TrainWorld Exclusive Lionel Strasburg Railroad 2-8-0

Yep, it mystifies me why they'd pick #90 as a road number.  I wish they'd done a special run of the Mogul #89 for Strasburg, I'd have jumped on that one.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Yep, it mystifies me why they'd pick #90 as a road number.  I wish they'd done a special run of the Mogul #89 for Strasburg, I'd have jumped on that one.

Me too. That's my favorite steam locomotive!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Yep, it mystifies me why they'd pick #90 as a road number.  I wish they'd done a special run of the Mogul #89 for Strasburg, I'd have jumped on that one.

The good thing is Lionel has confirmed that a model of the #89 is coming with their next issue of Legacy Moguls! They didn’t mention when exactly that they’ll be appearing again, but it sounded like in the not too distant future so I’m guessing maybe in the next catalog or two!

@N&WGuy posted:

The good thing is Lionel has confirmed that a model of the #89 is coming with their next issue of Legacy Moguls! They didn’t mention when exactly that they’ll be appearing again, but it sounded like in the not too distant future so I’m guessing maybe in the next catalog or two!

I didn't catch that bit of news, but that would be great !

If they do a Strasburg Mogul, hopefully they will also use the correct steamchest and cylinders this time. Past versions are as close to #89 as a 2-8-0 is to #90 which is to say not too close.

Pete

Pete, I'll be a little surprised if they do anything but run the same tooling as the previous Moguls.  It would be nice if it were more accurate, but I have to be realistic.

Since l balked at two prices for my most desired loco, GW #90, much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth, l am clueless as to why a non-Decaood would have that number applied.  The GW ran 2-8-0's, but they would be much less well known than #90 on the Strasburg, so unexpected.  I am not interested in a fake  #90, even if the price is realistic.

I honestly feel this will be a popular seller, theirs many that will buy it not for accurate renditions of #90, but the fact it's lettered for Strasburg. Easy mods can make it look close enough, like swapping the headlight position and adding a number plate in its place. A shame Lionel didn't use this loco for theirs Black River & Western set in the lastest catalog, very close to Great Western #60.

@Blake posted:

I honestly feel this will be a popular seller, theirs many that will buy it not for accurate renditions of #90, but the fact it's lettered for Strasburg. Easy mods can make it look close enough, like swapping the headlight position and adding a number plate in its place. A shame Lionel didn't use this loco for theirs Black River & Western set in the lastest catalog, very close to Great Western #60.

The Lionel 2-8-0 pictured is based on the Southern Pacific 2-8-0 but with a coal tender. I have spent enough time around #60 at Black River as a volunteer to know what I am looking at, and I do not consider that to be close enough. Lionel should get the valve gear and headlight placement correct. Modifying the valve gear or side rods is far from an easy mod.

Trainworld is taking advantage of all the hype around the Strasburg models to get some sales from the people that are not going to spend brass hybrid prices on a model. It will be interesting to see how many people will do that compromise.

I got the same email and at first thought it was a typo but then saw the price and figured it was a fantasy engine but why the heck pick #90???? They could of gone with # 91, 92 etc and I would have been OK since it was a fantasy engine but it was a scale engine with the Strasburg name which is OK with me (and at a good price)

What would be better (at least for me) would be a #40 New Hope & Ivyland since I had the NH&I GP30 set offered earlier. Now before all those rivet counters start to tell me why the Lionel Consolidation is not a # 40 let me just say “I DON’T GIVE A ****” . The Ivyland set was a good seller and TrainWorld could of sold as many # 40 as they are going to sell as #90.

JohnB

I didn't understand why they picked 90 either. Maybe Lionel will change the cab number. I ordered it, as the actual 90 model is beyond my budget. I'll live with the fantasy aspect for the price. 

@Christopher2035 posted:

I didn't understand why they picked 90 either. Maybe Lionel will change the cab number. I ordered it, as the actual 90 model is beyond my budget. I'll live with the fantasy aspect for the price.

Would think it's TrainWorld's decision to change the number or not, it's their baby.

@SGP posted:

The Lionel 2-8-0 pictured is based on the Southern Pacific 2-8-0 but with a coal tender. I have spent enough time around #60 at Black River as a volunteer to know what I am looking at, and I do not consider that to be close enough. Lionel should get the valve gear and headlight placement correct. Modifying the valve gear or side rods is far from an easy mod.

This is how I'm feeling. I'd rather wait for Lionel to make a brass hybrid model of BR&W no. 60 with a brass boiler and if (big emphasis on IF) they upgrade the valve linkage from the simple main rod on their SP/UP Consolidation, similar to how they did the brass hybrid Santa Fe Mikado. It probably would just be easier to use a different chassis and valve gear assembly at that point.

I'm not a rivet counter, but the SP/UP boiler and plain drive rods just do not do no. 60 or NH&I no. 40 decent justice.

Is BR&W's #60 the ex-GW #60, a sister engine of the GW/Strasburg #90?  Seems unlikely, but.....

Hey Ken, change the number and I will buy one.

@SGP posted:

The Lionel 2-8-0 pictured is based on the Southern Pacific 2-8-0 but with a coal tender. I have spent enough time around #60 at Black River as a volunteer to know what I am looking at, and I do not consider that to be close enough. Lionel should get the valve gear and headlight placement correct. Modifying the valve gear or side rods is far from an easy mod.

Trainworld is taking advantage of all the hype around the Strasburg models to get some sales from the people that are not going to spend brass hybrid prices on a model. It will be interesting to see how many people will do that compromise.

Oh I know the 2-8-0 isn't close to #60 by a longshot but knowing Lionel it something they would have done. Definitely yes trainworld is doing this for the strasburg hype, but I've read a lot of people are going for it. I'm seeing it from the eyes of people who like Strasburg, but don't necessarily care for accuracy.

Amazing comments everyone!  Glad there is much hype about the engine even if we couldn't please everyone with the road number.  The thinking behind this was the actual 90 is a higher-priced engine for larger (wider radius) layouts.  Not everyone can get to the price point or run it on their smaller layouts.  We wanted to offer a fantasy scheme that railfans with a lower price point in mind or tighter radius would appreciate. This engine would be in their wheelhouse as it is still a legacy high-end engine yet has a lower price point and runs on smaller curves.   In hindsight yes a different road number may have been better suited and we did inquire in splitting the road number offerings but we would have to double up on the engine which would not be economically feasible at this time.  Also, for the people that already ordered the engine, we would have to let them know that we are now changing the road number which might not suit everyone. We did preorder a large number of them already so I think just by the numbers there are a lot of people out there that are ok with it.   I also did count a lot of different road number suggestions which is great, but picking one will always lead to some kind of road number disappointment. This was also in the works for a long time now and not just a sudden announcement.  Regardless, it's all good feedback in which we can make better choices in the future so I appreciate the candor.   

That being said Strasburg fever is real indeed.  A lot of people have been to the Strasburg Railroad themselves which is an amazing experience.

So KenJr, you didn't respond to the possibility of a NH&I #40. Would TW's NH&I diesel set sales warrant offering a special run #40?

@colorado hirailer posted:

Is BR&W's #60 the ex-GW #60, a sister engine of the GW/Strasburg #90?  Seems unlikely, but.....

Yes Black River & Western number 60 was Great Western #60 and worked alongside #90. #60 arrived in New Jersey in 1963 and #90 arrived in PA in 1967.