The Lionchief GP7 diesel

Agreed, a little more detail would have been nice. I have a few if the flat frame locos which I love except for the frame.

Yep, a little to klunky for me to pull the trigger on these guys. Maybe the customer target is the youngsters and the railings need to be finger lifting strong.

   Bill T

The key to LC+ is not a very detailed model as the target audience is mainly younger people and having a bunch of small, fragile detail parts that could easily break is not a good idea. 

I think what you're looking for Dave is a Railking GP7! 

Seriously though, if MTH can accomplish putting out a scale proportioned GP for $300, you would think Lionel could put out a more visually appealing GP7 for the same $$$.

Being a postwar guy, I like the old frame just fine. What you’re used to I guess. I just ordered an MPC Penn Central GP-7 from 1975 in LN condition. Ebay, $79.  

Perfect for me!

yankspride4 posted:

I think what you're looking for Dave is a Railking GP7! 

Seriously though, if MTH can accomplish putting out a scale proportioned GP for $300, you would think Lionel could put out a more visually appealing GP7 for the same $$$.

I have several railking  scale locomotives and they are great.

i just want Lionel to upgrade their LC+ diesels. It would. Open up allot more sales for Lionel. 

Dave

david1 posted:

I like the gp7 models but the way they are built is beyond what I can stand. The metal frame from the MPC era is so much of a turn off. 

Why not use the the scale gp7 with a little less detail and you would have a great looking engine. Lionel would sell a ton of them.

Dave

Looks like Lionel is starting to do that, with the LC+ SD60s.

Trainlover9943 posted:

The key to LC+ is not a very detailed model as the target audience is mainly younger people and having a bunch of small, fragile detail parts that could easily break is not a good idea. 

Actually, the LC+ products have found a huge following among adult operators, who have smaller layouts and/or are looking for ease of operation capabilities to just run trains.

david1 posted:

I like the gp7 models but the way they are built is beyond what I can stand. The metal frame from the MPC era is so much of a turn off.

That stamped metal frame goes back a lot further than MPC.

I didn't like it in the postwar era, either.

breezinup posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

The key to LC+ is not a very detailed model as the target audience is mainly younger people and having a bunch of small, fragile detail parts that could easily break is not a good idea. 

Actually, the LC+ products have found a huge following among adult operators, who have smaller layouts and/or are looking for ease of operation capabilities to just run trains.

True but there not super detailed pieces by any means. Most of the are actually old TMCC engines with different electronics. Case in point, the mikados. I've got the 2006 PRR #9631, it's the same as the latest LC+ one. 

breezinup posted:

david1 posted:

I like the gp7 models but the way they are built is beyond what I can stand. The metal frame from the MPC era is so much of a turn off. 

Why not use the the scale gp7 with a little less detail and you would have a great looking engine. Lionel would sell a ton of them.

Dave

Looks like Lionel is starting to do that, with the LC+ SD60s.

Ericstrains.com did a review of the LC+ SD60m, and if memory serves me, he said that it is identical to the Legacy version with the exception of the LC+ electronics.

Here's a Link to the Video: Erics Trains SD60m Scale LC+

It would be nice to have both options I agree. 

As the dad of active little boys I can assure you that the MPC metal frame version with sturdy stamped metal railings is a huge positive in the design. Do you know what happens when one of these engines goes 500 mph in reverse with a string of cars through a switch? It’s not pretty and would make most on here have a grabber. But you know what? Those locos are able to do that again and again and again with nothing snapping off. Just reboot the power and away we go!!

They perform though. Happy with my two, especially the electrocoupler feature.