Opinions on Lionel HO 4-8-4 Daylights

[Anonymous]

I am considering expanding my steam roster to include an SP daylight and have seen a few Lionel HO Daylights listed on Ebay (though older stock, they are new in box) and was wondering if anyone had any experiences with them.
(good or bad especially)

I would also like to know if they are hard to install dcc in.

[M636C]

The Lionel HO Daylight was made by Bachmann and has been addressed in a recent thread under the Bachmann name. I think my older Daylight colour unit is a Lionel - It came in a hard foam box without a card cover indicating the manufacturer.

Peter

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info, I'll read the threads on the Bachmanns'.

[twhite]

I got one of them years ago when they first came out. VERY light haulers and VERY noisy. If you're going to go for a Daylight, I'd go with the newer Bachmann instead of the Lionel. The old Bachmann had a pancake motor and it was unreliable to say the least. The newer Bachmann's still need a little extra weight above the first driver to pull well, but the motor is much improved and it's a much smoother runner. One thing about both the old Lionel and the newer Bachmann is the pilot truck--it's very heavily sprung and has a tendency to derail on turnouts. You'll probably need to snip a ring or two from the spring and also CA some small lead weight to the truck itself. Bachmann has been promising a re-tooled and re-motored Daylight in their Spectrum series for some time now, but until it comes out, go with the newer Daylight and forget the Lionel.
Tom

[mcouvillion]

I have an old Lionel GS-4 that was literally a "basket case". I got it in pieces and had to rebuild it. The main problem was the short shafts on two of the main drivers had broken off, apparently due to flaws in casting. New shafts were made from brass bar stock and epoxied in place of the original shafts. One was a little off so that wheel wobbles a tiny bit, but I got the engine back together. It runs.

It does have a tendency to "walk the rails", especially on tight radius curves. Even on the club layout with broad curves, it does not always stay on the track. I I have gauged the wheels and added weight to the pilot, to no avail. I think I need to spend a bunch of time observing it run, especially where it derails, to figure out what is happening. It has not seen too much run time.

I would suggest that you buy a newer version, unless you just want a Lionel HO GS-4. It is an older design, and maybe some of the problems I am seeing were design problems that have been resolved in the newer versions. I liked the challenge of fixing a basket case, but it never has run reliably.

Mark C.

[leonardbrand]

I got one of the orignial Lional GS'4 done up in Freedom Train colors along with all the Freedon train cars that came with it., as well a Lional GS4( I thank it was a Lional ) done up in Daylight along with a full set of SP passenger cars. Any way I have 4 GS'4 two are Bachmann's, two are Lionals and I havn't had any problem with any of them as of yet, The Bachman's are better runners, but I havn't had any problem with either.

[Sunset Limited]

Don't do it Up Santa_Fe! I too went this route and now it's a 'Paper Weight'. I bought mine in an estate sale. I saw this Lionel GS-4 in SP and it was stll in the box. (rumor was this person was a collector and did not have a layout). I decided to get since I'm a SP fan. I took it home, ran it on my layout, went around a couple of times and that's it! I saw smoke...and it was not coming out of the smoke stacks!!! I took it apart and I could'nt believe how these things ever ran! They have this slot car motor in it! It does'nt haul, maybe three passenger cars. (it's just not made right). I was looking to get a underframe replacement that Bowser offers, but it cost as much as getting a new GS-4 Bachmann Plus. I decided to get a Bachmann Plus GS-4 and what a difference! Better way to go.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice EZamora,

Looks like I'll keep my eyes open for a Bachmann Plus! Sure wish I could afford a BLI or Brass, but for now looks like I pass on the Lionel.

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by up_santafe

Thanks for the advice EZamora,

Looks like I'll keep my eyes open for a Bachmann Plus! Sure wish I could afford a BLI or Brass, but for now looks like I pass on the Lionel.

Or you can wait for the state-of-the-art Specrtum GS-4 later this year. You have time to save up your pennies.

But if you do get a Bachmann Plus, get it new. If you purchase a used one, you won't have any idea how close to death the locomotive really is. Remember, some people are liars. The seller might say whatever to get rid of that worn out engine. The valve gear could be ready to fall apart or the axles on the verge of cracking.
Trainworld sells new ones for $60. And if you catch 'em on say, a 10% off sell, then its even better.

[Don Gibson]

Lionel 'Feedom Train' was a Bachmann GS- 4 in 'sheeps' clothing. and with theiir early chassis.

Bow wow.

[twhite]

Not only bow-wow, Don, I saw a Lionel Freedom Train at the Roseville show this weekend, and they were asking almost $900 for it! Mint condition. Hell, I could get a used PFM Rio Grande 2-8-8-2 for that amount from Caboose Hobbies and at least the thing would PULL! I just shook my head and headed for the Accurail reefers.
Tom