AF SD70 Photo

The S SIG will shortly be publishing a Quick Look of the AF SD70.  This photo is to wet your appetite.  Also, a comprehensive product review of a converted-to-scale Y-3 will also be published shortly.  Keep in touch at:  www.Sscale.org  

Good Day,

 

Is this a production model? Silver trucks? Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

Regards,

Swafford 

This specific engine is a York Sample which was especially made for the TCA show in York, PA.  It is not a production unit and there might well be differences.  Ed L.

Very interesting.  Add a fixed pilot, scale wheels, couplers ( which I can do) I could see this. 
Thanks Ed, for posting!

Hi John....No need for you to add a fixed pilot since Lionel/American Flyer has already provided for this in a unique manner the likes of which none of us has ever seen before.  Depending on which road name you want, you might also be able to get scale wheels factory installed. The details and photo will be forthcoming in the Quick Look soon to appear on the S SIG web site at www.Sscale.org     Cheers....Ed L.

Thanks Ed!   Is the loco horizontally driven (hopefully not thru the fuel tank) or twin vertical motors, which I believe MTH intends to do?
Will they have a straight UP version?
Any idea as to price?  It is my understanding that they will be DCC compatible.
Sorry for so many questions.

The SD70 has twin vertical can motors. 

 

There are regular UP versions avaliable as scale wheel or hirail wheel versions (separate SKU #'s)  MSRP $479.99.  The UP's are also available as non-powered versions MSRP $279.99  The Flyer coupler is mounted on both versions.  Kadee mounting brackets will be included on the scale wheel versions.

 

They are DCC compatible with no modification.

 

Rusty

> Thanks Ed!   Is the loco horizontally driven or twin vertical motors?

 

Hi John....If it runs well, what difference does it make if the motor(s) are vertical or horizontal?  Please do not tell me horizontal motors run better because that simply is not true when using DCC on the newer Lionel locos.

 

> Will they have a straight UP version? Any idea as to price?

 

You should ask these questions of Lionel direct or an authorized dealer.  Charles Ro has discount pricing.

 

>  It is my understanding that they will be DCC compatible.

 

That is what the Lionel catalog states.

 

> Sorry for so many questions.

 

It might be a good idea to read the Lionel catalog carefully and establish a relationship with an authorized Lionel dealer.

 

Take care...Ed L.

For information on the S Scale SD70ACe check out:

 

 http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=6-48166&expandBranch=0&Keywords=sd70ace&CategoryID=0&RailLineID=&CatalogId=

John, back when these were first announced, it was mentioned that they were going to have a new verison of the self-adjusting pilot that was introduced on Lionel's O scale vision line Hybrid locomotive.  It was also discussed here:

 

https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/4245430022737726

 

Kind of buried at the end, but Jon Z. made some encouraging points about how this loco would turn out.  It looks like Lionel really took this one all the way with what they indicated it would be and what the final product turned out to be.

 

If this is similar to what I had with the O scale version, all you need to do is take the body off and tighten one screw and you essentially have a "fixed" pilot.  Mine was very secure and I'm interested to see how Lionel executed a Kadee mount for these, as the original O scale version only allowed for an overiszed knuckle.

 

The only rub, IMO, is that you may want think about re-arranging the handrails if you want very strict adherence to the prototype.  Granted, you loose the ability of the pilot to pivot, but some may want to.  Myself, I just tightened the pilots down so they would not pivot at all and left the handrails as-is.  It was good enough for me.

 

IMO, this is very good news for us in S scale and the presence of a self-centering pilot puts these SD70's one notch beyond even the O scale versions that I had.  It seems to me that Lionel is taking this opportunity to try some things like these pilots and DCC compatability in S scale that they really never pushed in O scale.  Looks like a real winner if you ask me.

Thanks guys.  I have been reading the Lionel website and gathering information.  We shall see.
CSX, you reminded me of my2 rail O scale days.  MTH had big beautiful locos but they all had "high water pants".  Atlas too!
But , sounds like these new offerings will be very nice and we are very fortunate to have them produced.

Good Day,

Anyone have pictures of their NS SD70ACe to show?

Regards,

Frank

 

Good Day Mike, 

 

Thanks for posting the pictures. Your NS SD70ACe will look fantastic with the NS Heritage SD70ACe's. Hope in the future Lionel will offer the NS black/white color scheme on their up coming ES44AC.

 

Looks like a great paint job!

 

Regards,

Frank 

As long as we're telling the tale of the box, let's not forget the other end...

 

And now, you know the rest of the story...(Apologies to Paul Harvey.)

 

Rusty