TA Studios upgrade of Lionel 2025 from 1947

Yesterday I got my Lionel 2025 and tender back from TA studios. I just wanted to give everyone a quick report.

  1. Awesome.
  2. See #1
  3. Ok, they added railsounds 4.0 and TMCC to this 60 year old locomotive. The railsounds sounds great, the cuffing sounds is linked via a magnet put on one of the tender wheels. They even drilled some holes under the speaker so the sound came through.

This will reduce the collectors value of your loco because of the permanent changes, but if you love running TMCC and you have a loco like mine that you want to run, I highly recomend it.

My ONLY complaint is that TA was so busy it took a while to get it back. So make sure you get a time quoute if they are doing the upgrade for you.

OVERALL A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

Sounds like you have successfully melded the old with the new. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your “new” locomotive.

Robert
http://home.surewest.net/rlplionel/Robert.htm

I’m not sure how much “collector value” a 2025 has anyway. I think you took a good running piece and made it better by updating it.

I think you will end up getting your moneys’ worth ! You will have all the enjoyment you got from it after several years use, probably, & if you did go to sell it later, you certainly still ought to be able to get all you put in to it and maybe even a little extra, back out of it. I think it’s a good idea, if the equipment holds up & all. Well, have fun!!! Thanks, John

Great!!! Might do one of those my self. Had not really thought of that. Good job.

Has the addition of TMCC improved the low speed running characteristics? One reason I have come to prefer the modern DC powered stuff like Williams is better speed control than I am able to achieve with the spur gear driven post war engines.

Pete

I agree Pete, the can motors are the way to go. They are so much smoother, quieter, less power hungry, and have better low end control. In defense of what the Lizard has done, it is nice to teach an old dog new tricks.[swg]

The low end performance is not significantly changed. Remember it’s still the same engine inside.

However, one difference is I can control it better with my CAB 1 than I could with my ZW. Even though I have new rollers, it still tends to be less than smooth as far as the power curve.