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Post by rockymountaineer on Nov 14, 2023 23:09:58 GMT
This custom-run Big Boy might very well set a new benchmark for fantasy, "what if" paint schemes for our toy trains. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. But in my humble opinion, this one is truly a grand slam! Fantasy... yes. But VERY tastefully done.
After vacillating about this for awhile, I decided to pull the trigger on it last week. And mine arrived this afternoon. A couple of months ago, my wife and I took our first big vacation after taking care of our senior pup in recent years, where we pretty much limited our time away from home to local trips and day trips where he could join us. December 6th will be one year that our precious Black Lab crossed Rainbow Bridge -- just shy of 15-1/2 years young. Meanwhile, our vacation in September was a trip out west to Colorado and Utah. We rode the Rocky Mountaineer's US route... and it was quite the stellar first-class experience -- much like we remembered from our first Rocky Mountaineer experience in Canada back in 2000.
Anyway... much of the rail route was along the former Denver & Rio Grande Western tracks -- now owned and managed by Union Pacific. So I've been quite enamored with the D&RGW since our vacation. And that's also one of the reasons I've been leaning toward the D&RGW "what if" model of Lionel's recently announced Triplex. As for the Big Boy though, I had yet to pull the trigger on ANY of Lionel's previous Big Boy offerings. But THIS ONE really called my name.
Bottom line... it's big... in fact it's huge... and it's quite impressive. This UP/Rio Grande Heritage color scheme is a combination of Aspen Gold, Silver, Bluish Grey and the black mountain graphics. And all the glory of the Big Boy's detail REALLY stands out. This paint scheme on the Big Boy didn't exist in the real world. BUT IT SHOULD HAVE!!!
Here are a number of photos of this jewel on my layout. I will post a video at some point down the road. But I first wanna read the user-manual to familiarize myself with its features. Meanwhile, here are some quick iPhone snapshots I captured this afternoon. Included in the set of photos are a few that show we're safe on clearances. When my layout was built, the artisans at Dunham Studio's used my MTH Triplex to ensure the layout's tunnel portals and trackside structures would be a safe distance away from larger locomotives and rolling stock on O-102 curves of the outer loop. The Big Boy comes close in one particular area. But we'll be OK without any scenery modifications!!! Whew!!!!
Also included in these photos are some other D&RGW UP Heritage rolling stock from MTH, and the Big Boy's paint colors are a spot-on match. Congrats to Jeff at The Train Loft and the folks at Lionel for making this happen. It shows that with the proper attention to these projects, colors CAN be successfully implemented. Jeff is also offering a Lionel aux tender and an Atlas/MTH 4-pack of passenger cars to make a splendid train. And the 4-pack is the same paint-scheme as the passenger cars in some of these photos. I picked up the 2-pack (sleeper/diner) YEARS AGO, because the paint-scheme caught my eye even back then... not knowing they'd be put to good use in this magnificent train.
Click these photo thumbnails to enlarge them. The details are FABULOUS. Enjoy!!!
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Post by keithb on Nov 14, 2023 23:13:49 GMT
Wow, that is beautiful!
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Post by david1 on Nov 14, 2023 23:30:12 GMT
All I can say is WOW!!!! It looks better than I thought it would. Nice buy.
Dave
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Post by Adam on Nov 14, 2023 23:34:47 GMT
Very very cool!
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Post by harborbelt70 on Nov 15, 2023 7:41:03 GMT
That is a real beauty - congrats!
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Post by josef on Nov 15, 2023 16:08:57 GMT
Have to agree. I'm not into fantasy schemes, but this one is one that very well could have been, should have been, a reality.
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Post by Bill on Nov 15, 2023 21:33:09 GMT
Wow.Never saw a big boy look THAT good. Thanks for sharing it. Bill  |
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Post by healey36 on Nov 15, 2023 21:50:21 GMT
Bizarre comes to mind, but that's just me. Certainly an attention-getter.
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Post by runamuckchuck on Nov 15, 2023 21:52:20 GMT
All that glitters is not Aspen Gold.
But just curious if you know why the box end flap shows an Emery Exclusive and not the dealer?
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Post by rockymountaineer on Nov 15, 2023 23:43:49 GMT
All that glitters is not gold. But just curious if you know why the box end flap shows an Emery Exclusive and not the dealer? In this case, it's not gold... it's "Aspen Gold". 
As for the box label saying, "Emery Exclusive"... I noticed that immediately. Can't say for sure... but it's possible The Train Loft conducted the financials of this transaction through Emery Distributors in Easton, PA. They deal with many shops who don't deal "directly" with Lionel, per se. But that's just a hunch on my part. I have no insider information about The Train Loft's relationship with Lionel and/or Emery.
What I did hear at York form a very reliable source though is that Emery now owns RMT. Walter M sold RMT outright or whatever interest he still had in the company. And that might also explain why the RMT website isn't doing any online sales of RMT product from Walter anymore. Buyers are directed to dealers, who in turn source all RMT product directly from Emery. So they are a big hobby outfit... much bigger than exclusively model trains.
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Post by runamuckchuck on Nov 16, 2023 0:15:22 GMT
All that glitters is not gold. But just curious if you know why the box end flap shows an Emery Exclusive and not the dealer? In this case, it's not gold... it's "Aspen Gold".
As for the box label saying, "Emery Exclusive"... I noticed that immediately. Can't say for sure... but it's possible The Train Loft conducted the financials of this transaction through Emery Distributors in Easton, PA. They deal with many shops who don't deal "directly" with Lionel, per se. But that's just a hunch on my part. I have no insider information about The Train Loft's relationship with Lionel and/or Emery.
What I did hear at York form a very reliable source though is that Emery now owns RMT. Walter M sold RMT outright or whatever interest he still had in the company. And that might also explain why the RMT website isn't doing any online sales of RMT product from Walter anymore. Buyers are directed to dealers, who in turn source all RMT product directly from Emery. So they are a big hobby outfit... much bigger than exclusively model trains.
Sounds logical I had just never seen an exclusive dealer run expressed that way on the box flap. And as for RMT for any dealers who had issues with Walter M, start ordering from Emory if correct.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 21, 2023 16:35:11 GMT
Here we are roughly one month out from my original post... and I see The Train Loft's website no longer has this locomotive posted for sale. Could it be they're all sold??? I think Jeff ordered 40 or 50 of them, but don't quote me on that.
I know Brady's Train Outlet sold-out their entire special-run of black UP Big Boys with silver trim. Admittedly, it was quite striking too. And I recall there being 85 units made in that livery.
So it appears these unique offerings were quite the hit, as many of the large dealers still have regular-run Vision Line Big Boys available for sale.
Of course I'm somewhat partial because I bought one... but I really think the D&RGW paint scheme on a Big Boy is definitely not something we see everyday. And as such, it would be a very strong contender for the 2023 "locomotive of the year" award, if we had such recognition.
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Post by firewood on Dec 21, 2023 23:21:06 GMT
Great photos and a very impressive locomotive - it looks great. I'm not in the fantasy scheme crew, but it's definitely an eye-catcher. Now a random thought...what if a museum steamer or two got the fantasy scheme treatment? As sacriligeous as that might sound, that might be a booster for both hobby and museum. For example, the plainer Strasburg livery seems to do well - how about something unusual?
Dave
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Post by Adam on Dec 21, 2023 23:38:16 GMT
Great photos and a very impressive locomotive - it looks great. I'm not in the fantasy scheme crew, but it's definitely an eye-catcher. Now a random thought...what if a museum steamer or two got the fantasy scheme treatment? As sacriligeous as that might sound, that might be a booster for both hobby and museum. For example, the plainer Strasburg livery seems to do well - how about something unusual? Dave That’s a crazy idea and I love crazy ideas! |
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Post by curtis on Dec 22, 2023 3:51:47 GMT
Personally I am not into fantasy schemes. But I will admit that the Yellow or gold color really makes the detailing pop.
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