with optional Legacy electronics.
I got my lionchief Hudson last year and love it. I hope Lionel does a Chessie T1. But if they bring the 700E back I will have to put that on layaway
Another great video ! All are good candidates !
i Wish they would bring back the alleghney 2-6-6-6 scale model some thing about it makes it my fav!
I need another Lionel southern Atlantic mine derailed and now it has a software bug
Have the HHP-8. Beautiful set but would love to have it with legacy.
I'd like a T1 Duplex in LionMaster or because LionMaster seems to be defunct, Lionchief + 2.0. At least something that can navigate 048 minimum. They did a LionMaster run back in TMCC days.
Great video Eric!
not only should the BB1 be brought back but one in S gauge I got a pair some years ago awesome and I have the T1 lionmaster enjoy
I would say another engine they should get Lionel has not done in a while, correct me if I’m wrong would be the scale S2 turbine.
The other two locomotives I was concerned that they were never going to release, was the southern Pacific Atlantic and the Dreyfus Hudson but they did those within the last five years. Both those locomotives came out around year 2000.
Pennsylvania t1 and what about a q2? The 700e would be awesome too. What about the postwar celebration series?
Eric! You've mentioned in a previous video that you live in the Atlanta area. So do I! I've always had a thing for model railroading since I was a kid and I have the itch to get back into the hobby. Are there any local shops you recommend checking out? The only one I know of really is Hobbytown USA in Kennesaw.
Eric, Is there a possibility that you can prepare a video similar to this about bringing back post-war accessories?
Ricky Dolifka is in my model railroad group tinplate trackers of Austin texas
I believe that the pennsy cc2 and the scale polar express needs to come back. The original run with the correct placement of the lettering on the cars