New Lionel Genset

The steam locomotives may use the railings as an antenna, an option not available with most diesels.  The details you remark about may or may not turn out to be the case, so I'd wait and see, or inquire directly with Lionel about the motors, cab interior and any other questions. These priorities are, of course, in the end, your personal preferences, so none of our comments will reflect what's most important to you.  Godspeed.

You may be right about the steam railings.  Had not thought about that.  I will most likely wait until its out to see what it looks like.  Too many questions to pull the trigger on a pre-order.

The MSRP on the diecast gensets last time was $900. I'm sure now it would be $1200. They're jam packed full of stuff. 

I have one of the non VL die cast ones and its a fantastic loco. Cant say I ever had any pulling power problems with it. I really think the switch just comes down to economics. 

Beyond the plastic, which I can look past... there's 3 more important things to be answered:

1. Will the headlights be in the right spot? Based on the catalog, BNSF and CSX are correct (on the nose), UP and NS are wrong (should be above the windshield between the number boards). Thats a big screwup considering they were all correct the first time (meaning the files for both versions exist on a computer). Come on guys, get this right and slide tool the cabs and noses.

2. The originals crawl along in switcher mode. Will this one have switcher mode? I suspect not, given the dual motors, but I'll wait to be surprised.

3. Its looking like the fixed pilots remain... lets hope thats the case. Hopefully the whole diecast underframe arrangement remains and its just a new shell, not a complete retool. 

If the original had a diecast underframe, that is gone as well.  According to the specs on Lionel's site they state:

• Die-cast trucks, pilot and fuel tank

• Metal frame and plastic body with added weights for traction

Does the switcher mode only work with a single motor? 

There's no reason switcher mode wouldn't work with dual motors.  AAMOF, the drive electronics doesn't know whether there is one motor or two, only one has the tach feedback.  FWIW, I have the original Vision Line Genset, and it has really great pulling power, I was actually worried about that at first.  Obviously, the weight is in the right place...

I too worry about the fixed pilots. I knda wish they would've given us the variable smoke (a feature the VL genset has) that goes with the RPM levels instead of all three stacks smoking at once but oh well. 

@Boilermaker1 posted:

The MSRP on the diecast gensets last time was $900. I'm sure now it would be $1200. They're jam packed full of stuff. 

I have one of the non VL die cast ones and its a fantastic loco. Cant say I ever had any pulling power problems with it. I really think the switch just comes down to economics. 

Beyond the plastic, which I can look past... there's 3 more important things to be answered:

1. Will the headlights be in the right spot? Based on the catalog, BNSF and CSX are correct (on the nose), UP and NS are wrong (should be above the windshield between the number boards). Thats a big screwup considering they were all correct the first time (meaning the files for both versions exist on a computer). Come on guys, get this right and slide tool the cabs and noses.

2. The originals crawl along in switcher mode. Will this one have switcher mode? I suspect not, given the dual motors, but I'll wait to be surprised.

3. Its looking like the fixed pilots remain... lets hope thats the case. Hopefully the whole diecast underframe arrangement remains and its just a new shell, not a complete retool. 

Good catch one item 1! I didn't catch that on the first viewing. 

Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=...0eoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAh

The diecast diesels (Genset, ES44ACs, etc) use handrails as their antenna similar to the steamers.  

With these going back into production I can hopefully get my hands back on some rain cap smokestacks.  

@Joe Fermani posted:

You may be right about the steam railings.  Had not thought about that.  I will most likely wait until its out to see what it looks like.  Too many questions to pull the trigger on a pre-order.

I think on these diecast engines, the TMCC/Legacy antenna has to be outside as well. I don't recall exactly, but I think it's on the hand rails for the VL Genset.

I had to rebuild all three smoke units, and replace much of the wiring in the one I got. The inside is really crammed with parts and wire...and the reason a smoke resistor lead shorted out in the first place. BTW, I searched wire harnesses on Lionel's site and was able to reconstruct the harnesses with factory parts.

@Steims posted:

The diecast diesels (Genset, ES44ACs, etc) use handrails as their antenna similar to the steamers.  

With these going back into production I can hopefully get my hands back on some rain cap smokestacks.  

Ha...I was a few minutes late with my post. As for the smoke caps, I need a set as well. The original owner crushed the cap hinges so I reluctantly just super glued them partly open. Looks good but they look better when they open and close. My non VL genset does not have caps...so I doubt this one will.

I was making my assumption on the hinged rain caps based on the catalogue photo (included above).  I forgot how foolish it is to assume just because you see it doesn’t mean you’ll get it.  

The VL has 3 smoke units so they are capable of lifting the cap.  The new ones will have 1 smoke unit like the previous non-VL so I doubt that 1 smoke fan could lift 3 lids by itself.  

Those and the BL's are the ugliest diesels I've ever seen.

It seems peculiar that Lionel and MTH would produce two "fantasy" Genset locomotives, Bethlehem and PRR, and not produce a Belt Railway of Chicago model their handsome paint scheme (see pages 2-3):

https://www2.beltrailway.com/about-2/photo-gallery/

I'd buy one!

I asked Ryan on the Lionel show yesterday and he said they WILL have rain cap flaps

Make some extra ones!!

They are a little reminiscent of EMD's NW5.   

@vash44 posted:

Good catch one item 1! I didn't catch that on the first viewing. 

Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=...0eoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAh

 

I spoke with Ryan regarding interior detailing and the headlights. Unfortunately due to the second motor, there won't be a control stand like in the diecast models. He is looking into getting the tooling modified for roofline headlights.

@hirailsteve posted:

I spoke with Ryan regarding interior detailing and the headlights. Unfortunately due to the second motor, there won't be a control stand like in the diecast models. He is looking into getting the tooling modified for roofline headlights.

Hopefully he can get it done! I would be in for 2-3 of them if the headlight can be added to the proper location. If not, I will pass on them.

@vash44 posted:

Hopefully he can get it done! I would be in for 2-3 of them if the headlight can be added to the proper location. If not, I will pass on them.

Agreed. I have plans for a UP yard and since Gensets make up the majority of their switching roster I'd love to add to my VL 2701.