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Yesterday I received the fifth, and final, Lionel JLC GG1. I bought the brunswick green five stripe.

I am amazed at how beutiful it is. I know, after all these years, I should know how beautiful those

Lionel GG1's are. I have them all, for goodness sakes. This loco is stone cold gorgeous. It operates

as smoothly as silk and the sound is spot on.

 

I also have most of the other Lionel JLC locos. they are amazingly detailed.

The truth is I have posted quite a few times about how much I love those JLC locos.

 

I WISH Lionel would bring them back.

I KNOW the detailing is expensive.

 

PLEASE bring back my JLC locos.

 

Scrappy the Happy

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I imagine they will bring out a Vision GG1 in time, probably with the same level of detail, etc., and an a price worthy of their quality.  It will be one of the few Vision/JLC locos I don't get.  I admit they were spectacular locos, and I know I am in a minority among both real and model train enthusiasts, but the GG! looks ugly to me - particularly with its catenary's raised, sort of like a big bug of some sort.

Originally Posted by POTRZBE:

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the GG1 is one ugly hunk of steel, Raymond Loewy, notwithstanding.  Eye of the beholder and all that, but I just think there is little in the design to recommend them.

Oh, not really POTRZBE - there is a lot to recommend their looks, if you like to think of roaches a lot.

Originally Posted by Scrapiron Scher:

Yesterday I received the fifth, and final, Lionel JLC GG1. I bought the brunswick green five stripe.

I am amazed at how beutiful it is. I know, after all these years, I should know how beautiful those

Lionel GG1's are. I have them all, for goodness sakes. This loco is stone cold gorgeous. It operates

as smoothly as silk and the sound is spot on.

 

I also have most of the other Lionel JLC locos. they are amazingly detailed.

The truth is I have posted quite a few times about how much I love those JLC locos.

 

I WISH Lionel would bring them back.

I KNOW the detailing is expensive.

 

PLEASE bring back my JLC locos.

 

Scrappy the Happy


I'm getting there.  Have 4, still need the one you just beat me to by about 5 minutes!  Gotta keep on looking.   They'll look great on the wall next to my subway scroll.

I picked up the single stripe #4925 version for a really good price a couple years ago.  It is by far my favorite locomotive to play with.  Pulls a ton, looks and sounds great and the pantograph operation and smoke features are neat to see.  It could only be better with Legacy.  I love that single note horn sound.

Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

I admit they were spectacular locos, and I know I am in a minority among both real and model train enthusiasts, but the GG! looks ugly to me - particularly with its catenary's raised, sort of like a big bug of some sort.

The catenary is the overhead wire, believe you meant the pantograph (usually only one was raised at a time unless there was an ice storm), although it probably doesn't make much difference if you think the GG1 is ugly.

 

Maybe one had to have ridden in a train they were pulling to appreciate their true beauty.  And for people who didn't have a chance to do that, I am sorry they missed that experience.  

Last edited by PGentieu

Seriously for a minute:  I have my Vision Challenger, and JLC Big Boy and Allegheny one above the other on shelves, where they are easy to compare. I cannot tell any significant difference in detail, finish, etc. among them.   I really thought Vision is just a continuation of JLC.  I may be wrong, but what are the differences you see that the V Challenger does not have that you see?  After looking at everything, I concluded that Vision was a continuation of JLC.

Originally Posted by Scrapiron Scher:

The detail on the JLC steamers is just a short note south of a brass loco.

By far and away the best die cast I have seen.

Scrappy

A good part of that is probably due to the korean builder. All of my "korean made" Lionel  even though I don't own any JLC, looks better than the newer chinese made stuff.

 

It seems the overall fit and finish is just better on the korean stuff, no flaws in the casting or blemishes in the paint. The overall finish of the paint looks better. Any locos with cosmetic issues I have say "made in china".

I have a JLC Big Boy and the detail is exceptional for a die cast steamer.  It is only missing the break rigging under the frames, the ashpan and its details between the rear truck and some of the hatches do not open. The tender detail (stoker, and coal bunker) is better than some current brass makes.  Only the modern high end brass (Overland and Key) have slightly better detail.  The cab forward is also very good but the smokebox area is a little weak, missing steam lines to the pumps and has cast on piping.  The pumps are fair. The rest of the detail is great!

 >>I have my Vision Challenger, and JLC Big Boy and Allegheny one above the other on shelves, where they are easy to compare. I cannot tell any significant difference in detail, finish, etc. among them.<<<

 

Put both on a scale. Weigh and compare the Legacy JLC Bigboy made in China with the earlier version made in Korea. Do the same with the JLC Challenger with the VL Challenger.

Newer versions were made of a lighter composition. 

Not sure if one is better then the other but its different.

Joe

Originally Posted by JC642:

Put both on a scale. Weigh and compare the Legacy JLC Bigboy made in China with the earlier version made in Korea. Do the same with the JLC Challenger with the VL Challenger.

Newer versions were made of a lighter composition. 

Not sure if one is better then the other but its different.

Joe

Interesting idea.  I had also measured them for another thread I posted them on today, so: here are my results, weight is accurate only to about a pound: 

JLC Allegheny - 20 lbs, length 32 inches - ounces per inch: 9.55

JLC Big Boy  - 19 lbs, length 33.75 inches - ounces per inch 9.5

Vision Challenger 18 lbs, length 31.5 inches, ounces per inch 9.14

Vision Hudson 13 lbs, length 23.5, ounces per inch 9.24

Legacy ATSF 3751 14 lbs, length 27 inches, ounces per inch 8.29

Legacy Yellowstone, 17 lbs, length 32.5, ounces per inch 8.36


 

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