OK Norfolk Southern Fans. What's Wrong With This Dash-9?

The headlight is in the wrong position. It should be mounted high. As noted by I believe it was John Korling, the Lionel version of this engine is a mix of details for the Dash-8 and 9. They put it on a 4 wheel truck its a Dash-8. Put it on a 6 wheel truck its a Dash-9.

Bill

Huh???

What I meant is they have a generic body, that as noted is a mix of Dash-8, and Dash-9 details. They place that same generic body on set of 4 wheel trucks its a Dash-8. They put it on a set of 6 wheel trucks its a Dash-9. 

NSBill is correct however what I was pointing out is the earlier Legacy NS Dash-9 from the tank train set does have the headlights in the correct overhead spot.

4 or 6 Wheel trucks do not make the difference between a Dash 8 or Dash 9, the Dash 8 was made as a Dash 840B (4 axle) or Dash 840C ( 6 axle), and yes the headlight is up high on NS GE power. Also the crew chatter doesn't include the crew whining, which is typical on NS power

Sorry but details, details and details are so overlooked its pathetic. The headlight in the wrong location is a huge blunder no matter if you're 3-rail or 2-rail. I mean seriously that is a Norfolk Southern option that must be done.  Toys or not that is awful.  Sorry. Why can't Lionel get that right. MTH was hit and miss but did get the latest offering correct.  You decide but excuses don't cut it.  

You will have to get the new LIONEL Norfolk Southern ES44AC diesel if you have to get something more accurately representing their specific orders.

Andrew

Also the crew chatter doesn't include the crew whining, which is typical on NS power

That was good. 

SZ

I understand that. I am simply stating what Lionel does. Have you ever seen their Dash-840BW's? It's the same exact engine shell. Yes the Dash-8's came in both 4 axle and 6 axle configurations. Not sure off hand if the Dash-9 was available in a 4 axle version. I have only seen them as 6 axles. But for some reason Lionel chose to take the same shell with details of both the 8's and the 9's, and depending how many axle's the chassis has is the determining fact they will call it an 8 or a 9. I think the last time they made 8's was a few years ago with Amtrak and BNSF.

Bill 

Originally Posted by Sullyman626:

Also the crew chatter doesn't include the crew whining, which is typical on NS power

That was good. 

 

SZ

As an NS employee I agree!

Bill

The GE dash 9 BNSF, CNW, CSX, and CN had the headlight low...so one shell for the dash 9?

More low than high? Not a blunder, but cost?

Man, I feel for ya.  I was kicking around the idea of getting the BNSF version of this, but was too fearful that it wouldn't be a good model.   For $450 of your money, you should expect that Lionel would not screw up a detail like that, especially since they have released the correct version in the past!

Well... at least its the right shade of black 

Interesting that they might have a shell. Would the new electronics fit in it, etc.? Just wondering. I have wanted an NS diesel, but think I'll go for a CN or maybe BNSF instead

And they got the horse right.

Martin, MTH reworked that tooling to make it more accurate. I understand that BNSF has what is called a "Gullwing" cab. It is to clear the coal loading chutes at a mine or mines in Texas. Neither MTH nor Lionel has simulated that on the BNSF's. Overall though MTH's model is more correct. BTW I have the H1 Dash-9's from MTH. Beautiful engines. I don't know if on the NS Dash-9's that this was the case, but I understand inserts can be used on the tooling. I don't know if they used them or if they had separate tooling for the cab itself for the one that came with the Tanktrain set. However as long as they use the current tooling this engine will never ever be an accurate representation for a Dash-8 or 9 on any rr, anywhere. 

Bill

I doubt that there are any "coal mines in Texas", however the power plants that receive the BNSF coal trains from Wyoming's Powder River Basin (where the mines are located), are indeed located in the Houston, Texas area.

My mistake on that one. Don't know what I was thinking there. I remember reading somewhere that their cabs are modified specifically for clearances there in Texas at certain unit train loading/unloading points. I forget now what it is.

Bill

Martin, I've got the new MTH BNSF Dash-9 in 2-rail, with PS3 and it looks great; the trucks are finally the correct length and type, and also located correctly.

Here you are, Martin:




Santa Fe ordered the Dash 8-40CWs with the "gull wing" cab because of tight clearances in the York Canyon coal mine facilities in New Mexico. That cab also appeared on later ATSF GEs, including a later order of Santa Fe Dash 8-40BWs and  on Dash 9-44CWs. After the BN/ATSF merger, BNSF ordered all of its Dash 9s and AC4400s with the gull wing roof line. It seems to have been discontinued with the ES44 series.

RM

Rich and Jeff,

Thanks for posting the info and the pics!  I guess I missed out by not pre-ordering the fixed-pilot version of the BNSF from MTH. 

I'd still like to know if the newest Lionel offering matches or exceeds the details evident in Rich's photos.

I received my Dash-9 today, and it is beautiful. The detail is great, the paintwork looks beautiful, it runs and smokes brilliantly, and it sounds fantastic. The headlight may not be in the expected position, but that doesn't bother me at all. Who's to say that it didn't get moved for some reason in service?

I am 100% happy with mine. The picture in the catalogue does not do it justice at all. 

Martin, I do know that the Lionel model is the same original version they've been selling since the early 2000 era. These are similar to the Raiking scale Dash 9 MTH sells. Short trucks, wrong length, etc. This is not a criticism, just stating the facts.

Jeff, that's sad if true.  I mean if they were selling old, inacurrate tooling at Railking prices, that would be one thing.  This Lionel offering is MSRP $529.

Not cool.

Martin, there's a video on another Dash 9 thread that clearly shows the "older" style trucks, tank, and overall appearance. The new MTH models are coming out soon, I would be looking at the 2-rail if I was you.... just as shown in Rich's pic above. These are nice!

If there's photographic or other factual evidence to support that it's been moved then you definitely would have a valid point.

The Lionel model still looks to be the same overall Dash 9 as they have had for over a decade.  Looks like they have made minor revisions to be able to change the MARS and ditch light configurations over the past few years (sometimes incorrectly as evidenced in this thread)  but the body shell is still not a true Dash 9 as it still retains some carryover Dash 8 details on it.  The elongated vent screen on the upper part of the long hood on behind the engineer's side of the cab is the single biggest giveaway.

MTH, from 2000 onward, has always had the most accurate Dash 9 plastic body shell.  I seem to recall that GE even gave them access to the blueprints for the prototype when they designed the new tooling being used today in the late 1990s.  Up until around the mid-2000s however MTH still retained the rather toyish and shortened representations of the GE Hi-adhesion trucks that are identical to the ones Lionel still uses that did detract from the appearance of the MTH models, at least until they redesigned the trucks and now they are truly excellent.  Probably the best overall looking model of the Dash 9 that was offered in 3-rail is probably the brass one from Sunset/3rd Rail, but the latest MTH model is a very close second.

Also, the NS Dash 9 released in 1999-2000 has the headlight in the incorrect position.