The General Electric Evolution Series Locomotives are operated by all the major railroads of the Union Pacific, CSX, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and even Iowa Interstate.
Back in the 1950's Lionel and American Flyer produced the most common locomotives of the day for entry level train sets.
Would an Entry Level version of GE ES44AC/DC appeal to current buyers of train sets?
Can Atlas O add a modern GE to their Industrial Rail line?
Could Lionel make an entry level, modern locomotive model here in the USA?
Andrew
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
Probably but the price would most likely make it to expensive for entry level acceptance.
Bill T.
They could potentially do it. the Williams by Bachmann Dash 9 is probably the closest thing you can currently get. I have their Mopac SD-90. It is a good runner and was economical. The funny thing is that I have an MTH Premier line SD-70ACe and a Lionel SD-70ACe which are more expensive and superior in nearly every way but I run the WBB more often! Go figure. It isn't a true scale model but it can be had for a third the price of one.
They could potentially do it. the Williams by Bachmann Dash 9 is probably the closest thing you can currently get.
Williams is not manufactured in the USA, the poster was looking for USA manufactured at an entry level price.
MTH has two RailKing starter sets with an SD70ACE - BNSF and Norfolk Southern. I have not seen them, but I believe they are non-scale, more Rugged Rails size. Not the same loco, but modern enough for most youngsters.
Bob Keller
The MTH SD70Ace set is awesome. It has protosound 2.0 and a smoke unit. I control it using DCS but it also runs great in conventional. The set came with track / transformer and 3 husky stack cars one of which has the ETD. All for an affordable price of $340. 00
Highly recommend it!
George F
If you can find a completely American made train product tell me. I'll buy from them exclusively!
A large percentage of Weaver rolling stock is manufactured at their facility in PA. The tours of their facility is quite informative.
Weaver makes models in the USA, but they have not made a General Electric Locomotive model built in the past decade. They could make the ES44AC/DC for a reasonable price, but they usually go with all scale proportions.
They could make them in Cleveland, so that Cleveland can focus on better things.
General Electric could pay Lionel to produce the model as a promotion of their product line to the railroads, people who work on the railroads, and the general public.
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