What would you like to see Lionel present in 2013?

Well, looking at what they've tooled up in O, I'd like the scale 2-6-0, NYC F-12 4-6-0, USRA 0-8-0 and an Alco S-2/4.  Enough with the marquee engines like the J and GS4.  I just want some common small steam and diesels!

Brian

Not my era, but a Genset makes sense!

Brian

Keep producing Strasburg RR cars/engines! Terry

Good choices, the 2-6-0 would be a dynamite locomotive in S (particularly with scale wheels) but I think we'll be on the marquee for a while.

Rusty

As much as I love small stuff, I wouldn't hold my breath. The size of the electronics will dictate what is made for the next few years at least IMHO.

ES44AC's would be fantastic!

Regards,

Swafford

#754 Gilbert AF double track girder bridge

Chessie System C&O/B&O ACF Center Flow Cylindrical 3-Bay Covered Hoppers.

Andrew

Valid point.  They've done a USRA light 4-8-2 in O and that has a few roadname options...NYO&W (kind of a foobie, but Bachmann did it with their 4-8-2 in HO) for me!

Even if it were a single motor unit, a Genset would be nice.

Greg

Once again for the umpteenth time a Southern Ry heavy Ms-4 Mikado, the road's mainline freight engine for 30 years 1923-53.

And, a 2-10-2 "Hog" or "Big Fifty" as the crews called them,would sell well also--the backside push power of Saluda and the Loops at Black Mountain.

With the great success of the Y3 engine, I'd like to see them use that chassis under an SP Cab Forward (yes, the lead truck will need to be changed, and scale guys would want the drivers diameter changed a little bit.

Hmm, speaking of SP, a GS4 Daylight would be nice too! Maybe built as a "Classical Flyer" one.

And it would be nice if they produced a trailing truck and a tender from the Challenger tooling to put under & behind the Big Boy so they'd clear the ACG action rails.

Gee, if they did a Cab-Forward AND a Daylight that would be two non-coal burner steamers--a FIRST for the AF line!

A Cab-Forward would require a new chassis, not a recycled Y3 chassis.  There was 7" difference in driver diameter between the Y3 and an AC12 and almost 10' in length of the locomotive alone, which is significant.

I'm no Uber-modeler, but If I'm going to spend a grand on a locomotive, I don't want it to be a cartoon.

Lionel's done a good thing with the Challengers and Y3's, I'd hate to see them step backwards.  Any positive feelings they've built up with the scale side (and the Y3 got a lot of scalers looking more seriously at Lionel) would be lost and very difficult to get back.

Rusty

Rusty,

  I agree that the model should be scale, but 7" is probably doable within the chassis. (Egads, what does that work out to in S scale? Less than a 1/16" per side? You do realize that that's within turning limits of the driver tire on the Prototype?) As to the extra 10' that's likely firebox area, which is why the leading truck was 4 wheeled, as I mentioned. Not a major change in the chassis, but yes, in the boiler/cab shell.  My point was/is that there would not have to be a complete build from scratch--the Y3 chassis would be a great starting point.

Sorry to disagree, but adapting the Y3 chassis to a Cab Forward, if Lionel were to do one, would be a giant leap backwards for the American Flyer line. 

Just as plopping a "J" boiler on the traditional Flyer Northern chassis, it would look awkward and destroy any credibility that Lionel is serious about attracting people to S.

If Lionel's ever does a Flyer Cab forward, might as well do it right the first time.

Rusty

David,

That 7" is per driver times 8.  I think that is part of the 10' difference besides firebox design.  1/16th is 4" also.

 It would be like repainting the N&W J 4-8-4 in daylight colors and calling it a GS-4.

Greg

UNCLE!! I'm sorry I ever brought up the idea.

DAvid

Let's see...

1) ALCO:

 a) C-430 - Demonstrator, NYC, GB&W, PC, Conrail, NYS&W, M&E, WP&NY, SCL (I believe one made it to this scheme)

 b) C-636 - IC, PC, SP&S, Demonstrator, M-K Co., QCM, Conrail, D-L (Conrail blue version and now D-L corporate scheme)

 c) S-2/4 - B&O, Reading, WM, D&H (straight black), etc.

 d) RS-2 - Reading, CNJ, D&H (straight black, black w/safety stripes and of course - Champlain Blue and Gray)

 e) RS(D)-1 - (overseas cab and unique c-c trucks), US Army, TVRM, Alaska RR, etc.

2) Baldwin:

 a) RS-12 - CNJ, Milwaukee Road, McCloud River, NYC, PRR, SAL

 b) DR-4-4-1500 'BabyFace' - CNJ, MP, NYC

 c) AS-16 - WM, Reading, Erie, NS, Peabody Coal, PRSL

 d) AS-616 - C&O, Milwaukee Road, SP, Trona, UP

3) GE:

 a) 44-ton -

4) Lima-Hamilton:

 a) LRS-1200 - NYC(CRI), RI

 b) LS-1000 - B&O, Armco Steel

 c) LS-750 - Chicago Union Terminal

Henry J 

Actually, I was thinking of something pretty simple. Maybe Lionel could resurrect the original AF refrigerator car body with the sliding door. Currently, the only reefers available are the ones with the solid doors. The cars they refer to as reefers with opening doors are actually box cars with reefer doors. Unfortunately, since the box car bodies have door nibs, Lionel has added latches to the plug doors, making for a somewhat silly looking combination.

Just a thought.

How about putting the AF cars on scale trucks with mounting areas for Kadee couplers.  A second floor/base would be easy to tool up. 

Greg Elems

Hi Greg,

According to the Lionel catalog and website, the scale hoppers will have mounting holes for scale couplers (not included).  Since there a number of scale coupler choices out there, I can't blame Lionel for not including them.

As far as trucks go, the photos make them look nice, but it remains to be seen just HOW nice.  So far, Lionel gets kudos from me for good effort. 

Jerry

I guess I should have been clearer on my post.  The old AF cars would look nice with scale floors, trucks and an area for scale couplers to be body mounted.  I have one of the new scale hoppers on order.  I don't expect Lionel to supply scale couplers unless they do a Kadee clone like SHS did.

Greg

SHS only supplied scale couplers for the ore cars and F-units, otherwise we were on our own for Kadees.

If Lionel has their new line Flyer freight cars prepped for Kadees, so much the better. 

I'm also curious about the new catalog contents, but I'm not going to make a laundry list of what I'd personally like to see.

However, I expect we'll see the conclusion of the UP Heritage, a few more NS Heritage, maybe a new steam chooch and hopefully more new freight cars and something like the UP CA4 caboose.

Rusty

Oh I guess I better get busy on my scratch build UP CA4 caboose so Lionel will bring theirs out.   I have the trucks, and floor done so far.

I agree, just having the floor prept for Kadees would be really nice.  SHS couplers were seperate sale items also. 

Times are interesting for S scale now......

Greg

I think Lionel will slow down on brand new product this year.  Meaning no brand new steam and diesel engine types.  I bet what we will see will be new road names on stuff they have already made.  It takes a lot of cash to develop whole new items especially steam engines.  In the last several years they have done well for us Flyer S gauge people.   

Good Day Bill,

I think just the opposite. Lionel will continue to present new diesel locomotives and rolling stock in their 2013 American Flyer Catalog.  Full steam ahead!

Respectfully,

Frank  

Good Day,

Thinking big today............. How about the Pullman-Standard Double Door 86' Hi-Cube Box Cars!

Regards,

Swafford

Pictures are from Brian Marsh at Overland Hobbies. The cars presented below look great in HO and would be fantastic in S Scale too! 

Lionel has a 180 watt transformer in the new R-T-R catalog.

  Hmmmm...... 1) Dreyfus Hudson(scale with match cars)

         2) PRR Duplex

         3) Scale Big Boy

         4) SD40

          5) N&W J

          6) Any Canadian steam(dont think I'll see that in my lifetime!)

          7) FM C Liner ABA 

    What about Newer Stuff?

          1) GE AC4400

          2) SD90

          3) UP Turbine

   Al

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

For American Flyer, look to the Lionel O gauge catalog for an indication of what could be produced.

For MTH, (anything not derived from SHS tooling,) the Premire and HO catalogs.

Rusty

Good Day,

I'm hoping for a Lionel ES44AC in S Scale. Time will tell!

Regards,

Frank 

Lionel should offer down the road Western Maryland Shay #6 in S. They made it in O gauge, so they have the research.

Because it's the most bodacious Shay ever built.

How about a Subway set?

Whatever locomotives they come up with (and some of the pictures in the thread are stunning) I need just a very dependable standard transformer controlled foward-neutral-reverse engine.  No need for Legacy, DCC, Railsounds or other accoutrements which drive up the price and complicate problems!  Guys are paying close to a grand for locomotives that need shims, milled washers and whatever else we're reading about.  This makes no sense to me.

Mark

I agree with Swafford 100% on the 86' box cars. This is what I'd like to see in O gauge.

I'd like to see S gauge flex track and some prototypical looking Hi-rail turnouts...

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Hear,hear! That's exactly what I've been thinking for the longest time now...

Mark in Oregon

Canadian National and CP Rail Multimark Mechanical Refrigerator Cars, Three-Bay Open-Top Hoppers, and Gondolas.

Andrew