here lately i've been thinking about cameras on engines and why we came so close twice to putting cameras in lionel engines but ultimately failed or gave up on the concept before it had a chance
first came Railscope in 1988 that was okay but it ate through 9 volts like nobody's business. lionel was considering track power for the camera but never did
then in 1997 came lionel vision which had stereo sound and color footage that could be streamed live over the internet or recorded for video . prototypes were made and ran on the horde layout and that was it. i don't even think it was put in the catalogs. What happened? does anyone know?
I've wanted an engine camera for about 5 years now and actually kind of need one for my film career as my layout will not be just for play but work as well
i am a future film maker and my biggest project called Fenix Transport is basically set in an alternate dimension where lionel is full size but still runs on 3 rail track. i want to bring lionel to the big screen like hasbro and paramount did with the Transformers franchise and many other toy franchises. for example Shailene Woodley the actress who will play the main female protagonist - Fenix Starr will be shrank down to 1/48th scale and will take the helm of some of my freight trains. there are going to be many shots from her view in the cab especially in episode 2 which is called Ice and Steel where Fenix has to drive a freight from Alaska to Arizona in a snowstorm to bring aid to her home city which is why a camera engine is needed for that perfect shot. i've tried to achieve that shot with my camcorder on a freight car being pushed by one of my engines but i can never get the shot i need. i need a shot from the "cab" where things like handrails and grabirons , maybe part of the hood to be visable in the shot like how you would see if you filmed from a real locomotive.
i honestly hope lionel doesn't sue me for this as i want to bring out the feels and hit the nostagia for the older folks and maybe bring in new younger folks
trust me i have plans - if you have ever wondered what destruction an army 44 would do if it was real or wondered if aerial target balloons explode in real life when hit with turbo missiles you will see for yourself in the sub series called Train Wars which will also have cab shots through out
i also understand if this post gets deleted because of my tangents
i was hoping to one day get my hands on one of the lionel vision prototypes and see if it could actually work but i missed the bids
