@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:What exactly is "Engine of the Year" Marty? I know that they had the one with Lionel colors a year or two ago, don't remember what it was(Berkshire)?
The past 4 or 5 years the Lionel Store sells an exclusive "Locomotive of the Year" that is decorated in Lionel colors. This years was the Hiawatha.
2021
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2023
lionel has an empire state express hudson on their site.... refurbished tho. some other engines too
@Mikado 4501 posted:Did he say all the VISION Hudsons would have the graphite colored boiler front, as opposed to the all black look?
Thomas, I believe that it only applies to the non-fantasy engines meaning 2531330 #5330 & 2531340 #5340 should have whatever the smoke box color is. #5330 is in the Dreyfuss scheme, and #5340 is in the Pacemaker smoke box looks more like silver. All the graphite colors are darker graphite(what Ryan said), I don't believe he means the graphite that the J3's were supposed to have, but then again this is the artist's rendition. The catalog image of #5344 looks like the whole thing is the same color black, being that maybe it is an actual model but who can say what. I don't know about the LCCA version because the color is not easy to figure out, looks grey to me.
I am interested to see what the Mr. Muffin's versions will look when the artwork gets done because that may or may not give us any sort of idea. I would message back to Ryan about what he means by darker graphite, but I may not get a reply. If I had thought about it when I was composing my email, I would have asked a more detailed question instead of, "it looks black on the smoke box, what color is it or is it all black?" What I should have asked would be more like is the smoke box color the traditional New York Central graphite like the 50th Anniversary Hudson, or like the (give example of really dark smoke box).
Pete
Pete, Lionel needs to make that tender. It could be used on many models.
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I agree.
I wish they would add a version with disc drivers to this offering.
Dave
Mr. Muffin's Friday night chat he was thinking of trying to get Lionel to do one(someone wrote in that idea), he isn't sure that it would happen though. He already has 3 custom runs, he isn't sure he could get them to do a 4th. I guess we'll see if he can pitch a swell idea and they bite.
@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Mr. Muffin's Friday night chat he was thinking of trying to get Lionel to do one(someone wrote in that idea), he isn't sure that it would happen though. He already has 3 custom runs, he isn't sure he could get them to do a 4th. I guess we'll see if he can pitch a swell idea and they bite.
Did they mention what this variation would be?
@RamblerDon posted:Did they mention what this variation would be?
No Steve didn't other than the drivers. I would say that maybe message him to see if he has gotten a better idea of what. I do know that there is plenty of time for him to try and persuade Lionel to take it on.
The only differences in these many Hudsons, other than road numbers, a road name, and a paint job, are the class lights and the PT tenders. All NYC-esque.
Since there are now 8 versions of the NYC Hudson, plus some special runs, how about something different for a J1e.
Lionel, at least make one of these with a tender similar to what Pete showed, offer disc drivers (that we know are able to be produced), and for goodness sakes, a scale front truck.
From what I recall, the only option variety within a year's model offering was the different tender for the Berkshires / Polar Express Berkshires. The 1997 #5344 Hudson did have the scale front truck and extra drivers, and the Warhorse of the same year had the latter. Unfortunately, the Warhorse was the poor stepchild missing the important detail parts. And the 5344 had that Vanderbilt tender, ugh.
For me: A standard, scale J1e (like the current 5344 offering), without the NYC style tenders, with scale front truck and disc driver options. It doesn't have to have a prototypically correct road name, could even be Lionel Lines 
(That was done with the scale Turbine).
Dave
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