ATSJer wrote: palallin wrote:You realize, of course, that everything negative said about that G engine can also be said with equal justice about 90+% of all O27 engines. . . .Are you really trying to suggest that this...equals this...??Sure the O gauge is not to exact scale proportions, but it certainly doesn't look as bad as that G thing. It seems to me that the O looks a heck of a lot closer to the real thing than the G.
palallin wrote:You realize, of course, that everything negative said about that G engine can also be said with equal justice about 90+% of all O27 engines. . . .
Are you really trying to suggest that this...
equals this...??
Sure the O gauge is not to exact scale proportions, but it certainly doesn't look as bad as that G thing. It seems to me that the O looks a heck of a lot closer to the real thing than the G.
I was thinking of such things as the Beep--wildly popular but even more mis-shapen and ugly than the G engine. All of the starter set/Scout 2-4-2s/4-4-2s plus the 2-6-2s/2-6-4s and shrunken head Alcos. How about the GG1s and the PRR turbines? And that's just older Lionel. What about nearly everything MTH ever made in the RK line? How about the K-line articulateds? How about the nearly S-scale rolling stock in the O27 lines?
Further, many G items suffer the same kind of shrinking to fit on the tight curves most folks in G have.
Don't get me wrong: I'm not condemning these items. I have owned and do own many examples and have been and am perfectly happy with them. They HAVE to be shrunk to make O27 curves. The exact same constraints apply to this G item.
I simply find the irony amusing: folks who laud the toyish (but often hideous) O27 products are condemning this G engine that is what it is for the same reason that they are what they are.
Gee, I don't know about that. I've yet to see an O27 locomotive that looked quite as ugly--proportionally and otherwise--as that strange looking Large Scale beast. Beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, but so is ugly. The O gauge Polar Express is O27-ish itself, but it sure looks a heck of a lot better than that Large Scale model, in my opinion. At least folks can relate the O gauge model to what they see in the book or the movie. That sure won't be the case with the bigger cousin.
Just my personal opinion.
Warburton wrote:Frankly, I think that the G Scale version is meant strictly for little kids. . . .
Good Lord, I hope so! I would kind of hate to think that anyone truly immersed in Large Scale would even consider such an ugly beast. I've long said that I never met a steam locomotive that I didn't like, but Lionel has caused me to rethink that statement.
The Aristocraft Mikado is a beautiful engine...but who has a minimum 8-foot diameter curve to run it???
And that, precisely, is the reason that the PE engine is so compressed: it has to run on the curves everyone has. We might prefer not to see a PE Berk in G rather than have one like this, but, if we want a G PE, we'll have to live with one that most folks can use. It is in no way any more compressed or misproportioned than most O27 steam engines.
prewardude wrote: The chicks will dig it; they'll probably think it's cute! - Clint
The chicks will dig it; they'll probably think it's cute!
- Clint
Yeaaa. Cute like a bug.
Kurt
lionelsoni wrote:It's a mikado, usually used for freight.
Excatly what I was thinking, but to me that's like trying to pass off a PRR K4-s Pacific with a Camelback. That thing pictured above is a hack job. I understand that tinplate is a whole other animal but that's not even the same thing.
Bob Nelson
stevend wrote:
YUCK!! What is that thing!? It's not even a Berkshire type loco! 2-8-2!! Ugh! If that's the addition to the Polar Express line-up then they need some new product designers at Lionel, 'cause that thing is hideous!
tschmidt wrote:I hear rumors that Lionel is releasing their Christmas catalog in April.I also hear that there will be some new Polar Express items.Maybe something with Trainsounds...TomS
I hear rumors that Lionel is releasing their Christmas catalog in April.
I also hear that there will be some new Polar Express items.
Maybe something with Trainsounds...TomS
You better not hope that Lionel incorporates Trainsounds with a Polar Express set.
If you've ever heard a Lionel Trainsounds tender, it has the weakest sound you've ever heard.
You can barely hear it when using 027 track or Fastrack.
If Lionel has discovered a way to increase the sound output of Trainsounds, then just maybe it will be acceptable.
Lionel should use their Railsounds II technology, instead of Trainsounds.
There will be a Lionel Polar Express set in G scale, but you'll probably be disappointed when you see it. It's a compressed (smaller) and less detailed version of the original set. In fact, it looks ugly (IMHO) !! The couple of passenger cars look the same way.
(Click on image to ENLARGE it.)
It also has the objectionable "rat tail", like the MTH locomotives, for activating the train sounds.
The G gauge set may appeal to some, but not to those who like the look of the 027 set.
.
lionroar88 wrote:I would also like to see some buildings to go with it! A city like they have in the movie for the North Pole would be killer!Brent
Yeah, some buildings would be really nice, the least they could do is offer a backdrop with some of the different movie scenes on it. There just seems to be a lot that they can do with the Polar Express line-up; but it seems like they got comfortable with it and that's kept them from adding much else. I like the elf hand-car but at $70 it seems a little steep, and hard to justify IMO.
ATSJer wrote: tschmidt wrote: I also hear that there will be some new Polar Express items. If there are, what do you think they will be? Maybe something with trainsounds, or some more add-on cars? I just hope whatever it is, it's not priced out of my range.TomSMore Polar Express items would be really nice!! Here are some ideas that I have; a Herplesheimers store with animated santa; trainsounds would be nice (but it has to be something that can add on to existing models, but they'll probably put out a new trainsounds tender that costs half as much as the original starter set) also it would have to have the "Polar Express Theme Song"; passenger cars with transparent windows where you can see the children, marionettes, hot chocolate crew, and Billy alone in the observation car($$$ yeah I know, but it would look nice). I only like one of the current add on cars (Hot Chocolate Car) because neither of the other two are on the movie's 5 car consist. There are a couple scenes where mysteriously extra passenger cars appear, but for the majority of the movie there are only 5 passenger cars. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know its a magic train , just call me up-tight but what does the Polar Express need with a baggage car?
tschmidt wrote: I also hear that there will be some new Polar Express items. If there are, what do you think they will be? Maybe something with trainsounds, or some more add-on cars? I just hope whatever it is, it's not priced out of my range.TomS
More Polar Express items would be really nice!! Here are some ideas that I have; a Herplesheimers store with animated santa; trainsounds would be nice (but it has to be something that can add on to existing models, but they'll probably put out a new trainsounds tender that costs half as much as the original starter set) also it would have to have the "Polar Express Theme Song"; passenger cars with transparent windows where you can see the children, marionettes, hot chocolate crew, and Billy alone in the observation car($$$ yeah I know, but it would look nice). I only like one of the current add on cars (Hot Chocolate Car) because neither of the other two are on the movie's 5 car consist. There are a couple scenes where mysteriously extra passenger cars appear, but for the majority of the movie there are only 5 passenger cars. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know its a magic train , just call me up-tight but what does the Polar Express need with a baggage car?
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