Lionel LionChief + NW-2

It look nice. Good luck.   Please check out integated signal systems.com for some nice train signals for train board. Thanks, John

Mike, would you provide a link for that video? Wasn't able to locate it...but I'm interested in the LC+ NW-2...Thanks

Is this NW-2 engine scale or "close" to scale?  How does it compare size-wise to a WBB NW-2?

 I have the Mikado LC+ and it is too small for my taste.

Thanks,  Tom B

https://youtu.be/kq2oSldrQKo?l...Gp18j__t6y3jxO5fY-vQ

 

Its the PW Lionel NW2 with diecast frame.

Looks great!  Thanks for the production pic. I have this guy on preorder along with some other LC Plus locos.

 

Lionel continues to hit a home run with the LC Plus line.

Thanks Mike,

That's great!  I'll be getting one, although I'd prefer a PRR.  Any future plans for a PRR  LC+ NW-2?

Tom B

hello guys and gals.........

 

 Remember its a SINGLE can motor and 4 wheel drive possibly with black plastic gears.

Maybe Lionel will change it to double motor and metal gears like the Williams version of the NW-2 if folks will demand it.  It is my favorite small diesel and I want one too but I have to see it first before giving up my hard to get cash to pay for it . I would WAIT until you see it in person before buying it.  When Lionel charges more than its reasonable pricing, it better have 2 motors and metal gearing and thick die cast frame and steps for good weight for pulling power.

 

Tiffany

Lionel could put in a big can motor if they are using a size for size replacement of the universal motor. Probably the motor will be the usual RS380PH size, but I certainly do not know that for sure. I do not see what the big deal about a single motor is. The Genset has a single motor and I do not see too many complaints about that. My biggest concern would be the gear ratio used. I have the first generation FT's where Lionel took the typical 8:1 gear ratio used with the universal motors and just put in a can motor. The result was can motors that greatly overheated. With proper gear ratios there would not be any problems.

 

What do the current production GP-7's have material wise as gears?  Are they metal or plastic? If the idler gears on the geeps are metal then they will most likely be metal on the NW-2. If they are plastic on the current production then they will most likely be plastic on the NW-2.

 

How much is the controller and having radio control worth? Bachmann does not offer that in their production unit and to upgrade a Bachmann unit to TMCC+sound is ~$200 (not including labor).

 

Other than that, it seems to be a typical postwar 622/623 type product with a few refinements (different motor + some different trucks and other details + LionCheif). If one does not like the postwar type switcher with cast metal frame then one would not like this product.

Hi WBC.............

 

Well for the amount money Lionel charges for their NW-2's, it should be double motor and metal gears.  I mean why not, Williams does except not having LC controls in it.

Lionel fans should get more for their money worth. I am a Lionel fan myself, being a

late Postwar kid (1964 to 1968) so I expected that (all wheel drive and metal gearing).

 

Tiffany

It's definitely a single motor. That's been in the specs since these were first listed in the 2014 Volume II catalog.

 

Well for whatever it's worth, in the 1964-1968 timeframe you say you were a postwar kid, pretty much all of Lionel's NW2 models had only a single motor, and in some cases, only one axle was actually powered on the power truck.  And, the frame was sheet metal steel and not diecast.

hello John............

 

Yes that is correct, I was young kid that time and didn't care how it runs but in 1974, I started collecting postwar lionel and came to realize what a piece of junk # 634 was and light years later after finding Williams NW-2's in how well it was made which really

surprised me.  After working for DCAS, I learned a lot about quality control. So I still

believe you can get a high quality product for few dollars more in trains that is. Plastic

gears doesn't cut it, it is fine for lighter weight H.O. and N scale motive power.

 

Tiffany

Did Lionel say when the NW2 might ship ?

Hello John.............

 

The good engine I had in that time frame was the Lionel 2383's which had 2 motors, all wheel drive and metal gears as well as die cast frame.

 

Tiffany

It's almost predictable that this iconic PW switcher would be offered in LC+.  I'll go out on a limb and bet a Turbine and GG1 in LC+ sometime soon.

 

Are the trucks really anything new?  Not PW for sure, but then they're not unique to the NW2.  Maybe off an earlier Lionel RS3 offering?

 

All the same, if I was set on running purely LC, I'd need one of these.  Finally something that isn't compressed, extra details added and has all the LC+ goodies.  Loads of switching fun.

 

Bruce

...and even so, still had metal gearing.  While nothing special, the 634 of mine runs smooth and quiet.

 

Bruce

Is there room for a second motor?  Looking at catalog pictures of the geeps, there is not a lot of free space between the motors and electronic boards. Since the NW-2 is only 12 inches long, there may not be space in the unit for a second motor when the PCB's, speaker, and smoke unit are taken into account.

I am looking forward to this engine, but was sorry to see the model at York had frosted windows and no figures in the cab. Because I could see a board through the rear window, I figure the interior was filled with the electronics.

Why not get the Williams product and swamp it to TMCC + railsounds? That seems like the better solution for your needs. You seem pretty impressed with the Williams product.

 

As far as the 634 is concerned. While detail wise it may not be up to today's standard, it has survived for 50+ years intact and I assume that it still functions. I would not exactly call that "junk".

Hello WBC.....

 

haven't thought of that way, but why not a non-powered NW-2 "calf" (cab less) and put all the sound package in it and have the double motor NW-2 with cab to pull it plus cars behind it. I would think it be neat short train

 

Tiffany

I think it is going to be a high in demand engine. With the list price of less than 300.00, and street prices below that is going to make it a sure sell out fast. You get a nice postwar style engine with digital sound and radio remote control. The postwar switchers all were only single motored.

 After thought, not to mention operating exhaust stacks, too!

That may be true, but the engine in question on this thread is the NW-2, of which the postwar version never had two motors to begin with.

NW-2 powered + sound in dummy calf works. I don't know if Williams made a calf.  I know MTH made a calf and Lionel made calf with cheaper sheet metal chassis and plastic trucks. Lionel also did the special run Texas Special for where the calf had the early postwar type construction with cast metal chassis.

Hi WBC............

 

Yes, I was impressed for the amount of money Williams (before the Bachmann take over) charges for the NW-2's.

I was even more impressed with the older Williams F-3's as it is my best Williams locomotive I ever purchased.

 

Tiffany

That one came with incorrect EMD Blomberg trucks that was used on the postwar Lionel GP7/9 and 44 tonners and were also used on a number of later-postwar period NW-2s.

Interesting debate....one motor plus electronics or two motors.

 

I've got a PW NW-2 with one motor and magnetraction and have never had complaints about its pulling power.  Is a second motor really needed?

 

I doubt it. Probably not room in this relatively small engine for two motors plus all the sound and LC+ electronics anyway. J. Don Reese said in the presentation that with all the diecast construction it's a heavy engine, and will easily pull 25 or more cars. All the LC+ engines so far have been stump pullers.

 

And that forum sponsor would be? 

When J Don said all die cast that got my attention.  I may pull the trigger on one of these after all.  My Genset has one motor and can pull tree stumps so I'm not too worried about one motor.

I am going to assume the gears might be metal.  I think the gear drive is similar to whats in the recent B&M Geep.  They look metal to me...I think maybe a few years ago Lionel retooled the bloomberg trucks for the F3's and GPs and switched the gears to metal.  This was also the case with the retooled Alco PWCC truck.  I will post some pics when I get home of the gears on those items.  The recent B&M Geep clearly has a diff gear ratio for the CAN motor...its a wobbly setup but works fine.  The new Lionel vendors seem to have trouble with trucks.

 

The new NW-2 trucks might be from another product.  Wasn't there an issue with the LCCA Texas Special NW2 trucks...the tooling was damaged.  Lionel used scale Bloomberg trucks on that one.  Perhaps they had time to find something that was a better fit.   Either way I may order 3 of these as they look great.  

The Lionel originals were hefty enough.  Add a cast body with can motor and it'll be smokin' them tires.

 

Bruce

I recall the last shipping date I saw was July 15th. A little under powered is fine with me. I don't have the space for a big train, i am gueesing it can pull about half of 35 the tested capacity if i recall correctly of the RS3 and GP7's. I missed out on pre-orders, that and shipping would have removed most of the cost savings, just have to remember to get the right guy at the hobby shop.

 

As for glazed windows, I would have preferred crew figures, like the catalog said, but showed frosted. I was hoping they would have crew figures, then makes running in reverse look better, no eyes in back of head going on. looking forward to it. Not sure what to make of the metal vs. plastic gears debate.

A few observations...

First i know this isn't meant to be a scale piece.  But I immediately noticed the trucks were different.  Unfortunately it looks like Lionel is using AAR Type B road trucks (as would have been used on an Alco FA or RS-3) instead of the correct AAR Type A switcher trucks.  It doesn't look "right" to my eyes but it's no worse than the Blombergs that were used in the past.  At least this lets them save money on the truck tooling.

 

WBC: The reason motors overheated in the FTs is that Lionel WAS trying to make up for a smaller motor by using a lower (numerically higher) gear ratio.  They achieved this by changing the worm from a triple-start to a double-start, without changing the 25-tooth worm wheel in the truck block.  They didn't get the mesh exactly right, which created excess friction and heat.  (Seacrh my name for another recent thread on this subject.)

 

Lionel certainly knows how to make a single-motored switcher run and pull well.  The Gensets run extremely well as long as you don't expect them to scorch the ballast on an express train (which the real ones never did.)

 

After the single powered axle LionDrive fiasco in the mid 2000s, Lionel took a different and promising approach by moving away from a low gear ratio, and making the powertrain back-drivable (i.e., wheels can turn the motor) just like in postwar days.  This eliminated a lot of the low speed lurching and bucking that plagued early Odyssey diesels (and still occasionally affects dual-motored diesels from brands A, M, and W whose gears are not back-drivable.)

 

I would say the missing piece is a higher quality, high torque motor.  There probably are small can motors that have torque approaching that of a pullmor motor.  The Pittman 8692 that Lionel used in the Veranda Turbine might be one example.  But given the price point of this switcher and its intended audience, my guess is that it will get the ubiquitous Mabuchi RS-385.

 

I'm primarily a steam guy, and if I wanted the most accurate, best running version of an EMD switcher, I would buy the highly acclaimed Atlas model.  But I'm glad to see Lionel bringing the venerable NW2 back as part of the LionChief product line.  -Ted

 

Did anyone else notice the Camelback now has a coupler lift-bar and other new details?

 

Jon

I'm not really concerned if it has one motor or two: most of my steamers have only one motor and they run fine and pull hard.  Some of my one-motor diesels pull hard, and some two-motor diesels don't (e.g., WBB 44 tonner).  If the motor is large enough, the loco is designed right, one is enough.  I think it likely Lionel will get it right, considering.  

 

As to the price, Chuck Sartor reported he pre-ordered one for $210 from a forum sponsor. That's a bargain price for what you get, that even Williams can barely match.

 

I have the recent MTH NW-2 PS-3 NW-2 switcher and calf, and low them, but at that price I may have to get an LC+2 pair, for the smoke. 

 

----------------------------------------------------

Yes.  I will definitely get one of those even though I am not a big fan of camelbacks.  Lionel seems to be making some slightly changes as it goes along.  I will be interested to see how this one, in particular turns out.  

 

But frankly, what I most want is the FA A-B-A set.  That is the only LC+ I have on pre-order.

I would like to have some confirmation if the body will be die cast? If so I'm definitely in!

Your probably right. Still not a deal breaker for me.

 

Yes, sounds like he's retiring, but will still be around as an "ambassador" and make some appearances. He said he was retiring years ago, though; I remember talking to him about his place in N. Carolina he was retiring to. I think this time he really will be retiring, though.