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