New Lionel Crescent Loco?

Hi Mike W:

I love my new  Lionel Southern Crescent #6-11334, It's a smooth runner, and it smokes very well, especially the whistle unit.. Sound is great like all Lionel Legacy loco's. It has a very good firebox glow, and with my Legacy 1.4 cab-2 its great. I love the sequence control on the engine. The level of detail on the engine is much better than the Blue Comet, or Alton engine which I also purchased at my LHS. Its nice to have all the controls for the Crescent smoke units and engine programming on the top of the engine under the sand dome. I wish Lionel had done that with the Alton and Blue Comet engine they are still on the bottom. The colors used on the engine are beautiful. I cannot wait until I get the passenger cars for these engines. I'll run the Crescent next to my TMCC K-line scale Southern Mikado set, they will look great together. If you can find one to purchase I am sure you will love it. I know this engine is sold out at many places, many hobby shops didn't even get any of these engines. Good luck in finding this engine if you decide to get one.

Take care

Vic

I agree with most of the above.  It is a great loco, and has become my favorite now (but see below).  The sound, lights, chuffing, etc.,  is excellent.  The chuffing sound is not quite up to the standard of the Vision Hudson or the best Legacy in my opinion (recent SF 3759 Northern) but it is very good, a bit more dynamic and depth than than any PS2 or the one PS3 steamer (French 241.A) I have.  Bell and whistle sounds are good but not especially memorable in any way.  Smoke and whistle steam are good.  Cab and ashpan glow are good.  It is a smooth runner, with flawless cruise, and runs well on 0-36 track (note however the passenger cars that are available for it are only O-54).     I run conventional only so I can't comment on any DCC control.

I bought this loco because of the incredible detail and added piping and equipment on it, particularly on the front third of the loco -- it has much more than on the Comet or Alton.  It is extremely pleasing in this regard: looks right at home next to JLC and other premium Legacy offerings. 

I did not like the paint, in two ways.  First, the sheen of the paint on mine was exactly right to make the red and green look like they were molded plastic in those colors.  Flatter would have been better.  Second, I did not like the paint scheme: I know many love it, but it seemed too garish for me. 

I bought the loco with the idea of repainting it and I did last weekend -- flat black with a "cast iron" patina that I do, and then re-labeled Union Pacific  I posted pictures of the repaint last weekend, and then later down in the thread in response to a request, posted videos of it running - you probably are not interested in the repaint but the videos show it close up in all its detail and several other owners posted their thoughts about the Southern Crescent on the thread.

Repainted, it is one of my three  most favorite locos (others are Vision Hudson and the recent SF 3759).  

Other than the electronics upgrade, how does this latest Southern Pacific differ from the 2006 version Lionel did (6-11103)?

Ken

I have been told that it has a bit more detail as to added parts, but I don't own one of the older models so that is just second hard info.  It has the whistle steam, of course, in addition.  I don't know what the interior of the cab in the 2006 version was like but this is very detailed and lighted, etc.

I purchased the first Vision loco a couple years back and had to return it due to scuffs, broken off parts, loose from the wood base, opened by the mysterious overseas box slasher.  I assume all those issues are no longer the case with these engines?