Figure this one: in the new L Christmas Cat they are offering a Polar Ex. engine with whistle smoke for $300. How come that happens? Naturally there are no high end electronics in there, but if you can add a feature like this at this price point, then the higher end engines should have them. I don't run anything over 036, maybe an 042, so anything larger I won't buy. But if I was in the market, I would wait long enough for whistle smoke. Sooner or later it is going in all of them, its just a manufacturing issue. (try to buy a TV with a manual tuner) BTW I also like the swinging bell 
Then all those engines you buy now will be reissued again with these features.
Originally Posted by Super'O' man:
Figure this one: in the new L Christmas Cat they are offering a Polar Ex. engine with whistle smoke for $300. How come that happens? Naturally there are no high end electronics in there, but if you can add a feature like this at this price point, then the higher end engines should have them. I don't run anything over 036, maybe an 042, so anything larger I won't buy. But if I was in the market, I would wait long enough for whistle smoke. Sooner or later it is going in all of them, its just a manufacturing issue. (try to buy a TV with a manual tuner) BTW I also like the swinging bell
Then all those engines you buy now will be reissued again with these features.
That's the same Polar Express berkshire engine that came out in their 2011 Christmas catalog. It is the same berkshire engine that came out in their 2010 in their Great Northern Express set. And it is the same C&O berkshire that was in their 2011 catalog. All of them have the same whistle steam effect. I have the Great Northern and the Polar Express but I have not run either one since I have no room for a layout. So I can not say how well they operate.
One forum member stated that the conventional Berks with whistle steam doesn't operate well in a conventional mode. You would have to give a high voltage to get the whistle to smoke. Put in a Command unit and I'm sure that would be taken care of.
