OK, how about a Robert Kennedy funeral train which was powered by two black clean as a whistle Penn Central GG1s, the 4901 and 4903?
I'm holding off for the Spiro Agnew funeral train. Don
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@scale rail posted:I'm holding off for the Spiro Agnew funeral train. Don
LOL! Never understood the allure of funeral trains for any President. A total waste of money in my humble opinion, but obviously some people have a different opinion.
Pat
I at least admire the patriotic nature of remembrance.
I never fell in love with any of the Bicentennial era "patriot" car sets either, but they were popular. (the engines are a little different being proto in nature beyond the gimicktry 
)
Kennedy's engines should be green... like money 
(those might do well, FDR too. Both should have beat out Harding even if they didn't have a proto-train... Teddy too for that matter.
(I think early in this thread I was referring to the PW Lionel headlight being different, but didn't comment more on it (that I recall) That was my first thought upon starting to review this old thread again, before jumping ahead again)
Wearing black when people attend funerals appears to be an old time tradition of sorts. It seemed fitting that the two Penn Central GG1's that powered Robert Kennedy's funeral train were indeed, black!
@Murnane posted:this is an old thread, and I get that most people thought it ugly or depressing, but I'm wondering if anyone ever seen one of these sets?
I can't find a single picture or video of one online (other than the catalog art) and I'm wondering what they actually look like (locomotive and passenger cars).
Call it morbid curiosity I guess, I just saw one listed for sale so I'm wondering.
Hi Murnane,
I was at Nicolas Smith trains a few days ago and they had the complete train on display in one of their cases. I spent quite a bit of time looking it over as I had the custom run prewar version of the K4 from NST, but had not seen the Harding train up close.
Its really sharp looking - especially with the bunting. The 4 pullman cars In the set (3 sleepers plus obs) caught my eye too - would look good behind almost any steam engine.
In hindsight, I regret not having taken some pictures. Hope this helps
@M J Breen - thank you, from the catalog art side it looks really nice, and looks more "goth" than "grim" - I may call over there or email and ask them for pictures - I'm "dying" to know :-)
If I do get some pictures from them and they give me permission, I'll try to post them here.
@juniata guy posted:For what it’s worth; the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA has in their collection the Pullman “Superb”; which transported Harding’s body back to Washington, DC thence to his hometown of Marion, OH for burial. The car is reportedly haunted by Harding’s ghost.
Not sure if Lionel is planning to include a spirit in their model of the funeral train but; perhaps inclusion of a presidential ghost would warrant a premium set price. 🤔
Curt
Could be a new combination train set, using Walt Disney and Legacy technology.
"The Warren G. Harding Funeral Train, with the Harding Ghost Hologram". A Harding hologram surrounded by billowing flower-scented "smoke" effect??
When. I was at my LTS this weekend, he happen to have one of these. I didn't even ask about the price since it is not my cup of tea. I was there to pick up the NYC Pacemaker set and add-on cars.
If Lionel would release the K4 Pacific as built with a low side tender box headlight etc, I would buy one, but NOT a funeral train.
Don't forget SRR 4-6-2 number 1401 (now in the Smithsonian) pulled FDRs funeral train a part of the way when he passed in 1945...
@Gene H posted:If Lionel would release the K4 Pacific as built with a low side tender box headlight etc, I would buy one, but NOT a funeral train.
They did - it was part on exclusive run for Nicolas Smith trains. Heres the link to the forum thread about it: https://ogrforum.com/...90#82241647705334190
God, I remember it so well, standing by the tracks with my little cap in hand as the train slowly went by. I'll never forget it.
