I’m thinking of getting a dockside switcher. My daughter loves the smaller size and the coupler in the front. I’m setting up a small to medium sized layout to do some logging runs. I see Lionel’s new “Cascade Range” set comes with a dockside switcher instead of a traditional loco & tender. Does anyone have a new switcher? What do you think of it?
I got one with the Copper Range set last fall. The docksider is a hefty, diecast 0-6-0 that runs well throughout all speed ranges and pulls well for its small size. Perfect for a small to medium size layout. I am very happy with mine and am eyeing a NYC version. The Cascade Range set looks like an excellent set.
I have the NYC version and as Dr. John says, it is a very good engine. I have no complaints, though if you do a search of this forum, you will find a thread from late last year on the Docksider. The only complaints that I heard had to do with the Whistle, which sounds like a cross between a Whistle and a Buzzer, so I called it a Whizzer. Anyway, beside that, I am very pleased with mine.
Dennis
I have the Reading along with the Bethlehem docksiders both run and smoke great.
Like DENNIS said the horn isn’t that great.
CTT gave it a good review a while back.
laz57
Ditto on everything said so far about the sweet little docksider. It’s more bang for the buck than anything I own. Decent scale, smooth operation, good smoke, directional lighting and hefty for it’s size. The whizzle is even, dare I say it, cute. I also like the idea that it will never be a future monetary dissappointment. 15%-20% blowout discounts on a $100 engine don’t amount to much. I wi***here was some way Lionel could make all products as practical and economical as this offering.
Bruce Webster
I have a couple of them, and I like them just fine!
I bought one for the Chritmas layout, works absolutely great.
Did ya know they can be upgraded to TMCC, ain’t easy but it can be done. [:D]
I have one in the Christmas colors. Great puller, looks nice and is a good smoker. I was
a little disappointed in the whistle though. Well worth the money!!!
I have the NYC switcher. As everyone said great smoker and very strong. I have it pulling my halloween train since the transylvania railroad steam engine I bought can hardly pull a caboose let alone a whole train. I was very diasappointed in that but the switcher is great.
John
Well now there is the dockside offered in Translyvania scheme like last years general so you can have the best of all worlds.
I have the Santa Fe and the Copper Range set and I think they are great . One of the best deals around as far as highly detailed AND inexpensive. I prefer smaller and older steam engine types like K-lines Porter and the MTH docksider and this one fits in great. I hope Lionel offers this set in more short line and industrial schemes like logging lines in the future. The mainline schemes chosen for the most part so far seem a little strange on such an odd duck.
It would be great if Lionel would release this one and the former K-line Porter with TMCC factory installed.
I agree. Got mine from RGS, which they custom painted in PRR livery. Their train show price was $75. , but now it’s priced at $79. It’s my only engine that my wife thinks is “neat”. It’s also very detailed for the price…in fact, it’s well detailed for 3 times the price. Joe
Thanks for the feedback. I, too, thought it was very detailed for the price. I wonder if the the whistle sounds a bit like Thomas’ which I classify more as a buzzer than whistle. I like the term “whizzer”. Now all I need to do is get my wife to read this thread since I have a birthday coming up!![:)]
This little engine is like the “Energizer Bunny”, as it keeps going & going &…
I have 3 Dockside switchers which run flawlessly for hours on end at train shows. They can easily pull a consist of 6 coal cars and lighted caboose, or they can run run stop & start (e-unit locked in forward) with the interactive push button control. Awesome value in a very reliable & well detailed steam engine.
I have the Beth steel; It’s a great engine but in can balk/stall
through both postwar 022 and modern 022 switches.
Mike S.
I’ve got a Bethlehem Steel Docksider and it runs great. No problem going through 031 & 042 realtrax switches.
You can tell your wife that my wife bought mine for me for my birthday and that I love mine. Say something like “What a great gift”. Good luck and I know you will enjoy it.
Dennis
This must be one of the best engine around…can’t go wrong with this one and did you know he also feature a cab illumination…!!!
Hope for a canadian road name in the future.
As mentioned on a prior post about it we should start a Lionel Docksider Club with bumper sticker saying “I Love My Lionel Docksider”.
Anyway have fun with it and by the way, the Cascade set at $185 is a very good deal
Bought the red Xmas unit w/ Santa at the throttle. Aside from the fun, was very, very impresed with the detail. Wish Lionel would dump the old “Scout” 2-4-2’s and pack this with their starter sets. Paid $85 at York, and have seen it since for $75. Very satisfied.
The Lionel Docksider runs pretty good for its size. It smokes and whistles better than my postwar Turbines and 027 Hudson. This year, I went “small” and added the Doksider, the"Beep", the#41 Army Switcher, and Lionel’s 4-4-2 to my collection. They are easier to get going on my present setup than the diesels etc
Michael Manicone.
I also have the Xmas version, very happy with it.
I had one issue with incompatibility on the Whistle when I tried it on a variable channel of a DCS TIU fed by a modern ZW.
The modern ZW works fine with the engine, but the combination of that and the TIU causes the whistle to run continuously. I simply shut the whistle off with the switch under the engine before I eventually removed the TIU from my setup and used the adjustable output of the new ZW via TMCC.
I suspect other similar engines would have a problem with this setup, it’s not likely just the docksider.
Great little engine.
-Dave