Model Train Journal

One of the most iconic and life-altering events in America’s history – the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad – happened in Utah on May 10, 1869.

https://spike150.org/

I missed it but there is still a chance to celebrate with Lionel Trains.

Lionel's offerings


Now, which is a better deal, two engines for $494.99 = $247.495 each, or $1,099.99 each?

"...Illuminated LED tender light on York..."?

Might have been nice, if these had been available for the Golden Spike Sesquicentennial.

Kind of apples vs oranges comparison. LionChief set is basically special decoration of a the traditional general set. The other set is die cast and brass legacy set possibly scale. It seems odd to tout diesel sound set in the Lion Chief set?

I suspect that person(s) that wrote and did not proof the copy for the ad/web announcements have some spraining to do. The York light, diesel sound sets with chuffing.

chuck wrote:I suspect that person(s) that wrote and did not proof the copy for the ad/web announcements have some spraining to do. The York light, diesel sound sets with chuffing.

The York tender light isn't a typo. In addition to the two famous "golden spike" locomotives, they're doing models of the CP Leviathan and the Northern Central RR "York" which are both replicas made in the last 10 years based on the plans for the Jupiter and 119 replicas. The tourist railroad in PA that owns the York does a lot of reverse running which made it necessary to have a backup light on the tender.

SantaFe158 wrote:The York tender light isn't a typo. In addition to the two famous "golden spike" locomotives, they're doing models of the CP Leviathan and the Northern Central RR "York" which are both replicas made in the last 10 years based on the plans for the Jupiter and 119 replicas. The tourist railroad in PA that owns the York does a lot of reverse running which made it necessary to have a backup light on the tender.

Thanks, Jake. Still, I hope whichever Promontory engine corresponds to the York will not have the back-up light. Nor, will the General repaints have diesel sounds. I still have a factory-painted brass HO set from 1969 that I picked up at the Berkeley flea market.

Yes, but is the diesel revving sound ALCO or EMD? Inquiring minds want to know!

J. S. Bach wrote:Yes, but is the diesel revving sound ALCO or EMD? Inquiring minds want to know!

More importantly, how well do they smoke??!!??!!?

chuck wrote:Kind of apples vs oranges comparison. LionChief set is basically special decoration of a the traditional general set. The other set is die cast and brass legacy set possibly scale.

I am simple minded. A Jupiter General-style locomotive and 119 General-style locomotive satisfies me more than a museum quality model.

chuck wrote:It seems odd to tout diesel sound set in the Lion Chief set?

I suspect that person(s) that wrote and did not proof the copy for the ad/web announcements have some spraining to do.

That advertising copy is straight out of the Lionel Catalog.
http://www.lionel.com/products/promonto ... t-1923080/

That advertising copy is straight out of the Lionel Catalog.

That's what makes it worse.

chuck wrote:

That advertising copy is straight out of the Lionel Catalog.

That's what makes it worse.

What if it is true, a General whining like a diesel instead of choo, chooing?

webenda wrote:I am simple minded. A Jupiter General-style locomotive and 119 General-style locomotive satisfies me more than a museum quality model.

You're not simple minded. You may have really bad taste, or no taste at all. But, you can put Lenny the Lion in your General cab!

As for me, I may be forced to buy, or make for myself, a Batman searchlight car. And a Pepe Le Pew gondola. I have a stupid question: why does the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine set not have a Mystery Machine car? This, is Lionel's idea of a mystery? I mean, they could have made a Scooby-Doo set, without mentioning the Mystery Machine at all. But, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They had to make a Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine set, with no Mystery Machine car even available separately. Not, that I want a stinking Scooby-Doo, or any other Doo, set, anyway.

webenda wrote:What if it is true, a General whining like a diesel instead of choo, chooing?

And, what if one of the special announcements is: "The cow says 'mooooooooo'"?

I think both models have their place. The out of scale, but attractive CP119 and Jupiter with LionChief and Bluetooth are good value at $500 street price, and the entirely new tooling brass and diecast models at $1100 each are unique and attractive to many who can afford them. Two entirely different audiences with different tastes and capabilities. A case can be made that neither are as important as food, shelter, medical care and saving for retirement . Fortunate is the hominid who can do all of these.

Personally, I've ordered the LionChief models and am considering one of the expensive scale models. I've bought almost nothing expensive since the days of the Century Clubs, but I figure I don't want my kids to inherit too much money and be demotivated .

I'm not sure it was my greatest financial decision, but I have the full set Lionel is advertising on their site on order with both the brass Jupiter and 119 locomotives plus the sleeping cars as well as the two passenger two packs for each locomotive on order through Charles Ro. I work on 19th century steam locomotives for a living, so having models of some famous ones seemed like a cool idea to me.

Neil wrote:The out of scale, but attractive CP119 and Jupiter with LionChief and Bluetooth are good value at $500 street price...

You say "attractive", I say "pig-with-lipstick" - let's call the whole thing off.