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14 replies

My thoughts on LionChief Plus

chipsetchipsetOGR Forum Member

Although, none of the current road names and steamer/diesel types fit into my current layout, i.e. NYC&HRR 1900 and LIRR all era's,

I am considering them possibly for my 2nd layout, which as you might already know is being planned for use in a 2nd bedroom.

I am just trying to decide which ones I want, as I feel the need to be prudent in my purchases now that my inventory is approaching 20 engines.....(crickets).

 

In addition, I also feel LionChief Plus just "might"...."might" be the future of Model railroading.

Here is why:

 

1) RTR sets have in the past been the introduction to the hobby for adults and children alike. Unfortunately, I do not feel they make a good first impression, i.e. to teh inexperienced model railroader...are they thinking "Is this all there is to them"? Instead with LionChief Plus, not only do they have some of the qualities of a RTR set, i.e. affordability and easy usability, but they seem to have a much higher quality and WOW factor than a RTR set.

Of course, not having true RTR aspects such as track and a transformer or freight and passenger cars, would probably be a blocker to a child or adult new to model trains, unless of course Lionel has or will have LionChief Plus RTR sets..I need to verify if these actually exist after the coffee kicks in as my mind is toast right now.

 

2) Even for experienced modelers, having to spend less time setting up wiring, blocks, several command and control components and considerations etc etc....seems to be a sure win. Just build your dream layout and place as many LionelChief Plus trains on the layout and you are good to go! The only limitation being space, routes, and sidings for storage, staging, and collision avoidance.

 

Of concern would be having to deal with a "bunch of remotes"...of course someone could invent a remote caddy of some sort for all those remotes...Lionel???

 

To some degree, it seems to me that we are seeing less and less Legacy Lionel Engines with the recent catalogs...is this a trend? Or just a short term hitch?

 

Regardless, LionChief Plus does conjure up images of scale locomotives using its technology, add a little more detail here and there, maybe improve sound a tad.

I think the real attention getter is less wiring with LionChief? True? Untrue?

 

Also, I have always felt that MTH Rail King products already fill this product area very well, and thus, is LionChief Plus just Lionel's version of MTH RK but with remotes? As many Rail King products have been quite inexpensive over the years...although their prices seem to be creeping up.

Also, I have heard some complaints on LionChief Plus engine sounds....but then again, what do you expect for such a great price?

Moreover, MTH Rail King sounds and even Premier sounds are not always that good either, i.e. being very generic...most steamers all sound the same.

Makes for some critical thinking on the subject.

 

In a nutshell, I will admit to being very intrigued...I am not 100% sold on it, but very very intrigued to the point of making a purchase.

Remember, i still only have 20 trains tops...so based on the average train collection size on this forum, I am behind the 8 ball on purchases!

Last edited by chipset
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Matthew B.Matthew B.OGR Forum Member

Time, space, convenience and affordability make LionChief an attractive product for condominium and apartment dwellers. This is a demographic that generally doesn’t ever even consider the hobby except during the Holiday Season.

 

The short time to set up and than disassemble a small display, put it away for a while and easily take it out and do it again without any complications is almost revolutionary for an electric train. Probably the best allure to the hobby for novices in its history.

chipsetchipsetOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Bob Severin:

I wish Lionel had developed the LionChief system earlier.  I love them, and if I already did not have thousands invested in other locos, I would do LionChief plus for everything. Hopefully, in the future, they will offer more road names, and vary the size of the steamers more than 1/2".

I feel the same way...I believe my layout would look better, would have been built easier and quicker, and more time running and less time solving issues.

Also, my wallet would be fatter from the savings...

I cringe every time I think about how every Lionel Legacy AA or AB set is going to cost me about $500.

Had Lionel done as you said come out with LionChief Plus earlier my motive power costs would have been half.

TexSpecialTexSpecialOGR Forum Member

I had the Lionel LionChief + Santa Fe Mikado and SF GP7 still boxed waiting for my track to be laid on my new Army base layout modifications.  To celebrate Veterans Day last weekend, I invited fellow Veterans and their families over for lunch.  I unboxed the two locomotives, placed batteries in the remotes and tested both prior to company arriving.  Both engines ran and operated perfect.

 

I invited my guests which numbered around 20 men, wives and their children up to see how they operated these new additions.  After demonstrating the features they could activate on the remote I handed it over and everyone, young and old, had tons of fun, most operating a model train for their first time.  I handed over the latest OGR magazine and 4 of my guests are going to order either a LionChief or + item from one of OGR's advertisers.  Can't beat that with a stick. 

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

chipsetchipsetOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by TexSpecial:

I had the Lionel LionChief + Santa Fe Mikado and SF GP7 still boxed waiting for my track to be laid on my new Army base layout modifications.  To celebrate Veterans Day last weekend, I invited fellow Veterans and their families over for lunch.  I unboxed the two locomotives, placed batteries in the remotes and tested both prior to company arriving.  Both engines ran and operated perfect.

 

I invited my guests which numbered around 20 men, wives and their children up to see how they operated these new additions.  After demonstrating the features they could activate on the remote I handed it over and everyone, young and old, had tons of fun, most operating a model train for their first time.  I handed over the latest OGR magazine and 4 of my guests are going to order either a LionChief or + item from one of OGR's advertisers.  Can't beat that with a stick. 

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

That is awesome Steve!

So what is this about a "new army base" layout?

RussellRussellOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

So far I have all the steamers and one diesel, a GP7.  I love them. they are great runners and look good enough, and you can bash/add details if you want - I have in some cases.  It does get a big confusing with some many remotes sitting on teh shelf so it pays to put the road number in big numbers on the remote

 

Lee;

I am aiming this at you as you have several to compare.

Do the Lionchief engines seem to run fast to you?

I got the 10th Anniversary Polar Express and have it on a loop now.

It doesn't move on click one, creeps on 2, moves on 3 but stops at a corner, slows in corners on 4 but gets around then speeds up.

5 is at least 30SMPH on straights and slows on corners.

I haven't run any faster as I fear it will leap off the rail on the tight corners.

 

Is mine an oddity or is this normal?

Thanks !

chipsetchipsetOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by PRR2818:

Russell,

 

To my knowledge the LionChief Engines do not have the same speed control as the LionChief Plus Engines. My Mikado LC+ is as nice as my Legacy of the same engine for the speed control.

WOW.....I knew LC+ was better than LC...but...just as good as Legacy?

I am reconsidering my future expensive Legacy purchases and might just stick with LC+

I guess the acid test will be durability and reliability versus legacy.

LW Lee WillisOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Russell:
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

So far I have all the steamers and one diesel, a GP7.  I love them. they are great runners and look good enough, and you can bash/add details if you want - I have in some cases.  It does get a big confusing with some many remotes sitting on teh shelf so it pays to put the road number in big numbers on the remote

 

Lee;

I am aiming this at you as you have several to compare.

Do the Lionchief engines seem to run fast to you?

I got the 10th Anniversary Polar Express and have it on a loop now.

It doesn't move on click one, creeps on 2, moves on 3 but stops at a corner, slows in corners on 4 but gets around then speeds up.

5 is at least 30SMPH on straights and slows on corners.

I haven't run any faster as I fear it will leap off the rail on the tight corners.

 

Is mine an oddity or is this normal?

Thanks !

I have never let them run more than a few seconds at full throttle.  I have run them there and they go "too fast" - somewhere way back when I posted a test of one of them for speed on each notch.  I can't remember now how fast they would go.  

 

You can avoid overspeeding some by running them at 12V instead of 18V.  Mine run okay at those voltage. 

Last edited by Lee Willis
Matthew B.Matthew B.OGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:
Originally Posted by Russell:
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

So far I have all the steamers and one diesel, a GP7.  I love them. they are great runners and look good enough, and you can bash/add details if you want - I have in some cases.  It does get a big confusing with some many remotes sitting on teh shelf so it pays to put the road number in big numbers on the remote

 

Lee;

I am aiming this at you as you have several to compare.

Do the Lionchief engines seem to run fast to you?

I got the 10th Anniversary Polar Express and have it on a loop now.

It doesn't move on click one, creeps on 2, moves on 3 but stops at a corner, slows in corners on 4 but gets around then speeds up.

5 is at least 30SMPH on straights and slows on corners.

I haven't run any faster as I fear it will leap off the rail on the tight corners.

 

Is mine an oddity or is this normal?

Thanks !

I have never let them run more than a few seconds at full throttle.  I have run them there and they go "too fast" - somewhere way back when I posted a test of one of them for speed on each notch.  I can't remember now how fast they would go.  

 

You can avoid overspeeding some by running them at 12V instead of 18V.  Mine run okay at those voltage. 

I think mine is the first generation of the LionChief Polar Express so it might not be fair to compare it to yours..

Mines similar in that it doesn't seem to have a lot of speed steps on the remote that a LionChief + has. I haven't really noticed any appreciable slowing down or speeding up going into O36 curves or running onto the straights. But I don't think I've ever gone above 2/3 throttle because I do think it would derail on the O36. Even climbing the grade on our double helix I keep it set around 2/3 throttle. It does  slow down and speed up on the grades (which reach near 9% at some points) and it strains getting over the top pulling 7 seven cars plus the tender. Right now I have the display set with a relay to provide 18 volts on the climb and 14 volts on the descent. Set at 2/3 throttle and let it run.

John23John23OGR Forum Member

I think Lionel missed it by not having these engines compatible with TMCC.  For those of us with several or more engines having a separate remote for each would be overwhelming.  They should at least come up with a remote that can control more than one unit.  I remember some years ago when Lionel cataloged a Rock Island diesel set with a TMCC Jr. controller - never made.

 

Other than that, it's a good idea.  

 

 

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