CB&Q E5 AB & B Diesel Locomotives in Lionel 2024 Catalog

Bill,

These are very nice and glad to see a B unit from Lionel. I have the earlier version that they did, which are actually E6 units, not E5's. It looks to me like Lionel used the same die (E6) to cast this new version. They look close to an E5. Very nice.

RAY

These are still E6s in E5 paint looking at the catalog. 

@GG1 4877 posted:

These are still E6s in E5 paint looking at the catalog.

Burlington E5 series units all had fluted, stainless steel carbody sides. Will these Lionel models have that? Sunset/3rd Rail correctly produced O Scale models of Burlington E5A & E5B units, some years ago.

Ray, Jonathan, & Hot Water Jack:

Thanks for your responses.

Maybe Lionel should consider marketing these BR models as E6 units if that is what their tooling really represents.  

Although CB&Q tried to order smooth-sided E6 units during WWII, the US War Production Board would not allow EMD to produce any passenger units during WWII.

When the Q acquired smooth-sided E7 A units after the war, they experimented with shadow-line paint schemes to simulate the fluted corrugations of the E5 units.  

So Lionel could market the BR set as fictitous units
  E6 A FW&D #9999A Silver Cowboy
  E6 B FW&D #9999B Silver Cowgirl
  E6 B C&S    #9998B Silver Rancher
  E6 A C&S    #9998A Silver Rustler

These models should then feature an E6 designation plate instead of the E5 plate.

The proposed names & road numbers above are fictitous but consistent with the BR’s  western theme & E unit number series.  The BR E unit roster included #9900 through #9997.  The #9998 & # 9999 numbers were never assigned to any E units.

Jonathan, would you still like to have an E5 or E6 unit named Silver Surfer ?  As I remember, you mentioned Silver Surfer twice in the discussion of the Sunset 3rd Rail Run 1 of their E5 models.

CB&Q Bill

Hot Water:

The catalog descriptions state that these BR E5 / E6 models will have shadow-line striping to simulate the corrugated fluting of the prototype E5 units.

Lionel’s E6 tooling produces smooth-sided models.

CB&Q Bill

Bill,

Please remember that the Burlington never had any E3 nor E6 model units, plus was the ONLY railroad to roster the model E5A & E5B, having the fluted stainless steel carbody sides.

Hot Water Jack:

Yes, you are correct.

The BR Zephyr power consisted of
  Shovelnose A & B power units ,
  E5 A & B units,
  E7 A units,
  E8 A units,
  E9 A units.

The BR initially also used three F3 ABA sets on the California Zephyr.

If Lionel makes a credible extrapolation of the BR prototype paint schemes from either the E5 or E7 shadow-line onto their E6 model, I will be happy with it as a fictitious model.

I also own models E5 A (3 units) & E5 B (2 units) from Sunset 3rd Rail.

CB&Q Bill