Big Boy road number? Why

most of the engines I have run on railroads today, be it excursions or regular service.

so I picked 4014.

I picked 4012 as that's the only BB I've actually seen and touched.  It's at Steamtown in Scranton Pa.

Picked that one for the same reason.  I thought about the 4014, but decided against it because I figure that when the real one is running again, Lionel will probably do a model of it with the oil tender it will eventually be using, and that will be the time for me to get that one.

Andy

4018 because Texas.

4018. I have seen it at the RR Museum in Frisco, Texas

Brent

If I ever do decide to get one of these Lionel VL models, I would go with #4005, as that was the locomotive that was tested as an oil burner. That was a very unusual experiment, and although the 4005 was returned to coal burning, in my opinion, that would be a really historic model to have.

4014.

 

Because when the real one rolls, Lionel will release an oil tender for it rather than re making the entire model. 

I hope you are joking, as that really wouldn't accomplish much, since the locomotive fire box would still have all the details for a coal burner. Not to mention the other necessary additional details for operating in 2019, and beyond.

Serious as a judge.

It's true Lionel making an oil tender add-on for a coal-burning engine model would be incorrect (although I doubt the majority would even care). I suspect Lionel will make a special excursion model with the right details to commemorate the completion of the real one's overhaul, whenever that is.

Now if I were ordering one, I would have to get 4006. That number was imprinted in my mind the first time I saw Lionel's 1999 model at age 7. Back then Lionel also claimed they picked that number because it had the most service miles of all the Big Boys.