Popularity of Lionel PWC waining?

You got that right!!  It's a great set. I'm very happy with it.  Lionel did a good job with the engine's color too.   

Here's an original 2365 & then the cc 2347 - 

If they do those F3's (which I am hoping in either PWC or CC) They will have released ALL of the Postwar F3's in the past 13 years under the PWC/CC series. I also vote for the Milwaukee Road EP-5. These 3 engines headed some great sets in the Postwar Era...Time will tell

I am running some old postwar, mostly a 726, purchased new by my father (1950?).

After the using Legacy & TMCC the last 8 years or so, I'm finding the old steamer a bunch of fun.  Using the original smoke pellets and lubed with the orange maint. box.  That said, my question for CW or anyone else who is up on the remakes of postwar classics like the Berkshire:  How does the new 726 stack up against the older remakes mentioned in this thread?  Also, what's so bad about the Century  Club Berkshire?  Is it purely not a good enough reproduction?  Electronics?  Does it run well?  Looking for some insight on buying a newer Berk to go with the original.  

From what I have seen, the locomotive body of the Century Club 726 was more like the body of the Conventional Classics 2056 and 646: meaning, it had the body of a baby Hudson, with a 2-8-4 wheel configuration.  

The Postwar Celebration 736 and Conv. Classic 726 seem to be more accurate to the originals from the 40s and 50s.

I have the CC Santa Fe alco freight set and couldn't be happier.  I also couldn't have paid any extra for a more advanced set. 

Century Club buyers really took a porking. Huge bucks for not very accurate copies of post war locos. Ouch! The 726 is a caricature of the original.

Yep, way, way overpriced for what was offered. This program really fell into Barnums theory that a sucker is born every minute.

quote:

How does the new 726 stack up against the older remakes mentioned in this thread?

I don't have any Modern Era Berkshires, only postwar.

(I am keeping my eyes open for the first two Modern Era ones)
The 1946 version of the 726 is my favorite locomotive.

How do the new ones stack up against the postwar Berkshires?.......... I had briefly considered ordering one, and am glad I did not, because I would not have been happy with what has been delivered because the boiler casting does not match the original postwar engines.
 

I love the CC sets, as I got the Sears set this year for Christmas!!! I also am selling trains I dont useto buy the X-628 Navy set!!! I find it interesting that someone at Lionel is going through John Schmid's book on promotional sets looking for ones to issue!!!! Thank You John for writing that!! I hope they do they Marine set that was only available at Masters in Long Island!!! BTW, for those who have the Sears set how do you get the plastic out of  the evans auto loader? HELP!!

I had to look up caricature to be sure I understood what the writer implied.  Glad I did because I was off a bit.  Well it looks like it's a compromise if I want a loco with newer features but the original look.  I think I'll have to see it in person to appreciate the differences.  Also, I'm curious about what other operators of both new tech like Legacy and postwar conventional think about what makes the older locos fun to run.   Here's an example of what I'm driving towards...  Recently we had company and my wife told the men (one my age, 60 & another late 40's), about my holiday layout.  I ran the old 726 explaining how the layout had separate loops allowing conventional on one, Legacy on the other.  Talked about the nostalgia, smoke pellets & the rest.  Then I fired up a Legacy 0-8-0 and the younger man says "now that's what I've been waiting for."  Neither men are interested in trains or model anything.  The younger man does have a computer related business.

At that moment something seemed apparent.  Rather than rattle on about it, there's something about what draws us to new tech that goes beyond cost, reliability, etc.  

I am curious whether conventional operators of older equipment do yard work, switching, slower running which I find pretty difficult compared to Legacy.  I just pretty much highball the conventional.

John 

>>>I don't have any Modern Era Berkshires, only postwar.<<<

For me,  Iconic PW classics reissued iduring the early modern era are the ones I like best.    All of these early editions retained the look and feel of the original but evolved to have a unique identity of its own. 

Also, having it "Made in the USA" using the same old PW tools & methods is not too shabby.  Adds greatly to its charm and collectable value for those interested in modern era classics.

I could think of a few that make my list of modern era collectables but here are two of my favorites. The best of the best.

Never could understand the attraction to a faux reissue in its exact original form.   

Joe