I just picked up my Atlantic Coast Line FT set. Nice looking set. There are some oddities and comments I have however:
1. Lionel has been using clear snap-in porthole lenses forever. That's how they showed the FT's in the catalog. For some reason, they ended up blacked out. The portholes are solid opaque black. Very strange looking.
2. Like most Lionel diesels with the smoke fluid catch basin under the shell (officially called a smoke manifold), it leaks fluid out all over the place. The smoke fluid will sheet out, working its way along the inside of the shell. I sealed the perimeter of the manifold where it contacts the shell, with gas can sealant which is just about the only thing that stops smoke fluid from leaking. Works great now.
3. The Lionchief FT's continue the ongoing, and odd practice that Lionel has of equipping engines with magne-traction as an undocumented feature. The GP7's and RS-3's also have magne-traction. Even more strangely, all four axles on the non-powered unit also have powerful magne-traction.
4. I like the horn. It's a nice single note horn. Much better than the raspy multi-chime horn on the older FT's with Trainsounds.
