Hey gang,
Did anyone order the Santa Fe F3 120th anniversary set that was in last years catalog?
Its item 2022120. I was on the fence about it, due to the catalog rendering, I am still thinking of picking one up down the road, but I thought the initial price tag was ridiculous for it,.
Would love to see photos of it, before I decide
Thanks!!!
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Check my thread on the Lionel Products forum...NVISICH posted shots of his
It looks like a nice set in the review above.
Well after watching the video, seems like Lionel got the red wrong once again on the F3's.
Maybe they will make replacement shells like they did on the CC versions.
Definitely not worth the price they were asking....
Interesting. The photos posted on the other had the red looking pretty nice. Looks flat in the video. Nice horn at least. Don’t like the E bell sound however.
From the prices I saw it is way over priced. Hard to tell on the color of the red but the price is not for me.
Dave
@ZWPOWER13 posted:Well after watching the video, seems like Lionel got the red wrong once again on the F3's.
Maybe they will make replacement shells like they did on the CC versions.
Definitely not worth the price they were asking....
@ZWPOWER13 posted:Well after watching the video, seems like Lionel got the red wrong once again on the F3's.
Maybe they will make replacement shells like they did on the CC versions.
Definitely not worth the price they were asking....
Mark,
I watched the video on this set and check out the yellow stripe on edge of the roof and top of sides where the yellow stripe fall in uneven curve. compared with the older S.F. F-3's the stripe curve is off or crooked. I have a Williams S.F. F-3s and the yellow stripes on the roof edge is much nicer curve coming down on sides. Lionel mess up that area on both units. Lionel is using the can motors on this unit not pullmors. How much is Lionel asking for the set anyway ? check it out.
Tiffany
Can attest after seeing it in the Concord Mills store, red is definitely flat and a bit underwhelming. If they had made these in the same shade/style as the 90's LTI release, they would have been a home run. Nose proportions look a smidge squished compared to them as well, I was hoping they were going to be reprints of those with better motors and LC2 tech, at least they got the latter two correct! Here's hoping we get a separate sale release with better paint..I'll be one of the first in line if they do.
I found it a bit interesting that Lionel went against their own tradition by painting the nose handrails and truck ladder steps silver instead of keeping them black as has been the norm for the postwar-style F3s. The flat red paint does seem to give less visual oomph again compared to how Lionel typically does it (Conventional Classics ATSF flat paint F3s notwithstanding). What kind of trucks are on the milk car? Hard to tell, but they look like the die cast generic style roller bearing trucks with all cast-in details that I've seen on a number of modern-era operating cars like the aquarium cars and some cabooses. If so that's a bit of a disappointment as I'd rather at least see postwar-type die cast trucks that they've used on some other modern era milk cars like the 9220 Borden or even more recent examples like the 29855 that were modified to use fast angle wheels if I were to get this set.
no GM decal must be a fake,
Interesting. Is Lionel trying to copy a Post War engine? Match the Santa Fe FT sets? Or make something that can't be mistaken for something else? the tooling appears to be that of the Neil Young F3A's.
Jon 
As mentioned above, price is what finally swayed me on decision to not get this set. Initially, I was all in as soon as I saw the catalog as anything PW-inspired is right in my wheel house. I think I even had it in the to-buy cart before I backed off. The reality is I have all of the rolling stock in their PW versions.
Notwithstanding the color issues for the locos, hope all that bought this one enjoy the new set. 
Wonder if there will a postwar inspired set in the new catalog due out on the 22nd? For me I just want the milk car from this set to complete a set I want to piece meal from previous PWC individual offerings.
Terrance
I would love to see a set including an all black (I say this because Lionel added silver to the 726 Berk in 2017) Lionel Lines 2046 Baby Hudson w/6wheel die-cast 2046 Tender. It can be conventional or LC 2.0, Legacy, whatever.
$900, from Trainland for an F3 A-A and 5 Cars. Made in China. No comment, where are their customers going to come from???
Just way too much for my budget.
Very nice save there - looks great!
So Lionel wants me to pay around $900 for something I pretty much already have? Seems silly. Shhhhhh... just a secret between you and me, but my F3s are Williams. Lol. No fancy sounds or smoke, but they are bulletproof. Not as shiny as postwar, but at least the horns, handrails and ladders are correct.
The street prices are not so bad on this, especially since you get the operating milk car and platform, as well as the operating dump car with logs and log dump tray.
Anyway, I got my set for a good price from my go to and am very happy. The fact I can run it 3 different ways is excellent.
Was there a write up of this set in OGR magazine? I seem to remember there being one but I can't find it. Any help here would be welcome.
Actually, this is an excellent set! Look at it this way. A starter F3 Santa Fe is around $484. But this Lionchief 2.0 has unbelievable rail sounds and fan driven smoke. Yes the color is off from the originals, but so what. If you like the originals, get an original. As to the accuracy, well “NO” real engines ran on three rails and ”real” trains smoke. If the color of the steps or no decal is a big deal, than paint it and order a set of decals with the GM logo for $6.
The can motors are not Pullman but have plenty of power. What I did was used my passenger cars from my other sets. Baggage, five passenger cars, two vista dome and and observation car. I also got a “B” unit and silvered the trucks to match.
So I’m running a Lionchief 2.0 with fan driven smoke on the “A” and dummy “A”. It’s a ABA look, with electro hooks, full rail sounds, Bluetooth that can be controlled by my universal remote, Lionchief app or my Cab remote. I took my passenger cars apart and put seated people in them for the ultimate Santa Fe experience.
Still have dads old classic, but honestly this one is better. Brings the “full experience” for me. To me this hobby is about enjoyment. That’s why I’m not afraid to modify, tweek or adjust things.
Also I thought the darkened portholes, reverse light on the dummy A and some real vent screens were nice. 2.0 also allows extremely slow startups on both diesel and steam engines and not like conventional “race car” startups, buzzing e units and soundless experience.
I watched the review on Eric’s Trains and the guy has one of the most extensive collections I’ve ever seen. So I feel $1,000 is fair for the set. The five classic remakes of the caboose (53) , milk car (47), Auto Loader, log car and the three dome Sunoco tanker are amazing! This cars sell for $80 a piece and the milk car with platform $120. That’s over $440 in rolling stock alone with much better engine than he $484 set, so I think saying it’s overpriced d is a bit unfair.
As to where it’s made, Lionel isn’t coming to America unless we decide to work cheaper and with less benefits. That is reality! As with any Lionel product of any era the trains will last as long as they are cared for, properly maintained and stored when not in use.
Frank
Terrence wants the milk car from the set-I wanted the auto loader ( and found one for separate sale) -notice the not-typical-PW auto colors. Interesting how our train hobby interests vary.
A nice set. But the red paint IS off again on the F3s. I don't understand why Lionel doesn’t reissue the F7 ABA set from 2007. The colors and graphics are great along with the performance.
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