MTH F3 or Lionel Postwar Celebration Series F3 - SAME PRICE !

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FEClionel

Aren't the Texas Special ao rare and hard to come by. So wouldn't the price actually not drop making this a good investment?

FEC, what you are saying could very well be true. The PWC Texas specials are not "rare" by any means (except in the eyes of an uniformed seller on ebay). They certainly are hard to come by because they are coveted. It is very possible Lionel may do the Texas Special again in a slightly different scheme with added electronic features. Lionel is known to reissue products that appreciate on the secondary market, driving prices down. Improved or added features have made past "collectibles" less than desireable.

[FEClionel]

Aren't the Texas Special ao rare and hard to come by. So wouldn't the price actually not drop making this a good investment?

[3railguy]

The KCS F3's would be my choice if everything works and the finish is perfect. I think they look just as nice as the MTH FEC units. Throw in $100 for a command base and cab 1 and $450 gives you all the operating fun. You can later buy a TPC 300 to run your postwar engines. I would hesitate to pay $645 for the texas specials because new stuff has a way of bottoming out and it's likely you'll find them cheaper down the road. You can buy the origionals in excellent condition for maybe less than that.

[FEClionel]

Ok narrowed it down - help me decide which is a better value and choice for limited running time and maximum enjoyment. I will be running them with a mix of postwar and pwc series rolling stock on a Christmas layout on the floor. I only have 2 engines now that I sold my 2343's. So this is a big choice.

- MTH 30-2310 ABA F3----------------------$459
- Lionel 38100 2245 PWC AB-------------$645
- Used LN Lionel Kansis City Sp. AA----$350
- Lionel Southern ABA PWC----------------$499

I WANT TO PURCHASE TOMORROW - I CAN TRADE MTH"S NO PROBLEM

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FEClionel

Ok since we are on this subject about F3's - why are the 38100 pwc series Texas Special F3's so expensive and hard to come by? Everytime I come across them they are about $800 for an AB set and the passenger set ABBA is close to $2000.

The PWC Texas Specials have 3 things going for them. They are a beautiful scheme and coveted by collectors. On top of that, they are from the earlier PWC series and not as many were made. Because they have twin motors, verses a single motor in the origionals, they are favored by postwar collectors too. You can buy nice origionals for $500.

FDNYBLOWHARD, GIVE IT A REST. I DON'T CARE FOR MTH EITHER. DO WHAT I DO AND DON'T BUY IT.

[FEClionel]

Ok since we are on this subject about F3's - why are the 38100 pwc series Texas Special F3's so expensive and hard to come by? Everytime I come across them they are about $800 for an AB set and the passenger set ABBA is close to $2000.

[FEClionel]

I think the tension of the upcoming elections has infiltrated a debate between Lionel and MTH.

- I just want to decided what F3 I want to buy to run around my christmas tree!!!

[dougdagrump]

Good Grief, bringing up what brand name of trains you like is as bad as trying to discuss politics or religion. Get a life they are only TOYS. [soapbox][|(][:-^]

[ChiefEagles]

FDNY, Misunderstood your post.

"OH YES DCS...AFTER 2 YEARS, STILL TRYING TO WORK SOME BUGS OUT...WHAT GARBAGE."

Thought you ment you had DCS for a couple of years.

See you on TV. Third Watch [love that program] Becareful [I was an Asst Chief for 16 years in a big volunteer dept. but moved] and God bless.

[Anonymous]

WHY WOULD I SEND YOU "MY DCS" WHEN I NEVER BOUGHT ONE, OR ANYTHING ELSE FROM MTH..

THE DAYS ARE JUST BEGINNING

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Question would you run a MTH new scale F3 like the FEC ABA or UP featured in CCT OCt issue with postwar cars?

The MTH units are scaled like postwar Lionel. Other than they are not genuine postwar and the finsh doesn't blend as well, I see no reason why not. You have to promise not to tell anyone.

[FEClionel]

Question would you run a MTH new scale F3 like the FEC ABA or UP featured in CCT OCt issue with postwar cars?

[3railguy]

Which would you pick?
-Lionel 2343 Excellent Condition $500
-Lionel Kansas City Southern - LN $399
-Lionel Rio Grande postwar celebration series remake - $499
-Lionel Souther pwc remake -$499
-MTH FEC - $459

None of us can tell you the right choice for you. However, these are my favorites:

1) Lionel 2343's because I love postwar

2) Lionel KCS F-3's. Like the FEC units, they have a very nice paint scheme. They come with command control, railsounds, magnetraction, etc. They work well in a postwar enviroment.

[ChiefEagles]

I'd select the MTH. I will say, I have more Lionel engines [9] than MTH [2] and only 2 Williams and 1 K-Line. When I get the big layout built in the train room, I'm adding TMCC too. I want to run them both with remote. Did not think so when I got back into this last winter [trains stored for 20 years]. The more I studied, the more I was convinced to do DCS and then add the TMCC module. That way, you can run MTH, Lionel and K-Line [with TMCC] and Lionel and Williams conventional too. Good luck with your engines and the best part is, you enjoy what you are doing. God bless.

[lionelsoni]

I don't care who buys Lionel and who buys MTH. I for one am tired of the bashing and shouting. "Nice guy", please live up to your name.

[3railguy]

FDNY, the Lionel days as we knew them are pretty much gone now. Lionel, MTH, and K-Line is built pretty much alike in China with can motors, rubber band wheels, and futzy electronics. Atlas O is probably my favorite company.

There is no substitute for postwar. Postwar has feel, sounds, smells, and funkyness the new stuff doesn't compare too. Postwar rocks!

[Anonymous]

I AM VERY CALM, WHATS THE MATTER? ITS OK FOR GUYS TO BASH LIONEL, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BASHING MTH YA CANT TAKE IT..
SOMEDAY, IF I MEET MIKE WOLF, I WILL TELL HIM WHAT I THINK.

[FEClionel]

ChiefEagles - which engine would you select?

[ChiefEagles]

Hey FEC, I'm running DCS on the floor. Have not gotten my train room cleaned out to build layout. Using a spare bedroom right now.

DCS and conventional all at one time on carpet.
DCS is easy. FDNY, send me your DCS and I'll pay shipping. [;)]

[FEClionel]

Th real reason I asked was to compare - I like the MTH because it is cheaper than Lionel and has the graphics of my favorite railroad. I like the Lionel because it heavy and is a direct desendent of the postwar stuff. I'm just confused now - I like postwar because its the original and it has history. I like the new stuff because sometimes I think I need to collect "my trains" not someones from the 50's toys. Its hard being a poor recent college grad with little experience with deciding if I want new or old, lionel, williams or MTH. Its great to have all these choices but 15 years ago all I could dream about was postwar F3's but now that Lionel has reissued so many of their originals and now that MTH is making similair models its hard to decide. Which would you pick?
-Lionel 2343 Excellent Condition $500
-Lionel Kansas City Southern - LN $399
-Lionel Rio Grande postwar celebration series remake - $499
-Lionel Souther pwc remake -$499
-MTH FEC - $459

[FEClionel]

Yeah I think he needs to calm down about MTH. I like it - I once thought they were evil and a cheap knock off of Lionel - which they might be but they make cool stuff and alittle competition can be a good thing in a stagnent business market like toy trains.

[lionelsoni]

How nice, a "civil" servant.

[Anonymous]

OH YES DCS...AFTER 2 YEARS, STILL TRYING TO WORK SOME BUGS OUT...WHAT GARBAGE.

PLEASE, MTH IS JUNK, GET WITH IT.

[FEClionel]

I don't want to run DCS or TMCC - I run my trains on teh floor so no need for anything more than my ZW. I also only use O guage track - the rest of the time the items are on a shelf. I now think the Lionel ABA F3 would have been a better choice.

[spankybird]

John, should also note that Magetraction only works well on steel track.

That's one reason I still use tube track.

[3railguy]

FEC, I did not see your post where you bought the MTH set. The MTH set is nice.

[ChiefEagles]

[:-^][:-^][:-^][zzz][;)] FDNY and buddy.
FEClionel, think about what 3rail says. Save up and go DCS. I did not want too in the beginning but did and now I am glad. It is real easy to operate and yu will love it. That can be a goal for you to save up for. Enjoy your new pruchase and good luck.

[Anonymous]

I would only buy the Lionel model. I could never give MTH any of my money (I never have and never will) after finding out how they run their company. All they ever do is copy everyone else's products and then have the nerve to sue Lionel for the same behavior. I am personnaly buycotting MTH and encourage everyone else to do the same. As far as the sound system and smoke being good features of either model, my experience is they both get very annoying after a short time and get turn off anyway, so who needs them.

[Anonymous]

PREJUDICE??????? why should i be called that, after SO MANY people forgot how they really got into this hobby, with LIONEL, then went to MTH.
MTH is JUNK, nothing but a copycat artist.... I started with LIONEL, and STAYING WITH LIONEL, all the way.
And yes FIRE DEPT OF NYC, good guess, thats my JOB