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Vision Line Passenger Cars

3K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  gunrunnerjohn 
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#1 ·
According to a reliable source with excellent access, the next Lionel Vision Line product will be a passenger car or set of cars. It will be built using the the tooling for the new 21" cars due out this Christmas as part of the Empire State Express. The 21" Vision Line Passenger Car could be announced as early as the Spring York and will have interior detail that meets or exceeds recent offerings from 3rd Rail/Sunset.

As one of the lucky owners of the recent Sunset/3rd Rail Train of Tommorrow, I can comfortably say that Lionel has it's work cut out for it. If successful, Lionel will be making a big step forward for the hobby and for all of us. I'm onboard! Is anybody taking pre-pre-pre-reservations?

Emile
 
#2 ·
Interesting. Thank you for the info.

I don't see myself ever going to 21" cars: 18" look long enough and don't overhang as much on my layout. And not to start a Lionel versus MTH war here, but I can't imagine paying anything over MTH prices for their Premier 18" cars for any Lionel passenger cars. MTH makes cars as good as 3rd Rail's, I think, and the price is just really good for what you get.

Animation could change that though - say a waitress that would slowly move up and down the aisle in a diner, a passenger (kid) that would wave, etc., or a conductor that would open the door and move out/down on the steps when a car comes to a halt, would be seriously cool and get my attention and make me buy, but (I really would do this. I'd then shorten the cars to 18" if I could.
 
#3 ·
I love the look of 21" cars, but right now I'm in Lee's camp. If they really knock one out of the park with them, and make them in a road name I'm interested in, they might suck me in. After all, I didn't really have an UP stuff, but now I have a VL-BB and more recently an FEF. I suppose anything's possible. :D
 
#6 ·
I'm hopelessly in love with 21" cars and if they are made with some really cool new features, I'm in. Lionel is such a mystery to me. They do some extremely cool scale cars, and then do something like a California Zephyr observation without a dome? They have proven that they can make the best when they want to, but I'm never sure of what to expect. In spite of my rant, I am a big Lionel fan and booster.

Art
 
#9 ·
I need to get my new sound/lighting/servo module finished, it's going to offer the ability to control two model airplane servos for animating things, LED outputs for switching lights, and of course the ability to play a bunch of unique sound files. All of this will be done by remote control, first with an RF remote, and then with a TMCC receiver such as the ERR dummy locomotive receiver.
 
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#10 ·
Thanks Emile for the heads up and inside intelligence. This would be a mjor step for Lioneol in the upscale passenger car market. I would agree with you about the GMToT, it sets a very high standard.

This is exciting news!!!!!
 
#11 ·
Greetings all passenger car aficianados. This is my first posting on this forum; my handle on the other one is Hancock52.

The news that there might be Vision Line passenger cars in our future hit me right between the eyes. As Brian says this is exciting news.

When Lionel announced that the new ABS 21" cars would have "highly detailed interiors" they also said that there would be no Little People in them, so I didn't and still don't reckon on animated figures as a feature. I think instead that the cars might have extra sound systems.

But that's just speculation. The interiors of the present-day UP excursion cars, which I agree are the most likely candidates for a VL issue, are dead simple to model compared with the GM TofT and I expect that is what Lionel are proposing to do. You can see the floor plans and pictures of the excursion cars on this UP site: https://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/historical_equipment/index.htm
 
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#13 ·
HaborBelt, boy am I glad to see you here. I always enjoyed your posts on the other forum, and since I left, I have missed seeing your input. You are sure one of the good guys.

The MTF just keeps getting better and better with these wonderful new members coming "on Board".
 
#15 ·
It means a lot to me that you guys are so welcoming. And no doubt we will have a lot to talk about given what Lionel and 3rd Rail/GGD seem to have in store for us. That said I am certainly not abandoning the other forum, which is where I learned most of what I know about model train electronics and where there is still fine input from members, manufacturers and our friendly model train vendors, but I will explain why another time.

I'm still getting used to the posting method on this forum so I think it will be a while before I start showing any photos or video clips. Also I think I need to choose some artwork!

Andy
 
#18 ·
Thanks Andy, that means a lot. I wish things were different, and I still have a lot of friends over there. Some of the stuff that has been going on is somewhat disturbing, but then I keep saying this under my breath.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
 
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