Flood of Lionel FT Diesels

Just depends on how scale and detail oriented you are. For me....no way.

Its not your imagination.  Lionel is cranking these out like there is no tomorrow.  They even put it in the catalog with Polar Express paint!!

 

I have two from the El Capitan set, plus the matching B unit, purchased about 7 years ago.  Looks fine - decent sounds.  I have no complaints at all.  But its a $125 loco, and that reflects the level of detail and features you get.

I run mostly Post War remakes from Lionel, so I guess they might fit in.

My concern is that since they are conventional they are not good for slow movements?

Do they make smoke?

Yep, at the price they are literally throwing these things at us, a good weather job will hide any low quality details IMHO.

They are just a step up from a Williams diesel.  No smoke.  It has prime mover sounds, a bell/whistle, and some crew chatter.

 

They are a good introduction to modern O from Lionel.  Not really for more experienced operators.

Really?

Most of my Williams F3's, E7,s and GG1s are pretty darn awesome looking and perform great considering they have no sound or smoke.

 

I have the white Burlington's AA, it's a good runner with decent entry level sound.

Sadly for me, they never issued a B unit for them.

S.J.

White? That sounds interesting!

Got pics or videos?

 

I guess my thoughts are now that my layout is 90% done, is the cost to fill out the remaining roster of trains.

I have got good deals on "New" Lionel and MTH Passenger car sets for most of my engines in the $199-$350 range for 4 and 5 car sets in both MTH and Lionel and Rail King, Premier, and a variety of nice Lionel "non-RTR" products.

 

But...engine costs are killing me....TMCC, DCS, Legacy F-3 engines are usually at least $375 for DCS and some TMCC and at least $475+ for TMCC PWC and Legacy, so when I add the cars you are looking at $575 - $625 a set minimum.

 

Sometimes, I feel these Lionel RTR sets would have had the same effect at a better cost.

They make sound, have cars, run as good and look as good as a Williams F3?

Interesting...

I have an ABA New York Central set from about 2000......It's a great runner and has TMCC with excellent basic RailSounds.

 

Peter

Are they scale???  I have seen SP Black Widow that look nice.....or traditional size????

The Lionel FT is undersized.

 

Rusty

Rusty - are you sure about the Lionel FT size/scale? I do not have one, but have considered

a single "A" for a paint project. I find the level of detail to be adequate (I'm all about

the basic proportion and look, not the add-ons), and I had thought for years (for some

reason) that these were scale-sized, within a reasonable, table-grade 3-rail standard, anyway.

 

Also, so far as I know, the real FT's were smaller than F3's, etc.

 

Anyway, inquiring minds...and I don't have the data at hand.

 

I presume that the nicer but rarer and more expensive MTH FT's are 1:48. 

At looks as though, only the Lionel RTR Rio Grande Ski Train and El Capitan has expansion B-units, A-Units and cars.

Am I correct in my understanding that some of these sets could uncouple passenger cars anywhere on the track?

Yes... The Lionel FTs are "scale" sized, the same as the Lionel scale F3s...  I posted some (not-too great) pictures here: Difference Between Lionel FTs & F3s.

 

As for the length, the Lionel FTs are slightly shorter.  Note C.Sam's picture of his ATSF units, and how much shorter the MTH FTs are.

 

Prototype FT-A's were shorter than F3's and F7's, but height and width were the same. 

 

The Lionel FT isn't greatly undersized like the O27 Alco FA's, but it's not fully 1:48 either.  That's what the question was, that's all I'm indicating.  It's not a bad looking locomotive for the price.

 

Rusty

 

Seems like they run smoother than a Lionel PWC set;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vkgDX6_fqs

 

A little confused......going to that old post the FT's look scale.....maybe a 1/4" short....but 'scale' otherwise. Maybe I should ask 'do they look OK with scale F3 or F7's??? Thanks

 

That's a good way to look at it, I think. 

 

These FTs are essentially scale-sized, the same as the Lionel traditional F-3s (as noted above, the prototype FTs were slightly shorter than F-3s). They look fine pulling scale-sized cars, and are nicely detailed, particularly for their cost. Like many people have noted, when a traditional engine is running by on a layout, followed by a "scale" detailed version, you have to look carefully to notice much difference. 

 

That's certainly true with Lionel traditional Geeps (which of course are also scale-sized). I have quite a few of both traditional and scale versions of Geeps, and when running along on a layout, you don't readily notice a great deal of difference. It's the same with the FTs. Another nice thing about these FTs is that they use DC can motors. That means that they can be easily modified with ERR electronics to give them cruise control, as well as TMCC if they don't already have it.  

They are scale.  Not undersized.

 

 

 

 

 

Can motors... but need cruise.

Chipset, I am curious as to where this "flood" is showing up:  does some retailer have these marked-down?

 

I have a number of these from the FT passenger sets, which I enjoy.   I rewire the motors in series, and add a thermistor, and end up with great low-speed control and the diesel revs more closely match the loco speed.   I keep hoping that Lionel will release FTs with LC+.

where is the FLOOD? my question too.

Oh, as far as how they look next to the F3s and F7s, I bought them to run as second in the locomotive running order. Because when I look at a line up of diesels it's the first one that gets the attention and the rest of them get cursory glances as they parade by. Unless it's something that stands out. But the Central didn't have power that stood out. It was mostly all black.

Hi Ken, I agree..although I saw LC's I saw no LC+'s.

Ken and Alan, as far as where, many OGR forum sponsors and that other place/site we do not mention by name.

yeah were is this flood and how cheap are they letting them go at...i wouldnt mind geting 1 or 4 lol

Chipset, before I posted my comment I checked our online retailers supporting the forum, and did not find any discounts on the FTs.  

 

And where are the FTs available as LionChiefs "although I saw LC's I saw no LC+'s" ??

 

Thanks - Ken

The Amtrak RTR set is LC.

I was surprised as well.

Not all OGR sponsors have it in stock.

The rest were FT RTR sets or break outs from RTR sets.

Here are just a few from OGR Sponsors, google is your friend.

 

https://www.grzyboskitrains.co...er-lionchief-rtr-set

 

http://www.nassauhobby.com/XC4...F-PASSENGER-SET.html

 

http://www.justrains.com/webst...mp;cPath=137_552_554

 

 

I actually believe it shouldn't be too hard to add a few details to make them up-to-par, I have all the details, I just have to send them to David Long for him to do his magic!

 

I purchased a new nose door and horns for a Lionel scale F3; and handrail detail kits for P&D... I'm thinking of using tender steps attached to the back of the pilot to get the 3D effect of the prototype pilots...

 

 

Most definately!

The low cost, yet smooth running makes them prime candidates for that.

I bet, you could add a lot of detail, and in the end have better performance than a Lionel PWC TMCC engine, since smooth running seems to be half the battle won!

I was shocked to see how smooth they run, especially that Amtrak LC set.

Basically, for around $325 (average) you get an "entire trainset" and Fastrak, that you can add a ton of detail and even weathering to and still be under the cost of a single Legacy Engine and in most cases a TMCC engine.

 

I have the FT from the Polar Express streamliner set; it presents well and it's a lovely runner, powerful and quiet.  I'd recommend this loco to anyone looking for an inexpensive F unit that will get things done on an average sized layout.  I won't hesitate to get another one if it's produced in one of my roads.

 

It's the other end of the spectrum from the PWC M&StL Alco FA from the orbiter set, which is the single worst locomotive I've ever purchased from Lionel... it grinds, binds up on the rails, and sounds like an animal being tortured.  I don't even run it anymore.

 

Chip,

 

This is actually a TMCC unit from the AA Command set, that I matched with the B unit (1603/2403).  I'm stoked!  I'll keep everyone updated on how they turn out.

 

Thanks,

- Mario

The Amtrak set?!?!

 

I am looking forward to Lionel shipping the Minneapolis & St. Louis FT A unit and FT B unit.

 

Andrew

They came out way-back in 2000; 6-18160.

I like the M&StL schemes... all of them!

My heart leapt when I read this, but I'm guessing you're just HOPING for a M&StL FT eventually, as I am.  There hasn't been anything in recent catalogs or on the shipping schedule, to my knowledge.

Unless somebody at LIONEL has to save the Minneapolis & St. Louis FT A Units and B Units for some company like Menards or for a group like the Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club, there should not be any reason why they are not being produced right now.

 

They would have to have all of these:

Powered A-Unit, Powered B-Unit, Non-Powered B-Unit, Non-Powered A-Unit.

 

 

Andrew