@2012ford posted:Is anyone going for the brass hybrid challengers
Absolutely!
The #3834 Greyhound, #3819, #3836, #3815 would be the ones.
@vash44 posted:Absolutely!
The #3834 Greyhound, #3819, #3836, #3815 would be the ones.
are you really going to spend 10K on four challengers? kudos to you, if you are.
i'm curious about these...but I won't contemplate buying one until I see and hear the real deal.
would also have to sell one or two steamers from the current roster to help offset the cost.
I already have several Challengers, so those aren't calling me. I'd like to buy the Strasburg #89, but I'm leery of committing to a pre-order with something that's so far off from the prototype, at least according to the catalog pictures.
I also like the Strasburg Mogul, but after my experience with the custom run Hudson from a couple years ago, never buying any Lionel steam engine sight unseen again.
I know ... ENVY is a deadly sin, but ...
I envy hobbyists/collectors who can buy one or more of the top-of-the-line Lionel locomotives. However, my one-item "wish list" is (hopefully) do-able and affordable: a Bay Window Caboose with "LIONEL STEEL" décor, lighting, and an onboard smoke unit. If manufactured, it would complete my "Lionel Steel" train set.
Mike Mottler LCCA 12394
The L1 Mikado looks interesting given the unusually reasonable price.
looks like an MTH tooling
could it be a former RailKing model?
My copy of the catalog arrived in the mail yesterday.
Neal Jeter
@Cogen1981 posted:The L1 Mikado looks interesting given the unusually reasonable price.
looks like an MTH tooling
could it be a former RailKing model?
It’s the former MTH Premier tooling. At least that seems to be the consensus.
@Cogen1981 posted:The L1 Mikado looks interesting given the unusually reasonable price.
looks like an MTH tooling
could it be a former RailKing model?
That is without a shadow of a doubt the old Premier line tooling. Same with the J3a.
Mr. Muffin's put out his custom run list. L1 in red, not my cup of tea. Was that even a real thing for the Pacific? A few Mogul runs, bunch of diesels too. I'm sticking with what I ordered.
Another Mr. Muffins custom run! I am a sucker for SD70's and have grateful to see this offered!
METCA Lionel P51 Mustang Legacy SD70ACE
The North American P-51 Mustang is by far the most iconic warbird in military aviation history. Credited for winning the war in the skies during World War II, this fighter-bomber continued in active service into the Korean War. Most P51's had great paint scheme details with many having unique names and pinup art on the nose. METCA's Military Aviation SD70ACE captures the essence of the planes of that era. Featuring pinup girl artwork of Lil' Darling on the side of the cab along with olive drab paint and simulated polished aluminum along with yellow checkerboard and mid-body stripes of planes Gunfighter and Da'Quake, this full featured Legacy loco (see Lionel 2022 Volume 2 catalog for all features) is the perfect engine to pull that long string of flat cars with military loads and/or Lionel's Wings of Angels aviation themed box cars. Get FREE SHIPPING if you reserve by paying in full or reserve with only a deposit and $20 shipping will be added to the balance due when these are ready to ship. This loco includes a special Aux-3 AIR RAID SIREN sound feature when operating from the Legacy control system.
^^^ Another home run Stu!!!!
@rplst8 posted:It’s the former MTH Premier tooling. At least that seems to be the consensus.
Thanks for the reply,
I was just skeptical because previously Lionel rebranded other RailKing models like the RS-27, and marketed it under the legacy line of products with a $600 Price tag
@Berkshire President posted:are you really going to spend 10K on four challengers? kudos to you, if you are.
i'm curious about these...but I won't contemplate buying one until I see and hear the real deal.
would also have to sell one or two steamers from the current roster to help offset the cost.
That is the current plan. Don't get me wrong, the ones I am looking at may not get the required orders to get produced. I did purchase several of the VL Challengers, but some were really tough to find and costly due to low stock and higher cost by not getting my preorder in.
@vash44 posted:That is the current plan. Don't get me wrong, the ones I am looking at may not get the required orders to get produced. I did purchase several of the VL Challengers, but some were really tough to find and costly due to low stock and higher cost by not getting my preorder in.
Hope it works out for you.
Both my VL UP 3985 Challenger and VL SP 4449 had to go back to Lionel. For the most part, they were serviced and returned to me quickly. I very much enjoy running them.....but I've become uncomfortable with their price point.
How much money can I tie up in model trains that will very likely have insufficient repair parts available in 5-10 years?
"I'm out of the contest, Jerry!!!!" 
I got an answer from Ryan at Lionel regarding Strasburg #89:
Thank you, I’m sure the Forum has been buzzing as we’ve been getting lots of emails. In answer to your questions:
- Spoked pilot wheels on all Strasburg versions
- Front steps on all Strasburg versions (they were not on the original designs but that is being corrected.)
- Steam chests will be as-is using the existing tooling. Correcting this would be very involved.
- The 1970s headlight will be in a proper position and not as shown in catalog.
@Mike H Mottler posted:I know ... ENVY is a deadly sin, but ...
I envy hobbyists/collectors who can buy one or more of the top-of-the-line Lionel locomotives. However, my one-item "wish list" is (hopefully) do-able and affordable: a Bay Window Caboose with "LIONEL STEEL" décor, lighting, and an onboard smoke unit. If manufactured, it would complete my "Lionel Steel" train set.
Mike Mottler LCCA 12394
preach
the more i look at those L1's and the cumberland valley set the more i want that set and the lehigh new england L1
Well, that's mostly good news. I wonder what it would take to "mold" a better looking set of cylinders for the Mogul?
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Well, that's mostly good news. I wonder what it would take to "mold" a better looking set of cylinders for the Mogul?
Ask Pete …
@Cogen1981 posted:Thanks for the reply,
I was just skeptical because previously Lionel rebranded other RailKing models like the RS-27, and marketed it under the legacy line of products with a $600 Price tag
I didn’t realize the RS-27 was one of the ones they acquired, but I think it was once Premier tooling.
I really don't need any trains...but it will be hard to pass on the NYSW 3012. They are technically SD33ECO these days, but 3012 and 3016 venture down this way and run right by my house on a regular basis on the road train from Ridgefield Park, NJ to Binghamton, NY. Also, is it just me, or do minimum radius seem lower on some of the Legacy diesels in the catalog? I thought it was pretty standard to see O54 on most offerings, but the SD40s are listed at O31, and the SD70ACEs are listed at O36. That would make them runnable on my smaller layout...
Questions regarding the SD40t-2:
-Is this unit different than previous releases of the SD40t-2 ? For example, is there still issues with the fuel tank size which is a result of the motor placement on the front truck- if I recall correctly.
Basically- better, legit new tooling Sd40t-2? Or no? I'm unfortunately assuming the latter since it has o-31 min. curves like the 2017 releases.
Thanks for any help in regards to this issue!
@vash44 posted:
METCA Lionel P51 Mustang Legacy SD70ACE
The North American P-51 Mustang is by far the most iconic warbird in military aviation history. Credited for winning the war in the skies during World War II, this fighter-bomber continued in active service into the Korean War. Most P51's had great paint scheme details with many having unique names and pinup art on the nose. METCA's Military Aviation SD70ACE captures the essence of the planes of that era. Featuring pinup girl artwork of Lil' Darling on the side of the cab along with olive drab paint and simulated polished aluminum along with yellow checkerboard and mid-body stripes of planes Gunfighter and Da'Quake, this full featured Legacy loco (see Lionel 2022 Volume 2 catalog for all features) is the perfect engine to pull that long string of flat cars with military loads and/or Lionel's Wings of Angels aviation themed box cars. Get FREE SHIPPING if you reserve by paying in full or reserve with only a deposit and $20 shipping will be added to the balance due when these are ready to ship. This loco includes a special Aux-3 AIR RAID SIREN sound feature when operating from the Legacy control system.
^^^ Another home run Stu!!!!
Thank you. Initial response is better than expected. Doing these custom runs takes a lot of financial risk. Glad when folks like them.
Stu
@GregK posted:Also, is it just me, or do minimum radius seem lower on some of the Legacy diesels in the catalog? I thought it was pretty standard to see O54 on most offerings, but the SD40s are listed at O31, and the SD70ACEs are listed at O36. That would make them runnable on my smaller layout...
@StevefromPA posted:Basically- better, legit new tooling Sd40t-2? Or no? I'm unfortunately assuming the latter since it has o-31 min. curves like the 2017 releases.
The SD40T types aren’t listed as having the kinematic pilots with the scale coupler mounts that the normal SD40/-2 models now have, so they should have the familiar swiveling pilots to navigate O-31 curves like the tunnel motor models Lionel has offered before.
Shame, since I’d love to get a Southern Pacific Kodachrome model, but it would be better IMO if they had the kinematic pilots…or maybe they wouldn’t considering the older tooled -2 models did get them starting in 2018 and it hasn’t made much of an improvement in appearance since the trucks are still mounted too far back on the frame, unlike the better looking, regular 40 models Lionel’s been making since 2015.
@rplst8 posted:
I stuck those two parts on my last Lionel order, that way I can at least attempt the mod. 
