GGG posted:"and an over-all better build quality." So LC+ is manufactured differently to improve quality? Has better motor, drive trucks etc? G
It would probably take an experienced repair technician or one of the folks involved in the actual design to make a definitive, across the board, statement here, but from what I've seen, the Plus engines seem to be on par with the early 2000's TMCC engines that I own. I do not know how these compare to modern Legacy engines, but it seems like similar designs from what I have seen posted on the forum.
All of my LC+ engines are defiantly better built than any of my standard LC engines. There are no tiny motors in them like many of the LC products, though I'm unsure if the motors are the same as what is used in Legacy engines.
My LionChief RS3 engine has the cheap can motor inside the truck, poor pulling power, and wants to derail when pulling much of anything around a curve. My NW2 Lionchief Plus, on the other hand, has a much better motor, mounted above the truck, pulls like a tank, and has never climbed the rail. The NW2, at about the same cost as the whole set the RS3 came in is easily worth 10 times more in actual value to me. It is a fun engine to run where as the RS3 is, well, a starter set engine.
Over all, from my experience, (see below), the regular LionChief engines are pretty low end, and belong in the starter sets they are sold in. The Plus engines are very good for their price range. To me they are the equal of the 2000's TMCC engines as far as build quality (Or at least intended build quality, but that is a different story), Anyone that was happy with those engines should be equally happy with the LionChief Plus line up in my opinion.
JGL
LC roster: 10th anniversary edition Polar Express, Standard LC Polar Express, Dino-Diesel set, NYC RS3 Freight set.
LC+ Roster: Burlington Route NW2, C&O Hudson, NYC Hudson
Other: MPC 'navy' NW2, Sound of steam 2-4-2 (3x of same engine), Post-war 2055 x2, Post-war 2056, Post War 2025, Post War 44 ton switcher, Post War Turbine, TMCC NYC Hudson(purchased as command ready), (??road name) TMCC Hudson, Lionel-Lines TMCC Berkshire, MTH (proto1) Rail-King Allegheny, K-Line TMCC Allegheny, and a pile of Post-war and MPC engines that don't work.
I'm sure I'm forgetting things as well, but the list is just to give an Idea of what I have seen the insides of and compare things to.
