what's the difference with blue comet standard gauge # 390 and # 400?

#10   ?   JohnA

The original Lionel standard gauge Blue Comet was offered with a matching 2-4-2 390E, which actually was in better proportion with the Blue Comet coaches. Subsequent sets were offered with the much larger 4-4-4 400E loco. Though more impressive than the smaller 390E, the 400E was out of proportion with the standard gauge Blue Comet cars. Since there really was no particular scale for Lionel's standard gauge line, the addition of the top of the line 400E was welcomed by many.

The cream stripe along the running board on the original 390E Blue Comet loco was a nice complement to the cream window inserts on the Blue Comet cars.

I like the 390 much better. I'll be selling the 400E next year.

Steve

The 400E, with its greater weight, probably had more traction and was the better puller. But a 390E with a Super Motor or a Bild-A-Loco should have had enough power for the original set.

thanks to all for the info, Tom

Hope that helped! :-)

all a matter of preference.  I respect some of these comments but I chose the 400E version as I like the look of the locomotive better.

Very true, a matter of personal preference. I always had a 400E pulling my standard gauge Blue Comet sets, but considered acquiring an MTH repro Blue Comet 390E as an alternate engine, but never followed through with my purchase.