Lionel's mid-priced Legacy Steam Engines

I can't speak to the Camelback or K-4, but I love my Legacy 0-8-0. Operates and sounds awesome!!!

Ron

I don't have either of those models but I have four of the very recent (2011) legacy steamers and all are among the best I have. I have two diesels from that same catalog and they also are among the best locos I have. All seem to run a bit btter and sound a bit better than legacy models of only a few years ago.

I think this price range is the sweet spot now in the industry, whether MTH or Lionel. The different in sound, quality, and features you get with the more expensive vision locos is hard to justify in my opinion. For around $900 - $1200 you get a detailed, scale loco with a lot of features and very good running. I saw the Legacy Shay from the 2011 catalog demonstrated at a local store earlier this week. It is good looking, good detail, great sound, very smooth running. But I'm thinking of the K4 but hope to see one first. Its a handsome loco and a good size I think -- not too small, not to big.

Paul, I have the K4 and it was made with the K-Line tooling plus enhancements. It runs very well and looks great. Before I preordered it I asked the Lionel rep, at York, in April, about the tooling and he confirmed they were using K-Line.

The Legacy Camelbacks were all canceled.

quote:

Originally posted by John Meixel:
Paul, I have the K4 and it was made with the K-Line tooling plus enhancements. It runs very well and looks great. Before I preordered it I asked the Lionel rep, at York, in April, about the tooling and he confirmed they were using K-Line.

John, What was the Lionel model number on your K4. I'm interested in and need a model #. Thanks

6-11328, it's one of the prewar versions which I think are nicer looking than the postwar.

Here are some pictures of it:

K4

Check that the linkage hangars aren't bent when you remove it from the box, binding caused by the rods could damage the gears. Though I did not have the bent linkage hangar, on mine, the idler gear shaft behind the center driver was walking out of the gear box. I sent it back to Lionel, they replaced the entire chassis but now a couple of the drivers have paint peeling off of the spokes. Just some QC things to watch out for, in spite of this its a super smooth runner, sounds and smokes great.

I have the K4. All features work as advertised. Good looking and running engine. I did test run it at my LHS prior to assuming ownership.
BT

Thanks John. Nice looking loco. Now to start the search.

.

I have the Lionel Legacy C&O 4-6-0, so far it's fine. My only complaint is the smoke is not as robust as I'd like, I may have to crack the case and see what's going on. Love the sounds.

I have the postwar K4 and the Great Northern Mikado. Both are awesome. I highly recommend them.

Good luck!

Ben

Love my NYC F12e Ten Wheeler. Great little engine. If they had only gotten the tender lettering right, 'twould be nearly perfect.

We have a K-4 on back order. Can't wait to get it, but Lionel has no idea when it will become available again. It's # 1361 PRR. It holds some significance to both my wife and I. We saw it many times while visiting "Steamtown" while it went in repairs. Looking forward to see it running again in Altoona, PA.. Tom

quote:

Originally posted by Tango:
We have a K-4 on back order. Can't wait to get it, but Lionel has no idea when it will become available again. It's # 1361 PRR. It holds some significance to both my wife and I. We saw it many times while visiting "Steamtown" while it went in repairs. Looking forward to see it running again in Altoona, PA.. Tom

I'm guessing your going through your LHS, but many of the larger mail order dealers, Charles Ro, Trainworld, etc, still list these as in stock. I always thought when a batch of locos is delivered, whats available is whats available, and when they're gone they're gone. I didn't think they could be " on backorder", unless Lionel lists them as a "partial shipment" which was not the case with the k-4's.