Tooling for new LC+ Berkshires

This is the same tooling that was used for the conventional classics 726 Berk, only modified for the LC+ electronics and CAN motor. It is an extremely close reproduction to the Postwar Berk. The attached CAD photo highlights the separate details highlighted by differing colors.

Thanks!

Based on that info, I will stick with the old ones, thank you.

Be cool if Lionel made a Polar Express Tender to go with the Berkshire.

Dave Olson posted:

This is the same tooling that was used for the conventional classics 726 Berk, only modified for the LC+ electronics and CAN motor. It is an extremely close reproduction to the Postwar Berk. The attached CAD photo highlights the separate details highlighted by differing colors.

Thanks!

 

 

Great news and thanks for sharing the CAD image.  This loco is a home run for Lionel. Now knowing it is coming from the CC tooling, this will be my first new (non-secondary market) Lionel purchase.  Great work on this one, should be a big seller. I'm sure my son wil love the Bluetooth app option as well.

All the best,

JD

Excellent!  I had been looking for the MPC-Era Nickel Plate Berk... but this will run, smoke, and sound so much better!

Jon

Wonder what wheels will be used ?  2017 RTR catalog shows open disc where as 2017 Sig shows solid wheels.

Will it have the same boiler front and headlight as the CC version, or will it have the headlight with number boards as shown in the catalog (as on the 2046)?

I am hoping for the true 726 style!

These will have the disc wheels.

Also, the boiler front/headlight will be in the Postwar style. Good catch on the catalog image. Hadn't noticed that during the catalog checks.

Thanks again!

Fantastic! No reason not to order one now...just need to pick one. Probably Lionel Lines.

Thanks Dave,

Your responses to the questions asked about the tooling in this thread will definitely increase sales for the LC+ Berk.  After reading your answers I know for sure that sales increased by two :-) 

Thanks again.

Ed Boyle

Ed Boyle posted:

Thanks Dave,

Your responses to the questions asked about the tooling in this thread will definitely increase sales for the LC+ Berk.  After reading your answers I know for sure that sales increased by two :-) 

Thanks again.

Ed Boyle

Make that 3

Make that four (4)  plus votes for the old Delay, Linger and Wait also know as the Lackawanna version. Graham

Hmmm.....I've got a Postwar 726RR that is a regular runner on my layout. If it will be "Postwar Style" with the Baldwin Disc drivers, this may be worth a second look.

Nice! Make that five!

Unfortunately I am shying away from the LionChief Plus Steam offerings at this time.  The biggest reason is the lack of a Front Coupler. I do have the LC+ PRR RS3 and love running it.  The remote and dual couplers hold my interest longer than my conventional steam, 2025 and 8142.  I really like to be able being able to couple onto and back cars out of a spur siding, or to use a passing siding to switch the train direction without turning the locomotive.  I think it would be cool to run some short trains tender-forward (Strasburg-style).  I'm sure they did lots of that back in the real days especially over shorter distances.  With only one coupler I feel like loop running and more of the old 0-5-0 hand switcher is the result.  

I know the A5 switcher has two couplers, but for some reason I'm not appealed to that small of a switcher model. 

The lack of a Belpaire Firebox on the PRR Mikado has something to do with it too. Ha!

-David

The PRR had several non-Belpaire USRA Mikados on their roster.

Jon

Lionel retired the PW 726/36 mold after one last production run in 2000 or so. It was touted as the final loco made in America before production was shipped to China. It carried the Nickel Plate livery  

I assume the LC+ Berkshire will be from the newer Conventional Classic mold. I have that one and it is very nice, indeed. 

KOOLjock1 posted:

The PRR had several non-Belpaire USRA Mikados on their roster.

Jon

That they got rid of as quickly as they could.  Several ended up on the Frisco.

DWBaseball posted:

..... I really like to be able being able to couple onto and back cars out of a spur siding, or to use a passing siding to switch the train direction without turning the locomotive.  I think it would be cool to run some short trains tender-forward (Strasburg-style).  I'm sure they did lots of that back in the real days especially over shorter distances.  

-David

Tender forward running probably would have been extremely rare with big steamers like the Berks. They were not designed for switching duties or to be short haul engines. They moved heavy freights. Really, it would look a little weird seeing a Berkshire running any distance pulling a train in reverse. If you want to do that, you might want to look at a 0-3-0 or 0-4-0.

Go to the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Historical Society web page and look under the steam locomotive section. You will see that the Lionel 726 of 1946 had a striking resemblance to the two 2-8-4 locomotives built for that railroad by the Montreal Locomotive Works. This bridge railroad was owned by the NYC and also received second hand J1e Hudson's from them. Maybe an road name choice of that railroad would be fitting.

Breezin... do you have any pictures of that 0-3-0?!?

Jon  

Good Morning JD, Dave Olson & Members

This is the Berkshire & Caboose / I will be adding to my active roster.  This LC+ will be my 5th LC+ on my layout.  My grandchildren, and adults have a lot of fun running these locos, because each engineer gets their own controller, with a lot of features & speed control. 

Hi Gary,

I too ordered the Pere Marquette version of both the Berkshire and caboose...can't come soon enough as I'm really looking forward to seeing how the BT works. Had four of the LC+ locomotives...just sold the Pacific that I had, so I'll be back to four when this is delivered.

I just sent my LionChief Universal Remote back to Lionel...was having a problem where all operating locomotives would shutdown while trying to change from one to another...very aggravating! Hoping that they just replace it with a new one?

I have been hoping that Lionel would make an LC+ Berkshire so it's on my list. Any idea of when they will be available? I'm trying to be patient but it's not easy.  

Joe,

Everything points toward October 2017...but I'm sure thats just a guesstimate at this point and time! Tomorrow would be better...Just sayin. 

Dave Warburton posted:

Lionel retired the PW 726/36 mold after one last production run in 2000 or so. It was touted as the final loco made in America before production was shipped to China. It carried the Nickel Plate livery  

I assume the LC+ Berkshire will be from the newer Conventional Classic mold. I have that one and it is very nice, indeed. 

Since I am steaming past 80, the 726 die cast was my fondest memory of Lionel trains in the 40's so I am planning to add a LC+ version to my Cresco Curve RR in Lackawanna road name when on the market; Graham

The infamous "what if" question": What if instead of yachts the Microsoft founder had  a Lionel train as as boy?  Would it then be possible that we could then have a die cast Berkshire, constructed with  his $$$$$, built under license and sold by Lionel to have their LC+ integral? Wow! Graham

Dave Warburton posted:

Lionel retired the PW 726/36 mold after one last production run in 2000 or so. It was touted as the final loco made in America before production was shipped to China. It carried the Nickel Plate livery  

I assume the LC+ Berkshire will be from the newer Conventional Classic mold. I have that one and it is very nice, indeed. 

My bet is on Lionel in hopes of making this the first engine to be at least assembled back here in America.   The original PW 726/736  die-cast body mold had its final run with the L&N  Big Bertha Berk back in 1986.   From then on Lionel's iconic engine was built with mostly new tooling.

joe

PDDMI posted:

Joe,

Everything points toward October 2017...but I'm sure thats just a guesstimate at this point and time! Tomorrow would be better...Just sayin. 

Thanks Paul. I agree, tomorrow would be a lot better.

Country Joe posted:

PDDMI posted:

Joe,

Everything points toward October 2017...but I'm sure thats just a guesstimate at this point and time! Tomorrow would be better...Just sayin. 

Thanks Paul. I agree, tomorrow would be a lot better.

We're aiming to have a sample ready to show at April York with working code, so if you see me there and want to see it run, feel free to ask.

Also, I'll remember to post photos when the sample arrives here.

Thanks!

DWBaseball posted:

Unfortunately I am shying away from the LionChief Plus Steam offerings at this time.  The biggest reason is the lack of a Front Coupler. I do have the LC+ PRR RS3 and love running it.  The remote and dual couplers hold my interest longer than my conventional steam, 2025 and 8142.  I really like to be able being able to couple onto and back cars out of a spur siding, or to use a passing siding to switch the train direction without turning the locomotive.  I think it would be cool to run some short trains tender-forward (Strasburg-style).  I'm sure they did lots of that back in the real days especially over shorter distances.  With only one coupler I feel like loop running and more of the old 0-5-0 hand switcher is the result.  

I know the A5 switcher has two couplers, but for some reason I'm not appealed to that small of a switcher model. 

The lack of a Belpaire Firebox on the PRR Mikado has something to do with it too. Ha!

-David

PRR did have a handful on Mikes with a regular boiler.

Looking at the catalog pic and photos of the 736, I see a panel directly above the first driver, hanging down from the running board.   What is that about - it seems to look like linkages of some sort.   Do we really want this on a LC+ locomotive, or is there another explanation??   Thanks for any insight!

Dave Olson posted:

Country Joe posted:

PDDMI posted:

Joe,

Everything points toward October 2017...but I'm sure thats just a guesstimate at this point and time! Tomorrow would be better...Just sayin. 

Thanks Paul. I agree, tomorrow would be a lot better.

We're aiming to have a sample ready to show at April York with working code, so if you see me there and want to see it run, feel free to ask.

Also, I'll remember to post photos when the sample arrives here.

Thanks!

Dave, This is tad premature, but do you have an unofficial feel if the Lackawanna will be a viable road name for your eagerly anticipated Berkshire?

Many thanks and best wishes for a great success. Cordially, Graham

Does the smoke box door open - it appears to be hinged on the computer image.

KOOLjock1 posted:

Breezin... do you have any pictures of that 0-3-0?!?

Jon  

Wow, I must have had a couple of drinks when I typed that. Of course, I meant 0-8-0 and 0-6-0. I can't find any pictures of a 0-3-0. 

I think I remember that in Europe, however, they would call an 0-6-0 an 0-3-0, for example, in that they classify steam locomotives by the wheels on just one side.

The PWC Series Berkshire from the 2007 Set had the original PW tooling.  Why was new tooling created for the Conventional Classics Version?

Ed Boyle posted:

Thanks Dave,

Your responses to the questions asked about the tooling in this thread will definitely increase sales for the LC+ Berk.  After reading your answers I know for sure that sales increased by two :-) 

Thanks again.

Ed Boyle

Hi Ed,  Are you indicating a Collector's Gallery article in like 12 years?  Your recent article in Run 291 was fantastic, as usual. 

Dave Olson posted:

This is the same tooling that was used for the conventional classics 726 Berk, only modified for the LC+ electronics and CAN motor. It is an extremely close reproduction to the Postwar Berk. The attached CAD photo highlights the separate details highlighted by differing colors.

Thanks!

 

 

Thanks for posting - great to have a "hands on/involved" person chiming in.

Mike W. posted:

The PWC Series Berkshire from the 2007 Set had the original PW tooling.  Why was new tooling created for the Conventional Classics Version?

As JC642 said previously, "The original PW 726/736  die-cast body mold had its final run with the L&N  Big Bertha Berk back in 1986.   From then on Lionel's iconic engine was built with mostly new tooling." 

That's what I always heard as well, that the original PW tool failed part way through the production run of the Big Bertha Berk. After that failure, it had to be reworked/replaced. There was quite a gap of time until the next Berk was produced, due to the time and money that was required in making a new tool.