ConCor1934 Pioneer Zephyr NEW for $239 I already got mine end of december, but this is the hottest price I have sen online. Scroll down a bit below the pre-order for teh silver streak version. http://www.some train store.com/manufacturer/concorn.html#issteam [ January 12, 2006, 10:00 PM: Message edited by: Kozmo ]
Thanks for the info Kozmo. I stumbled accross that price as well and it almost pushed me over the line towards purchase. I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but I'm also now seeing the fourth car available for pre-order in the ~$100 range. Since this is a price-focused thread ( ), I'll share a few more thoughts on the topic. Even at the great MBKlein price, we're still looking at close to $350 for a single powered, four unit N scale passenger set. Is it accurate? Is it high quality? From all reports, the answers to both would be YES! Is it something I want to spend $350 for? No. At least, not yet..... I'm a big Burlington Route fan, but that is probably driven mainly by my interest in post-war passenger trains/equipment. That being said, I've been drawn into comparing this Zephyr offering with Kato's latest offering - the Super Chief. Since I already have way too much stuff (like many of you, I'm sure), I'm considering whether or not I would get more enjoyment out of an ABBA/12 car Kato-quality famous passenger train or a somewhat more obscure (at least for someone born in 1960) consist like the Pioneer Zephyr. The Kato set isn't much more money, and if resale interest enters the equation, the Kato set will likely be much more in demand a few years down the road. I'll probably just procrastinate into doing nothing.....which is okay; since I've been trying to get out of the habit of buying "everything." Of course, that will just free up some funds for more IMRC CB&Q "greyback" F units, which are supposed to be showing up soon. (that's a no brainer)
Surprisingly Concor stuff fetches pretty good money on ebay. I would expect the CC Zephyr to hold its value at least as well as the Kato
Looking at the history of the Zephyr I realize how ignorant I am about this train. This thing ran until 1960!
Yep. A few of them were used, I believe, from St. Louis north on some shorter routes. I think it was to either Burlington or Galesburg, but that's just off the top of my head. I have a book with some pretty good photos of them in their later days. Of course, the Concor offering doesn't look quite right for this time period since it's missing the big MARS light on the top.
You don't have to buy the 4th car. 4th car seems pricey to me. but I have seen 4th car for $99 pre order. Without it it is only $239. mine was only $216 with tax out the door at a LHS. I bought it cause it is so nice, unique and most of all, I like it. I wanted something special. Yes, it is like a powered loco and 2 passenger cars for $239 ($216) but more unique too. also most passenger cars are not lighted espcially as nice as these with bluish LEDs to simulate the floresent lighting of the pioneer zephyr. The 4th car seems expensive to me, considering it is 1/2 the price I paid for the whole 3 car train. but I bet they will be cheaper when released as the zephyr as dropped lower than pre-order price. also, 4th car not due till fall, so as the LHS has it's next roudn of annual christmas 40% of coupons, I'll pick one (maybe 2?) up 40%. you can add more than the 4th car. btw, I was at the LHS today where I bought my zephyr from, they have another, same price, and I have 1 more coupon left. but I don't think I'll buy it.
True. This is reminiscent of a Lionel marketing approach from, I think, the 80's. They would sell a passenger set and then come back a year or so later with one or two add-on cars that were fairly pricey. Add in the "limited release" status and the hobby shops stood to make a pretty good margin on any that they could get. Personally, I found that approach pretty distasteful as a consumer, and fortunately we haven't seen it much in N scale. I think Kato adopted that approach for a while until competition caught up and they were forced to change their approach. Even if I do wind up buying the Zephyr (and as the price drops, that likelihood increases), I highly doubt I would pay $100 for a single add-on passenger car. For me, that would be just plain silly. There are so many other ways to use that kind of money.
$100 is a bit pricey for the fourth car, considering you can buy the three unit set for $239. Stay cool and run steam...
I'm a big Burlington fan too, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on the Zephyr. Its just a bit too rich for my blood, especially with the IM Burlington grayback F3's due out next month. Still, its good to see that Con Cor has returned to modeling in good form with excellent models in the Zephyr and the 2-10-2. Lets hope Big Jim continues to crank out some new and interesting models or at least keep re-running the good ones he has (Northerns, Hudsons, 2-10-2's. etc.). And then there's the upcoming goose...
well, I bought a ConCor 4-6-4 steamer for $161 years ago, and the 1934 zephyr 3 car for $216, so when you think that, it aint so bad for a real nice 3 car train.
That's true Kozmo. I guess my real problem is that there is just too dang much stuff coming out these days.
