Here’s the new Dreyfuss. I don’t know if the gray paint is too light or if the stripes are correct. Included passenger car for reference. Correct or not, the engine & cars make a nice looking passenger train. Let us all know what you think if the colors, stripes are accurate……….thanks for looking.
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I made post for those to see the actual engine. Unaware of former post(s) concerning this engine being deleted for whatever reason. My intent was not to start controversy. I’m happy with my engine, cars regardless if accurate or not. If OGR desires, will gladly delete my post.
Thanks for the video. My own view is that the color on the loco is a much lighter gray than previous versions, and thus likely not representative of the fresh out of the shops version. I plan on keeping mine, assuming it arrives functionally intact, which is sometimes an issue with the way UPS/Fedex/USPS/etc. handle packages and the fragility of the models. It's the current version of the too light gray Lionel Commodore Vanderbilt from the 1990s. Interesting, attractive and acceptable to me as a toy train guy, but not so much to those who prefer something more traditional and likely closer to the 90 year old prototype which of course no longer exists. Most black and white photos don't look like dark gray, but silver with a gray overtone to me, so none of the models made to date really look much like the weathered, oxidized paint in use on the real locomotives, to my eyes. Including this one 
.
You can barely make out the cab numbers. What a joke.
Let's be clear why the previous thread was likely erased. Amongst many reasonable criticisms were repeated abusive comments about Lionel and its employees. Also repeated negative comments about Lionel customers who have different points of view. All those abusive comments are damaging to business and lacking in civility to varying degrees and in various ways. And bad for business. OGR isn't in the business of having free loaders (us) attack their advertisers' honesty and competence, and attack other readers' common sense and perspectives. If anyone thinks it's free speech covered by the constitution's first amendment, that is 100% incorrect. I would have erased the thread if I were in charge. Having one set of customers abusing an advertiser and other customers encouraging others to do things that are harmful to Lionel's and OGR's business interests isn't in OGR's best interest.
@Landsteiner posted:repeated abusive comments about Lionel and its employees. Also repeated negative comments about Lionel customers who have different points of view.
I don't recall either of those. I do remember the part about expecting incorrectly . Which appears anytime someone posts disappointment with a Lionel product.
@Landsteiner posted:Let's be clear why the previous thread was likely erased. Amongst many reasonable criticisms were repeated abusive comments about Lionel and its employees. Also repeated negative comments about Lionel customers who have different points of view. All those abusive comments are damaging to business and lacking in civility to varying degrees and in various ways. And bad for business. OGR isn't in the business of having free loaders (us)
Exactly....we have no problem with pointing out problems with what a manufacturer produced but personal attacks on their employees and the company itself is not allowed. This is not Facebook, Twitter (X), etc. If you can't be civil, then don't post.
@RickO posted:I don't recall either of those. I do remember the part about expecting incorrectly . Which appears anytime someone posts disappointment with a Lionel product.
Rick...we had several mods and members report personal posts in that thread so perhaps those posts got edited or deleted before you saw them but they were there. I am looking at them now.
It's a sharp looking engine @W&W. The color looks odd to me against the passenger cars but the stripe looks ok to me. It doesn't match but it's not like jarring and hard on the eyes.
I saw somebody had a black bonnet scheme Dreyfuss J3. It looked like a hot rod haha it was way cool! I think they're cool looking engines, any way you slice them.
@W&W posted:I made post for those to see the actual engine. Unaware of former post(s) concerning this engine being deleted for whatever reason. My intent was not to start controversy. I’m happy with my engine, cars regardless if accurate or not. If OGR desires, will gladly delete my post.
And that Craig has been what some of us have been saying. If you like the engine and cars regardless if the color is right or wrong, then that is okay. It's your railroad, your rules. I don't believe the majority of us on the other thread were saying anyone was wrong for liking it as is. I just know when I get mine they will head to the Harmon Yard Shops to get the full correct paint job starting with the 1938 engine and cars. The 1940's engines will be later. I just have to wait for everything to get in yet. I'm glad you like the engine and cars, hopefully there are no issues in running.
Anymore posts in this thread straying off the main topic that the OP intended are going to be deleted. If you didn't agree with the previous thread being deleted, then I invite you to read our TOS...period. We do not allow conversation about moderation per our TOS. Now...get back on topic.
I've seen a few versions of these posted from the light gray to the black bonnet. Has anyone gotten the dark gray fantasy scheme? Mine won't be here til next week but happy to share once it is in. My thought was for it to tow the 20th century limited.
Nice looking engine Craig!
I've seen the dark grey one posted on instagram and in the trainworld show room, it's a nice looking engine but (IMHO) would clash with the passenger cars. What I will say is the engine looks different under different temperature lights (Daylight vs soft white). It seems most of the pics/vids have been under daylight, but if you put it under soft white light it definitely looks better. My videos size-wise are pretty large so instead I'll post 2 instagram links (of my content so it's not someone elses), but if I need to remove them LMK
This shows you the dreyfus under different temperature lights, I'm not using a filter, merely a light on a stick and changing the temperature value: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0XtDTKR40z/
This shows the full consist with the cars: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Xebg0x24P/
Personally I'm pretty happy with the set but I'm not a diehard new york central guy, I'm an Amtrak, Subway, and VIA (which noone makes in O gauge anymore 
) guy.
In summary, the stripes dont really bother me, the grey is a bit lighter than it should be but it matches the cars, and if you use different lighting it films better. In general it does look better in person than on camera, I can't really explain why.
Color aside the tooling is pretty impressive.
@DashingDanLIRR posted:Personally I'm pretty happy with the set but I'm not a diehard new york central guy, I'm an Amtrak, Subway, and VIA (which noone makes in O gauge anymore
Yes, off topic, but 3rd Rail is offering a VIA P42. Shameless plug - sorry!
On topic - If you are happy with the Latest Lionel J3, that is great. Enjoy it! There are several of us who are prone to pointing out concerns related to the prototype for those who may not be happy if it not closer in color to what the historical societies say the colors are.
However, that shouldn't ruin anyone's enjoyment of this specific locomotive and its features. Lord knows, I've made a few questionable decisions on color in my work for brand "x" a few times over the years and I've paid the price on the pages of this forum and my personal email for it. That's just life.
The Dreyfuss J3 is an iconic locomotive, no doubt. Someday one may find its way into my collection, but I am happy to pull my NYC trains with a Niagara, and a detail starved Williams one at that!
hi Craig (@W&W) Thank you for posting the video of what the cars and engine look like together, in reasonable light. Its helpful to those that might consider the set.
Thanks for posting. Was thinking about this one because missed the TMCC one. Way too light, particularly in relation to the cars. Wouldn’t bother me as much as a semi scale or less detailed model, but in this segment it matters that they missed on the color.
I have the 5454 with the Scullin and the 5449 with the Boxpok wheels. And the 5449 looks great but it's obviously too light a color, but it matches the cars so they are too light too. But I love it and the cars anyway. Although I'll never buy 21" passenger cars again because they don't handle 0-72 curves at all and take the fun out of it when they derail and uncouple. The 5454 was pictured much more blue in the catalog but they must have worried that it would not match the cars so they modified the fantasy paint to a darker what you might call a Confederate gray. And I think what they came up with was something much closer to the actual color of a Dreyfuss Hudson J3 that pulled the 20th Century limited. So the fantasy turned out to actually closely resemble the prototypical. And it looks very good with the cars. Some of the guys in my club are prototypical fussbudgets and they have had to admit that it is beautiful.
"You can barely make out the cab numbers. What a joke."
That's the video. The cab numbers are quite visible and legible in real life .
"it is beautiful."
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I agree. Unpleasant remarks from those who disagree (and who haven't actually seen the product in person) reflect the person making the comment rather than on the product. I remember some comment that the color was "hideous." Seriously? Not the person you want at your daughter's wedding to criticize the cake, the dress, etc. Some folks just cannot resist raining on other people's parade, I guess.
@Landsteiner posted:Not the person you want at your daughter's wedding to criticize the cake, the dress, etc. Some folks just cannot resist raining on other people's parade, I guess.
Good point. That light purple-ish gray , would make a fantastic wedding cake color.
Actually, as we approach Easter. It would also be a nice shade for PAAS to add to the egg coloring kit.
Certainly not hideous.
@W&W posted:Here’s the new Dreyfuss. I don’t know if the gray paint is too light or if the stripes are correct. Included passenger car for reference. Correct or not, the engine & cars make a nice looking passenger train. Let us all know what you think if the colors, stripes are accurate……….thanks for looking.
Use the 4 foot rule, if it looks good at 4 feet it’s good. Remember you own the railroad if you like……it’s good to go.
It may just be the video, but the shade of gray looks fairly close to me between the cars and the locomotive. Remember, in real life, it was pretty rare for an entire train to match paint shades anyway.
I own the complete set, I had to sell 3 high end engines to afford it! Absolutely no regrets. Correct color or not, in my opinion, Lionel created a very striking set. The engine and cars are absolutely outstanding in execution & paint finish. The finish is flawless, with razor sharp striping!.
I have a mix of florescent & incandescent lighting on my layout, not ideal but adequate till I upgrade. On my layout everything looks a little dark. I’ve attached a few photos. BTW, the cab number looks readable to me.
Is it true that Lionel made a Dreyfuss in the "blue plasma" which was subsequently advertised in the latest catalog for the Polar Express scale Berkshire? I've looked everywhere on the internet and could not find a production picture of this ghost Dreyfuss.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:It may just be the video, but the shade of gray looks fairly close to me between the cars and the locomotive. Remember, in real life, it was pretty rare for an entire train to match paint shades anyway.
It’s the video,…..😳
Pat
@Paul Kallus posted:Is it true that Lionel made a Dreyfuss in the "blue plasma" which was subsequently advertised in the latest catalog for the Polar Express scale Berkshire?
I could only find it on a YouTube " short":
Saw this at Nicholas Smith, only one that looked right color
@tom21pa posted:Saw this at Nicholas Smith, only one that looked right color
That’s the “fantasy” engine, …….
Pat
I'm no expert, but I think Lionel may be a little off on their shade of plasma blue.
@RickO posted:I could only find it on a YouTube " short":
What year that model was who knows. With the metal flake in the paint obviously it was a custom paint job, and a bad one. That might have been the TMCC version. I can't believe someone would have done that with a 2023 Legacy J3. Lionel has not done it in plasma anything and I know that wasn't, or better not have been the 2024 Berkshire in plasma-coat color. That Nicholas Smith shot of the 5454 is the same locomotive as I have and I know perfectly well that it is not a "plasma" color and that it is a bluish gray, or maybe a Confederate gray color.
@ironman1 posted:I own the complete set, I had to sell 3 high end engines to afford it! Absolutely no regrets. Correct color or not, in my opinion, Lionel created a very striking set. The engine and cars are absolutely outstanding in execution & paint finish. The finish is flawless, with razor sharp striping!.
I have a mix of florescent & incandescent lighting on my layout, not ideal but adequate till I upgrade. On my layout everything looks a little dark. I’ve attached a few photos. BTW, the cab number looks readable to me.
I have the 5454 fantasy and the 5449 1938 model and I really just noticed how pale the road numbers are on the 5449 because I usually run the 5454 much more and the road numbers on it are really distinctive. The color of the 20th Century cars are a shade darker than the 5449 locomotive showing just how light it is and for the numbers to pale on its side and the road name on the side of those cars shows just how too light the body color of those conveyances is. However they are nonetheless gorgeous and I love them all.
@Dave 69 GTEL posted:What year that model was who knows. With the metal flake in the paint obviously it was a custom paint job, and a bad one. That might have been the TMCC version. I can't believe someone would have done that with a 2023 Legacy J3.
That's a factory paint job. Lionels 2023 locomotive of the year:
Here's what I think is going to happen. In 2-3 years Lionel will reissue the Dreyfuss J3s and cars as "new and improved" with prototypical colors and distinctive road names and numbers that really pop!
@RickO posted:That's a factory paint job. Lionels 2023 locomotive of the year:
Holy Toledo! I'm sorry! I think I might have seen that advert somewhere but who would have thought that it would have come out that bad? I still don't think or hope it isn't the plasma coat.
You know what? I looked at that video run through a half a dozen times and I think it might have been a trial run of the plasma coat of the Polar Express Berkshire after all! it changes color with the refractory angle. I think it's very unfortunate!
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