Hello Everyone,
I am a new member to the forum but have enjoyed reading posts for quite some time. I wanted to share a few recent pictures of the 3rd Rail DM&IR Yellowstone and Northern Pacific Z5 -Great models- The recent discussions on the Yellowstone-Type locomotives by others on this site have been very interesting.
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Oh my...that DM&IR is a thing of beauty. Love it.
Welcome to the forum and enjoy those locomotives.
Detail level of these locomotives is OFF THE CHARTS!!! 
Thanks for posting... and welcome aboard.
David
Welcome! Great pics. In my opinion, when everyone is debating the next Vision Line features they are missing the one thing that would make a Vision Line model truly great... Detail like that. Forget depleting coal loads.
Give it Legacy and that level of detail and I will pay what I need to.
Ben
Seen a yellow some in 1/8 scale, this one with the detail looks like the one in that scale
I think you photoshopped the real thing onto 3-rail tracks! Curious, what's the MSRP?
Welcome! Great pics. In my opinion, when everyone is debating the next Vision Line features they are missing the one thing that would make a Vision Line model truly great... Detail like that. Forget depleting coal loads.
Give it Legacy and that level of detail and I will pay what I need to.
Ben
I concur, beautiful. This is what Lionel should strive for. Forget the tacky whistle smoke and other gimmicks.
Ron H
Thank you everyone for the warm welcome and thoughtful discussion. These are two of my favorite models due in part to their fantastic modeling.
I hope to post similar photos of Lionel models later this week as a reference for everyone.
Welcome to the forum. 
Those engines are absolutely gorgeous! 
Thanks for posting.
Welcome to the forum. Great looking engine. 
Beautiful models! My kind of steam power! Thanks for sharing!
First welcome to the Forum. They both are beautiful engines and should make terrific additions to your train inventory. I particularly like the DM&IR.
EBN, welcome to the forum, all I can say is picture perfect.
Jack
I think that you must be a pro at this photography thing; Scott Mann ought to hire you to do Sunset 3rd Rail's brochures!
Someone asked about the MSRP of these engines. I can tell you that 10 years ago when issued the DMIR Yellowstone retailed for about $1,700 - a bit extra if you wanted the grey boiler version. The sounds are generic RS4 articulated steamer and it has TMCC control with EOB. It's a beautiful model.
BTW welcome to the forum and keep up the good work!
I think you photoshopped the real thing onto 3-rail tracks! Curious, what's the MSRP?
if my memory serves me correctly the DMIR sold for $1799.00. There was also a version with a grey boiler all the way back to the cab.
probably true of the Z5 also as far as price was concerned
Excellent pictures; only thing missing, IMHO, is legacy sound system and features in each of them If I had a choice. Wouldn't stop me from owning them.
Welcome to the forum!!!!
Welcome! Great pics. In my opinion, when everyone is debating the next Vision Line features they are missing the one thing that would make a Vision Line model truly great... Detail like that. Forget depleting coal loads.
Give it Legacy and that level of detail and I will pay what I need to.
Ben
I still want the depleting coal load! Plus all the other stuff on the VL BB. But yea if Lionel included detailing like this... it would be the greatest thing ever.
Without a doubt the detailing on 3rd Rail is second to none.
Welcome! Great pics. In my opinion, when everyone is debating the next Vision Line features they are missing the one thing that would make a Vision Line model truly great... Detail like that. Forget depleting coal loads.
Give it Legacy and that level of detail and I will pay what I need to.
Ben
I still want the depleting coal load! Plus all the other stuff on the VL BB. But yea if Lionel included detailing like this... it would be the greatest thing ever.
Without a doubt the detailing on 3rd Rail is second to none.
Because of the detail I'm tempted to take a shot at one of the few remaining Sunset.s Y6b's but don't have any NorfolK & Western in my roster but that hasn't stopped me before.
WOW, AWESOME DETAIL.
Hope you don't mind me being nosey, but in a ballpark figure, how much did those cost? I seem to be only able to find 3rd Rail at a very expensive price.
WOW, AWESOME DETAIL.
Hope you don't mind me being nosey, but in a ballpark figure, how much did those cost?
My most expensive Sunset/3rd Rail steam locomotive model, is the UP 4-8-8-4, #4023, and that was $1899.95. All the other Sunset/3rd Rail articulated models I have did not exceed $1799.95.
I seem to be only able to find 3rd Rail at a very expensive price.
I d=on't know what you consider "very expensive", but in my opinion the Sunset/3rd Rail steam locomotive models are competitively priced when compared to either Lionel or MTH "top of the line" scale models. Plus, the Sunset/3rd Rail models will pretty much always be more correct, with higher detail, not to mention totally made of "lifetime brass", i.e. no "diecast rot".
Interestingly, Sunset 3rd rail's prices for these articulateds was about 50% of what was charged for the same locomotives as done by Precision Scale. Sunset detail approximates about 80% of the comparable PSC detail, so quite a bargain. Despite all that, I still have preferred the PSC versions, as I desire the absolute best available. Wonder how Sunset can pull off such fine models at their price?
Interestingly, Sunset 3rd rail's prices for these articulateds was about 50% of what was charged for the same locomotives as done by Precision Scale. Sunset detail approximates about 80% of the comparable PSC detail, so quite a bargain. Despite all that, I still have preferred the PSC versions, as I desire the absolute best available. Wonder how Sunset can pull off such fine models at their price?
I guess the definition for "the absolute best available" is a moving target. To some, it's detail, despite an engine having old technology (TMCC) and none of the innovative features that have been causing a lot of new and renewed interest (like whistle steam, depleting coal load, etc.). To some, it's the command system and innovative features. That said, this is a beautifully detailed model. I think we can all agree on that.
Point well taken PJB! I have always wanted models that looked as close to the protoype as possible. But I am envious of all the sound fireworks currently available........all I have is my little wooden train whistle!!
Interestingly, Sunset 3rd rail's prices for these articulateds was about 50% of what was charged for the same locomotives as done by Precision Scale. Sunset detail approximates about 80% of the comparable PSC detail, so quite a bargain. Despite all that, I still have preferred the PSC versions, as I desire the absolute best available. Wonder how Sunset can pull off such fine models at their price?
I guess the definition for "the absolute best available" is a moving target. To some, it's detail, despite an engine having old technology (TMCC) and none of the innovative features that have been causing a lot of new and renewed interest (like whistle steam, depleting coal load, etc.). To some, it's the command system and innovative features. That said, this is a beautifully detailed model. I think we can all agree on that.
Moving target is right! I love the detail of 3rd rail but just cannot live without the fun stuff that legacy, whistle steam and all the VL stuff brings to the table. After all to me these are toys that bring a smile to my face. I do respect that detail though, all the super realistic modelers get my respect. I love it when they come together.
Daylight ..... might you be interested in a minimally used 3RD Rail N&W Y6b?
A photo set of the Lionel JLC (legacy) Big Boy:
The JLC Big Boy locomotive has sufficient detail (in my opinion) and also offers a durable, good runner especially at low speeds,with great sound & smoke. Likely the same model used for more recent vision line version?
Hope photos provide opportunity for owners of vision line big boy to compare to JLC version from 8 years ago and also to the large articulates by Sunset 3rd rail
Magnificent beasts, all of them! Thanks for posting these great pics!
I must admit that I would much rather have that model than the Vision Line version, since the JLC model is the later "modernized" version, plus road number 4024 was the very last one.
It actually almost looks better in your photos than it does in the flesh! Nice job.
You wrote: "Of the four articulated locos, this one is most consistent runner and has extremely crisp/cliear sound that the others cannot match. Unlike the Big Boy, the Allegheny is not a great smoker (as delivered)."
I agree that it has booming sound. Regarding the smoke output, these models shipped with the old-fashioned fibre sleeve over the heating resistor. Take that off and give it the Mike Reagan smoke unit treatment and its output is much improved.
It actually almost looks better in your photos than it does in the flesh! Nice job.
You wrote: "Of the four articulated locos, this one is most consistent runner and has extremely crisp/cliear sound that the others cannot match. Unlike the Big Boy, the Allegheny is not a great smoker (as delivered)."
I agree that it has booming sound. Regarding the smoke output, these models shipped with the old-fashioned fibre sleeve over the heating resistor. Take that off and give it the Mike Reagan smoke unit treatment and its output is much improved.
Hi guys,
New to the forum but been a railroad enthusiast all my life. Just acquired a home with enough space to build a dream O Gauge Model RR, and DM&IR and Virginian have always been my favorite roads. I know they are long out of production but am looking to acquire a 3rd Rail M4 Yellowstone and was hoping someone might be able to point me the right direction in the secondary market. Love this forum and look forward to learning from you all! Thanks so much.
-Bill
EBN, welcome to the forum and great picture taking. I feel fortunate to have this beauty from 3Rd Rail.
EBN posted:
Hello Everyone,
I am a new member to the forum but have enjoyed reading posts for quite some time. I wanted to share a few recent pictures of the 3rd Rail DM&IR Yellowstone and Northern Pacific Z5 -Great models- The recent discussions on the Yellowstone-Type locomotives by others on this site have been very interesting.
Sweet locos you have there and some nice images of them. Thanks for sharing.
daylight posted:EBN, welcome to the forum and great picture taking. I feel fortunate to have this beauty from 3Rd Rail.
Nice! Hope to see one of these in person someday.
Great images in the thread!
BAS977 posted:Hi guys,
New to the forum but been a railroad enthusiast all my life. Just acquired a home with enough space to build a dream O Gauge Model RR, and DM&IR and Virginian have always been my favorite roads. I know they are long out of production but am looking to acquire a 3rd Rail M4 Yellowstone and was hoping someone might be able to point me the right direction in the secondary market. Love this forum and look forward to learning from you all! Thanks so much.
-Bill
A couple of the 3rd Rail Yellowstones came up for sale last year on the specialist train auction sites, one grey boiler version and one black. Prices were pretty steep then but that's no guide to what they'd cost now. Unfortunately you just have to keep searching and it may take months to find one.
P.S. Both were three rail/TMCC models, which is what I assume you are after.
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