A question of Texas Specials

Interesting question. If I has to chose between the PWC set which would include the ABBA F3 diesels and the 7 car set that was made to go with it verses the Niel Young set, I would go with the PWC set, hands down. You can add to the equation if your layout can handle 0-72, the TS set from 2006 with the 21" K-Line cars by Lionel and the E7s would be the best choice as this set has Legacy.

Let us know what you decide.

Interesting posts....and see that is my dilemma,

I love the Post War look and actually have the PWC "2nd A" unit...when I bought it, I thought it was the actuall "1st A Unit", but it is the addon.

Thus, there is no sound, although it is TMCC.

Sound confusing? Sure was! Imagine how I felt, when after half a days of research I had a product that was not what I thought.

Regardless, I like it and would not mind getting the AB for it.

But...for the price of what you must pay for the PWC AB unit with TMCC, I can get the brand spanking new Neil Young TX Spc with Legacy as an AA unit for $500+.

Thats ano brainer.

Those E7s sound really really good...unfortunately no room for 072 curves on my layout.

Decisions...decisions...

Mark, I could not agree with you more. My first response was trying to stay within the question asked.

The photos below show the versions I personally prefer, an MTH Premier F3 set and the Lionel E7s.

PCT...your gonna make me spend more money again!

Wow, both of those are nice.

The Lionel E7 wont handle less than a 072 curve?

I am not sure, but I don't think it would look good on anything less than 0-72. The bigger issue is these diesels were only available in a set with four 21" passenger cars.

For Texas Special enthusiasts... Don't forget the MKT E8 AA's catalog'd in Lionel 2014 Vol 1 and the six matching 18" aluminum cars done up with The Texas Special lettering and LED lighting.

Although I much prefer to see these models running on broad curves above O-90+, the minimum curve specs for the E8 are listed as O-36, and for the 18" passenger cars as O-54.  Won't necessarily look pretty on those tight curves, but those are the specs.

Quite frankly, if you're pressed for real estate... Then do yourself (and the trains) a favor and go with the Neil Young Signature set. 

David

The engines in the set you are referring to are great in every respect - color, detail, sound, light and smoke. The 21" cars in the set and the add-ons are (I am sure as I have them) old K-line tooling and so first rate but even on O-72 track the overhang is really large.

Despite that, the only real downside is that the plastic windows in all of the cars eventually suffer from the Lionel crackle effect, which detracts from the set as a whole more than the fact that the cars also have K-Line style 21" car interiors, which are a little rough.

Note that the prototype Texas Special had the red stripe through the windows and doors.

Unfortunately Lionel's otherwise beautiful 15 inch cars have all red doors.(See attached photo)MTH's ABS cars were very nice, but did not carry the stripe through the door.  K Line seems to have handled the challenge correctly (See their catalog 2005 First Edition).

Lew  Schneider

Someone energetic enough could contact Lionel and suggest the doors on the NY set have just the stripes painted through the doors rather than paint the entire door. Probably not too late, given that it doesn't appear the cars will be entering production for a while.  

Thats what I am thinking...just stick with the Neil Young Set.

On that note....I have a feeling and hope they do a Neil Young Sante Fe set!

chipset:

I don't think you can go wrong with the Neil Young TS set. It looks like the full set be available until Spring, 2015.

I think right now, the Neil Young version is the ideal choice. The PWC version, nice as it is, continues to demand outrageous prices from many, especially the passenger cars. The Neil Young one seems more reasonable at the moment.

Love the scripting on the nose.

The TS NEVER had ANY domes.

Williamd did import a O-31 set of E7's, with 18" passenger cars.

They did do an ABA set of F7's, but no match to the 1945 TS units.

Willians did import a 15" 4 car AL base, and two car add on set.  Nice to run behind the 1954 engines.

Have taken the same set and run behind the Williams SD90 in the Katy Heritage.

The Williams Texas Special set is pretty darn sweet,

I run my 1954 TS 2245 and W UP 1988 using TMCC Conv.  You can really get those things to run slower than a snail.

Mark, I just got that Williams Texas Special set for $250, sealed in box new!

Dominic, You mean running a conventional loco via TMCC as opposed to directly from the transformer?

If so, can you do that with Legacy, i.e. run convention via Legacy and get it just as slow as TMCC with conventional?

I am intrigued, if this is the case.

Well...here is an update..I went with the Neil Young TS set with the passenger cars etc.

That will give me until next May (2015) to save for it, if and when it comes out at that time.

PTC, I could not find a Texas Special PWC AB set for a good price, but...I did find in addition to what I posted above; a Lionel PWC Southern F3 ABA set, new and sealed in box, for $475, which I thought was a good deal also.

I have spent less than two weeks total, in my life, in Texas.  Yet something like these trains really seem to call to me.

There is something about Texas.

Fred

I lived there 10 years, its a very unique and varied place.

But the summers are too hot!

Yeah, I dont know what it is about those Texas Specials..they have a very very high "Oh Shiny! Got Candy?" factor!