Gray Lionel Starter Set Atlantic?

No, Cory your memory serves you correctly. It was the locomotive for the cataloged New York Central Flyer set for 1993 pictured in the catalog as gray. The set was made, but the engine produced was black and not gray.

Many prototype items from this time frame were auctioned off in the Richard Kughn, Madison hardware and Carail Auctions. Possibly the prototype for the gray engine here:

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/502770

here is the set as shown in the 1993 catalog:

Thanks for the post. I, too, have wondered about – and searched for – the gray NYC Atlantic. 

Larry Pfost of Train Express said in TM's Toy Train Revue #7 (originally released in 1993) said that not long after the 1993 Volume 2 catalog was released that the engine would be changed to black since he said "At the introductory sales point, the children or the adults always want a black steam engine with a matching red caboose."

I guess it proved to be the right decision since the set ran for 6+ years.

He also said that the boxcar might be silver, but instead it turned out to be green, and the flatcar would be green or yellow.

As shown in the 1993 Volume 2 catalog, the set received a lukewarm reception from dealers. "Steam locomotives should be black" being the most frequently heard comment. (I was at the 1993 Dealer Preview when the set was shown for the first time.) In this first configuration, the locomotive and tender were gray, boxcar was brown, flat was dark green and the caboose was red.

With the exception of the caboose, the entire set was re-colored for production. The loco and tender were changed to black, the boxcar is now green and the flat changed to bright yellow.

As Ed H pointed out above, the gray locomotive was auctioned off at the first Kughn/Madison Hardware auction in September 2004. The entire prototype set was there in the original colors, but it was spread out into two different lots for some reason. You can guess why I know this!

I'll take some photos next time I get to digging in the collection.

Hope this helps-

Todd

Wow, this brings back some memories...

This exact set, albeit in black, was my first Lionel train set! I remember the colors exactly how PaperTRW states them.

I am of the younger generation of modelers so I was only about 5 or 6 at the time.

I remember coming home from my birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese with my family and friends to find my grandma and grandpa waiting for me in the living room with a 4x8 piece of plywood, this train set, some expansion track packs, and a few little starter industries for me to play with. Oh my goodness I was in total heaven!

For quite some time this item has been on the e*** auction site:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-LIONEL-TUSCAN-PAINTED-NYNH-H-16238-BOXCAR-KUGHN-COLLECTION-/181158220275?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2a2ddf11f3

and also this item too:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-LIONEL-16375-NYC-BULKHEAD-FLATCAR-KUGHN-COLLECTION-/181158222164?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2a2ddf1954

I met "New Haven",Cory is a great guy!Nick

Larry Pfost of Train Express said in TM's Toy Train Revue #7 (originally released in 1993) said that not long after the 1993 Volume 2 catalog was released that the engine would be changed to black since he said "At the introductory sales point, the children or the adults always want a black steam engine with a matching red caboose."

This is interesting. Three of the most popular – certainly quite common – sets of the early MPC era featured colored steam locomotives: the gray "Silver Star," the green "Southern Express," and the two-tone "Blue Streak." Have you ever been to a train show where you haven't seen at least one of those engines? 

As promised several weeks back, here are a few photos of the original concept 1993 6-11735 New York Central Flyer Set with the gray 18632 locomotive, brown 16238 boxcar and dark green 16375 flatcar.

Enjoy!

TRW

When I read the initial post in this thread some time ago, I figured the definitive answer--and probably evidence of the set itself--would come from Todd's extensive collection.  Guess I was right!  

I still have my complete/boxed Great Lakes Express set with its gray locomotive, and it also has some special memories attached to it.  One of those items from another era that will remain with me for as long as I'm around.