Lionel ES44AC's

Hopefully some responses come. I'd like to see the BNSF units.

Bill

I pre-ordered the same CN Heritage, they have not showed up.

Mine was just delivered from Charles Ro. I took a couple of quick pictures. Unfortunately it is the middle of my work day and then I’ll be away from home until Tuesday so I can’t do much more than offer these for now. I was disappointed to see that the orange coupler guard (?, it does look like a safety device to me) on the rear pilot was broken off at the base. It looks repairable at first glance. Will study and debate my options next week. It is a BIG locomotive for sure.

I have to admit that I ordered this in a fit of pique because the SD70MAC I received back in late spring looked so bad to my eyes because of that big gap between trucks and body. That is the FIRST thing I looked at on this model and I am happy to note that the gap is minimal on this one. It’s a beautiful model.

Have Lionel done T4 tooling?

@Lehigh Valley Railroad posted:

Have Lionel done T4 tooling?

Just a semi scale one. I wish they would make a scale version

Glad these are showing up, not so glad about the bill I'm going to get. Ordered the BNSF and 3 of the CN heritage units. One thing on the BNSF is I wish they blackened the intakes, looks kind of odd with all the orange in the back to my eye.  

My trainworld WWII 1942 unit is en route to me. I’ll post pics when it comes

@ByronB posted:

Mine was just delivered from Charles Ro. I took a couple of quick pictures. Unfortunately it is the middle of my work day and then I’ll be away from home until Tuesday so I can’t do much more than offer these for now. I was disappointed to see that the orange coupler guard (?, it does look like a safety device to me) on the rear pilot was broken off at the base. It looks repairable at first glance. Will study and debate my options next week. It is a BIG locomotive for sure.

I have to admit that I ordered this in a fit of pique because the SD70MAC I received back in late spring looked so bad to my eyes because of that big gap between trucks and body. That is the FIRST thing I looked at on this model and I am happy to note that the gap is minimal on this one. It’s a beautiful model.

Thank you for posting the pictures. That's the same number I have coming. I bought the oil train set from a few years ago plus the non-powered unit. I'm going to triple head them.

Bill

@Surefire posted:

One thing on the BNSF is I wish they blackened the intakes, looks kind of odd with all the orange in the back to my eye.

Looks like that's prototypical, though.

What is the orange rounded “w” on the front pilot supposed to be? As shown on the model photo above, they are attached to the “sockets” and the covers of those sockets (red and white) are modeled open. I don’t see anything like that on the prototype photos.

@breezinup posted:

Looks like that's prototypical, though.

Not after anytime on the road. It's odd, sometimes Lionel has blackened them and others they haven't. IMO it looks a little better balance wise.

I believe the orange hoses are MU connectors.

@Surefire posted:

Not after anytime on the road. It's odd, sometimes Lionel has blackened them and others they haven't. IMO it looks a little better balance wise.

Well, I was just looking at some actual photos of this particular Commemoration version, at least, and they're not blackened. I don't know about after any time on the road, although the photos weren't of the engines when new, and they still weren't blackened. (BNSF did 10 engines with this paint scheme.) In any case, it wasn't advertised as a weathered engine. Like you, though, I also prefer the look of them blackened.

@ByronB posted:

What is the orange rounded “w” on the front pilot supposed to be? As shown on the model photo above, they are attached to the “sockets” and the covers of those sockets (red and white) are modeled open. I don’t see anything like that on the prototype photos.

It's the MU (Multiple Unit) cable. These are common to see on the GE units.

Rob

@Surefire posted:

Glad these are showing up, not so glad about the bill I'm going to get. Ordered the BNSF and 3 of the CN heritage units. One thing on the BNSF is I wish they blackened the intakes, looks kind of odd with all the orange in the back to my eye.  

@Surefire - Regarding the 3 CN Heritage (ie. National Veterans) units you've ordered, should I assume you're getting one of each of the three engine numbers listed in the catalog?  Incidentally, IMO they're great looking engines! 

@PH1975 posted:

@Surefire - Regarding the 3 CN Heritage (ie. National Veterans) units you've ordered, should I assume you're getting one of each of the three engine numbers listed in the catalog?  Incidentally, IMO they're great looking engines!

Should have been more specific, I ordered the BC rail, EJ&E, and Veterans

@robmcc Thank you for the explanation and the photo. That helps me see what Lionel was going for, though that is the one aspect of this model I do not like. It’s way too big, and defies gravity. Looks like I need to make a decision here.
1. repair the rear one and just live with them as Lionel built.

2. Remove and replace with something smaller shaped and draped more naturally. The photo you included is a great reference.

3. Remove, and see if I can create MU covers.

I think I’d prefer #3 but #2 is easiest since the MU socket covers are molded in the open position.

I agree,  the cable is too big and fragile. I think it's only a matter of time before one of them breaks on my ES44ACs. I do wish Lionel made them as a flexible wire, like the prototype,  rather than the rigid plastic. If mine break,  I'm going for "option 2".

Rob

The scale M.U. cable needs to be made out of stranded wire like on the real locomotives.

Andrew

@Dj'sOgaugetrains posted:

My trainworld WWII 1942 unit is en route to me. I’ll post pics when it comes

Have you seen the price on these now on trainworld website $850

Here are some pictures of my TRAINWORLD Exclusive 1942 USArmy ES44AC.  I will have a video of it on Whistle Stop Wednesday Videos, stay tuned….

And just a few more…Notice the last pic,  Kilroy was here, a nice touch.

@laz1957 posted:

And just a few more…Notice the last pic,  Kilroy was here, a nice touch.

Laz,

Any comments on the sound set?  Air Raid siren sound like the DOD Veranda?

Jim

@laz1957 posted:

Here are some pictures of my TRAINWORLD Exclusive 1942 USArmy ES44AC.  I will have a video of it on Whistle Stop Wednesday Videos, stay tuned….

she is a beauty

i'm subscribed to you on youtube i think

i can't wait to see the stealth army one though

sadly had to pass on it

my funds power and curves aren't up to snuff yet

@Jim Sandman posted:

Laz,

Any comments on the sound set?  Air Raid siren sound like the DOD Veranda?

Jim

Yes it has the air raid siren, along with four other whistles.  It sure is cool.  Video on WSWV tomorrow.  👍👍

Thanks PAIGETRAIN, yes very cool.

Here is an Atlas B40-8 with a plastic MU cable. The cables come in a separate parts bag for the user to install. In fact, Atlas recommends not installing these on 3-rail models.

It’s not the material that matters but the fact that placing an MU cable on a hi-rail locomotive requires some modification of the look so as not to interfere with the movement of the swinging pilot.

laz1957 I’m looking forward to your video. I was on the fence on this engine but after seeing $849, I’ll have to pass. It’s cool but not 849 😎.

The BNSF is a beaut. My first BNSF and wow those colors really pop.

Well I received my Eric's Trains Legacy Station limited run today and it is great looking.

Received the BNSF, US Army and CN Vet. ES44's today:

Anyone else get the other CN units? Excited to see them. Haven't gotten my invoice from MrMuffins yet.

@NVisich - Love the red poppy prominently displayed on the side of the Canadian National version, emblematic of Canada’s veterans and their contributions to the World Wars.  Brings to mind - especially with Remembrance Day rapidly approaching - the poem made famous ‘In Flanders Fields’.  May those that gave their lives during battle RIP.

Well guys. I just opened my CN Heritage EJ&E. Looks great, excellent paint job and runs like a champ.

But, both of my MU cables are busted off. There is only one of them in the box, the other is MIA.

Very frustrating.

Donald

Forgot to attach the pics.

DK

Ron

All the models look very nice - but certainly expensive. Good luck with them.

MELGAR

One thing I noticed on my TRAINWORLD Exclusive 1942 ES44AC is that it will not go into a sleep mode like all the other ESs I have.  I guess that is the newer electronics?  Still runs great and sounds good too.

Is the 1942 version a model of an actual locomotive or just a fantasy paint scheme? Please excuse my ignorance.

MELGAR

Has to be a fantasy paint scheme.

@breezinup posted:

Like you, though, I also prefer the look of them blackened.

Sounds pretty easy to fix, even for a painting klutz like me.

@MELGAR posted:

Is the 1942 version a model of an actual locomotive or just a fantasy paint scheme? Please excuse my ignorance.

MELGAR

Fantasy, was produced by TRAINWORLD and dubbed The WARHAWK, because of the nose art.

@3rail posted:

Well guys. I just opened my CN Heritage EJ&E. Looks great, excellent paint job and runs like a champ.

But, both of my MU cables are busted off. There is only one of them in the box, the other is MIA.

Very frustrating.

Donald

I've glued my fair share of those back on, no good though that it's missing one entirely. I wonder what Lionel will do. Hopefully you don't have to ship the entire locomotive in. I'm worried about that on mine once the dealer decides to ship them to me

@Surefire posted:

I've glued my fair share of those back on, no good though that it's missing one entirely. I wonder what Lionel will do. Hopefully you don't have to ship the entire locomotive in. I'm worried about that on mine once the dealer decides to ship them to me

Yes, Surefire, me too. I may try to drill the holes deeper in the receptacle castings. Most likely will fix the front one. The rear is not very noticeable once it is coupled to another unit or cars. Regardless, just sloppy quality control which should not be happening on a $700 locomotive.
Donald

is the ns 40th set out yet?

very sad i had to pass up on that set

oh well another holy grail item along with the new hope set and rocket booster set i'll probably never own

seems like my dreams are useless these days of having my own escape from this nasty world and my scary morbid thoughts of death and other scary things

an escape where i can build an O and S gauge utopia where the ground is covered in snow , everyday is christmas, aliens are friendly and give us cool tech from space and people live in harmony and my imaginary friend Fenix Starr is president of the USA

As noted waaaaaay up at the top of the thread where I posted photos of my new BNSF ES44AC we got on the topic of the broken MU cable, and (in my opinion) how unsightly the Lionel rendition was.
I got the idea to craft my replacement, and there is a bit of funny story to it. I first tried some steel wire I had but it was too stiff to bend. I then thought I could soften some styrene rod and shape it, but that became frustrating and too hard to manage the temperature and shape etc. And then on the way home from dinner tonight I stopped into my FLHS to see what would work, only to strike out. But then a most fortuitous sighting happened.

As I was going down the basement steps of our 95 year old home I spied the tail end of some ancient telephone wiring that I never bothered to dispose of. And what did I see but some orange solid core copper wire on one of the strands! I snipped a piece off, formed it to shape with my fingers and hobby pliers, and stripped the ends. The Lionel MU sockets already have a hole, but I cleaned out the old glue with a pin vise and bit. A dab of super glue, and the new “hose” slipped right into place. I didn’t even need to paint it, and it’s prototypically coated in rubber. Photos below of my wire source and the rear pilot. Can’t see it by that angle, but it also obeys gravity and “hangs” vertically, contrary to the Lionel version.

Repurposed salvage! Looks good.

Looks great! That's what they should have looked like. Even looking back at the Lionel Dash-8s from the mid 90s, the MU cable was better proportioned.

Rob

Finally got my set. Added the IC and WC to the original group since I have a problem with buying trains. 3 MU hoses and a brake hose were broken off, reattached all without issue. Overall I'm very pleased with how these turned out.

Hi Team,

I picked up this Lionel ES44AC BNSF beauty from Eastside Trains in Kirkland, WA.  They are about a 60-minute drive from my home in Tacoma, traffic on I-5 is not too bad on a Saturday morning. While I can choose to have them ship it to me, I prefer to pick it up directly and avoid any damage then can occur from shipping a single unit. 

Where I did run into a problem was with the Bluetooth, the engine just would not run, nothing was working!  Man was I upset! Here we go again, no doubt that the problem was due to poor quality control somewhere at Lionel! After I cooled down and read the manual, I uncovered that there is a "Bluetooth Switch" on the engine, so I tried that, still no go.  Then it dawned on me that perhaps my version of the LionChief app was a bit old, so I uploaded the new version, and everything works fine. Go figure.  The instructions from the manual are below. 

Just received the Trainworld Exclusive 1942 ES44AC...it is gorgeous!  Love the paint scheme

I have the BC Rail and the E J&E units and I am disappointed with the color of the trucks and fuel tanks on both of them.  They appear to be a light bluish gray.  In any pictures of the real engines they all look to be either a silver aluminum color or a medium gray.  It is my understanding that the original livery color for the trucks and fuel on both is silver.  

Larry

I plan to add one of the new 2024 BNSF ES44ACs to my layout this year. I would love if Lionel did a BNSF ES44C4 with the correct truck details (also an FEC ES44C4). Lionel did include GE Radial Steering Truck tooling for their new CSX ES44AHs. I would also love an ET44C4 and/or ET44AC Tier 4 unit with Legacy control.