It's a lovely, tiny, detailed if slightly delicate scale loco, of the same period but quite different from the toy-like "generals." I don't understand why Lionel would go to all the trouble of preparing tooling to produce it and then only run off the one Lincoln Funeral Train set. I'd love to have one or two more, "normal" (more workaday, no funeral decorations, etc.) locos of that type. Does anyone know if Lionel has done so or intends to?
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Agreed....I want a 'normal' version too. I'd think if they did new tooling for the loco it will have more life than just this set. Tooling is too costly for a single run....unless its a brass hand assembled unit....is it mass produced die cast?? Post a pic while you're at it!!!
Does anyone know if Lionel has done so or intends to?
They have not offered any other versions, and nobody here can tell you if they plan to do so in the future. Frankly, I kind of doubt that you'll see other versions from Lionel.
I half expected that would be the case, Allan. It's a shame because it is a lovely little loco. I'd love to have a flat black, weathered, been-running-so-long-and-hard-folks-gave-up-trying to-keep-me-painted-gaily-and-gleaming version of it, but I don't want to have to buy the whole et (particularly since all available seem to be packaged with the extensions, too) just to get a loco to repaint.
I was told on another thread that the loco is actually brass (when I hold mine it feel more cast than brass, though) and Lionel's catalog seems to confirm that at least in part ("Brass and die-cast locomotive construction") . . . and the tender seems cast - but regardless, someone went to a lot of trouble to design and arrange production. I hope sometime it resurfaces in the future.
It's a very specific locomotive, and simply can't be "repainted" into another engine (unlsess it's the same engine class). What you're asking is like someone taking a model of the Titanic and repainting it so they'd have a model of the Queen Mary. That would be ridiculous, since the two ships are so different.
Some American 4-4-0s, especially later in the 19th century, were very similar in proportion, if not detail. What we need is a scale 4-4-0 with interchangeable stacks, headlights, domes, cabs and smkeboxes--basically a boiler, frame, wheels and pilot. By simply swapping out these farily minor details, nearly perfect renditions of a great many engines could be realized with minimal tooling investment.
This engine is a perfect example. It's got good "bones," and is generic enough to be tweaked into any number of convincing other engines. This cannot be said for the Lionel Nashville from the Lincoln train.
I understand it would not be prototypical or historically accurate, but that does not matter that much to me if it has a "look" I like. For example, I repainted my Southern Crescent black and labeled it Union Pacific, and around March (as soon as it arrives) will be repainting the Legacy N&W J in Union Pacific grey and black livery (like some UP Challengers).
the LFS loco would be a very nice looking little loco repainted but I think I might have a go at the MTH 999 instead. It has sound, roughly the look I want (if too-big drivers) and is a lot cheaper.
Some American 4-4-0s, especially later in the 19th century, were very similar in proportion, if not detail. What we need is a scale 4-4-0 with interchangeable stacks, headlights, domes, cabs and smkeboxes--basically a boiler, frame, wheels and pilot. By simply swapping out these farily minor details, nearly perfect renditions of a great many engines could be realized with minimal tooling investment.
This engine is a perfect example. It's got good "bones," and is generic enough to be tweaked into any number of convincing other engines. This cannot be said for the Lionel Nashville from the Lincoln train.
I'd go for that too......I'd be happy with a Rail King level (or Bachmann On30 level of detail) 4-4-0 that could play the part of many of the locos of the era. SCALE....
I agree--there really isn't a whole lot of detail, so WBB or RailKing level of detail would be just fine (athough I don't like the molded handrail on teh WBB 2-6-0).
I think I might have a go at the MTH 999 instead. It has sound, roughly the look I want (if too-big drivers)
The drivers are scale--that engine was designed to burn up the rails in those high-heeled slippers, and she did just that.
Some American 4-4-0s, especially later in the 19th century, were very similar in proportion, if not detail. What we need is a scale 4-4-0 with interchangeable stacks, headlights, domes, cabs and smkeboxes--basically a boiler, frame, wheels and pilot. By simply swapping out these farily minor details, nearly perfect renditions of a great many engines could be realized with minimal tooling investment.
That what AHM did in HO with their V&T 4-4-0's. They did 4 versions, each with different stacks. Here's a picture of 3 of them, two have been repainted for my freelance railroad, but no parts were changed. The Santa Fe version on the right is factory.
Rusty
Exactly, Rusty! Bachmann does it with their HO scale 4-4-0s too.
I don't understand why Lionel would go to all the trouble of preparing tooling to produce it and then only run off the one Lincoln Funeral Train set.
The LFT is made predominately from brass, with a relatively small percentage of die-cast. Brass models are essentially crafted by hand; typically using "lost wax" castings for miscellaneous add-on brass parts, of which the castings typically are worn out or destroyed after a limited amount of runs; they don't have anywhere near the durability and life-cycle of your typical die cast tooling (one of the reasons it's called "lost wax"). So there would be no "tooling" per se to facilitate re-runs.
I don't understand why Lionel would go to all the trouble of preparing tooling to produce it and then only run off the one Lincoln Funeral Train set.
The LFT is made predominately from brass, with a relatively small percentage of die-cast. Brass models are essentially crafted by hand; typically using "lost wax" castings for miscellaneous add-on brass parts, of which the castings typically are worn out or destroyed after a limited amount of runs; they don't have anywhere near the durability and life-cycle of your typical die cast tooling (one of the reasons it's called "lost wax"). So there would be no "tooling" per se to facilitate re-runs.
I'm looking at it now - holding it in my hand. At least half of it has been cast out of something p the chassis, the cab, the front frame pieces, the entire tender, etc. I think the boiler is brass and thin, though. A shame if they don't make more,
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