Anyone out there have any experience with or opinion on the Lionel 18" CZ aluminum passenger cars? In the pictures they look good except for the long truck mounted couplers and the gap between the cars.
Bob
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Bob, I don't think these have shipped yet. When I looked at the shipping schedule a couple of days ago, it appears the 4-pack and two 2-packs had slipped to a JAN 2013 delivery.
If you're looking for another CZ option, you might want to keep an eye on the Atlas-O CZ offering... but they're 21" (full scale) and are pretty much at home only on the broadest of curves.
Pros and cons to each. Once Lionel ships them, you'll have the entire set at once. Atlas-O will likely trickle out individual cars over the course of several years. But they're likely the most accurate O-scale model for 3-rail to date.
Although I lean toward the hi-rail look, I'm not a rivet-counter by any stretch of the imagination. So I tend to prefer the 18" cars from Lionel. Best of both worlds, if you will. 
David
David,
Thanks for the reply. I too favor the 18" cars given the 82"curve diameter of my track. I already own 4 Atlas 21" CZ cars, which I will probably sell in favor of 18" cars, as I feel the Atlas cars require a larger curve diameter to avoid a considerable overhang. IMHO the Atlas cars are a very good buy at their current price point, but 18" cars are better suited for my track, thus my interest in the Lionel 18" cars.
Bob
