SD60E, Which Version?

I am going with MTH. Ordered the First Responders and Veterans, Would also like the GO rail.

I am DCS 2 and 3 rail..these later premier power 3/2/3 means i can change wheel sets for either 2 or 3 rail and flip a 2/3 rail switch at the engine which makes life easier at my layout.I bet the Lionels will be quite nice. Probably 1st responders for me.

I ordered the MTH versions (Vets, 1st and Go Rail).  Like you, I am glad both have brought them to market.  It is a win win for all.  I am personally more favorable to MTH.  I also read there is going to be something special on the MTH engines for the  announcements so hopefully more information once York arrives.  Also like you mentioned on the sounds as well.  Either way both companies brought very nice items to market.  Hate it for the wallet anyway.

Im going with lionel Gorail and Veterans

Michael,

    If it were me I would go with the Lionel version First Responder unit first, if I got two add the Veterans version. i did not order a SD60E as I only run one modern train and I have three Lionel SD70Ace engines pulling it, the sounds are terrific. Well worth the higher price.

JohnB

1. I could tell you what I want. I prefer MTH's sound packages and I also run 2 rail mainly so.... what do you like or need?

2. You need to decide which one you like. If any have special meaning to you? any friend's fathers or relatives of yours in these veins? Does one just look better to U? 

 I like the modern up to date cab and would be happy with any of them. I would just like to get some more NS engines on my layout. I like the Horses!

Guys,  FYI.  The voice on the MTH SD60E locomotives is none other than Wick Moorman.  Wick Moorman is the former CEO and current chairman of the board for Norfolk Southern.  Both the First Responder and Veterans locomotives will have his voice when you activate   your PFA.  

Thanks for the information Marty, just wonder if Rich Melvin will be the voice for the Lionel versions. Competitiion among both of these fine Companies is Great, a Win Win for all of us in the Hobby. I wonder if these models will be displayed at York, by Lionel and MTH?  Thanks again.

Thanks for the update Marty.  Pretty neat feature added on by MTH.  The catalog and York are not even here yet and already excited about these coming in the spring.

I'm going with the MTH version. My whole roster is MTH & the price is a lot better.

So far I'm ordering the Vet unit & a regular scheme one. Still on the fence about the 911. Don't know if I can swing 3 of them w/o my wife killing me

I heard Wick was doing the sounds - should be cool to hear the sequence they come up with

Ordered 3 of the MTH units... Veterans, First Responders, and a regular NS black paint scheme.  Can't wait to triple-head these!

Having Wick Moorman for announcements is a nice touch.  Good move, MTH.

David

I am going with the Lionel First Responders and Veterans units, primarily because most of my diesels are Lionel Legacy, and should I want to double or triple head them with my other engines, I can only do that if they are Legacy.  Also, having compared the Lionel and MTH NS PRR units side by side, my personal preference is Lionel.

If price is a concern, go with the MTH.

As for the versions, if I had to choose only one, that would be a difficult choice. I like the First Responders unit's color scheme, and every community has first responder, but veterans are owed so much more for their service and sacrifice.  It is a tough choice, but since so many in my family have served (in every conflict all the way back to the French & Indian War), I would have to choose the Veterans unit.  Thankfully, I don't have to make that choice. It was tough enough for this steam fan to order diesels. 

Andy

Well, I operate conventionally, so command systems don't matter to me at the moment. The Wick Moorman thing is a good move on MTH's part, so I think would probably go with MTH, because, again, I have a feeling that their sounds are going to be more accurate, and $100 cheaper also plays a big part. I am still not sure which version I am going to get though. I have two family members that are war veterans, but at the same time the First Responders unit is very sharp as well, and I have seen both of them personally.

I have been thinking, Lionel says this new engine will negotiate 036 curves. I think, and its just my thinking, that this is possibly an error. Being that most of their Standard O Locomotives will have the appearance of a fixed pilot, front coupler system, I feel this will work on 054 minimum curve.  That's just a thought. I know one thing for certain, the picture is not the actual engine. All of the engines that I have received in the past few years, have been much better looking in person than the catalog picture.

Whats Your Thinking on this. By the way, I ordered both models, Lionel Legacy all the way. Happy Railroading....

As a New Yorker I really like the 911 one and the veterans one.  Glad both MTH and Lionel are doing the engines in these great schemes.   Have to check the capital budget for 2016 to see if i can get both.  Of course from MTH.   VBG

Poking around for wherever else this might have been mentioned, I ran across this interview from 2012 that gives at least one insight as to how MTH was able to score this:

Virginian Pilot Online

---PCJ

There was a post on here that Lionel diesel sounds are not engine specific but a generic recording while the MTH locos have type specific sound. Is that true? 

The accurate sound chip being used by MTH along with DCS and the better price makes the decision very easy.

   Bill T.

BobbyD

  There are a lot of videos posted on this website, real trains, Lionel trains and MTH trains. Watch a few or watch them all and you can make up your own mind which product's sounds are correct or most accurate. 

JohnB

Can someone tell me were I can read this information about the E60's? I cant find it. Thanks. Joe

I am going with the Lionel version first responder. I like MTH and Lionel but I prefer Legacy sound and the Cab-2 better. 

I'm going with the MTH "go-rail" version in 2-rail.

I'm not a NS collector, but my gut tells me these are going to be really well-done.

I hope in the future MTH can leverage this new tooling into an accurate BNSF sd60 (true to the prototypes on the rails today.)

I will be ordering the Lionel Veterans engine.  I fell in like with the paint scheme when someone her posted the video of NS painting the SD60E and promised that I would order one from the first company to announce that they were making a model of it.

Also, watching the video again,I noticed that the final coat seemed to be a gloss clear coat which would explain why NS's heritage engines were so shinny.  I expect Lionel's will be more shinny like the prototype just as they did on the Heritage offerings.

I am very excited about receiving this engine.

Happy railroading,
Don

I already put my preorder down on the MTH premier Horsehead logo NS SD60E #6965. I would get a special paint scheme but I only like the black and white scheme of NS. That is just my personal preference.

Curious about the price differential.  Is the MTH price known?  If not, what are Premier diesels going for MSRP?  What are the existing discounts at the usual discount dealers on MTH Premier? Charles Ro has the Lionels at about $450 pre-order, about 18% off MSRP.  Is anyone discounting at that level off MTH MSRP? 

Obviously if you use only TMCC/Legacy, the Lionel is the way to go and if you use only DCS, the MTH is the way to go.  But if you use both or neither, what is the actual likely price diffferential? I'm wondering if it's relatively minimal (say $50 per loco) given the historic wide differences in dealer margins on the two product lines?

I believe Ro's lowest price is $530.

I own numerous NS engines in both Legacy and DCS (as well as a few dummies).  I prefer the operating characteristics of Legacy over DCS.  So, I elected to order the Lionel Veterans and First Responders engines.

"

Lionel's MSRP is $650, with nominal pre-order street-price of $530.  Once BTO product hits the street, many dealers (not all) have typically moved pricing toward MSRP.

MTH's MSRP is $499, with their MAP pre-order pricing at $439 for these engines.

Of course, actual selling prices aren't set so much as a discount off MSRP but rather a mark-up from dealer cost to ensure sufficient dealer profit.  In general, we're unlikely to see as deep an MSRP discount on MTH products as we're accustomed to with Lionel products.  But it's quite possible that the dealer profit margin on either product are very close.  Maybe some dealer sponsors might chime here!  

David