Lionel 2012 Catalog now online

I've never purchased a modern prototype diesel, but this one may find a home.

Wow. That puts those cars at about $100 per.

Holy crap!!

Are those Auto racks SCALE ?!!

- RICH

Here is a website that I found. I am not sure if this data is accurate. http://www.steamlocomotive.com/berkshire/

Not all berkshires from Lima were the same.  The PM ones were of a totally different class and they look very different from that model.

Lima yes, different class though.  Do you notice the differences?

The research I found is that MCRR had Mikados, first the USRA that they designated H7's then Heavier H10's which were the predecessors to the Berkshire. Once the firebox was increase to over 100 sq. ft. the trailing truck was increased as well to a 4 wheel truck. The scheme is fantasy but if the NYC had taken the MCRR farther they could have ended up with a Berkshire, at least that is what my story is going to be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_Locomotive_Works

These "K line tooling" berks are the "early berks" as opposed to the 1225 which is a "later" berk. These  k line berks have smaller drivers matching the prototype 63" vs 69" on the PM. 

Legacy Pennsy Sharks (with 5 stripe). 'Bout time. (The Century Club Pennsy Sharks just got a bunch cheaper.)

Two different Nickel Plate Road diesels - never seen that in a catalog before. The 5 stripe version looks sharp.

The Northern Pacific Geeps had me thinking, but it looks like they're using the gold color again to simulate the prototypical off-yellow. They did that last year with the NP U-33 as well. So that's a no-go (kind of relief, actually - there's so much else to buy!). The NP RS-11s they did some years ago look much better with the right yellow color, IMHO, so I'll be happy to keep those.

Curious Legacy Geep repeats - UP and Great Northern. Must have been hot sellers. From the looks of the one in the catalog, I like the previous Legacy UP Geep better, with its strobe and flashing red marker lights (I like lights).

Information on the K Line berks from the K Line Legacy site:

K3699-0001TC   Lima Demonstrator Scale Berkshire w/RailSounds & TMCC
MSRP:      $899.95  ea. KCC Member Price: $809.96 <input align="left" alt="Add to Cart" name="btn_order" src="http://www.legacykline.com/images/spacer.gif" type="image" />
In 1924 the Lima Locomotive Works presented a new steam engine with a wheel arrangement of 2-8-4. This new engine ran on 63' drivers and the firebox rode on an articulated 4-wheel truck. This provided greater space for air circulation, thereby creating more power. It could cruise at 55 miles per hour and greatly reduced the need for helper engines. The new loco became so identified with two New England competitors, Boston & Maine and Boston & Albany, that it was named for the Berkshire mountains in Massachusetts. The K-LINE Scale Model of the Berkshire is available in two versions, each based on those original New England purchasers of the engines. The Boston & Maine loco, and later owners of the former B&M engines Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, featured a coffin feedwater heater, that covered the front of the engine like a sun shade. The other version, owned by Boston & Albany, later part of New York Central, had the more common Elesco feedwater heater. These are two of the prototypical details accurately reproduced that distinguish this engine from others. The superior operation of these steamers is something to behold. Equipped with the industry standard TrainMaster Command Control remote operation system and RailSounds digital sound system, this engine is ready to be put through its paces. Before you spend a lot more money on any other Berkshire, come to K-LINE for another in the line of top-notch, Scale Steamers. Catalog: 2005 1st Edition Release Date: Fall 05

DONT forget the 2 add on cars in the freight car section!!!! I am in for this set, along with the 2 add ons, the CN Geep set, with all the extra flats with trailers and the 3 postwar sets, along with the olive drab alco ab.

Rick you are correct that these are based on the early smaller berks. Also thanks for posting the information to the link that backed up my comments about the development from the mikados.

These are cool engines and I am glad Lionel has obtained the tooling to bring them back to market. I ordered the MCRR and wish I had the funds to get the Lima Demonstrator pictured above.

ZWPOWER13 I saw these cars in the catalog at my dealers today and they are 1:48 scale with separators inside. Lionel has stated in the catalog that they will be producing a line of die cast automobiles cars to go inside of these. The separate sale MSRP on these is 149.95 if I remember correctly so cheaper in the set. I think they come in at 22.5" long for each car. Better have wide radius curves.

Any better pics of the new UP GP-9 and GP-35? Or NYC GP-35?

DjSixPack, I am sure the catalog listed a minimum radius but I did not look for it. Have to look online in the morning. Sorry wish I had the answer for you.

If these puppies are 22.5" long, you're probably out of luck. Even if they run on 0-48, you'll have world-class overhang. Just for reference, the new Atlas O California Zephyr cars are 21.3" long, and the min. radius is listed as 0-72.

Even then, cars this long aren't going to look good on O-72 due to overhang (remember, that's the Minimum). All accessories and roadside structures will have to be placed miles away from the track to get clearance anywhere near curves.

It's my situation, too. Many items coming out today are only usable by folks who, for the most part, have monster basement layouts. Individual cars approaching 2 feet in length? Not anywhere on my horizon.

While the new catalog has dummy engines for most all of the diesels, I'm disappointed there aren't dummy engines in this catalog to go with the SD-70s and Dash 9s from the last couple catalogs. Lionel made two different powered units in most cases, but no dummies, for some reason.

Yes... The Train Station has the add-on cars that are available for individual sale priced around $112.    Gotta re-coup those new tooling costs somehow! 

And at a scale 89', that's 22.25" which is gonna be HUGE for most layouts.  I remember seeing the AtlasO 89' pines flat cars at York when they first came out... and until you see cars like that in person, you can't possibly appreciate the layout needed to handle those babies.  Forget about O-72, folks.  You gotta ante up big time for those cars to look right.

Sweet though!!!

David

There's always 2012 Volume 2, right??? 

But I agree, it's much more convenient when you can purchase the powered and dummy units together.  And I'm glad to see Lionel moved in that direction in this catalog.  MTH has been offering dummy units with their powered locos for many years now.  Not a bad strategy at all, IMHO.

David

Has nobody seen this? 2 pack of extra cars as well. Are we talking Legacy Acela?

You might have put a time-period restraint on your spending. Those Heritage SD70ACes will be costly to purchase all at the same time.

Andrew

The Wisconsin Central tested SD80MACs and Chicago & NorthWestern ordered SD80MACs so it should not be too long before LIONEL makes WC and CNW SD80MACs.

Andrew

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