Question Re Lionel Harry Potter G Scale Train

[Gizzy]

I've just had a 'phone call from a member of my MRC who runs G1 about the above set. He is thinking about buying one for the Grandkids.

I Googled some info as below;

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...mp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00166BS4E

I know it's battery operated, and I suspect from the pictures that it has plastic wheels. The flanges seem to be of a low profile.

Has anyone seen one of these running on Code 332, 250 or especially Peco G1 Code200 track at all?

Do they run okay and cope with points?

Over to you chaps....

 

[Gizzy]

I guess that nobody on the forum has ever seen these then?

No Harry Potter fans on GSC....

 

[Miamigo259]

I guess that nobody on the forum has ever seen these then?

No Harry Potter fans on GSC....

Not a HP fan, but I have seen a set sitting in a US model shop when I was over there in September.

Apart from thinking "oh, thats what they look like", I didn't give it a closer look!

 

[chris m01]

Patience is a virtue my friend
Here are two small, poor quality vids of the loco in question. The indoor one is on Peco G Scale track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMV10zGNKes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4l9jEvrFK8

Would your friend be interested in a second hand set? I'm open to offers.

 

[Gizzy]

Patience is a virtue my friend
Here are two small, poor quality vids of the loco in question. The indoor one is on Peco G Scale track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMV10zGNKes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4l9jEvrFK8

Would your friend be interested in a second hand set? I'm open to offers.

Hullo Chris,

I believe Peter has made arrangements to purchase this set from a Model Shop in Leeds anyhow, complete with track for the grandchildren, but he was just curious to see if it would run on his Peco G1 Code 200 track.

It may be worth you contacting Classic Loco in Cleethorpes if you want to sell yours Chris? This was one of the places he was looking when he wanted to purchase this set. Unfortunately though, he drove up from Suffolk on the Thursday, only to find that this is a day in the week that Classic Loco is closed for the day!

 

[Spule 4]

Reportedly, the similar G Polar Express trains did have some problems on non-Lionel track.

Also do realize these are not made to normal Lionel quality standards.

 

[Mik]

Also do realize these are not made to normal Lionel quality standards.

What 'standards' are you referring to? Prewar O?
The standard for most of their large scale stuff has been somewhere between unScientific and New Blight for years.

Neither the licensing company nor Lionel could give a rat's rump about value or quality, they're in this for the quick $$.

 

[Gizzy]

Thanks Spule and Mik.

Peter is aware that this is just a fun thing, but he wanted to be sure that the train could run on his Peco code 200 track.

He has now been told that it is possble to sand the flanges down slightly, should the wheels foul the chairs on the sleepers, but in any case, he will also have the plastic track in the set to use, should the train not run on his G1 layout....

 

[themole]

They are horrid! The coaches in the sets are short, and far too small. The loco's tender is too short and the loco's rubish. Sorry Alyn

 

[dunnyrail]

They are horrid! The coaches in the sets are short, and far too small. The loco's tender is too short and the loco's rubish. Sorry Alyn

Now I have never seen one of these things running in the flesh. But from the youtube vids posted here and others that I have seen the running shows some promise. Thos side rods pump up and down in a most satisfying GWR manner. So I am afraid that I would have to disagree with your "horird" and the "rubish" comments. However were I to get one I would put a decent Aristo 2.4 RC System in. This would sort out the running. Yes Turn Down the wheels a little. But my main gripe about this is that it does not look much like a Hall. That front end is all wrong. However turn it into a 2-6-0 and tidy up some of the detail and we could be looking at something worthwhile.

Just as an aside, I have one of the Newquid 2-6-2t that I intend to do something with. It may end up being converted to a Belgium Steam Tram or something. With the "Horible" sound and radio removed + converted to the Aristo Set Up. I will post about this as and when I get around to doing it.
JonD

 

[Mik]

Gizzy, friend. You asked for experience... Unfortunately, that IS my Lionel LS experience.
I've had a Railscope 0-4-0, 2 Thomas, James, an Atlantic and a more recent battery operated total PoS offering that will remain nameless.

Note to self: Don't buy stuff just because it sounds like a 'good' deal, or your kids want it.

 

[Spule 4]

Also do realize these are not made to normal Lionel quality standards.

What 'standards' are you referring to? Prewar O?
The standard for most of their large scale stuff has been somewhere between unScientific and New Blight for years.

Neither the licensing company nor Lionel could give a rat's rump about value or quality, they're in this for the quick $$.

No Mik, my statement is based on the quality of the current O scale line. The stuff is nice and very well made. In fact, went with some friends that bought some yesterday actually.

But yes, all my Lionel is pre WWII O.

I just was pointing this out so that people don't see the O stuff and think they are getting the same when it has been biglulated for G.

 

[Gizzy]

Peter tells me if the set isn't good enough for his grandkids, he will dispose of it on evilbay.

I don't think he is worried about the quality as it is being brought purely as a toy. I believe he's seen one in the raw, but he was interested to see if it would run on code 200 track....

 

[MR SPOCK]

[align=center]Is this new Lionel brand under the umbrella of MTH ?
[/align]

 

[Spule 4]

MTH and Lionel are different companies with different ownership.

 

[stevedenver]

well
i was at a train show yesterday and saw the set running-i am not certain if it was bachman or lionel-it was o gauge for certain
it ran smoothly-
it had a single tiny headlight
the coaches seemed a bit shorter in height than the tender-and loco-still acceptable for such an offering imho

overall i liked the set

i cannot comment as to quality- i did not examine or handle or operate it

i did have the original lionel g thomas offering and it was not too good-main issue being power pick up -drivers easily soiled -nevertheless it ran a few years with some attention-

i did think to myself
that as a child i would have been thrilled to have the new maroon set-very handsome indeed-very steam railroady-even as a yank child with an english train!

as i recall the engine is a 4-6-0 with three lighted coaches (and i think silhouetted passengers)-would be the fancy of any child running it in the dim or dark room

 

[MR SPOCK]

MTH and Lionel are different companies with different ownership.

The agreement between Lionel and M.T.H. is a conventional and straightforward, multi year license, in which Lionel will be paid a royalty on each tinplate train that is sold. As an acknowledged and acclaimed maker of tinplate trains and accessories, M.T.H will now be able to do so using the historical and authentic Lionel and American Flyer badging that made them historical and authentic in the first place. While M.T.H. will be solely responsible for manufacturing the new line, Lionel will work with M.T.H to select the trains that will be made over the next few years, and will do whatever it can to help make them the success they deserve to be.

This is from a press release in 2009,​

 

[Spule 4]

Ah, you are right, but let me give you a bit of clarification.

MTH have made repops (NICE ones) of TINPLATE (pre WWII) Lionel and ACGilbert trains for years now, this was a post-Lionel V. MTH lawsuit and post Lionel bankruptcy agreement to keep this going.

This is part of the "Tinplate Tradition" line by MTH. It does not extend to Lionel or MTH's other products.

From the May 2009 issue of the mag Classic Toy Trains:

LIONEL HAS LICENSED MTH Electric Trains to produce prewar-style Standard gauge and O gauge trains carrying the Lionel and American Flyer brand names. MTH has dominated the prewar- reproduction market in the modern era and the multi-year agreement is a natural fit for its product line, which includes reproductions of Lionel- and American-Flyer-style locomotives and rolling stock. Lionel will receive a royalty from MTH in exchange for Lionel and American Flyer branding. The trains will be the sole manufac- turing responsibility of MTH Electric Trains, although Lionel announced that it would consult with MTH to select the models to be offered. According to information posted on the MTH Web site, the first product offered will be a rendering of the famous pre-war Lionel ?brute? bipolar electric locomotive. The brute was an over-sized prototype that never went into production.

Still two different companies with different product lines.

The re-pops as I have said are nice, some of the Std. Gauge offerings are simply amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWtWfc6ddc&feature=related

....but (IMO) we could do without the modern sound systems.

 

[Spule 4]

Ah, but we do like our Lionel here!

 

[vsmith]

Someone mention Tinplate ???? Like the wind-ups myself.