thinking about buying the Lionel Hiawatha 6-38094 and the 18" aluminum passenger cars that comes with it. Looks like a beautiful set curious if any owners here can attest to it. The entire set is listed on eBay for $1500 and I'm tempted lol. Thanks!
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It's a beautiful set and mine works perfectly. The cars look good, the loco runs good, and the whole thing is orange and maroon. What's not to like? 
are the cars tin,aka metal,,,,or plastic?
These are aluminum cars 18". Wonder if this engine will be done with legacy command soon
mwax516 posted:These are aluminum cars 18". Wonder if this engine will be done with legacy command soon
If so I hope they run a different # then #3.
I also have this set and run it every year at Trainfest in Milwaukee, as well as a few other club shows.
In all honesty, this set has operated like it did from day one with zero issues.
One thing to think about, IF Lionel was to reissue this loco they would also have to tool up new passenger cars as the aluminum cars are no longer an option.
Without the cars, there is no reason to rerun the engine in my opinion.
So… what can Lionel do that will sell?
Rerun the loco (with a different number as Charlie stated), AND tool up new, scale length cars that would be the most flexible for Milwaukee fans. That would mean that the cars MIGHT not be totally correct for some engines. Lionel has not done the Hudson, (Baltic) which can also use the passenger cars. Remember, the rib side cars were of a later design then the Atlantic, not incorrect, but not really the popular choice for this engine.
All in all, the Milwaukee Road is usually a good sell, but many of the cars are unique to Milwaukee so I’m not sure how profitable this project would be to Lionel.
Just my opinion.
Charlie
This is a great set.
Plus side is the engine details and front opening face. The cars are beautiful. And with the unique beaver tail end car and station sounds diner, it's fun to run.
Down side is the firebox section of the boiler looks way to long. The whistle is very dull, and the sounds are anemic and dated. Not sure but I believe the cars look more appropriate with the S3 class Northern.
I bought one new, sealed in the original boxes, about a year ago for about the same price you're seeing (included all 7 cars).
Beautiful set. Agree with previous comments about sound.
Unfortunately, out of the box, engine had board issues - cost me $200 to make it right.
Found this set lightly used at an LHS - no box but great price - bought the diner car off of Rocky Mountaineer at the Allentown breakfast, found a 2 car add on set on the bay, and then found 3 more coaches randomly in a hobby shop in Norfolk (just the coaches, again no boxes) - makes for a great looking 10 car set!!
Awesome!! The set really is a show piece. Ive decided to hold off purchasing for now as I am a big "sound" guy and thanks to the feedback I'm sure that would bother me. If Lionel released a legacy version I would grab the engine and pair it with these 18" cars as I prefer the look of aluminum 18" to plastic 21".
J Daddy posted:This is a great set.
Plus side is the engine details and front opening face. The cars are beautiful. And with the unique beaver tail end car and station sounds diner, it's fun to run.
Down side is the firebox section of the boiler looks way to long. The whistle is very dull, and the sounds are anemic and dated. Not sure but I believe the cars look more appropriate with the S3 class Northern.
Wrong on both counts regarding the boiler and the cars.
I checked the dimensions against drawings from the January 1984 issue of Model Railroader and the many photos in Jim Scribbins' book "The Hiawatha Story," and found that Lionel's 6-38094 Atlantic is scaled correctly. The only flaw is that some of the details are incorrect for Engine No. 3. The little porthole windows above the forward-facing cab windows are correct for No. 3, but there also should have been handrails along the top of the cab and a shallow running board along the cab sides. Also, on No. 3, which was built in 1936 (a year later than No. 1), the maroon stripe extended all the way along the cab side. So the model is a cross between Engine No. 1 and 
No. 3 as originally built, though No. 1 was later modified to include such features.
As for the cars, which were introduced in 1936 and added to in 1937 and 1938, they are correct for either the Atlantic (which pulled them first) or the Hudson, not for the S3, which wasn't a prime Hiawatha locomotive, though it did pull the train 1944 and later.
My set has performed flawlessly and has been getting almost weekly runs at the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club this year.
I saw that set listed on eBay this week. At $1,500, it's a sweet deal.
I have to agree with Jim above and his comments about JDaddys observations. I hate to pile on, and before this response I did a little research.
It also appears that Lionel got the air horn (not steam) correct in that my research narrowed down the Milwaukee usage to either a Leslie A200 (blat) or A125, slightly higher pitch air horn.
In either case, I highly doubt changing to another current sound file would be “more correct”. Thus, the sound is as accurate, regardless of whether it is “good” sounding, as is currently possible. In other words, accurate may not be pleasing, but it is correct or very close to correct based on my research.
MWAX516 is a big boy and can spend his money as he see fit, but to discount the current effort as needing improvement in these three areas, based on comments by others and passed off as fact, is just not useful for anyone (or this forum).
Charlie
mwax516 posted:Awesome!! The set really is a show piece. Ive decided to hold off purchasing for now as I am a big "sound" guy and thanks to the feedback I'm sure that would bother me. If Lionel released a legacy version I would grab the engine and pair it with these 18" cars as I prefer the look of aluminum 18" to plastic 21".
I am holding off too. Glad people can correct my observations. And discredit my opinion. It was only stated as that.
However. Fact being told an updated sound system with 4 chuff is long overdue. And 21 inch cars would be a real winner.
J Daddy maybe we are taking about different engines.
The Lionel Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Class A is already fitted with Railsounds 5, AND 4 chuffs per revolution.
Are you talking about the same engine?
Charlie
Maybe that's it, Charlie. Could it be some were confusing this model with the 1980s reproduction of the 1930s Lionel model?
The latest model of the Class A Atlantic, released in 2006, sounds great, is accurately scaled (I remeasured it tonight, just to be sure), and runs wonderfully. One just sold on eBay tonight for $750, so the price is coming within range of those who were turned off by the original $1,099 list price. It was all-new tooling and an all-new production.
Here's the link to the Lionel page for the 6-38094. As Charlie says, it's got RailSounds 5.0:
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