New Lionel Consolidations

Wow, today I tried this little locomotive over some long Ross switches, it ran flawlessly…. Happy Railroading Everyone

Well, I was working on my layout today and I must confess, the marker lights are a bit bright on the new 2-8-0 consolidation locomotives, but they work. Here is my K-Line Hudson, (It’s been through the Harmonyards Shops) and it’s lights look more prototypical parked next to the new B&O 2-8-0 consolidation steamer. Now, one other bit of information is mine is high gloss black, Pat at Patrick’s Trains says it’s very prototypical of an engine coming right out of the paint shops, I like it. Happy Railroading Everyone

Awesome steam engines, Larry. 👍

Totally awesome. I wonder if you can get a fancy spoked pilot wheel for that engine...the dull finish really sticks out due to the awesome glossy finish on that consolidation.

@leapinlarry posted:

Wow, today I tried this little locomotive over some long Ross switches, it ran flawlessly…. Happy Railroading Everyone

Hi Larry, I’ve been on the fence about purchasing one of the Lionel Consolidation locomotives. After reading the positive posts and watching your videos I ordered the B&O #2770 from Patrick’s trains. Thanks for posting the videos.

Gene

I recently purchased Lionel’s model of New York Central 2-8-0 steam locomotive #960.

I had not anticipated buying this model but seeing the videos on the Forum made me reconsider. It is a good-looking freight locomotive, scale-sized and the discounted selling-price of this model made it a good value.

My model had no manufacturing defects. The flat-black finish on the boiler looks realistic, the graphite color of the firebox and smokebox seems correct, and it operates smoothly with realistic four-per-driver-revolution chugging sounds and other subtle steam locomotive sounds. The speed control maintains a constant speed as the model rounds the Atlas O-54 curves on my small layout.

I would like to increase the loudness of the chugging sounds but there is no volume control adjustment in conventional operation. Lionel’s list of features includes “cab glass” but my model has none.

I also noticed that the white lettering next to the pgm/run switch on the engineer’s side of the frame, beneath the cab, and also by the smoke on/off switch on the fireman’s side, is visible when the model is viewed at eye level. Lionel’s artwork for the engine does not show the switches or lettering.

A drawing of the Union Pacific prototype for Lionel’s model appears on page 50 of Model Railroader Cyclopedia – Volume 1 – Steam Locomotives by Linn H. Westcott. It is listed as “Harriman 2-8-0” and shown with a Vanderbilt tender.

I found an online picture of the real NYC #960 taken in August 1946 on the Michigan Central Railroad in Ontario, Canada. It states that the locomotive was a member of NYC Class G-6i built by ALCo-Brooks in 1909 with 63-inch drivers and 23-by-32 cylinders, and that it operated at 200 psi boiler pressure and was scrapped in 1954. The picture shows conspicuous differences from the model with respect to valve gear, steam and sand domes, bell location, and the engineer’s-side walkway. The model’s driving wheels correspond to 60-inch diameter at full scale.

I also consulted Steam Locomotives of the New York Central Lines by William D. Edson and H. L. Vail Jr., in which there is a picture of NYC Class G-2c 2-8-0 #2402 taken in 1914 in which #2402 looks more like Lionel’s model and, in my opinion, would therefore have been a better choice of road number.

For reference, NYC Class G-6k locomotives had an engine weight of 244,500 pounds, a loaded tender weight of 150,500 pounds, and a maximum tractive effort of 45,680 pounds.

In summary, NYC #960 is a good-looking engine that was reasonably priced and runs well, so I’m satisfied with my purchase.

The model is running at 16 scale miles-per-hour in my video.

MELGAR