What Is The Most Beautiful Passenger Set Ever Made By Lionel?

Mine would be the Great Northern Empire Builder set from the early 90's.  Also with F-3's.

I vote the 1946 set that had a 1666 and green Pullmans. Either that or the classic 2148WS

Empire builder is up there.  I like the 611 set from 81.  The Alton set from 81 as well looks pretty sharp

I vote the extra glossy CNJ FM with three heavyweight coaches. This was from the early 60's I think. Might have my facts wrong. 

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

I vote the extra glossy CNJ FM with three heavyweight coaches. This was from the early 60's I think. Might have my facts wrong. 

The CNJ FM 2341 came with 3 aluminum streamlined cars in 56.   A Green CNJ pulling a few heavyweight coaches would make a nice looking NY&LB train

anniversary set.

Christopher2035 posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

I vote the extra glossy CNJ FM with three heavyweight coaches. This was from the early 60's I think. Might have my facts wrong. 

The CNJ FM 2341 came with 3 aluminum streamlined cars in 56.   A Green CNJ pulling a few heavyweight coaches would make a nice looking NY&LB train

I thought I got the year wrong. A green CNJ would look ok. I'd prefer a CNJ set in the Red Baron scheme pulling those blue and yellow DOT coaches.

yes. there many beautiful sets to choose from.

Bob C.

It's a tie:  The set with a 671 pulling the three 2600 green/gray/yellow stripe pullmans, and the Tuscan GG-1 Congressional pulling those magnificent maroon stripe aluminum streamliners.

Pete

Lionel Lines PostWar Celebration Series aluminum cars...

The Empire Builder! I want one.  Not need, you understand, WANT!

For overall effect, I'd have to say a shiny, buzzing, clanking Standard Gauge green State Set. 

what was the consist of the Empire Builder?

Bob C.

Grampstrains posted:

1978 Blue Comet set.

As much as I dislike MPC, this set was in my opinion the best passenger set from the MPC era.

Robert Coniglio posted:

I vote for the SP daylight with f-3 diesels. I think that the most beautiful sets were made in the General Mills period.

Bob C.

I agree with Bob.  The SP Daylight set is beautiful.  It is one of just a couple of MPC passenger sets that I am keeping.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Grampstrains posted:

1978 Blue Comet set.

As much as I dislike MPC, this set was in my opinion the best passenger set from the MPC era.

The "MPC" Blue Comet and the Alton Limited are absolutely beautiful sets.

The MPC Alton Limited is a much, much prettier set than the recent Lionel scale version because of the gold striping between the Red and Maroon colors, the 18" cars look lackluster and dull without the stripes.

My vote is for The Empire Builder and the Santa Fe Anniversary set.

I got caught up with the passenger set from MPC in the 70's and 80's. I have sold a lot of my MPC stuff but not the passenger sets. Some of my favorites are the Southern Pacific, Norfolk and Western, NYC and the Illinois Central. 

Regards,

Steve

Hands down, the Alton Limited from 1981, followed by the Blue Comet of 1978.  And no, I don't have either of these sets.

Jon

Firewood posted:

For overall effect, I'd have to say a shiny, buzzing, clanking Standard Gauge green State Set. 

 

I'd have to agree with you Firewood with the Standard Gauge Blue Comet a very close second.

Jerry

Robert Coniglio posted:

what was the consist of the Empire Builder?

Bob C.

 

• 6-18104 Great Northern 366a F3-A diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18105 Great Northern 370b F3-B diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18106 Great Northern 351c F3-A diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18108 Great Northern 371b F3-B diesel locomotive (1993)

• 6-19116 Great Northern 1200 baggage car (1992)

• 6-19117 Great Northern 1240 combination car (1992)

• 6-19118 Great Northern 1212 coach (1992)

• 6-19119 Great Northern 1322 vista dome car (1992)

• 6-19120 Great Northern 1192 observation car (1992)

• 6-19181 Great Northern 1394 vista dome car (1998)

• 6-19182 Great Northern 1395 vista dome car (1998)

baltimoretrainworks posted:

Firewood posted:

For overall effect, I'd have to say a shiny, buzzing, clanking Standard Gauge green State Set. 

I'd have to agree with you Firewood with the Standard Gauge Blue Comet a very close second

 Jerry

With these preferences, are we still qualified for the Crappy Basement Layout group? 

I also like the PW Canadian Pacific passenger set.

Bob C.

My choice:

Rusty

Texas Special

that Texas Special is a beauty alright.

Bob  c.

My vote. 

If I had to pick one and it is tough but I' probably put the Canadian National at or at least close to the top.

Bogie

GN orange and green, B&O, TX Special and IC were great colors.  Warbonnet overrated.

Rusty Traque posted:

My choice:

Rusty

That would be my pick.  It's what I knew as a kid in the fifties.  But some of the other choices mentioned run a real close second.  

LIONEL MPC Southern Pacific Daylight!!!!!!!!!!

Several really good ones out there. I'd cast a first place vote for the Chicago and Alton set from the 1980's. My dad got this set for his 40th birthday when it was released and it is still running in style today. Close seconds in my book go to Illinois Central City of New Orleans and the GN Empire Builder. 

The Rail Chief set is definitely up there for me, in spite of how unrealistic it looks. The 1990 reissue is one of my most prized sets.

Though I'd also vouch the 1991 Santa Fe Super Chief set with the chrome passenger cars and all 3 B-units.

^ Beautiful set Thomas.

Lionel's 60' (15") plated aluminum sets:

California Zephyr:

  2003 CB&Q 6-car set (baggage, 2 vista dome coaches, 2 sleepers, & vista dome observation). They even used my car name suggestions !

  2000 WP  6-car set (baggage, 3 vista dome coaches, diner, & vista dome observation).  

  1993 D&RGW 6-car set (baggage, 4 vista dome coaches, & vista dome observation).  

Burlington Texas Zephyr:

   1980 6-car set (baggage, 2 vista dome coaches, 2 flat-top coaches, & flat-top observation).  

Burlington Pioneer Zephyr: Plated Aluminum with three car units.  

Burlington Mark Twain Zephyr" Silver Aluminum with three car units.  

I'm partial to the post war tinplate 2400 series cars

hobby-go-lucky posted:

Robert Coniglio posted:

what was the consist of the Empire Builder?

Bob C.

 

• 6-18104 Great Northern 366a F3-A diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18105 Great Northern 370b F3-B diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18106 Great Northern 351c F3-A diesel locomotive (1992)

• 6-18108 Great Northern 371b F3-B diesel locomotive (1993)

• 6-19116 Great Northern 1200 baggage car (1992)

• 6-19117 Great Northern 1240 combination car (1992)

• 6-19118 Great Northern 1212 coach (1992)

• 6-19119 Great Northern 1322 vista dome car (1992)

• 6-19120 Great Northern 1192 observation car (1992)

• 6-19181 Great Northern 1394 vista dome car (1998)

• 6-19182 Great Northern 1395 vista dome car (1998)

Have ABA and all seven cars - NIB/never run - in "trust" for my #3 child (female) - and unless there is an intervention (contact me and gotta talk with her) she will get it.   As I recall the 6-19182 & 82 are full vistas and the tables have tiny illuminated candles on the tables - real nice touch.  I remember folks from Lionel stating they had many requests for this set, but when they produced it - there were not that many buyers.

Lionel has not made it yet.....

The Phoebe Snow 21" 8 car set with 2 E8 A units..... 

My vote goes to the New York Central four car set from the '90s (6-19172, 6-19173, 6-19174, 6-19175) headed by the matching PA-1/PB-1

There are many wonderful color schemes and I have many "favorites" such as the Illinois Central and the Chicago Great Western, the Great Northern and Northern Pacific, and the Nickle Plate and the Chicago and Northwestern but New York Central always had the most elegant during the streamline era and second place goes to the Norfolk & Western.

My current favorite could easily be eclipsed by a full 20th Century Limited consist of scale length extruded aluminum cars, complete with accurate interiors, lit with LEDs and crowned with a Creek series observation on the hind end, but since Lionel has now abandoned extruded aluminum how now?