Now arriving - THE POLAR EXPRESS, by Lionel

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Now arriving on track number one, Lionel’s Polar Express! UPS delivered the set yesterday! My return to Lionel begins anew. Now, considering that I left for the service on Sep 18, 1956, which was perhaps the last recollection I have of my childhood Lionel trains - this is a significant moment.[:D]

I must admit that there was “that” degree of excitement in opening the shipping carton - and then the very well appointed Lionel train set box. That familiar orange color - the Lionel logo - it all came back - in a flash! Amazing, simply amazing.[:)]

The quality of workmanship shows and shows well. The 2-8-4 Berkshire is really well done and quite heavy; all metal. The rest of the train is plastic - but I’m pleased, very much so. My guess is that the lighter weight of the tender and illuminated passenger cars will be a plus - less stress and strain, etc. Love looking at that loco - those green jewels and headlight just reminds me of so many, many hours in a life a long time ago …

The only out of the box problem encountered was with the tender. The rear pickup roller had come loose and shorted out the transformer, thereby making me wonder why the train wouldn’t start. Took about a nanosecond to figure it out - the sparks helped!

The train had its inaugural run on our dining room table - where else? The oval of track measures out at about 59 inches by 39 inches. The train, tender and three passenger cars takes up just about half of the track. Nevertheless - it runs! And it runs well! And it smokes! And it whistles! And I’m a kid again![:D]

So, today I began construction of my shelf railroad, with the additional FasTrack that I bought which will increase the overall size to 20 feet by 5 feet. That should make it a decent trip for all to enjoy.

My HO train room will never be quite the same now that the Polar Express, by Lionel has arrived! But there’s always room for one more, as the saying goes.

Some pict

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Looks great !!! I also have A Polar Express on the way.

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I just ordered one, too. Hopefully it will arrive before my kid’s birthday in May.

I like the matte finish. My Lionel 4-4-2 is too glossy. Your PE is what a steam engine should look like (aside from the hokey pilot). I’m disappointed that the trucks on the cars only have 4 wheels instead of six. The smaller trucks make the cars look too toy-like.

Say, you’re taking quite a risk running it so close to the edge of the table. Why don’t you put it on the floor? Then you can let it rip!

Jim

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air737 and jaabat:

It truly is a nice looking train, especially the loco. My take on it is that as a replica of the animated Polar Express movie, one shouldn’t be too critical of this or that - but to each his own. For my purposes - running it on a shelf system for my grandkids - this is one heck of a train! I’m going to order the matching baggage and dining cars that Lionel will be releasing in August. That will really make the consist look pretty close to the movie poster - which I have and it is nicely framed to go in a suitable place beneath the shelf RR.

Not to worry - ain’t no way that beauty is coming off the tracks! The dining room table is just the temporary spot - great for picture taking. But, thanx for the concern!

See ya.

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One thing I’ve always admired about the ol’ Frisco: they kept their steam engines shiny. Hot water + Kerosene bath just about every day.