Anybody purchase the GGD ATSF Great Dome Lounge Car?

I have one. Fantastic car.

I obtained the Amtrak Version

HEre it is compared to the MTH Version

And here is the Lionel Demo model Seen at the 2018 Big E show This past January!

The Lionel Model is to represent ATSF #55 which went on to the Conrail OCS and is part of the NS OCS train.

Obviously the GGD version will be nicer, but how did the Lionel sample look in person? Any glaring flaws/ oddities? 

The exterior of this car looks great.  Maybe it is because of the angle of the photos, but in one photo I can clearly see the resistors on the lighting board.  in the other I can see the white plug and what looks like a black capacitor.  I have the GGD El Cap set and that board with its bulbous leds that protrude into the cabin area was its only flaw.  To my eye that board with its components is a "glaring flaw/oddity".  

I don't have any of the new Lionel 21" cars.  I really hope they do a better job of hiding the lighting element!

My concern from the Lionel car is that I have the first run of 21" cars from 2015 and the domes don't have any lighting, just what bleeds through the gaps in the floor. That being said, lots of improvements are expected on the upcoming cars.

You asked for photos of the Santa Fe Great Dome so here's a couple of mine together with GGD's own production sample photo. None of these actually do this car complete justice as it is extremely well made and mine even survived shipping without the slightest cosmetic damage:

This car is of mainly brass construction and it's HEAVY - almost the same weight as some of my diesels. 

Yeah, the power components for the dome lighting are partly visible but that doesn't really detract from the overall quality.

I'm behind the curve on the Lionel Great Dome cars or I have missed something. I only saw one example of one of these in the Big Book catalog but interestingly it's a StationSounds model - presumably with dining car sound effects. Anyway where is there more info on the models?

They also cataloged a Conrail version to go with the Conrail OCS they're doing. It should be here in April. It also has sound.

Originally posted by Will Ebbert:

My concern from the Lionel car is that I have the first run of 21" cars from 2015 and the domes don't have any lighting,
 just what bleeds through the gaps in the floor. That being said, lots of improvements are expected on the upcoming cars.

And such will be the same on the 21" dome car as well. Hey at least you don't see bare naked electronics!

Will Ebbert posted:

They also cataloged a Conrail version to go with the Conrail OCS they're doing. It should be here in April. It also has sound.

Well, I can't see anything other than the Reading & Northern version in the 2018 catalog but I assume the Conrail version must have been cataloged earlier and somehow I missed it. Although neither road version appeals to me they could paint these in just about any livery and I'll be interested to see what they come up with.

There are several issues with the the first run of 21" ABS cars but I suppose hope springs eternal that Lionel will deal with these. I have to say the Legacy StationSounds diners' sound features are great fun so offering them in a Great Dome version is an appealing idea. 

The lack of dome lighting is disappointing. Looks like the Conrail cars were in 2017 volume 1. Lionel has said a number of things will be fixed from the first run. No more high water ride height, cars that are actually based off of a real prototype instead of just "kinda looks like a Budd car if you squint", and a couple other things. I'm most looking forward to just the general sounds of flange squeal and stuff, but the dialogue will be fun occasionally.

Will Ebbert posted:

The lack of dome lighting is disappointing. Looks like the Conrail cars were in 2017 volume 1. Lionel has said a number of things will be fixed from the first run. No more high water ride height, cars that are actually based off of a real prototype instead of just "kinda looks like a Budd car if you squint", and a couple other things. I'm most looking forward to just the general sounds of flange squeal and stuff, but the dialogue will be fun occasionally.

I agree own all counts about the lighting etc. Regarding the sounds, as the result of Lionel porting "Freightsounds" to the StationSounds effects set you get not only flange squeal but bump and grind (!) in addition to the original clickety-clack. It's quite noisy although you can adjust volume of course. 

Here you go

Man, the rivet detail on the frame around the windows is really cool.

T4TT posted:

Man, the rivet detail on the frame around the windows is really cool.

I haven't tried counting them yet!

Someday maybe Scott will exhaust his supply of those hideous LED strips that are too short and over sized. Every time a new GGD car is released it has the same strips. They belong in the trash, not in a $600 brass car. Of course now you'll say Im being harsh, but the fact remains those LEDs are ridiculous. YES I have one of the SF cars, and guess whats getting ripped out. Otherwise the car is FANTASTIC!

They are more obvious with the lights on but...

If you're gonna do something, do it right... don't half a** it because those are the parts you already have.

I hate how the lights only fill about half the car. I was sorely disappointed in the two aluminum coaches I bought a couple years ago. 6 figures each? I'd rather have none if that's the case. Lighting looks spotty. I'll stick with my Atlas cars.

Well, I rode the Amtrak great dome last Summer here in Maine. That caused me to order the GGD model. I am delighted with the car, have run it. Happy camper!

Jan

Dang Doug, that shot of the interior really shows it all.  I do not think you are being harsh at all.  $600 is a lot of money to me and for that amount I agree, that lighting board should not be used.  I ripped all those boards out of each of my El Cap cars and installed adhesive LEDs powered by Gunrunner John's lighting board.  I was slightly aggravated by that but I "only" paid $240 per car (plus the cost of the boards and LEDs).  That is not cheap but where else could I find a scale El Cap set?  The new GGD Super Chief cars are $285 each.  As much as I want that set I just can't rationalize the cost knowing I have to spend more just to light it.  I will hold out for an Atlas set, heck I am only 45 so it could happen in my lifetime if they announce it in the next year or so ; )  
Maybe Lionel will offer a SC that is "relatively" accurate (I did qualify that statement with maybe and relatively).

There is no disputing this Great Dome car and for that matter al the GGD cars beautiful on the outside but they are ugly on the inside when they use this board.  

Couldn't have said it better myself. 

and with all the complaints about the lighting for the GGD cars.... I would bet that the new Super Chief cars will come with the same short LED strips with over sized LEDs. I can ALMOST let it slide in the regular cars even though there's 3 inches of darkness on each end of the car, BUT the domes....no way.

and yes I criticize in this open forum because Scott I have emailed you on this many times. Sent you photos of my El Captian cars. You told me it would be addressed with the factory for the 2nd run of El Capitan cars and here we are many passenger cars later with the same LED strips. You have finally left the thumb tacks off after many many requests..... THANK YOU..... but please please please do something about the lighting. SMD LED strips can be bought for a fraction of the price and are a fraction of the size. We should not have to see gigantic globes and capacitors hanging from the ceiling of the domes. Especially in a $600 brass car  

The lights in GGD cars look stupid. 

Laidoffsick,

Not to add to your El Capitan woes, but just a heads-up, that lounge right there is numbered incorrectly. Apparently it thinks that it's a 68-seat step-down coach. 

Only 6 lounge cars were built for the El Cap, numbered 575-580. These cars eventually went on to Amtrak, being numbered 9970-9975. When HEP was added, each car became numbered 39970-39975. 39971 was sold into private ownership either in the 1990s or early 2000s. 39970 and 39972-39975 received rebuilds in 1995. They served Amtrak on the Coast Starlight until a few days ago and are now retired with cracks in all the wrong places, as of 2/5/18. Expect to see the better cars be sold for at least a million and restoration may take place if done by the new owner. The rest will probably be cut up. 

Anyway, if you want to change the number on there I'm sure it's easily done considering how some of your locomotives look. 

Now as for the Santa Fe Big Dome, I skipped this one. Hard to cough up $600 for a single car even though it is really nice. The only car I would have gotten is the Amtrak version but that would require some moderate modifications. 

Thats not my lounge car....it was a pre production photo I showed for the lights only.

Laidoffsick posted:

Thats not my lounge car....it was a pre production photo I showed for the lights only.

My apologies, I just thought I should point it out. I don't have my own lounge so I wouldn't know whether or not this was fixed in actual production. I do agree that those lighting strips should be fixed, makes me kind of relieved about missing the opportunity for the El Capitan run 2 and this Santa Fe Big Dome.

Perhaps in the future GGD could do another run of the Full Domes with fixed lights and no vestibules (where prototypically accurate). I'm pretty sure at least one of the Santa Fe Big Domes exists in private ownership somewhere. 

Yes, Im sure you are relieved you didnt get the car because the lights suck. Get used to things being wrong in 3 rail. Youre not going to find the correct stuff.

As a 3-railer I can live with getting the details close (of course that is subjective and what I consider close you may find unacceptable).  I understand that with greater detail comes greater cost.  I can not afford a train of $600 passenger cars so I accept that whatever I buy will not be an exact replica of the real thing. 

But what I don't understand and can't accept is when a car has an element or a detail that could have easily been improved but was not.  In the case of this lounge car that lighting board just should not have been used.  Another example is the Lionel NW2.  I had ordered it but did not buy it because the roof line was wrong.  Lionel got the roof line correct in the 40-50s but wrong in 2017???  So I will not "get used to" that.  I just won't buy it.  

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

I obtained the Amtrak Version

HEre it is compared to the MTH Version

And here is the Lionel Demo model Seen at the 2018 Big E show This past January!

The Lionel Model is to represent ATSF #55 which went on to the Conrail OCS and is part of the NS OCS train.

AMTRAK VERSION!!!!!   OUCHHHHHH

I was on GGD site numerous times during the past year and never saw the Amtrak scheme offered.  I have even been on the phone and emailing GGD asking for more Amtrak offerings.  I was told there was licensing problems in doing any more Amtrak paint.  Then a couple of weeks ago Scott Mann told me only a few guys want Amtrak equipment.

This sucks!  Trying to give GGD money, but they dont need it I guess.

VistaDomeScott posted:

AMTRAK VERSION!!!!!   OUCHHHHHH

I was on GGD site numerous times during the past year and never saw the Amtrak scheme offered.  I have even been on the phone and emailing GGD asking for more Amtrak offerings.

This sucks!  Trying to give GGD money, but they dont need it I guess.

I thought that Amtrak version was pretty well discussed on both the 3RS and 2-Rail SCALE forums.

Hot Water posted:

VistaDomeScott posted:

AMTRAK VERSION!!!!!   OUCHHHHHH

I was on GGD site numerous times during the past year and never saw the Amtrak scheme offered.  I have even been on the phone and emailing GGD asking for more Amtrak offerings.

This sucks!  Trying to give GGD money, but they dont need it I guess.

I thought that Amtrak version was pretty well discussed on both the 3RS and 2-Rail SCALE forums.

Not sure how some have time to live on this forum, but I have a life beyond OGR and get on here when I can. I do not have a desk job where I can sit on the forum all day.  I would have thought contacting the manufacturer and checking their sites would have been effective ways of seeking products.

I actually remember looking at the picture of the AMTRAK great dome on the GGD site for months last Spring, followed the discussions. No way I was going to spend $600 on a passenger car.

Last Summer I rode the great dome here in Maine, Brunswick to Boston. I was sold! Went on GGD, pulled down the selector and ordered the AMTRAK car. Shortly thereafter the option disappeared from the site.

I'm delighted with the car.

Jan

vistadomeScott,   None of this was intentional, you may have visited  and not known that the only great dome on Amtrak was from Great Northern.  Scotts stuff doesn't readily appear with options like you young folks are used to.

 If you desire this car that bad, I'm sure you can still maybe purchase one in silver  and re decal into Amtrak.

aterry11 posted:

vistadomeScott,   None of this was intentional, you may have visited  and not known that the only great dome on Amtrak was from Great Northern.  Scotts stuff doesn't readily appear with options like you young folks are used to.

 If you desire this car that bad, I'm sure you can still maybe purchase one in silver  and re decal into Amtrak.

I think what happens is there are old GGD pages that come up depending on how you search for this.  Just weeks ago I happened upon a page that showed Slumbercoaches "only a few left." page.  Of course I knew this was old, as I bought one of the last Amtrak slumbercoaches.

When I looked at the reservations for the Great Domes I swear the page I looked at had no Amtrak at that time.  Anyway, just one of those things.  I will enjoy my Atlas half domes  and GGD sleepers.