Just to let folks know, the Lionel-AF ES44AC's are starting to be delivered to dealers. I was contacted yesterday by one of my "local" train stores and plan to pick up my PRR Heritage example this weekend.
Bob
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Thanks for the good news. I think 2014 is going to be a good year for S!! Art
Originally Posted by Bob Bubeck:
Just to let folks know, the Lionel-AF ES44AC's are starting to be delivered to dealers. I was contacted yesterday by one of my "local" train stores and plan to pick up my PRR Heritage example this weekend.
Bob
Good news! I hope the "Railsounds" boxcars are soon to follow:
I have a lot of SHS switchers that never had sound.
I plan to run one of these boxcars behind the switch engine whenever it's in use.
The problem I see is that the SHS engine being conventional only whenever the switch engine comes to a halt the sound car will go silent due to no track voltage.
I wonder if an on-board battery pack would keep the sounds going?
(Not trying to commandeer this thread)
Mark
Good news
got my conrail ES44 today!
Originally Posted by banjoflyer:
Good news! I hope the "Railsounds" boxcars are soon to follow:
I have a lot of SHS switchers that never had sound.
I plan to run one of these boxcars behind the switch engine whenever it's in use.
The problem I see is that the SHS engine being conventional only whenever the switch engine comes to a halt the sound car will go silent due to no track voltage.
I wonder if an on-board battery pack would keep the sounds going?
(Not trying to commandeer this thread)
Mark
Bearing in mind that as of yet I have not seen one of the Railsounds boxcars, I believe they should have a spot for a 9v battery in the car to maintain continuous operation, as with most previously released Railsounds equipped items. These should be great behind all of those Gilbert and Lionel AF GP's, too.
Bob
I am awaiting delivery of my UP and BNSF ES44AC's 
. Until they arrive does anyone have pictures of the NS series to post?
Ben
I don't remember the ES44ACs being offered in any railroad other than NS heritage roads. I wonder if I ordered any. I know I got the CR and NKP coming.
Good Day,
Any pictures of your NS Heritage ES44AC's?
Regards,
Frank
Originally Posted by Bob Bubeck:
Bearing in mind that as of yet I have not seen one of the Railsounds boxcars, I believe they should have a spot for a 9v battery in the car to maintain continuous operation, as with most previously released Railsounds equipped items. These should be great behind all of those Gilbert and Lionel AF GP's, too.
Bob
Bob, you are right about the battery...all I had to do was reread the catalog.
Thanks,
Mark
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Good Day Gentlemen,
Any pictures of your NS Heritage ES44AC's?
Regards,
Frank
My LHS called. My locos have arrived. Luckily, I'll have a fair amount of overtime on my next paycheck.
Did anyone get theirs yet? How do they run? Look? Sound, smoke, etc? Photos? Thanks. Are they as lipstick glossy as the last run of SD70's? If so, does anyone know why so? I am not crazy about the ultra high gloss. But the LV unit has my interest. My grandfather and great grandfather worked that road. Thanks.
Originally Posted by Sgaugian:
Did anyone get theirs yet? How do they run? Look? Sound, smoke, etc? Photos? Thanks. Are they as lipstick glossy as the last run of SD70's? If so, does anyone know why so? I am not crazy about the ultra high gloss. But the LV unit has my interest. My grandfather and great grandfather worked that road. Thanks.
My sample of the L-AF PRR Heritage ES44AC is superb. If you loved the second generation SD70's, you will love these, too. The model is an excellent copy of the prototype (within the constraints of hi-rail necessities). The PRR comes with a black hood variatant of the paint schemes viewed in photos of the locomotive. Operations are glassy smooth under Legacy control and the sounds, if anything, are a bit better than the SD70ACe's, which are no slouch in that department. No problems on Gilbert curves, trackage, and turnouts. Smoke is ample. As with every Heritage SD70 and ES44 done by Lionel for O and S scale, the paint finish is 'fresh from the shop' glossy, which some will like and some won't. See picture below.
As with my second generation SD70ACe, my only quibble is that the electrocouplers do not open far enough for consistent coupling and uncoupling.
From a Gilbert/Hi-rail perspective -- thumbs up!
Bob
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Thanks Bob. Glad you like it. Sounds promising. Vids and pics will probably put me over the top.
Partial parts replacement list on Lionel website.
More parts on replacement list.
Since someone wanted to see a Heritage ES44AC' I include this picture.
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Picture of L-AF PRR NS Heritage ES44AC now posted above.
Bob
They look really good. I will get them when they are catalogued in UP and BNSF for sure.
Ben
Ben
Good Day Gentlemen,
Thank you for the pictures! The engines look fantastic!
Regards,
Frank
Do the ES44AC engines and the third generation SD70ACe engines stall at slow speeds across American Models' switches as the first generation SD70ACe locomotives do, or has Lionel made the modifications to the trucks to allow all wheels to be in electrical/physical contact with the rails? Can the new hoppers with their "scale" wheels also run through American Models' switches? Carl Tuveson may already know, but he has not yet posted a review of either the new locomotives or the new cylindrical hopper. He was the one who pointed out the reason for the stalling on the first-generation SD70ACe engines, and he offered a difficult but effective fix.
ES44AC Lionel has made the modifications to the trucks to allow all wheels to be in electrical/physical contact with the rails.
Do not have American Models switches to run thru.
