The Lion Roars - Lionel Collectors Club of America

Lookin’ Downthe Trackby Ron Stem RM 537Crying, “Uncle!”I finally have to say it ...”Uncle!”There was a time in the not too far distant past whenthere was only one manufacturer of tinplate three-rail,AC electric toy trains — Lionel. Today, there are fiveother major players in this marketplace: Mike’s TrainHouse (MTH), Williams Electric Trains, K-Line, Weaver,and Atlas O.With just one manufacturer, it was easier for me toacquire items with the herald of the four roads withtrackage rights on the Delaware & Lehigh RR — thePennsy, the New York Central, Lehigh Valley, and CentralRR of New Jersey. Not so anymore.Let’s take a look through the ’99 catalogues, see whatis offered, and make a wish list in just these four roadnames. In Lionel’s Preview catalogue, there’s the reissueof the 2341 CNJ FM Trainmaster with all the appropriateelectronics. I wonder where they got the sounds for it forRailsounds? There aren’t any Trainmasters aroundanymore. Next comes the Pennsy Alco A-B-A, followedby the NYC Pacific and Hudson, followed by the PennsyFM H12-44 diesel switcher. There’s a NYC firecar andinstruction car, too.I like the Reading boxcar, so guess I have to includeit, too. The NYC “four pack” is a natural. The Bethlehemore dump car I have to include; they’re still makin’ steelat the plant in Bethlehem, PA in the era depicted on theD&LRR. I’d like the NYC covered hopper except forthe graffiti. ’98 hasn’t happened yet for the D&LRR(unless you mean 1898), and graffiti wasn’t around backthen. There’s the NYC flatcar with a 1936 Ford tow truckand the NYC starter set boxcar.Let’s move on to the Heritage catalogue. There is aflyer that has a Commodore Vanderbilt Hudson. In thecatalogue, a NYC Mikado 2-8-2 is the first offering;followed by two more “heavyweights” for the scaleCommodore Vanderbilt produced back in ’97.Now, let’s get to the bottom line. There’s a cataloguethat I do not have for completing this four-herald roster.Based on MSRP, I would be looking at spending just alittle over $7000 — that’s right, seven thousand dollars— for this equipment. Guess I’ll just shoot for the reissue2341 and let it go at that.Should I pour salt on the wound? Okay, why not.I’ve come this far, haven’t I? MTH Volume I shows aCNJ Camelback with a number that looks hauntinglyfamiliar. Incidentally, they did not pull the Blue Comet;the G3s did. There’s another NYC Hudson in the “dress”of the Empire State Express and the matching passengerconsist.This is followed by an EMD E8 A-B-A set paintedand lettered for the NYC. How about a Pennsy SW-9? APennsy tank car and woodside caboose is a part of thenear-scale line of freight cars. There’s a CNJ four-carpassenger set for the Camelback. Then, there it is, aPennsy G5 4-6-0. I’ve got to hand it to Wolfie; he knowshow to get my interest peaked! This is followed by anAlco PA A-B-A lash-up painted and lettered for the LV.It’s another got-to-have train. Then there’s a scale PennsyGG-l in brunswick green and numbered 4935 no less;followed by a Pennsy O scale test car. A scale gondolaand 100-ton hopper in LV livery and a Pennsy N8 caboosefollow this. A LV five-car passenger consist is next forthe PAs to pull. Good thing no prices are shown in MTHcatalogues. It would be nice to just settle for the G5, theLV PAs and passenger set, the LV freight cars, and theCNJ passenger car set. Whew! And there’s Volume II?Bring it on!In Volume II, first up is MTH’s version of the PennsyS2. Again, hauntingly familiar. Haven’t I seen yousomewhere before, Big Boy? The 2-6-0 steamlocomotives follow this, but I don’t think the Pennsyever had them painted THAT green. Another NYCHudson — ho hum. Modern power is represented by aSD45 in PRR livery. Next comes a doodlebug in PRRtuscan. The semi-scale rolling stock includes a NYCwork caboose in jade green. There is also a six-carfreight set; one in the CNJ Red Baron paint scheme.Sorry to say, it shouldn’t go with a Camelback —different eras. There’s a Pennsy ready-to-run freightset pulled by a 2-8-0 Consolidation. Nice! And wehaven’t even gotten to the Premier Line yet. Oh boy!Now comes the piece de resistance — the CNJ FMTrainmaster in the traditional ’56 color scheme oftangerine orange and blue. And how about this; prototypecab numbers like 2401, 2410, and 2413. Way to go,Wolfie! I’ll opt for the 2413, the last one the CNJ rostered.All the numbers are there for the original ’56 Lionel modelwith the cab numbers juxtaposed. That’s all. This is adefinite “must have” for the CNJ kid. I can forgive theMTH art department and catalogue printer for the 2344depicted on page 49 of Volume II. If this wasn’t enough,just turn the page; there’s a Pennsy Baldwin Centipede4The Lion Roars August, 1999