They have Arrived at Lionel !!!!! can't wait to get mine.
Alex
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I hope I can get one too...
I've got one on the way. I truly truly hope the drive wheels are black!
Likewise. I also got the AFT.
Nawlins posted:I've got one on the way. I truly truly hope the drive wheels are black!
What other color WOULD the drive wheels be? I'm pretty sure the previous Legacy GS-4 models had black "drive wheels".
good for you all am curious as to other than whistle steam what else is new in this version?
Hot Water posted:Nawlins posted:I've got one on the way. I truly truly hope the drive wheels are black!
What other color WOULD the drive wheels be? I'm pretty sure the previous Legacy GS-4 models had black "drive wheels".
I'm thinking perhaps the poster is referring to "all black" drivers vs. some models that might have "white-wheel trim". I recall Lionel cataloging 3 or 4 models of GS-4 Daylights (with different road-numbers and different sized lettering/graphics) this time. Just can't recall if any will have white-wall trim or not. Then again, the catalog isn't always 100% accurate with these kinds of details either. Tough call to pre-order or wait on delivery. The NYC ESE locomotives had notable wheel configuration variations from what was catalog'd. Not show-stoppers for me, but very different nonethless.
I didn't pre-order any of these new Daylight GS-4's, because I already have the fantasy Daylight cab-forward to head up my train of 18" passenger cars, and the new GS-4's were a bit on the pricey side for me. The prior Legacy version from 2012-ish had a $1200-$1300 MSRP as I recall, but this latest version was catalog'd at $1700 MSRP. 
That's a ton of extra pennies for whistle-steam, and I'm not really interested in contributing to Howard Hitchcocks year-end bonus. 
Since I'm not too particular about road-numbers and such... if I can find one at a very good deal in a month or two (or six 
) from dealers having 10% or 15% sales (off their pre-order price), that's the route I've decided to go with these high-priced steamers nowadays. They're just not worth the new price-points otherwise. Unfortunately, by waiting to purchase like this, it's the dealers who are taking the price/profit/margin hit. This is another reason why I don't like the BTO business model. Lionel gets their piece of the action, whether consumers buy or not. And dealers are left holding the risk. But then those dealers also get to compete for pre-order business that they otherwise would never get in the pre-BTO days. So there's a cost for everything in life.
David
I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
Peter Araujo posted:I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
I'm hoping too ! But just in case they don't, I would purchase the railsounds board that was in the last GS-2 they produced.
Alex
Peter Araujo posted:I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
Not that websites are always 100% accurate... but since Lionel went to the trouble of including a sampling of Railsounds features on the latest GS-4 website entry, let's hope what they have out there is what will be delivered. It's a great feature to hear this stuff before you commit to purchasing. Check it out and let us know if it's the whistle sound you're hoping for. It certainly works for me -- has terrific depth and presence. 
David
Rocky Mountaineer posted:Hot Water posted:Nawlins posted:I've got one on the way. I truly truly hope the drive wheels are black!
What other color WOULD the drive wheels be? I'm pretty sure the previous Legacy GS-4 models had black "drive wheels".
I'm thinking perhaps the poster is referring to "all black" drivers vs. some models that might have "white-wheel trim". I recall Lionel cataloging 3 or 4 models of GS-4 Daylights (with different road-numbers and different sized lettering/graphics) this time. Just can't recall if any will have white-wall trim or not. Then again, the catalog isn't always 100% accurate with these kinds of details either. Tough call to pre-order or wait on delivery. The NYC ESE locomotives had notable wheel configuration variations from what was catalog'd. Not show-stoppers for me, but very different nonethless.
I didn't pre-order any of these new Daylight GS-4's, because I already have the fantasy Daylight cab-forward to head up my train of 18" passenger cars, and the new GS-4's were a bit on the pricey side for me. The prior Legacy version from 2012-ish had a $1200-$1300 MSRP as I recall, but this latest version was catalog'd at $1700 MSRP.
Since I'm not too particular about road-numbers and such... if I can find one at a very good deal in a month or two (or six
David
Yes. Thanks, David.
Rocky Mountaineer posted:Peter Araujo posted:I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
Not that websites are always 100% accurate... but since Lionel went to the trouble of including a sampling of Railsounds features on the latest GS-4 website entry, let's hope what they have out there is what will be delivered. It's a great feature to hear this stuff before you commit to purchasing. Check it out and let us know if it's the whistle sound you're hoping for. It certainly works for me -- has terrific depth and presence.
David
I listened to the link to the Lionel site above and compared it to videos of the 4449. The 1:1 scale version is a throaty, deep steamboat whistle while the Lionel sound clip is quite different and with a higher pitch. At least this is how it sounds to my ears.
Marios trains gave me a preorder price that I found acceptable .So I preordered mine. I am excited to get black drivers and smoking whistle.
Florida East Coast posted:Rocky Mountaineer posted:Peter Araujo posted:I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
Not that websites are always 100% accurate... but since Lionel went to the trouble of including a sampling of Railsounds features on the latest GS-4 website entry, let's hope what they have out there is what will be delivered. It's a great feature to hear this stuff before you commit to purchasing. Check it out and let us know if it's the whistle sound you're hoping for. It certainly works for me -- has terrific depth and presence.
David
I listened to the link to the Lionel site above and compared it to videos of the 4449. The 1:1 scale version is a throaty, deep steamboat whistle while the Lionel sound clip is quite different and with a higher pitch. At least this is how it sounds to my ears.
Alex M posted:Peter Araujo posted:I just hope Lionel will get the whistle right. Other than that, I can't wait to see them.
I'm hoping too ! But just in case they don't, I would purchase the railsounds board that was in the last GS-2 they produced.
Alex
Don't worry Alex. The whistle is the same as on the GS2. (See above.)
Peter, if you accept the GS2 with legacy's whistle, then you should be fine.
It seems as long as they used the same whistle as the "first gen" Legacy 4449 it would be correct, no?
RickO posted:It seems as long as they used the same whistle as the "first gen" Legacy 4449 it would be correct, no?
I think the first generation GS-4 whistle sounds somewhat close to (or exactly like) 4449's whistle.
Lets hope they get the number boards in the correct position for the different versions. I pre ordered the late version with large southern pacific lettering, which should have the number boards further back on the boiler.
JG
It is hard to believe that there is a market for yet another new SP GS-4 at an ever increasing price point.
The GS-4 had both an air horn and steam whistle. My SP friends tell me that the air horn was used much more than the steam whistle back in the day.
I am sticking with my brass Williams GS-4 that has been upgraded to command control.
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New Haven Joe posted:It is hard to believe that there is a market for yet another new SP GS-4 at an ever increasing price point.
The GS-4 had both an air horn and steam whistle. My SP friends tell me that the air horn was used much more than the steam whistle back in the day.
Regarding the above:
The Daylight scheme is popular and the fact that 4449 has been kept in service no doubt helps sell models of it - in all scales.
FWIW the SP air horn sound Lionel uses in various models seems pretty authentic to me, as does the "steamboat" whistle in the video recording posted by RickO.
Let me know when you pick them up. I'd love to see photos/videos of them.
Does anyone know when these engines will be arriving?
aussteve posted:Does anyone know when these engines will be arriving?
This is just a guess... now that it's 9/20 and word is they've arrive at Lionel NC, I suspect these will be part of Lionel's near-end-of-month shipment to their dealers. Charlie Ro's website is showing an ETA of 10/10. Some dealers may see them the last few days of September, but most will see their pallet of these the first week of October.
Once November/December rolls around, we may see multiple shipments per month from Lionel to their dealers. But prior to that, the pattern has been one end-of-month shipment out to direct dealers and other distributors. Then add another few days or a week for smaller Mom-and-Pop stores to get them from their distributors. So YMMV.
David
Looking forward to seeing some videos of these when you all get them. No pressure!!! .
Then I'll be waiting for the prior Legacy versions to hit the market.
I just spoke with my good friend at Lionel who's name will remain silent.
The Daylights will leave Lionel by the end of this week. !!!
Alex
New Haven Joe posted:It is hard to believe that there is a market for yet another new SP GS-4 at an ever increasing price point.
The GS-4 had both an air horn and steam whistle. My SP friends tell me that the air horn was used much more than the steam whistle back in the day.
I am sticking with my brass Williams GS-4 that has been upgraded to command control.
Why it is almost like the New York Central Hudson with so many re-issues of the same locomotive
bigtruckpete posted:Looking forward to seeing some videos of these when you all get them. No pressure!!!
Then I'll be waiting for the prior Legacy versions to hit the market.
Hopefully folks will at least run them. (Think of all the Train of Tomorrow sets sitting un run...)
Seems like you have a well thought out business model for acquisitions kind sir, Good luck!
Thanks, Alex !
i'm getting a Daylight and the AFT !
can't wait 
Has anyone received their new GS-4 yet?
No joy yet, here in NJ.
Alex M posted:... The Daylights will leave Lionel by the end of this week. !!!
...
Sounds like the regular end-of-month shipment to dealers for September, which correlates to Charlie Ro's 10/10/2016 ETA.
Now I just received my MOW Crane from Charlie Ro this week, which I pre-ordered a loooooong time ago. That didn't ship with the others, so perhaps Charlie got a small shipment of those from Lionel during mid-month.
David
I ordered the Daylight and AFT as well, but no damage to the credit card from Charles Ro....yet!
Laidoffsick posted:I ordered the Daylight and AFT as well, but no damage to the credit card from Charles Ro....yet!
Hi Doug
They were suppose to leave Lionel yesterday and ship to dealers and hobby shops. I would guess by this coming Tuesday or Wednesday your card will be charged. Lol.
Alex
Oh I'm in no hurry for that bill
There are just some locomotives that are true have to haves!
This is one of them. Anyone get theirs yet?
Number 90 posted:When I was a youngster, I saw a couple of GS4's in regular service, but the horn was used. There is a recording of a GS4 -- by Brad Miller, I believe -- in revenue service, and, again, the Engineer used the air horn for the crossings, but briefly used the steam whistle, which was not the steamboat whistle in current use on 4449. It sounded like the Lionel sound sample, which is a typical SP passenger whistle.
Tom, All the SP GS-4 locomotives were equipped with an air operated, Hancock "deep steamboat" whistle, which was mounted in the skyline casing, forward of the cab. Maybe the whistle on that recording was dubbed from another locomotive? Also, Many of Brad Miller's recordings, in the "modern era", of 4449 may also contain "guest whistles", which were mounted on the Fireman's side.
As a side note; when 4449 was removed from Oaks Park and restored for American Freedom Train service, the whistle was relocated from the original location, in the skyline casing, to right beside the stack on the Engineer's side. An additional steam pipe was added to mount a second whistle on the Fireman's side, beside the stack. Also, the whistle/whistles on 4449 were changed to manually operated, to allow the Engineer (or Fireman) to "play" the whistle. The air operated cylinder was removed.
So, I guess it will depend on whether you want the revenue service steam whistle or the excursion service steam whistle.
So Jack, are you saying the sound or the whistle in the Jim Mitchell video posted in another thread is correct for both original and present day 4449 and only its location has changed?
Pete
Norton posted:So Jack, are you saying the sound or the whistle in the Jim Mitchell video posted in another thread is correct for both original and present day 4449 and only its location has changed?
Pete
Pretty much, yes.
Now, to be totally clear, 4449 has carried three different "deep steamboat" whistles on the Engineer's side:
1) When restored for American Freedom Train service, a privately owned whistle from an SP&S 700 class 4-8-4 was "loaned" to the crew of 4449. That "loaned" whistle was used until the SP&S 700 was restored to serviceable condition.
2) When the group (PRPA) finished restoring SP&S 700, there in Portland, Doyle McCormack thought that the "original SP&S whistle" should be presented to the 700 people. Thus, the "SP&S whistle" was removed from 4449 and presented to the 700, in the late 1980s. Since one of the long time crew members on 4449 owned a whistle from a Norther Pacific articulated (also a 'deep steamboat' Hancock type), that whistle was installed on 4449. THAT is the whistle used on the Skyfire videos.
3) In about 2011/2012, on of the 4449 crew members "located", and purchased, an ORIGINAL Southern Pacific GS Class locomotive "deep steamboat" Hancock whistle, which still had its air operating control valve on the base. That whistle was "cleaned-up" mechanically, the air operating control removed, and installed on 4449 in 2012. Thus, the Northern Pacific Hancock was returned to the estate of the original owner. Current videos from 2012 thru 2016 reflect the sound of a "real original" Southern Pacific GS-4 whistle.
I just got word that mine is shipping today from train world.
New Haven Joe posted:It is hard to believe that there is a market for yet another new SP GS-4 at an ever increasing price point.
The GS-4 had both an air horn and steam whistle. My SP friends tell me that the air horn was used much more than the steam whistle back in the day.
I agree, you have to wonder how many GS-4s the market will sustain. But think of all the Lionel/Bachmann GS-4s in HO scale as well as the countless brass ones. I guess good taste doesn't transcend economics!
I'm not a 3-rail type, but if I were, I'd for sure get the Freedom Train one. I saw that train in 1976, and was at the Freedom Train reunion recently (where I saw Ross Rowland autographing flyers for these locos and the AFT cars coming soon) and have been a huge fan of that train ever since. I was lucky enough to see 4449 in it's AFT colors a few years ago as well, and have ridden behind 4449 on a few trips over the years (most notably on the northbound ferry run and Stampede Pass trips for the 2011 NRHS convention).
As for the air horn, I had a neighbor for a brief time who'd been a SP hogger in the end of the steam era. Oddly, he'd never gone to see 4449 on any of its trips even though he lived just over 100 miles from her (or any interest in talking with 4449's crew). But he told me that they did indeed use the horn more often than the whistle on GS's when he ran them (from his descriptions, I think he ran GS-6s more often than GS-4s).
It's one of things you just can't say no to. I have a few of such things...not just certain model trains.
Spoke to the folks at Charles Ro Supply yesterday, and they were expecting their shipment of Daylight GS-4's and the two sets of sound reefer 3-packs either today or tomorrow. And just this morning, I received one of Trainworld's "hot and in stock" emails with Daylight GS-4's listed (among other goodies).
So it's only a matter of time now before we see pics and videos!
David
