Anyone have Neil Young Texas Special F3s?

I'll second that

Chris, I received the powered and non powered B units ONLY.  The Neil Young Texas Special AA units along with the passenger cars (the set box) are not scheduled (for whatever the schedule is worth) in April.  My two B units have not been opened and I will not take them out until I receive the complete set.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

They are out

Saw them last week at local train store---they look really nice

Lots of detail

 

The Lionel "Neil Young" Texas Special is not out yet. Only the B units were shipped. Perhaps the MTH set is the one out now.

I don't believe the AA units with the passenger cars are here yet.  If you could, please call your local train store to confirm what you saw.  I have my set on pre-order with a reputable O gauge dealer and they indicated latest delivery schedule from Lionel stated April 2014.  I appreciate your help.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Wow, I guess there is a lot of talk about these engines even though they're not even out yet. That would explain a lot....

I received my Texas Special AA just before Christmas.

Please post a photo so we can be assured it is the Neil Young set.  I wish a dealer would chime in to give us a confirmed answer......Charlie where are you....?

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

I assume the sets can still be "pre-ordered"?

Jeff, check with your dealer to see if they are still taking pre-orders.  I did mine with Charlie at Nassau Hobbies.  Great place to order from. 

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Thanks Steve!

Joe's Train Station in Feasterville Pa has the PRR and Tex Sp AA sets on display and available

Engines only---not the full passenger sets

Sorry Chris

 

Both engines look great

dorfj2 - thanks for confirming the sighting.  Wow.  The only thing I can think of is Lionel shipped a few AA sets out early.  I know of several O gauge friends like myself waiting for word they are in.  Appreciate you taking the time.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

To clarify--Lionel is having some difficulty with either the passenger cars or packaging of the sets or both.

 

Lionel added separate AA unit availability in the 2013 Fall catalog.  They were called "Neil Young 'Signature Line' F3 AA Diesel"s.  That is what has shipped. 

 

I've had my NY PRR powered B for several months now, from the initial 2013 Signature Edition catalog.

 

The only thing that hasn't shipped is the passenger car sets, in any form, with or without the powered A's.

John, thank you for solving the mystery.  I forgot about the separate AA offer.  So those of us who ordered the original Neil Young sets 6 months prior have to wait until passenger cars/packaging are completed.  It just seems like forever sometimes.

 

I still would like members who ordered just the AA units to post some photos of the engines if possible. 

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

It's the Loch Ness monster of the toy train world: lots of reported sightings, no photos to prove it.  Post those photos!  Thanks

Surely someone have has a cell phone camera?

Steve...hope this isn't worse news...:

 

Product Number	Product Name	Ship Date	Catalog
6-11194	Neil Young Signature Line 'Texas Special' F3 Passenger Set (LEGACY F3 Diesel Pwr A #210 & Dmy A)	Aug, 14	'13 C1

 

As of 1/30/2014 online shipping schedule shows ship date of August 2014.

Barnes and Noble has Neil Youngs book on close out $6. In it from page one he talks about Toy Trains and his son. It's a great book. I believe this guy with his insight and experience did our hobby a BIG service and I further believe he was very instrumental in giving the hobby a much needed shot in the arm!!!!

 

banjoflyer, yes, it's worse news especially when some are enjoying their Neil Young Texas Special AA units and I'm not.  The good news is my wallet will feel a lot fuller for awhile.......unless I find something on the OGR for sale forum.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

The AA set look really nice with the yellow nose and stripes.

 

Anyone know how well would these engines perform in a conventional only environment?

 

I don't have any Lionel control systems, but am considering it at some point.  Would I be missing out on way too many features using these only in conventional mode in the near future?

 

Also, does anyone know if the A units can run independently?

 

I'm more interested in the AA set than the full set with passenger cars.

Thanks,

Robert

The AA's are all in stock. They are listed as a pre-order but ship out today.

Are these for those of us who pre-ordered the "set" with passenger cars also?  If they are I am anxiously awaiting their arrival.  I don't have to stare at those B units any longer.  Thanks Charlie.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

No, these are the seperate ones. The ones with the set have not arrived yet.

Still no photos?

Sam, you and I are seemingly whistling in the dark.  Someday, somehow, someone will post pics. 

Sam and Chris - I can't believe a forum member has not purchased one of the "separate sale" Neil Young Texas Special AA sets.  Maybe if a dealer is looking they may be able to post photos.  I would like to see some also since my "complete set" may not be here until..........????????

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

 

Sorry, couldn't resist  (catalog shot)

 

Seriously though, I'll post a couple when mine arrive.  Couldn't resist Nassau's great price either, and my first chance to order from them.

 

I'd still be interested in any feedback on how they'll run in conventional only, and if the two units can be operated independently??  But guess I'll be finding that out soon enough

 

I'm surprised as well that there is not some feedback on these.  I did what I think was some pretty thorough searching, but no pictures, posts or videos that I've seen yet from anyone who received theirs.

Cheers,

Robert

Robert I don't run them in convent. They can be used separately but only one is powered. If I could figure how to post photo I would. Sorry.

Seems to be a common problem for Lionel.  Same thing has happened with the N&W Pocahontas passenger set.  The #612J was available for separate-sale early last year (2013).  By the time the passenger cars are available to ship as a set with the #611J steamer, it will likely be an entire YEAR after the locomotives were manufactured. 

 

Sure appears that Lionel had a supplier issue for delivery of their aluminum passenger cars, but that drought ended with delivery of the Milwaukee Road 4-pk and 2-pk a few months ago (which possibly was a "trial run" with a new passenger car supplier -- that's PURE speculation on my part though).  The next wave of aluminum passenger cars isn't due until March/April 2014 if we can believe Lionel's online shipping schedule , and I'm betting we'll likely see them even later.... since I have a difficult time believing Lionel will ship 10 passenger sets in one month after they've all been delayed for so long. 

 

David

Thanks Balto! This is my first foray into this level of AA set, as well as into Legacy, TMCC, etc. flavor of command control.  I will likely pick-up at least a CAB1-L eventually, but wasn't sure 1) What all I would be missing while running conventional (sounds, control, etc.)

and 2) If the fan driven smoke units in the non-powered A (or lights) would work without being tethered to the set's powered A.

 

I assume there is no tether between the powered and non-powered A, but to be honest I was not even sure about that.

Thanks again,

Robert

 

PS I posted a hastily fabricated word doc at the bottom of this thread that may help you sort out the picture posting. 

Makingthegrade - the Legacy set won't have tether between units.  Lionel places TMCC switching board in dummy unit to control smoke, lights and coupling.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Thanks for the info Tex!  I've now got lots to learn about TMCC & Legacy

If it's all new to you I would recommend going to TMCC forum where they have links to the Legacy manual.  I would read/download this first and if you have any questions or need help there are many forum members there to assist you.  Once you get the hang of it you'll like it.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

 

Thanks for the tip Tex...several folks under the TMCC/Legacy forum provided some good advice on power supplies for my new Cab1L/Base1L setup and this engine.

 

As promised here's a few pics, although my camera and/or flash don't seem to be working great...here they are...

 

At long last, photos. Thank you. 

 

This looks sharp, though as a postwar guy I balk at the silver instead of white sides.  I'm sure the silver is prototypical, but decades of looking at that red-and-white scheme are hard for me to put aside. (I note that, at least to my eye, the catalog photo looks closer to white.)

 

One small point:  Is it just the camera angle, or is the engineer riding low?

 

makingthegrade - thanks for posting the photo's....proof at last.  They look great even with the silver stripes.  Looks like Lionel did a beautiful job on the paint scheme.  Since I purchased the "set" with passenger cars, there is no way of knowing how long I have to wait to get my engines, latest Lionel delivery schedule states Aug 14.  The long wait, especially looking at the real thing, hurts.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

 

The engineer is evidently a bon i fide "Texas Low-Rider'! Ha!

 

I'm with you Chris on the white. Although these are beautiful without a doubt, I'd have to pass. The Premiere scale Texas Special posted by Mr Muffin looks like the 'real deal' to me!

 

Catalog does indeed look white. I see a definite difference in shade between the fuel tank and the body side...

You know I don't think the color scheme really registered until now  crazy as that is.

 

The legacy B unit catalog shot has more of a silver look to it, but I guess all of that escaped me as I was contemplating conventional vs command and brand.

 

As with many of train purchases it seems, I started out looking at the engine model and road name as my objective.  Almost bought a new/used WBB set that was on Amazon Warehouse, and then tussled with the MTH Premier ABA PS3 set, before deciding on this to be my first Legacy model.  So I immediately distracted myself with command system options.

 

Happy to be of any assistance Tex!  This forum has been an invaluable resource to me.  Sorry if it stings a bit  but I'm still betting those high end passenger cars will be worth the wait

Cheers,

Robert