I have the Bennett Levin PRR E8s and the Santa Fe E8s, both in PS-3. The catalog picture in the 2017 Vol 2 is wrong with respect to the pilot if my two PS-3 E8 pilots are what will be on the new E8s. They are not smooth as in the catalog image. If you Google MTH Santa Fe E8 you will see a video that indicates the detail on the pilot. In my subjective opinion, the PS-3 sound packages for the cab unit Es and Fs is superior to their PS-2 predecessors. Obviously, this is my opinion. And a correction to a post above. The catalog price, 2017 Vol 2, is $479.95 for a powered unit and $199.95 for a non-powered B unit and $249.95 for a non-powered A unit.
I suspect these are more expensive than their PS-2 predecessors, but at least you don't get stuck with a B unit which many railroads did not have (C&O, PM, etc.) I personally find the Frisco units, with their race horse names, alluring. Many years ago I spent a number of summers hiking the Boy Scout "Bluegrass Trail" in the beautiful horse country around Lexington, Kentucky. I remember one old timer telling us about Man O' War and Citation at the end of the trail, at the Man O' War memorial. Citation was the first race horse to earn $1 million and is considered, according to Blood-Horse Magazine, in its ranking of U.S. Thoroughbred Champions of the 20th century, the third greatest race horse of the century, trailing only Secretariat and Man O' War.
Frisco wanted to name one of its E8s "Man O' War" but his name was licensed and the railroad did not want to pay the fee. So they named an E8 "Big Red," which was Man O' War's nickname. So...I will more than likely pre-order Citation (which is the non-powered E8) and swipe bodies with one of the powered ones (either Sea Biscuit or Messenger.) On my railroad, Citation will once again be in front, leading the "Meteor."