Would like to see one of these for 2020. The last one was a big fail thanks largely to the wrong whistle. Such an iconic whistle to get wrong on such an iconic steam engine. Needs a redo.
Thoughts??
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Very unlikely due to the fact that it was only relased 4 years ago. Yes it would be nice to have... But does the whistle matter that much? It really depends what year you base your gs4 in with different whistles being used throughout her life.
The GS-4 was not a Vision Line engine.....just a plain old Legacy engine. I was once on a BM&R #425 excursion, when they stoped to turn around a couple guys got on top of the engine and changed the whistle. When I asked why they said someone had brought it and wanted to hear it so they hooked it up. Goes to show you when people talk about engines having the correct whistle I tend to believe it is BS I can’t carry a tune so why should I say a whistle is correct. As long as it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up that is all that counts.
JohnB
When the 4449 first came thru El Paso as the American Freedom Train and then again in the early 80's headed to the worlds fair, a group of us that was maintaining the SP 2-8-0 #3420 we worked on the train from El Paso to San Antonio, it was a blast to say the least. We were chatting with Doyle McCormick the 4449 Guru and he told us that the whistle on the daylight at that time was not the original whistle but one from a steam boat from the Mississippi River boats. Not sure but they probably found a whistle that was from a steam engine somewhere in California and traded it out. Then again, it might still have that old steam boat whistle. Either way, it sounds fantastic. If there are no other GS class locomotives running that are totally intact, then how do we know what it really sounds like? If Doyle hadn't said that it was a steamboat whistle, we would have never guessed it. Sounds great to me and from all the videos I've seen of it, it sounds like it still has the SB whistle. It was also my understanding from talking with ex-SP shop guys, no two whistles were ever the same, there was always some tonal variation.
Sounds like a steamboat to me. I didnt make that connection till now...
The one on my MTH Premier PS2 3V is almost dead on: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...48#86606266967139248
If there ever were another Lionel release, I'd hope they would include the larger main rods that contribute much to the GS-4 look.
Use the air horn; neat.
(I upgraded my used MTH Niagara with ERR Cruise Commander and GS-4 Railsounds to get the air horn for the NYC loco, as it had both a whistle and horn, too. I do not know how accurate either sound is, but the horn sounds pretty much like 1946, to me.)
The air horn was what they used in service. Bzzzzt bzzzzt.
Looks like I predicted the future (or influenced it??) 😂
Lionel Vol. 1 catalog 2020. Very exciting.
I can’t pick between the small or big lettering. What are you guys getting??
the brass hybrid GS-1 also looks delicious.
The Lark. Plus (wavering between a couple of SP locs). Plus (wavering between several other SP locs).
It tried pushing this with Rudy and Regan. Before the last release of 4449. Maybe we can push again.... just need to mention it to Olsen.
Just maybe. Whistle and horn sounds seem to be a huge buying factor for LEGACY engines nowadays, and most of the people back in 2016 weren't happy with the sound of those GS-4's, not unlike how some were displeased with the whistle change on the 2015 UP FEF-3's (among other things).
I don't know if it impacted how well either of those engines sold 4-5 years ago, but I imagine having the 2008 whistle on the new Vision GS series locomotives might help.
A 4449 is on my short list of model steam locos yet to buy....but I'm not preordering anything any more. I won't commit to buying a new one until I see and hear it first.
Also, on the running gear, can't they use most of the running gear from their 844 offering as a starting point to help make their model more accurate? The thin/small running gear doesn't cut it for me. The rods on their 844 have a nice, hefty look to them, IMHO.
I sold my Legacy 4449 because they used the wrong whistle in it. They got it right in the previous GS4 with 4436...… so hopefully Lionel has listened and read all the CUSTOMER feedback on this and will use the correct one. No pre-orders for me on anything. Once items are delivered and known to be correct or not to have any issues, then I will get one.
One of the features of new Legacy tech (engines cataloged in the 2020 Big Book and beyond), is the option of multiple whistles/horns.
The VL GS Series of engines will have 3 whistles and 2 air horns. You'll be able to switch through them using the Aux1 button or using the LC APP. The bell will also have 5 different pitch levels to choose from. The engine will retain which whistle/horn/bell you choose through power cycles.
And yes, the default whistle will be correct this go around. Hard to misidentify the 4449's whistle.
Wow.
Mikado 4501 posted:....... but I imagine having the 2008 whistle on the new Vision GS series locomotives might help.
Yes, I recall complaints about the incorrect whistle on the 2016 releases, and comments about how the no. 11127 #4436 (cataloged in 2008) had the correct one.
That's great new Dave, and quite an upgrade as well.
Great work Dave. These sound pretty trick, no pun intended. Wish I needed one of these. If you guys can see your way to do an as delivered GS-1 I would be first in line.
Pete