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I wanted to check and see if someone who perhaps owns this engine knows what the steam whistle sounds like. This engine seems to be priced real low right now and I was thinking about picking it up.

 

Video would be a plus, but the steam sound is all I need. The Blue Comet "version" seems to have a diesel sounding whistle which I dislike. I'm hoping its more like the Southern Crescent.

 

 

Thank you

Matt

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Thanks David, lowest I have seen it is $650, but even that is 40% off Lionel's MSRP. I'm going to wait a few more days and see if I can find it even lower. Not sure if this was a hot seller since these have dropped, but the Crescent and Comet have remained high in comparison. I actually like the look of the Alton better then the other two myself.
Originally Posted by BNSF-Matt:
... Not sure if this was a hot seller since these have dropped, but the Crescent and Comet have remained high in comparison. ...

History has repeated itself once again here... as the last time Lionel offered the Alton, it hit the blow-out list too -- and fairly soon after its release at that.  I was actually quite surprised to see Nicholas Smith had the Crescent locomotive for $695 at last weekend's Allentown show.  Can't believe it wouldn't have moved at that price by the end of the weekend.

 

David

I agree with David, Matt - the Alton, despite it's beauty, has not exactly been a "popular" engine, compared to the Blue Comet and Southern Crescent, which were running around much longer in their days. Plus, more people seem to be more into the color bright blue or glamorous green on a steam train than dark red. 

 

I was able to purchase my Crescent for $880, and I find that a good price seeing how I don't often seeing them going for less than $900.

Originally Posted by BNSF-Matt:

... The Blue Comet "version" seems to have a diesel sounding whistle which I dislike. I'm hoping its more like the Southern Crescent.

 

...

Only the initial Blue Comet Legacy version (loco #832) had the diesel horn issue, which Lionel customer service would "fix" at no charge to the consumer.  I picked up the later production run (loco #833), which has the correct "steamboat" whistle direct from the factory!  

 

I've never heard the Alton's whistle... so I can't tell you if it's closer to the Blue Comet's steamboat characteristic sound, or more like the Crescent's higher-pitched whistle with a splendid echo characteristic.  The diesel-sounding whistle on Blue Comet loco #832 was a factory error.

 

David

Originally Posted by MrMuffin'sTrains:

Speaking of whistle - from time to time the sound just quits.... the engine keep rolling, but no sounds - doesn't respond to whistle or bell.... 

Check for dirty track or rollers. If it happens over an atlas switch they are notorious for dead spots. The newest legacy locos will not resume sound like the old tmcc stuff. I think it is related to the fact that legacy locos assume a powered down state( i.e. no lights) even  though the track is still powered.

 

Hitting the reset button on legacy or AUX1 and 0 button on the old TMCC remote should restart sounds.

 

If your running tmcc via the DCS handheld it would be whatever keystroke mimics the 0 button of the cab 1

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