It looks like the 2333 Archives from 1948 have been released. Do any of you have on yet? I want to see what they look like.
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ordered for my dad from Nicholas Smith yesterday, don't have them yet. After calling around a few places it seems like they are selling well.
There is a lot on eBay now. I wonder how the red is going to look. If it will be dull like the 2343's or the correct cherry red.
Charles Ro has had them in for 2 weeks. They are drop dead gorgeous. Paint is a bit shinny. I am a toy train guy and love the look. I have the K-Line with two sets of cars but can only say nice things about these.
when were the k-line's released?
Hi: I don't know about the "Black Bonnets" but I got the Showroom" NYC F-3AA's with the " Red lightening stripe". From the outside, they look great. I was disappointed when I took the shells off to look things over and lube the motors and trucks.
On the motors, I saw that there were spacer washers placed over the field studs, under the brushplate to raise it up. This seemed to be necessary because the armature in the motor had a commutator that was very high up on the armature shaft; and it seemed to be epoxied in place since it was so high. They also started to use a small hole in the brushplate to route the motor field wire that goes to ground. As I took the motor apart to lube and grease the bearing and races, I saw that they changed (improved?) the 5 ball bearing race to a 9 bearing race. I have many of the newest F-3's and was not aware of any real problems with the motors. No current data about how this helps, but something to keep an eye on.
The last thing was in the dummy F-3A. The frame, die-caste, is nolonger a separate unit, but a borrow from the powered unit. They used a powered frame for the dummy "A". Ordinarily, one would not think too much about this, as the other Manufacturer's/importers have have done this. What caught my attention was the manner in which they went about it. A typical F-3A powered frame has two key-hole openings in the frame for the motors to pass into and attach to the power trucks. In this case, a Metal strap/plate was cut, drilled and fastened with two screws over the key-hole openings to be used as a mounting platform for the dummy trucks. Others used stripped down power trucks and an adapter piece to make up a dummy unit. Lionel chose to "Rube Goldberg" a fastening platform for there standard type dummy trucks. Spacers are used to set the frame at the correct height so that the trucks will support and operate on the loco. I feel that this is an all-time low for the iconic and venerable F-3, to be reduced to this status of a "slapped together" frame.
I questioned Lionel Customer Service in Ohio about this, thinking that perhaps they ran short of dummy frames and needed to make up something " on the fly". Their response was that all the units that they have disassembled had, wait for it "The NEW STYLE FRAME"! So either the chinese have gone and reinvented the wheel - AGAIN, or Lionel has taken the low road to production and greater profits! What will be next, charging the same, high price and shipping a box of parts with a label: SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED?
If others have gotten these units, I ask you to look at them very closely, and please respond about what you found and your thoughts on this situation. Dennis M.
They are on ebay from $399. to $589. I saw them at Charlies last week.
Thanks guys. Now I have to find a photo. All i can find is stock photos.
i suppose if we do not buy them, they will go back to the way we want them. Or they will stop making them. My solution, as a COLLECTOR, is to wait, and purchase them at auction for 50 cents on the dollar. Then, they can make them as crappy as they wish!!! It's pretty much about appearance these days...ya can't run 'em all!!! Hmm...maybe that's why they make 'em crappy...knowing half of them will never be powered up!!!
They are going to be worth a lot of money 75 years from now.
...and you will be only 150 EDDIE!!!
Sorry, I don't get it. Lionel calls these "Archives from 1948". This engine was never made. Never existed. It was a printing error not a prototype. I agree it's a striking color scheme but Lionel is going a little to far to call it a archive engine. Don
Items in the Lionel Archives included items never mass-produced...they never got past the model or mockup stage.
for everyone wondering how these look, product video is out:
Thanks for the responses. These look really nice. My goal is to get these and the put a X2458, 2555, green 6520 and 2357 behind it. The paint looks nice and shiny (like it should be).
As to why they created this catalog error as an archive item i think is irrelevant. If your a Lionel collector, you know what they are!
Originally Posted by NJOGauge:
when were the k-line's released?
A couple of years ago.
Ron these engines never got too the model or mockup stage. They were never planned. Don
Len Carparelli painted these years ago...
thats an awesome pic. I have that issue. The whole black bonnet idea is cool. i hope you guys are just as excited as I am.
If you have a 1948 Lionel catalog lots of thing are different from the drawing and the production model. Stubby nose, lighted marker lights, side round windows. Don
The CTT interview with Bob Sherman mentions at the time the artwork was drawn for the new F3s, Lionel didnt yet have a prototype to work from, so Bob was told to go to hobby store a buy a scale model kit to work from.
NJ, did you get yours yet?
Railsounds Lite sounds pretty good.
Those look and sound pretty cool. I like the horn.
Rob
are we talking about the F3 war bonnet repainted to black with red front with yellow stripes?.if so guys are repainting the shells and selling them on flebay..
Yes, that is the one we are talking about.
What is RailSounds lite?
In the product video their is mention of 2367 Wabash F-3 AB units 38386/38387.
Did I miss these or are they uncataloged ???
Thx in advance
Joe S 
2012 Volume II? I notice that as well.
6-38386 - Conventional Classic Wabash F-3 AB (#2367P)
Number shows up also in the owners manual section of lionel.com
So, Ed have you ever seen these. I am aware of every PWC and CC item Lionel has made. As far as I know, the only Wabash was the 2240 of 2003. Nice set and engine.
Any word of these---2367 wabash AB units---mentioned at LCCA convention
Originally Posted by NJOGauge:
when were the k-line's released?
K-Line released them as an ABA set in 2004. It has TMCC, Railsounds, Cruise (the usual bells and whistles).
Still no actual photos yet?
Originally Posted by LS1Heli:
So, Ed have you ever seen these. I am aware of every PWC and CC item Lionel has made. As far as I know, the only Wabash was the 2240 of 2003. Nice set and engine.
Have never seen these, judging by the PN maybe a 2012 Volume 2 release ?
Lionel website also has PNs listed for the Canadian Pacific DD35s which were mentioned in the LCCA convention post.
wow. the red looks superb. much nicer and shinier than the "optional" 2343 shells. i have to get these. thanks for posting.
