what is lionels version of railking imperial

Used to be Lionmaster but they no longer produce that line.

Lionmaster 

Nick

As others mentioned, it was the LionMater line.  I highly recommend the LionMaster Cab-Forward and Pennsy T1 as I own both and love running them.  The T1 was issued twice, once with TMCC and once with Legacy.  In addition to Legacy, it had the added feature of whistle steam effect.  Mine is the Legacy reissue.

Here are the TMCC Cab-Forward(re-lettered) and Legacy T1...

I loved my Lionmaster Big Boy.  Simply wore the sucker out running it so much.  

I hope they bring it back as Lionchisf Plus.  

I agree that it could be the LC+ line.   My direct comparison of my MTH RailKing Imperial SD70 with my LC+ locos is that it the MTH is close to the LC+ locos:  a half-step ahead in the level of detail, about the same in features.

Here is a short comparative review between the MTH Railking Imperial SD70 loco with PS3 and LC+ locos, which I posted on another thread

Key:   - not great;  + excellent;   ++ very excellent

Price/value:    MTH set: ++       LC+ locos:  +

Smoke:          MTH:  ++          LC+:  +          Actually too much MTH smoke!

sound:          MTH:  ++          LC+:  +          MTH PS 3.0 sound is fabulous compared with excellent LC+ sound.

speed steps:   MTH:  ++          LC+:  +          MTH has more speeds steps with finer levels of control

Remote:         MTH: +          LC+:  ++          LC+ fits better in the hand, the speed dial is more natural

Infrared:        MTH: -          LC+:  +          MTH infrared controller must be pointed line-of-sight, which is a distraction.   It is possible to bounce the signal from walls or ceiling to the receiver.

Detail:          MTH: ++          LC+:  +          More details on the MTH loco

Painting         MTH:  ++          LC+: ++          Excellent on both models

Overhang       MTH:  -          LC+: +          The MTH SD70 is a large/long loco.   The frame overhang is OK, but the TRUCK overhand on curves is silly.  Due to the decision to leave the inmost wheelset/axle flangeless, the trucks stick out grotesquely on curves.

Speed control  MTH: ++          LC+: ++          Excellent constant speed holding for both, good momentum effects on both.

Lighting:        MTH: +          LC+: +          Good lighting effects: MTH alternating ditch lights:  LC+ cab lights and flickering firebox.

Overall, I am very happy with all of these locos, and with command control locos at a modest price.   I recommend both without reservation.   Tons of fun with both systems!!   -Ken

I agree. I have the Lionmaster Legacy Big Boy. It gets lots of running.

I have also run the Cab-Forward as Ken, one of the UK club guys lent me his at our annual show a few years back. 

Nick

Don't be so sure about that.

Stu

The real beauty of the Railking locos is hooking them up to the full featured DCS remote and getting all of the same enhanced features as the Premier locos.  I have my RK SD70ACe consisted with my RK ES44AC and it really is fun watching them run in tandem.  Yes the overhang is excessive, but almost all of my curves are O-60 so I don't notice it as much.  I've often wondered what would happen if I replaced that rear-most wheel with a flanged wheel... at what point might it start to bind?  

As far as detail, RK is a step ahead or more.  I've often said that its just enough detail to make it look realistic, but not so much that you're afraid to touch it 

ken,

Not to argue with your comparison, however, you neglect to mention that all Rail King engines, including the Imperial line, have all of the features and functions of DCS, while the LC+ engines have a considerably less rich set of features and functions.

From what the people at Lionel have said the LionMaster line is dead and will never happen again. At this point the MTH Rail King have more to offer in my humble opinion/

This was a big driver for me as well.  Instead of getting a knocked down set of features with a bespoke remote, the Railking items run on DCS.  Premier Railking is even nicer for not much more money.  And the kids love the DCS remote.

That, and the fact I have had better quality control luck with MTH, and if I do they are right down the road from me in Columbia, MD, gives me a strong tendency towards MTH right now. 

I'd have to agree with Barry.  The LC+ engines are nice but the RK Imperials come with ALL the feature sets of DCS.  IMO that is a big deal for someone starting out in the hobby.  The engine never become obsolete as you grow your RR and get more involved with command control.

Lionel on the other hand has been sort of all over the map with starter sets and lower end equipment.  First conventional only, then LC, now LC+.  None of which can be easily controlled by Legacy/TMCC.  I would have preferred LC/LC+ just be TMCC compatible but I don't run the company and I don't have the market research that they do.  So I'm guessing they saw a need to do the LC/LC+ and not make it directly compatible with TMCC.  Whether the reason was cost or what have you.

Bottom line is most people are happy with the LC/LC+ so I may be in the minority.

But back to the original point about Lionmaster Line... Well if it's not dead, it sure is doing a good job of playing.  But then again even Spock came back from the dead.  "Remember".

But back to the original point about Lionmaster Line... Well if it's not dead, it sure is doing a good job of playing.  But then again even Spock came back from the dead.  "Remember".

 

Spock started out as a superior life form.