Lionel Conventional classic Berk at York.

Yes, Lionel had the Berk sets on display at York.

This photo is from their http://lionelllc.wordpress.com website

I just wonder, how does this compare to the Lionel Century Club 726 Berkshire, released in the 90's with TMCC & RS?

Yes, this one is conventional, but made in China. Will there be much other difference in the scale features?

Well, the boiler front is more correct for a postwar berkshire.  It's got the nickel rims and disc drivers of the original.  Probably more differences, but I think it looks way better than the Century Club one.

I have this set on order so I hope it ship's in December

Ships in January or Feburary according to Lionel at York.

I'm not an expert on postwar Lionel but many who saw it think that it is the most exact reproduction of a 1947 726 done to date. The boiler front opens the same way as the original which was one of the features that everyone wanted. The only difference that I could see was that it had a complete backhead inside the cab rather than an exposed pulmore motor.

They were not running it so there was no way to determine how well it will run. I have both sets on order and plan to sell off one of the engines and the merchandise car.

It appears the Merchandise Car is now a seperate order item.  I wonder if the seperate order car will differ in any way from the car in the set?

The sets looked good at York.

Additional differences I noticed were one extra pipe or some such running the length of that side of the boiler, additional firebox detailing, and the smokestack is slightly different. These are only minor differences; all-in-all I am very surprised by the extra steps taken to make a more faithful replica than that bungled Century Club version.

Where was the backhead located? On the others they put out they had it at the rear of the cab and that looked weird.

Rob

If I recall it was in front of the windows on the cab. You would have room to put in an engineer and fireman figure.

The separate sale item is #6-27941 PRR Merchandise Car listed at $74.95. Not sure if it will differ from the one in the set. I guess you will need to just wait to see when it is delivered. It could be at the same time at the sets. Who knows.

The engine looks good to me. I am happy I have both sets on order.

Brad

Wow...that looks great! I can live with the differences Jumijo pointed out.

Now how about a CC 773 with that lovely looking 2426w remake?!!!

Bring it on!

Looks like they did a nice job here, especially with the opening boiler front.

Still can't figure out in the year 2012 what the attraction is to a outsourced Chinese made reproduction. Unlike the recent Hudson from 1937, this one resembles nothing prototypical..

IMO, the time for owning this guy is long past.    

Joe

I don't know about the time being that past.  It is a handsome loco and I might want one.  I need to look at the specs and price in more detail.

All I have is a baby berk. So it's going to be nice to  have this one

and the Madison cars. The price was right.

Now If Santa can get it here by December that would

be great....

Guess your not much for nostalgia.

Thanks for the tip guys. I just placed my order. It was the only item I was interested in from these sets. The last one I saw at York was priced at 10 times that!

Pete

Boiler front---

I did notice that the engines on display at York had the green marker/jewel lights on the front only and not the front and side like postwar 726/736's.

However---nice looking sets

Thx

Joe S  

I have a few Conventional Classic sets, one of which is the 2056 Hudson and was impressed with the build quality and the way it ran. No plastic. Very powerful motor. I can guess the build quality will continue in this new berkshire, with the vertical worm gear motor it will run even better.

Glad to see the picture.  As one who pressed Lionel to make this Berk resemble the postwar 726 as closely as possible I am delighted to see the finished product. I love the headlight, pilot and steel rims. Good job, Lionel. Dick 

I have a real 1948 726.  Sweet engine.  I can see why young railfans wanted one!

Looking again at the catalog for these sets, I notice that the locomotives feature MagnaTraction.  Two questions: Do they also have the rubber band tires?  How do they have Magna Traction and steel rims? Dick

The Berks on display at York had traction tires.  I touched a pocket screwdriver to the drivers and I could not detect any Magnetraction.

So maybe, maybe not. 

Thanks, John.  That is OK by me.  I see no need for MagneTraction on these CC locos.  Dick

Magnatraction or not, Right about now I'd be happy if they showed

up before christmas !

Charles Ro lists them for $54.95 with an expected delivery date of February, 2013.

All i needed to see. That is the most accurate postwar lettering I have seen to date. The CC 726 while USA made and of high quality would never been on my layout due to that god awful "726" and tender lettering. 

Now I'll place my order.

With two sets of Berks coming out at the same time, I wonder how many will purchase both and then sell one of the locomotives.  I would be very interested in purchasing a mint engine if the price was right.  Perhaps some of the bigger dealers will be breaking up these sets if they have an over supply. Dick

According to the dealer that I placed my order with he has no intention of breaking up the sets. He said he is having a hard time just getting enough for the demand.

I did order both sets and will be selling off the engine, I already have a buyer for it and the merchandise car.

Even if the separate sale merchandise car is the same as the one in the set the one in the set will have a different built date and label on the box.

I'm only ordered the freight set. I figured that I do not need the passenger set since I bought the GG-1 passenger set a few years, so I already have the passenger cars that I can pull with the berk.

Exactly what I did.

I ordered the passenger set and have a Sager Place waiting for it.

Trainman remarks that he ordered both sets and will be selling one of the locomotives. I wonder how many others will be doing the same?  Also, even though small dealers may have a hard time getting these sets from their distributers, although mine, a small time shop says he will have no trouble, what do you think the Train Worlds and Charles Ros will be doing? Dick