1/2 way there with a Thank you for your helpful comments!

There's no turning back now Walt. Congrats and enjoy.

Welcome to the shiny side!

Walt:

When you are ready to construct a new platform give me a yell.

Mark

I just took a look at the 2013 LCT catalog, and the only electrics with passenger cars I saw are a couple of 256 sets.  Very nice, to be sure, but do be aware that the 256 Electric is a large engine, even for O gauge.  Truth is, it's the largest of the O gauge engines.  I have three of them--orange, red, and blue--but they are very large compared to nearly all other O gauge engines.

Just something to be aware of.

Nice move Walt!  That's a good looking set.

I'm hoping it won't be too long a wait for my NH 256 Electric and cars.  I know the paint job is way wrong  , but I really like the look of that set.

Will be looking for you at York!

Ed

Allan is right about the 256s. They are big. I have the orange version (the “Great Pumpkin”  ) that was cataloged a few years back. Even though I had read about them being among the largest O gauge models ever, I was still surprised when it arrived.

Can’t say I’m disappointed in it,  but it really dwarfs everything else on my O gauge tinplate layout.   

Walt,

Good luck with your foray into tinplate--it is a lot of fun,everything works .  While I have the standard gauge versions,the red Christmas Sets are a real blast,you cannot go wrong.

Norm

Congrats Walt!

While at York, don't forget you'll need a loop of standard gauge track to wrap around your  

The American Flyer Iron Monarch in the video below was my first Tinplate Train. Proportions are much better than an o-gauge model under the tree. (personal taste)

I also ran across a modern LCT 262E with the blue 1695 passenger cars for the Christmas/winter layout. Lovely and nostalgic as well.

Good choice Walt. I have the Baby Blue Comet Set with PS2 and it has the best sounding whistle of all of my MTH engines. If the PS3 whistle is the same, I'm sure that you will be impressed.

Enjoy,

That is the much smaller--as compared to the 256--O gauge electric that came in this set.  I have that set as well.  The smaller electrics (also available in a green version, and I bought two of those) rank among my favorites.  The green version came with set number 11-5506-1.

I'm not sure how many of the Lionel-color orange-and-blue sets are still available (four dealers still have the item listed as available in the MTH Product Locator), but the olive green versions of the same engine should be more readily available.

Walt, I have that electric set you mentioned (11-5508-1) and it really is a neat little set.  When I first saw the set in the catalog it didn't do much for me but I later saw it in person at a train show at the MTH booth and I really liked it.  That's happened to me on many occasions where I see an item in the catalog and it doesn't excite me but I later see the same item in person and the next thing you know I buying the set.  I have found that the catalogs pictures rarely do justice to the actual item.

John.

John: that's almost exactly what happened to me!  I never ever thought I would like the electrics based on pictures in catalogues and OGR.  THEN....  my forum friend Ryan brought his to my house to run on a temp layout to see what will work with my track and switches and what won't.

We unpacked his orange and blue electric with matching passenger car and once we put it on the track and I had a chance to run it my mind went thru an instant transformation!

Now when I look at them in the catalogues I have a new likeness.

It's going to REALLY hard to pick my 2nd, and final, tin-plate train!  There are several that I really, really like and now that electrics have thrown a hat in the ring, WOW!

- walt