Legacy 2-8-4 still available next year

I might go for the C&O.

Maybe some of the Berks listed in the 2020 catalog 1 will offer the option of a lowered headlight pilot! There were CAD drawings showing the engineering on another older thread.

Rich

richabr posted:

Maybe some of the Berks listed in the 2020 catalog 1 will offer the option of a lowered headlight pilot! There were CAD drawings showing the engineering on another older thread.

Rich

I don't think the gang at Lionel will mind...

Rusty

Good job Rusty. 

Rich

Next summer? Still time to save... lol

What do you mean they will still be available next Summer? You mean they won't be delivered until Summer? The last time I looked Ro said "EXPECTED AVAILABILITY BY 03/10/2020"

Trainworld is more accurate with the dates.  Expected availability: 06/30/2020

Worth the wait. It will be better than the flyer chiefs that have no Engineer and fireman figures. Better looking coal load in the tender.

Legacy, handrails, detail. Sounds good.

I just moved into S scale and love it.

No more three rail. Looks so good. The size is perfect.

prices a little cheaper.

I just hope they arrive as previously described in posts from the first time around. I spoke with Will Holt of the NASG at Indy this year and he told me that there were cost cutting measures and they would not be the "full version" that was cataloged the first time. I have no idea if that is true or not and I would love to have Lionel comment and let us know exactly what we are getting, and when we can expect them.

I have mine on order. I hope I get what I think I'm getting. If they don't show up with all the details including Kadee coupler pads, 4 chuffs per revolution, add on rails, details, etc... I'll just ship them back. Would be nice to know before July of next year though.

I started this thread in jest but some think a more detailed version of the Berkshire will appear in 2020 - hope its true.

I hope they come with better traction tires! The ones they used now are terrible.

Gunny

I hope it looks like a SD40-2!

Brendan

Rusty Traque posted:

richabr posted:

Maybe some of the Berks listed in the 2020 catalog 1 will offer the option of a lowered headlight pilot! There were CAD drawings showing the engineering on another older thread.

Rich

I don't think the gang at Lionel will mind...

Rusty

 

To clarify, these drawings were posted by Dave Olson in a thread describing the previous run of American Flyer Legacy Berks that never shipped.

I have mine on order also, I have The Polar Express, and a newer Bluetooth Southern Berkshire.   Version 2 is nicer than the original, and I am hoping the Legacy version comes in as advertised.

Charles Ro and Trainworld are still taking orders.  I also have been told by someone at Lionel that they are still taking orders, and hoping to meet a minimum order point.  Although I wasn't told what that order point is.

Flyer

 I also have been told by someone at Lionel that they are still taking orders, and hoping to meet a minimum order point.

Uh-Oh...……………………….

Rich

richabr posted:

 I also have been told by someone at Lionel that they are still taking orders, and hoping to meet a minimum order point.

Uh-Oh...……………………….

Rich

Past experience has shown that sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing at the ol' Circle L Ranch.

Unless something appears in writing, everything is rumor.

Whether or not if the Legacy Berks show up in June as advertised, "dumbed down," or not at all, time will tell.  Otherwise, life goes on.

Rusty

Not sure what to order. A C&O or the Pere Marquette.

Hate pre ordering without seeing it first.

There are times that if you don't preorder there are non to be had when they are issued.  My guess is that they will produce very few extra locomotives.

cswalter posted:

 

Hate pre ordering without seeing it first.  

I tend to agree. Regrettably, Lionel's track record has been pretty spotty as of late, particularly for items that are new rather than a reissue/rerun. I'd like to examine a sample first.

Bob

I don't like pre-ordering either. Especially when we don't know what we are really getting. Lionel's recent history doesn't instill much confidence either. 

The order deadline for these engines has long since passed I would think though.  I put mine in over 5 months ago. If they are still accepting orders, that's not a good sign IMHO.

I'm a little bit concerned that Ryan hasn't joined this discussion like he has in the past. So at this rate we could have a new catalog out before we even know IF these things are going to be built or not? 

jonnyspeed posted:

I'm a little bit concerned that Ryan hasn't joined this discussion like he has in the past. So at this rate we could have a new catalog out before we even know IF these things are going to be built or not? 

There's also been silence on the 3-rail side regarding a couple of issues.  They are a) really busy for the Christmas season or b) been instructed to stay away from message boards.

After all, they have another one of those Ryan & Dave Facebook shows to prepare for on the 19th...

Rusty

I would not pre order one of these or any other Flyonel engine. The four Berkshires I have all EAT traction tires and two have been back for new boards and shorted smoke units. The product quality has got to improve before I waste any more money on Lionel products.

Gunny

Gunny, You must be an unlucky buyer.  I have had none of those problems.

Bill,

I doubt iI am an unlucky buyer! I think the product has no quality built in by the Chinese toy makers.

Gunny

Roundhouse Bill posted:

Gunny, You must be an unlucky buyer.  I have had none of those problems.

Bill,

I think that the contrapositive is also true, that is, you are the lucky one.  Each of my Berks has had problems requiring sending them back for repair.  Now that they are out of warranty, it's up to me to repair them, or pay $$$.  I'm in total agreement with Gunny on this one.  I'm done with buying Lionel locomotives.  Faulty circuit boards, badly designed smoke units. slipshod assembly and cheap rubber traction tires are part of what they represent.  The true "legacy" of Lionel is the lack of quality. 

Gunny, Sorry to hear of the problems with the boards and smoke units, my problems were only traction tires which was overcome by using O-rings.

Ray

My dad has been an American flyer repair guy for 30 years and the newer flyer engines especially lion chief ,he says to stay away from only because boards get scare real quick for them.

Still don't see any mention of them on the shipping schedule which goes out through July now. This lack of communication is frustrating. Thinking about canceling my pre-orders.

I'll hang in there. Can't wait to add to the 3 Flyerchiefs I already have. Knew going in that the projected shipping schedule is iffy at best. I want to help avoid hearing all the bit(##n and moaning if they are cancelled due to low orders which is probably why they will reappear in the forthcoming new catalog. Don't see any mention of the EP5's or heavyweights on the schedule either. 

Rich

Just received a C&O AF Lionel USRA light 2-8-2 imported in 2006 for $500 on Ebay still new in box. Running in conventional mode. Does not smoke much - maybe with 5-6 cars it may smoke more. It runs well and as long as it doesn't blow a board it was a good purchase. It certainly looks good with as much detail as a Legacy Lionel O Gauge USRA 2-8-2  (K-Line tooling). Why was the USRA 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 not better sellers? Certainly a better performer/looker than the ERIE 2-8-4 that I paid $380 at Charles Ro. 

These engines have a Seuthe smoke unit and it takes smoke fluid made especially for them.  If it is used with regular fluid or run without fluid the unit is damaged.  Carl Tuveson, who is available on line, can sell you a used replacement,  Lionel has no more of the units.

To add to what Bill said, those Seuthe units operate much better in command mode than conventional. There are conversions to fan driven smoke units and 4 chuffs per rev out there. Carl Tuveson did mine.

Carl did conversions on 6 of the early TMCC light mikado and pacifics for me. They are completely different engines when he is done with them. Fan driven smoke, 4 chuffs/rev, cruise control and a lower speed range. No reason to put up with those Seuthe smoke units in the early S gauge TMCC engines.

ns1001 posted:

Just received a C&O AF Lionel USRA light 2-8-2 imported in 2006 for $500 on Ebay still new in box. Running in conventional mode. Does not smoke much - maybe with 5-6 cars it may smoke more. It runs well and as long as it doesn't blow a board it was a good purchase. It certainly looks good with as much detail as a Legacy Lionel O Gauge USRA 2-8-2  (K-Line tooling). Why was the USRA 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 not better sellers? Certainly a better performer/looker than the ERIE 2-8-4 that I paid $380 at Charles Ro. 

I think the Mikado's and Pacific's sold pretty well, it's more likely that Lionel apparently lost access to the tooling.  Perhaps the tooling is being used as doorstops at Sanda Kan.  There's no doubt these were much better detailed than the FlyerChief Berkshires, but when these things were conceived there were different people in charge at Lionel. 

A Western Pacific Mikado and Southern Railway Pacific passenger set were announced, but were cancelled no reason given.  Pity, I was interested in the Southern Passenger set.

Rusty

I think they were good sellers, but you do find an occasional one on eBay for sale.

 I was told the tooling was lost in the whole China manufacturing game.  Too bad it/they were very well detailed and good runners.

I purchased a brand new NYC Mikado on eBay for $357.00 about 2 years ago. I had been looking for a long time to find one at that price. 

Flyer

I have the American Models Southern passenger set pulled by their Pacific. It is a pretty nice set. The AM cars are a lot more free rolling than the AF by Lionel cars.

Well, we're wandering way off the Legacy Berk topic and next Monday we'll have some new stuff to chatter about...

Anyways....

The AM Pacific is a good locomotive, even though its detailing is basic.  It is a great blank canvas for detailing:

However, the best of both worlds HiRail-wise (IMHO) is the Lionel/Flyer Pacific and AM passenger cars:

Getting further off the subject I ordered MTH S SRR F7 direct from MTH due in May for 299.95. Pics indicate separate handrails and lift rings and runs in conventional mode. Any experience wit the MTH F7?

ns1001 posted:

Getting further off the subject I ordered MTH S SRR F7 direct from MTH due in May for 299.95. Pics indicate separate handrails and lift rings and runs in conventional mode. Any experience wit the MTH F7?

Hard to have experience with something that's not out yet, but the MTH F3's have separate handrails and lift rings.  As did the F7's when SHS made them. ( Edit to add photo.)

The MTH 3.0 system allows for conventional AC, DC, DCC and DCS operation.

Here's a link to video of the F3's running on DCC:

https://ogrforum.com/...cale-f3-s-the-videos

Rusty