Best Lionel standard gauge set?

I always felt that the Standard Gauge Blue Comet was the best set. I purchased a 400E Blue Comet without any track and just had the intentions of displaying it. That was about 15 standard gauge sets ago.  As far as collecting goes it is a must have.

Scott Smith

The green state set is my choice. Then the Blue Comet.

I would say the Lionel Hiawatha.

Forgot the Hiawatha! It would be second to the Blue Comet.

@Tinplate Art posted:

The green state set is my choice. Then the Blue Comet.

I always thought the State Sets were overrated and overpriced until I saw some originals in person and held the cars in my hands. What a magnificent train.  Beautiful stampings , compound curves, great details both interior and exterior and exceptional fit and finish.  Massive.  A marvel of Pre-war manufacturing when all stamping dies, punches, jigs and fixtures were machined by hand. When you look at one of those cars you say "how could this have been a little kids toy "?  Lionel's tinplate masterpiece. 

I do have to say the state green set is nice, but I do also have a fond love for standard gauge Hiawatha. One set that has been mentioned a lot in the past during train shows and my personal favorite is the 42 and the top-of-the-Line 18 19 and 190 cars. I especially love the maroon 42, I almost have a complete set except I need one more passenger car to complete the set. Hopefully I’ll find it soon.

                                                          Trainfam

Kind of partial to the Stephen Girard cars with 392E or #9 electric boxcab from 2011 LCT catalog...

Under the Tinplate Traditions line, the 400E w/ matching Comet cars in the 2005 catalog are also very nice.  The Great Northern, B&O, or Southern.

As are the more recent LCT 400E/Comet sets done by several dealers.

My picture from my LHS.  I have the C&O set.

Ives Black Diamond or AF Presidential!!

This one is tough to beat.

My Waterman 4-6-6-4 challenger is high on my list.

Steve

The interior detailing on the Lionel state cars is unsurpassed. They are true works of tinplate ART! (no pun intended! LOL!)

What a selection of classics to pick from.  Originally I thought that the Blue Comet was the best.  Now I am thinking that the very rare Dr. Folb's Set is at the top of the list.  Great company:State Set,The Olympian,Blue Comet,and Vanderbilt.  The list goes on and on.

Norm

Though I have no seen most of these I will say that I do have a list:

1. Blue Comet

2. State Set (400e version)

3. Commodore Vanderbilt 

4. Hiawatha

The best standard gauge set is the one YOU like best.

And the one you own.

@ADCX Rob posted:

This one is tough to beat.

I'll take two of those.

Jim

State set is my favorite, I've got all of the cars for it now (original 4 and the MTH baggage car & solarium which I use as a makeshift dining car). The brown 408e with the State Cars is also really nice, don't have one of those yet though.

I'm not a big fan of the Blue Comet set with the 400e it's too disproportionally large. I think the 392e would look the best pulling the Blue Comet set, and I'm holding off to get a black one to pull mine to simulate the Polar Express for our Christmas displays. MTH made a nice blue one back in the day though, I bet that would make a killer set!

@NJCJOE posted:

I would say the Lionel Hiawatha.

Joe, 

I agree with you completely!  The Lionel Hiawatha Standard Gauge set is currently the BEST!

A close second would be the RichArt Prosperity set that includes RichArt's three unique extra cars, i.e., RPO, REA, and full baggage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3D7JxGQUe4

My Waterman Olympian Hiawatha set may become my favorite but I need to get more run time with it before I can say. https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...82#84917107663720782

Bob Nelson

I agree that the early MTH Blue Comet livery  392E is probably the best looking engine to pull the BC cars.

Me, well I am partial to the last Standard Gauge set I own (for now), a Lionel 42 with the 18, 19, and 190 cars.

I'm surprised all of the favorites mentioned are passenger sets.  As fond as I am of my Hiawatha and State sets, the AF Brass Piper with a string of AF freight cars is hard to beat.  The MTH reproduction is as good looking as the original, and runs well too.

My Waterman Loco Works "GG2" ( fantasy 4-6-6-4 PRR steam locomotive) is in a class by itself.  A perfect blend of tinplate style and realism.

Other MESG (modern era standard gauge) trains are also contenders.  Who wouldn't like to own a Jerry Brown streamliner?

So many great trains have been made in standard gauge. Picking one favorite is like picking a favorite child!

Kirk