@Dylan the Train Man posted:Lionel needs to make an updated LC+2.0 or Legacy Phantom loco with 2 motors and some updated sounds. A
Well, I can tell you for sure, adding a motor does wonders for the Phantom!
That would be cool. I used my BATMAN Phantom to pull my BATMAN 1966 cars around because Lionel has not made a BATMAN 1966 locomotive yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ezMAYZY4E&t=177s
Holy Smiles Batman! The Joker just fired that rocket full of laughing gas into Gotham City!!! Great Video! Love the music! Yes, I'm old! LOL!!!
I could see an AMCE RAILROAD set. Engineer is of course Willie E Coyote! However, this enginecwould have the breakdown boards: It would go down the track, but as soon as you got close to the Roadrunner, the engine breaks down.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Well, I can tell you for sure, adding a motor does wonders for the Phantom!
Improving the Lionel Phantom Locomotive
That's true, the BATMAN Phantom is way better than the previous versions. The BATMAN Phantom could probably pull all of my Phantom cars.
This is what I thought about for a Futuristic FEC Streamliner
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One thing I found interesting about the Phantom passenger cars is that while they had no detailed interior or silhouettes on the windows, they did have an odd shaped balloon looking thing inside the cars. You notice it more in nighttime photos like this.
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i would be down for a new phantom maybe in a deep blue color or jet black with a more angular design with sharper edges like a tumbler for railroad tracks
@jhz563 posted:Interestingly, the TCA museum has a prototype phantom on display right now. I think this on is pretty cool. Its some where between the robot from lost in space, a Darlek from Dr. Who, and a classic train. I kind like the color.
okay that prototype looks like something from my stories kinda . i want THAT with a CAMERA in it on Fenix Transport rails as a drone
Doing some research on the Pratts Hollow Phantom I came across some old government footage of the Phantom testing on the PRR. The footage is very old and dark. One of them appears to be the Phantom on fire after some kind of incident.
@MartyE posted:Doing some research on the Pratts Hollow Phantom I came across some old government footage of the Phantom testing on the PRR. The footage is very old and dark. One of them appears to be the Phantom on fire after some kind of incident.
Someone is having too much fun! 
Glad to see the Phantoms are alive and well, mine has been working regularly keeping the economy going here at Rock Springs:
For me, the biggest disappointment is the passenger cars. Lionel offered the engine first with a promise of cars to come later. I bought the engine and I was anticipating cars that would carry through the streamlined look of the head end power - something really sleek and close coupled like the pre-war American Flyer aluminum Zephyr passenger cars. I'll never forget how disappointed I was with the bread-loaves-in-tow consist. Since I had the engine I completed the set but it is much less than it could have been.
@Robert S. Butler posted:For me, the biggest disappointment is the passenger cars. Lionel offered the engine first with a promise of cars to come later. I bought the engine and I was anticipating cars that would carry through the streamlined look of the head end power - something really sleek and close coupled like the pre-war American Flyer aluminum Zephyr passenger cars. I'll never forget how disappointed I was with the bread-loaves-in-tow consist. Since I had the engine I completed the set but it is much less than it could have been.
The engine lends itself to having a smooth transition to a car with the profile of the rear of the engine. This should have been followed through the cars to the end unit and then tapered like it is.
@PeterA posted:Glad to see the Phantoms are alive and well, mine has been working regularly keeping the economy going here at Rock Springs:
That was alot fun!
@PeterA posted:Glad to see the Phantoms are alive and well, mine has been working regularly keeping the economy going here at Rock Springs:
PeterA, What jhz563 said!! When is the high season for Martian tourism in Rock Springs? Pat B.
@Robert S. Butler posted:For me, the biggest disappointment is the passenger cars. Lionel offered the engine first with a promise of cars to come later. I bought the engine and I was anticipating cars that would carry through the streamlined look of the head end power - something really sleek and close coupled like the pre-war American Flyer aluminum Zephyr passenger cars. I'll never forget how disappointed I was with the bread-loaves-in-tow consist. Since I had the engine I completed the set but it is much less than it could have been.
You are 100% correct, they could have been so much cooler without any more expense.
@MartyE posted:Doing some research on the Pratts Hollow Phantom I came across some old government footage of the Phantom testing on the PRR. The footage is very old and dark. One of them appears to be the Phantom on fire after some kind of incident.
Those a pretty well done considering. Need a lower angle to add to the realism. Digitally removing the third rail to add even more realism is the next step.
@Cully W posted:Those a pretty well done considering. Need a lower angle to add to the realism. Digitally removing the third rail to add even more realism is the next step.
I don’t know what you’re talking about. These are government films. Lol.
@MartyE posted:The engine lends itself to having a smooth transition to a car with the profile of the rear of the engine. This should have been followed through the cars to the end unit and then tapered like it is.
Indeed, they could have matched the outline of the back of the Phantom and carried it into the passenger cars and still kept most of the styling.
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Something is making an appearance.
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The Phantom needs to come back pronto. i want one so bad . heck the whole Pratts Hollow line needs to come back in a big way. Ryan and Dave need to go to that old farmhouse and see if they find any more design files perhaps the freight counterpart to the phantom called the Praxis. i swear when i went snooping down there a couple years ago i found the Praxis but i left everything because the cops drove by and i didn't want to get caught. not to mention the whole place is falling apart and full of bats so Ryan and Dave need to be careful down there. the doors are boarded up but i climbed through a first floor window into the cavernous kitchen and the basement steps are right across from the kitchen door. once you get into the basement the files for the phantom and praxis as well as another train called Cythera are in the top drawer. good luck Ryan and Dave the lionel fandom needs more answers to the mysterious Pratts Hollow Design Society.
I have to admit that the Pratts Hollow Phantom has grown on me,I wish that I had one!
Norm
I have 4 of the 5 versions of Phantoms that Lionel released. Here they are in The Phantom Zone. https://youtu.be/YEccG2Guguo
I did a video on my original Phantom for my channel.
The Phantom was pretty polarizing in its time, but obviously sold well, since Lionel produced so many versions. Would be a good seller if they brought it back, I'd guess. Maybe that special reflective blue paint they've been using on iconic steamers?
@Landsteiner posted:The Phantom was pretty polarizing in its time, but obviously sold well, since Lionel produced so many versions. Would be a good seller if they brought it back, I'd guess. Maybe that special reflective blue paint they've been using on iconic steamers?
We need a Scale Vision Line Phantom! Maybe retool the cars to blend in with the engine's back.
@MartyE posted:We need a Scale Vision Line Phantom! Maybe retool the cars to blend in with the engine's back.
Yep, if they redo the Phantom, they need to do a better job on the cars, they look like rolling butter dishes. 
They also need to upgrade the running gear, the single front mounted motor in the original four Phantom runs was anemic!
Powering all the wheels made a huge difference, now my Phantom can pull the six cars I have for it. It had trouble pulling the original four on level Atlas track before the mods.
Improving the Lionel Phantom Locomotive
The Pratts Hollow engineers/designers knew to use Blomberg B trucks on the locomotive - Smart move! 
Aloha,
I spent a lot of time 20+ years ago defending the Phantom around here so this is a gratifying thread to read.
Like most of you I liked the initial engine but was pretty disappointed in the passenger cars when they came out. I still have all my Phantoms and the car sets. (Heaven help me I still have my Pratt’s Hollow rolling stock car.) They haven’t gotten any better with time. 😂
The Batman set is a smart use of the tooling. I think the first Phantom was catalogued in 1998 so not bad for a 26 year old cap ex investment.
Glad to see I have a few more allies after all this time.
Best,
Jim
One of my club's members has a Phantom, and when he runs it at shows, it is a real attention getter. We even occasionally get requests for it.
If Lionel would do another run with all the above suggestions for improved operation and aesthetics (Legacy, two motors, re-tooled cars, blue reflective paint, etc.), I'd be in for one! And if they re-tooled the cars, they could add a sound car into the mix.
Andy
Mine gets a lot of looks at shows. I've had a bunch of people that swore that Lionel never made anything like that. The bonus with this one for traveling is there's no delicate trim to get knocked off.
@PeterA posted:Glad to see the Phantoms are alive and well, mine has been working regularly keeping the economy going here at Rock Springs:
Very entertaining video, well done!
Rod, thanks for the note. My other Phantom is the Batman set. I uses it when we take trains to our local elementary schools to run trains for the kids. They love it and I have even had kids who saw it the previous year ask when coming in "is Batman here?". On that set, I replaced the pathetically dim lights with strip LED's and a red LED pointed to the rear red light which before only got light from the faraway bulbs.
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@PeterA posted:Rod, thanks for the note. My other Phantom is the Batman set. I uses it when we take trains to our local elementary schools to run trains for the kids. They love it and I have even had kids who saw it the previous year ask when coming in "is Batman here?". On that set, I replaced the pathetically dim lights with strip LED's and a red LED pointed to the rear red light which before only got light from the faraway bulbs.
I "improved" my locomotive by adding a second motor and some fancy lighting. However, I haven't gotten to the passenger cars, I do want to improve the lighting and add some passengers, maybe some aliens.
