Red Box day for a unique Genesis

[stevedenver]

well ive wanted one of these since i heard about them but the retail price was -really high-   
i was fortunate enough to find a 'second' on ebay for about the same as the non custom versions originally sold-it might not have been a second-it wasnt sold as such-but it has some painting flaws-not the least of which is the cream color instead of bright white  -still looks fine to me

my first electric train was an o scale american flyer PA set in the same scheme and it holds a place deep in my psyche (or whats left of it)

the paint job is ok-the decals seem to be from photo decals-they are not commercially produced-

  the overall scheme should be white paint-not cream (ill bet the painter chose BNSF white and then found out it was a bit too cream-but its only speculation-having done the same myself)

-but i still love this loco as i have seen the real ones while visiting my son at college on the east coast  -ive seen these on sidings and in the station-they are gorgeous and stately 

 

[stevedenver]

 

[stevedenver]

 

[stevedenver]

 

[stevedenver]

and you can see the state of my garden railway due to a remodel-so i guess my engine will sit until it is finished-in early November! so it may well be trains-around- the- tree only this year-i actually do miss them already-weve had a lot of rain and things are 'springing' up -

 

[nico]

nice buy

 

[Philbahn]

Neil wil be envious (NHN)

 

[stevedenver]

yes, i was thinking of Neil

 

[mike]

oww newwness!!

 

[Aljosha]

Wow, never seen that livery before!
Cool!
Now you need the coaches for it, too!

 

[5H17]

Now that..i like

 

[stevedenver]

Wow, never seen that livery before!
Cool!
Now you need the coaches for it, too!

i thought that might be the case-as these were an LGBOA run-and really limited too-each was hand painted-you can see the slight orange fingerprints in the rear view as well as the flaked away numeral "8" -which i caused due to merely lightly touching the loco -the number boards were painted opaque so they dont light   -too bad-if i find appropriate decals to re-do-they will be lighted  

its all flat model paint-

decals are right on top of the paint-the Connecticut roundel is actually a sticker, not  decal,  -and its pixelated -so it had to be printed from some photo

-the decals actually have little 'steps' on the angled aspects-ie the angle in the  "V" or "N" -which i can see with minute close up 

and which also had to have been printed from a screen image (thus the stepping) -so someone did this entire project using non -commercially available materials-the flaws i describe are invisible from three inches but at 1 inch you can make em out-  

no clear coat (which i am contemplating- in gloss no less to help shed soiling )-but i fear that the decals might be adversely affected-id be really unhappy if they were to shrink or melt or crinkle-so i might leave it alone--

but the paint job has tiny flaws typical of  all but the finest work-form two feet they are invisible-  

having painted many a loco and car-it was well worth the 100 extra to avoid the brain damage of trying this myself-not to mention the issue of decals

i have seem some corrugated steel side passenger by USA in the orange stripe-but they are -i think-1:29-they look a bit short compared to the loco -and -im too cheap to actually buy a dedicated set -id sooner buy the entire PA A-B-A set and cars if i were truly enthusiastic-but this is so huge it will get moderate running-and possibly only indoors due to the relatively vulnerable paint

i have a phase 3 and a phase 5 version-the latter as extra muscle for snow duties

these Genesis  locos-now 'orphaned' due to shrinking available coach stock (and which will make them increasingly less saleable-unless you want to double head for 3 cars!!!  have been selling for $200 US-not only stupidly low-but while HUGE-they run smoothly and have some amazing detail-like 3 illuminated computer screens in the  cab  -and those super bright blue-white LEDs lamps- 

while i normally do not like HUGE-(they gobble up track and require wider radius-and really good track work)   

the Genesis set series is really wonderful to see-silver and sleek and low and just fun -plus they all roll so well and the coaches are lighted -and im not a fan of modern equipment nor pre-disposed to US trains only-its just unique among LGB offerings -if ever offered again, i imagine the prices will be 'Maarklin high'   

i have 1 Amtrak materials handling box car, 5 Amtrak coaches and a nice Pennsylvania smooth side observation-which will have to do-and which i think they have been known to haul along with a mix of Amtrak liveried Genesis locos-so im all set 

 

[stevelewis]

Nice one Steve I love genesis locos!!

I am correct in rembering from the origianl publicity for these a couple of years back that only a very small number were repainted in NHN livery was it 38?

Was there also a recommendation not to expose them to the weather too much,?

 

[stevedenver]

yes no weather allowed-no handling allowed-etc! dont know the number-but when i first heard of these -the non-sound were $900 and the sound were 1250!!!!  

apart from the paint, nothing special-just the old LGB black box sound

-so that was a 600-paint job compared to stock retail price for the engine!-i passed-especially when they were represented as non weather proof, as you note  

there are so many 'unique' locos that LGB has produced and they have sold using the 'repaint it ' approach-


im glad that at least one modern US passenger set was offered 

passenger trains are special-especially in the US where they are in relatively limited use

the F's and smooth sides were great -as are the old time coaches and locos

but this was cool because it IS contemporary and so completely modern -

not unlike in days of old when lionel offered the M-10000 in 1936 (or whatever- when it was new)

or the GG1-etc-

so in the tradition of offering real live up to date model trains in the world -this is great

dont know of any fictional liveries -which have you seen or heard of steve (f and t)?

i only know of this NH and the Amtrak-i believe too metro link NYC transit ) had em too

bite my tongue-but thinking about it-no matter how ridiculous-war bonnet? hell you could paint a tennis shoe war bonnet and it would sell to train guys (and the old LGB might have)  

 

[stevedenver]

now that you mention it i seem to recall it as well-tis odd!

 

[stevelewis]

The Southern Green version is still listed at P&S Models & Hobbies York LGB No 22990 @ £400 there is a pic on thier website in Garden Railways locos diesels

I am unsure if that site is up to date though

 

[stevedenver]

took a look at that southern version

i have no idea where that came from-

i presume it never existed-doesn't look plausible -was that for the modern Crescent or totally make believe>?

 

[Rhinochugger]

MMMmm I think the New Haven livery suits the Genesis much better than the Amtrak.

Nice model

 

[Spule 4]

May want to get an ex-F40 "Cabbage" if you wish to do push-pull.
http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df/df06252001d.jpg
Steve, I like the drill rig in your yard!

 

[Miamigo259]

Interesting thread. I now have 2 phase v gennies and 4 coaches. Was hoping to run them as a push pull consist with a loc at each end but they wont have it, the coaches derail on the bends. They obviously need more than R3 and there's no way I can open my layout out.

Having said that double headed is trouble free and still quite amazing to see and hear!

Anyone know anything about superflyer stock in 45mm?

Amtrak never run the trains with Genesis locos at each end. Single loco trains normally seem to pull trains of 5 or 6 cars long. Longer trains normally have have 2 locos, more often both facing forward but some times back to back. Longer trains seem to have an old baggage car after the locos and some times a restaurant car in addition to the cafe car in the middel of the train. Sometimes there is also a box car or private car added on to the train end. I've done quite a lot of seaching on the web to see how long trains have beeen made up and the longest I've seen is 12 cars but these don't seem very common with 9 more typical. It is a pity that other modern Amtrak passenger cars are not available in addition to the Amfleet cars. I quite like the ragtag look of some Amtrak trains with cars over several different profiles joined together with the round bodied Amfleet cars at one end, double deckers the other end and then more boxy shape resturant and baggage cars!

You can find vids and photos of quite odd looking Amtrak trains on the web such as single coach shuttle trains behind a Genesis loco and massive hired Union Pacific SD70 or Dash 9 freight loco as lead engine in front of a Genesis.

Amtrak have been known to run trains with a Genesis at each end, particularly when turning facilities are not available for some reason. There was a photo of such a working in one of the US Magazines (Railpace, I think) earlier this year.

If you want a push-pull train, then you could also try a conversion job on an Amfleet coach to one of these cab-control cars as photographed at Springfield a couple of weeks ago. I did convert a Bachmann N scale Amfleet coach to one of these, but it was a bit easier in the smaller scale!

The New Haven to Springfield (MA) shuttle trains generally consist of a Genesis plus two or three coaches, one of which is a cab-control car. An evening arrival at Springfield is shown below (loco+2 coaches), but I don't know how long the man hanging off the steps of the rear coach had been there though!