2-10-10-2 Arrival (and problems)

@SB30 posted:

It's very glossy, almost like it's after a restoration version if there ever would've been one. I think some nice heavyweight Santa Fe passenger cars and a fantasy excursion train are in the works for this

Without a doubt! RBP trains has a Black Bonnet video and he pairs his BB Northern with some MTH plated streamliners and it looks super sharp.

@Rusty Traque posted:

It was an unsuccessful freight locomotive.  The were eventually rebuilt into 2-10-2's between 1915-1918.

Rusty

So...to my mind, this is kind of an odd choice, is it not? Seems like a lot of effort,$$, etc on Lionel's part to tool up and offer a model of "an unsuccessful freight locomotive"...🤔

Maybe some day they will put together a nice, "short line" type of steam engine, like a low-drivered 2-8-0 or something...

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

So...to my mind, this is kind of an odd choice, is it not? Seems like a lot of effort,$$, etc on Lionel's part to tool up and offer a model of "an unsuccessful freight locomotive"...🤔

Yes, but that's the beauty of this hobby. To bring cool engines like this back to life that were expiramental or lost to history. Who cares how successful or unsuccessful it was in real life. You see an engine like this and immediately it catches your attention

Lionel has done several one-off engines, so nothing new here.  A lot of folks like collecting engines from different eras, especially unique ones like this.  While less successful than Virginia’s 2-10-10-2, this was probably the better choice.

For me, a fantasy scheme works best for this engine.  Why not use it with matching lightweight passenger cars for an excursion train on your modern era layout?

The Erie Triplex was a failure in real life. It has to be one of the coolest model train engines ever produced. Multiple runs in multiple scales from MTH. Boy if Lionel ever got a hold of the molds for it and did a Legacy version. There would be a line to buy them.

@Dave_C posted:

The Erie Triplex was a failure in real life. It has to be one of the coolest model train engines ever produced. Multiple runs in multiple scales from MTH. Boy if Lionel ever got a hold of the molds for it and did a Legacy version. There would be a line to buy them.

It might have the most pre orders of any vision line or high end legacy steam engine ever, I'd definitely get one

I will admit that a great number of years ago before O Scale started getting into scale locomotives, I did see an article in one of those other publications on this engine. I fell in love with it right from the get go probably because it was something I'd never seen before.

To further this though, yeah the engine was an overall bust in the end. As stated before on numerous occasions, there are quite a few engines that fall into that category but there is a want for these things regardless of the cold hard truth. To put this further into perspective, musicians that a good majority of people enjoy seem to fall right into this as well. There are a number of them that are considered one hit wonders or not even that, but we love them and listen to them.

Any way the pie is sliced, it is still going to get eaten. Sometimes there are bigger slices, other times they are small. There's always some kind of draw.

@SB30 posted:

It's very glossy, almost like it's after a restoration version if there ever would've been one. I think some nice heavyweight Santa Fe passenger cars and a fantasy excursion train are in the works for this

I'm not too concerned if mine is glossy. I intend to weather it one day anyway.

I think scale models of engines that failed in real life are cool. I also think articulated steamers get more attention because you can fit more stuff in them. There is usually a lot of real estate in the boiler for smoke units and electronics of all types.

I just received mine and it is a beauty!   I got the 3001 instead of the true fantasy schemes, in part because I wanted the engine that starred in the 1915 silent film “Hazards of Helen: The Leap from the Water Tower.”  If you haven’t seen it, it’s available on Youtube.   Some very nice footage of the 3001 pulling a short train.  

One TINY little, easily avoided problem, is the super cool cow catcher on the back of the tender often decouples cars that have thumb tack couplers.  The cow catcher is just long enough and at just the right height.  No big deal; the first car after the tender just has to have no thumb tack.  But it made me think there was something wrong with the coupler on my $2200 engine when it first happened!  

@Strummer posted:

So...to my mind, this is kind of an odd choice, is it not? Seems like a lot of effort,$$, etc on Lionel's part to tool up and offer a model of "an unsuccessful freight locomotive"...🤔

Mark in Oregon

I believe these were originally produced as Lionels second VL locomotive. The first was the all new Pennsy cc2 0-8-8-0 back in 2009.

At the time Lionel was describing vision line as unique never done before locos with all the added " bells (swinging) and smoking whistles and everything else.

Over time the VL has morphed into rehashes of previous run "existing tooling"locomotives with added goodies.

I think Lionel realized they could market anything with the VL label after the VL Hudson ,which as cool as it is. Is a poorly detailed model due to the antiquated tooling. Having said that. These hudsons regularly get over msrp on the secondary market.

While out of my price range. I prefer the stigma of the really unique first vl models.

@SB30 posted:

It's very glossy, almost like it's after a restoration version if there ever would've been one. I think some nice heavyweight Santa Fe passenger cars and a fantasy excursion train are in the works for this

Eye candy for sure. Definitely a fantasy piece, so why not a fantasy passenger train. Not in the era, but I ordered 2 of these from Pats trains.. Maybe he could do some fantasy passenger cars. Of course I've already blown my train budget for a few years

@SuperChief posted:

Just like real life!

Who's gonna be the first to saw theirs in half and make two decapods?......just like real life...

@Strummer posted:

So...to my mind, this is kind of an odd choice, is it not? Seems like a lot of effort,$$, etc on Lionel's part to tool up and offer a model of "an unsuccessful freight locomotive"...🤔

Maybe some day they will put together a nice, "short line" type of steam engine, like a low-drivered 2-8-0 or something...

Mark in Oregon

Apparently, it's all Neil Youngs fault. ;~)

@Ford33 posted:

Apparently, it's all Neil Youngs fault. ;~)

I did not know ol' Neil was a 2-10-10-2 fan...I know he likes Martins 🎸...🙂

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

So...to my mind, this is kind of an odd choice, is it not? Seems like a lot of effort,$$, etc on Lionel's part to tool up and offer a model of "an unsuccessful freight locomotive"...🤔

Maybe some day they will put together a nice, "short line" type of steam engine, like a low-drivered 2-8-0 or something...

Mark in Oregon

Lionel moves in mysterious ways...  Look at how many Pennsy Turbines Lionel sold over the decades, an unsuccessful locomotive that was scrapped after six years.

Rusty

Here are my pics of the new 2-10-10-2.  This is a beauty indeed.  The only problem I had was the yellow step had broke off and boiler plate feel off.  A little glue and back in business.  Be careful with this engine, lots o small parts. I do love the HOOTER, not that kind but the whistle.😀

I would have got the one with the yellow strip in retrospect.

Thanks for the heads up on the small parts!

Well it did actually arrive today. So here it is on my parents kitchen counter.

It's a pretty awesome locomotive! Definitely need some lubrication on the tender unless it's normal for the wheels to make a noise when you spin them. Looks like the front of the locomotive is lubed pretty good though. My paint job isn't overly glossy. I love the blackened wheels and whatnot though. I was in a hurry so I couldn't get a good cab pic but I should have some time later on to post more pics. The sand domes actually come off pretty easy if you grab the sides of it instead of trying to flip it up with your fingernail. I can't wait to actually run it! I'll be quite pleased with this if it's electronically functional.

Hopefully these photos post right! I'm doing this from my phone.

Quick pic

I don't know what magic they used for the firebox but it looks amazing. I have no power to this engine in the attached photos. Pretty wild stuff.

I also noticed a piece of plastic under the plate that sits on the tender from the cab (I can't think of the real name). That's a nice touch.

@BillYo414 posted:

I don't know what magic they used for the firebox but it looks amazing. I have no power to this engine in the attached photos. Pretty wild stuff.

I also noticed a piece of plastic under the plate that sits on the tender from the cab (I can't think of the real name). That's a nice touch.

Very nice! I believe the term you are looking for is tender deck plate.

@Rusty Traque posted:

Lionel moves in mysterious ways...  Look at how many Pennsy Turbines Lionel sold over the decades, an unsuccessful locomotive that was scrapped after six years.

Rusty

The S2 was not scrapped for purely operational reasons.  The S2 was competitive on longer routes where it could maintain speed (above 40mph), plus it was a crowd pleaser.  Its high appetite at low speeds could have been solved if it were not for the arrival of diesels.  It was scrapped because of turbine damage in 1949, and to the Pennsy's bean counters it did not make since to fix it.

Why did Lionel decide to make it?  Like the 2-10-10-2, it is an awesome locomotive.

A little running session today.

Here's my 3001 I just got.  Ignore the mess in the background layout is still a WIP. 

Very beautiful model, the blow down and whistle are strong smokers, and the bell looks amazing swinging, I love the stereo sounds and the detail is top notch!

I like that this is not only a strange obscure engine, but it also is from the early 1910s which most of the o gauge engines (not all) today come from the 20s-50s so it's also unique in that respect

@BillYo414 posted:

I don't know what magic they used for the firebox but it looks amazing. I have no power to this engine in the attached photos. Pretty wild stuff.

I also noticed a piece of plastic under the plate that sits on the tender from the cab (I can't think of the real name). That's a nice touch.

Yeah, the deck plate has been something that has been improved quite a bit. The CCII Niagara's one was diecast, which broke as easily as snapping a toothpick. Since then many improvents have come about, the plastic to cut out(hopefully) metal on metal rubbing. I don't remember if Lionel was the first to do that or not as my first time seeing it was a video on Eric's Trains a good number of years ago(maybe VL Hudson).

Great looking locomotive, that much is sure. Be a bit before I get mine even though it is in. I have a few other engines and such ahead of that which must come home first. 😊

Thanks for the videos! I can't wait to run mine. When would blowdown realistically be used in real life?

I'm glad the deck plate is improve and I'm glad it's there in general. The gap has always bugged me even though I hardly notice it once the train is moving.

Why can't people turn the phone sideways and shoot in landscape to make videos better???????????

@SuperChief posted:

A little running session today.

WOW!

Apologies for the phone not being in landscape mode. I usually do this, but with holding the legacy remote in my right hand trying to access the features and my phone on my left hand its difficult to get landscape and keep the phone from shifting when I press and release the record button. I made the video above initially for only myself and originally did not intend to post on ogr forum which explains the lack of quality.

Aside from that have you guys opened up the boiler front and seen that there was actual detail in there? I can get photos, but its cool to see!!

@BillYo414 I believe what a steam "blow down" is usually for is to release steam from the boiler at the end of the run before cleaning the firebox and putting the engine to sleep.  I'm not sure if this blowdown is for that or if it might be for releasing condensation from the boiler similar to a cylinder cock.  I bet the steam experts here will probably weigh in much better than I!

Best,

Gino Fabbricante

I knew it cleaned out the boiler but I wasn't sure if when they did it @Gino Fabbricante. It looks like it works very well on this model! Thank you for posting the video!

@BillYo414 posted:

I knew it cleaned out the boiler but I wasn't sure if when they did it @Gino Fabbricante. It looks like it works very well on this model! Thank you for posting the video!

How often depends on the RR and who you ask. Blowing down is used to release scale from the mud ring and any other foreign substances. On Live steam models, this would also serve as a way to drop the boiler pressure and “shut down” the locomotive. On the prototype they would instead drop the fire, build a small warming fire (to keep some boiler pressure), and build a new fire for when the locomotive is called for a train.
Onto how often they blowdown. It usually is done after the locomotive is steamed for the day. Other times, it is done at clearings (bridges, fields, etc.) or certain locations. For the Santa Fe, and all other RRs, engineers would blowdown for how ever many miles traveled. Here is a great video of a SF engineer driving a 3460 class that mentions their blowdown procedure.

@Trainmaster04

Thanks for sharing that video!  Its easy to romanticize steam and forget how complicated the operation can really be.  Although,  a beast that size pounding away at 93 mph would be a sight to see!

@Trainmaster04 posted:

How often depends on the RR and who you ask. Blowing down is used to release scale from the mud ring and any other foreign substances. On Live steam models, this would also serve as a way to drop the boiler pressure and “shut down” the locomotive. On the prototype they would instead drop the fire, build a small warming fire (to keep some boiler pressure), and build a new fire for when the locomotive is called for a train.
Onto how often they blowdown. It usually is done after the locomotive is steamed for the day. Other times, it is done at clearings (bridges, fields, etc.) or certain locations. For the Santa Fe, and all other RRs, engineers would blowdown for how ever many miles traveled. Here is a great video of a SF engineer driving a 3460 class that mentions their blowdown procedure.

I learned a lot from this video - I never realized that the crew was so active every minute.

I just pull the lever to make 'em go.

Thanks for sharing Trainmaster04!

@jhz563 posted:

@Trainmaster04

Thanks for sharing that video!  Its easy to romanticize steam and forget how complicated the operation can really be.  Although,  a beast that size pounding away at 93 mph would be a sight to see!

Pretty awesome video!

I'm looking at this engine and wondering what half the pipes and stuff are even for. I'm considering posting a topic with lots of arrows asking what all this stuff is. I get the basic idea of how a steamer works. But I don't know what all this extra stuff is.

Not that I broke anything, but when does Lionel post the exploded parts diagram stuff to the website? I don't want to take mine apart before warranty ends but I'm curious to see the innards of the locomotive. Sometimes the exploded parts view gives an idea of orientation inside.

UPS just dropped mine off. Here’s hoping shipping didn’t mess anything up. I’ll post photos/videos once I get it out.

@BillYo414 posted:

Not that I broke anything, but when does Lionel post the exploded parts diagram stuff to the website? I don't want to take mine apart before warranty ends but I'm curious to see the innards of the locomotive. Sometimes the exploded parts view gives an idea of orientation inside.

Your best bet would probably use the original 2-10-10-2 parts view for now.
https://www.lionelsupport.com/...9b-a360-659e0d29ff64

I hope it's good @Trainmaster04. And thanks! I didn't think of that.

@BillYo414 posted:

I hope it's good @Trainmaster04. And thanks! I didn't think of that.

Happy to help! Unfortunately, all is not well. I got the engine on the tracks and overall, it is stunning on the outside! On the inside, well. The board fried after a couple of minutes into its break in run. In the video you can see it smokes a tone, runs smoothly, and then dies at the end. I got close to the locomotive and I smelt the dreaded fried electronic smell.

Wow, I'm really sorry man I mean it's great it's under warranty but that the same time, that's irritating. Any idea what caused it? Or what can cause this sort of thing? Just a wire or board coming in contact with the shell?