I realize some folks had older verison of this but I had no scale Pacific since my K-line died.
Mine arrived this afternoon (pictures below). I've run it for maybe 20 minutes, although its upstairs now running in for an hour.
I run only conventional, so I tested no Legacy control features.
Everything looked right and worked well right out of the box although there were three anomalies :
1) I was worried at first because there was no sound. However, the big volume control wheel (it must be 1.5 inches diameter) accessed through the rear tender hatch, was not only turned down to zero, but there is no sound at all for the first half of its travel, at leastl.
2) the smoke unit switch (in the sanddome) is wired backward - setting it to NO SMK turns on the smoke.
3) volume is difference in sound (see below)
Overall this loco is what I expected. It is a great size for my layout - just a bit smaller than a scale Hudson and fits nicely.
It runs as expected - in other words, extremely well, with flawless cruise up and down slopes, even when pulling 15 cars a a caboose. This one runs at about 5-7 mph smoothly at around just 10 Volts (without any cars attached) - at which point the sound wants to keep cutting in and out.
I KNOW LIONEL LISTS IT AS O-54, (edit - I was wrong, ithe catalog does say 0-54 although the passenger cars to match are 054)BUT IT MADE I AROUND MY UPPER 36" LOOP which has switchbacks and slopes that enter curves and everything else that could challenge a loco. It tracked well without problem on all the 36" curves and through 36", 48", 60," and 72" inch switches including a back to back S of OF TWO 60"ers with no problems. The rear of the cab juts out to the side more than I expected on curves.
Lights work well, etc. Nothing new there. Whistle and bell are good but about average for this price range, but not memorable in any way. Whistle steam effect is very good.
Railsounds is okay, but somehow not as exceptional as in the recent Northern - this one sounds a bit flatter and less dynamic for some reason. However, it is equal to that in the new MTH European 241.A (PS3) I recently got - its not bad, just not as good as the best Legacy steam I've heard.
There is a substantial difference in the chuffing volume - more than on any other loco I have -- between the volume level at idle (in neutral) which is very very quiet, and the volume when moving - its like someone instantly doubles or triples the volume a lot as soon as it starts. Other locos make a bit more sound when they run but the volume difference is not nearly as substantial.
What I like best is the sole reason I bought the Southern Crescent version as opposed to either of the other two: the applied details/piping and such on this particular version look much better to me, particularly those details on the front third of the loco. It is all very good - a lot of "separately applied" parts. I love the sense of complex industrial machinery that all those parts convey.
Paint quality and print quality is very good - flawless as near as I can tell, and on this one there is more than the usual number of things that could go wrong. I don't like the paint sheen: the green and red have a type of mild satin finish that makes the loco look like much llike it is made of plastic. I do not like the paint scheme either. I realize many think it gorgeous, and I agree, but its too fancy for me. And this brings up what many will consider sacrilege. I bought the Southern Crescent version because of that attached equipment with the intent to repaint it flat black, weather it a bit, and relabel it UP (everything on my layout except the Vision Hudson is SF or UP). In the mean time, here are pictures now, in original paint.
