Conrail6358 posted:Jim, There are still a multitude of brass parts on these locomotives. Steam and sand domes, pilots and more details than I'd like to count. The decision to go die cast on the "large" parts is two-fold: first, the decoration on these locomotives is much more complicated than any other steam locomotive we've done with the possible exception of the Nashville for the Lincoln train. Applying this deco the same way across the entire production run requires the use of paint masks and fixtures. With brass construction, the tolerances simply wouldn't be tight enough to deliver a consistent quality product.
Second, with the size of these locomotives every bit of extra weight we can get on there will help with performance. Space is at a premium on these models as has been discussed at length above. Just enough room in the loco for the can motor, just enough room in the tender for the BEMC board. Down the road, especially with the work being done in engineering our HO line, perhaps we could squeeze more in, but for now while the electronics are getting smaller, we're not there yet to where we can deliver not only features but the quality of features you've come to expect from a LEGACY locomotive in something this size. We've tried to illustrate that with the diagrams and images in the video but I think when people get the chance to see the locomotives first hand that will make the challenges crystal clear.
Of course an added bonus is that we now have tooling for the core of two great 4-4-0 designs that can be used as the starting point for more great models from this period with additional brass add-ons.
To those asking about ordering through Lionelstore.com, payment will not be collected until the items ship.
Don’t get me wrong. I prefer diecast steamers. It just caught me by surprise when I heard these would be brass hybrid models. I also welcome the possibilities of more 19th-century steamers — especially a scale General and the Wm. Crooks.
