Lionel Milwaukee Road S3 4-8-4 Northern
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.พ. 2012
- My review of Lionel's fantastic 3-Rail O-Scale Milwaukee Road S3 4-8-4 Northern #261. Follow me on facebook at ericsogaugetrains or on Twitter @ericstrains.com. more info at www.ericstrains.com. Enjoy!
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Okay, not only is it a video about MILW #261, but you were sneaky and put a Gold Loaf hopper in the consist. You can't trick this Minnesotan! I see what you did, and I appreciate it.
The 3 chime whistle and the horn are both original to the S3 Northern.
That final 6 chime born was added much later durring its preservation period.
Little late to the party but I hope it helped!
That is how she looked in the 90s
All the S-3's delivered to Milwaukee Road had horns on them. Just like the GS-4, the horns were a second option when foggy. A normal whistle sound waves cannot travel far in fog due to how dense fog is. (Steam has water, fog has water). So the air horn was there to use when foggy because the sound waves could cut & travel through the fog.
From my base of knowledge, most latter-day steam locomotives were built with air horns, including SP #4449. They were used for higher speed running because they were more audible against the wind.
Been fortunate to ride behind this beautiful engine. I’m a member of the friends of the 261. Great job thank you
Hi Eric,
I live 30 minutes from 261's home base in Minneapolis so heres what I know. 261 was built with both a Leslie A-125 air horn and an ALCo 3-chime steam whistle. MILW had air horns on almost all of their larger road engines and the horn was used almost exclusively as they were deemed louder than the steam whistles. Today, 261 wears 2 whistles, an ATSF 6-chime and her original ALCo 3, as well as her Leslie A-125 horn. The ATSF whistle is the most often used today, but the 3 chime and horn
Heard she's one of only two steamers with a horn, other being the Daylight.
This engine is very near to my heart, I grew up across the street from this engine and she had a big effect on me as a kid. Nice to see a model of her.
You've done a good job Eric as always, beautiful engine and great job exposing the details and features it is equipped with.
WOW. JUST WOW! Fantastic review Eric. This has got to be in the top 5 of all time from you! Excellent Job. I have watched this review so many times I just needed to say that. This was also the first video on your channel I saw many years ago. I've got hooked on this channel because of this. I always wanted this engine so badly I would just watch this video to see it. This Sunday, I FINALLY got one. Let me tell you, it is my favorite engine in my collection and I have a lot of other fantastic models. I would also just like to say thank you for basically making me get this lol. And also getting my hooked on your fantastic channel. You are by far my favorite O Scale TH-cam channel. Your reviews are the best ones out there. Thanks again!
How did I miss this review??? lol...
What a beautiful locomotive, with great features!
Very cool!
Great video! I'm so glad I was finally able to locate and pick up one of these. This is the most beautiful and finest steam engine that Lionel has ever made hands down and that saids alot since I'm honestly not a big Lionel fan. I did also manage to find a set of matching passenger cars from MTH to go along with this engine. Beautiful model.
GREAT REVIEW! Your videos are always of the highest quality. Thank you so much for posting.
@vash0010 Although the 4449 does indeed have an air horn, the 4449's air horn came with the locomotive originally (all GS-4's had air horns from Lima when they were built).
This is the coolest steamer I have seen in a long time. Awesome review Eric!
Very nice review Eric! Lionel always amaze me with all the great features they pack into their steamers! Keep your videos coming they are very enjoyable!
Thanks for the review Eric. Beautiful steam engine and nice to know she still runs today.
Great review Eric! Beautful engine! Fantastic angles at the details and such. I think this is the most detailed engine Lionel has let out to date! Thanks for sharing! Going into the favs for sure!
GREAT REVIEW as usual, and this looks like a SPECIAL Engine because of all of its features.
The horns were also used because people in the city would complain about the steam whistle being too loud. That's why the horns are also known as "city horns."
The 261 was first built with just the whistle. But like you said in the video, they complainced with Amtrak for cheaper insurance costs. Part of that compliance meant adding the horn. They did this during the late 80s/ early 90s.
What was the use of the horn when they had a whistle?
It was a standard staple of the MILW to have a horn.
Nickel Plate Nerd A horn was more audible in fog and at high speeds, since the S3s were capable of running up to 100mph
The horn was original equipment from Alco. Lots of late-era steam locomotives received air horns for use in cities and urban areas. SP's 4-8-4s had them as well.
So excited! I'm going to see this locomotive tomorrow on the Fall Colors excursion!
Model trains sure have come alooooong way, very cool video.
Superb job on the review! Lionel out did themselves on the locomotive.. My father and I almost bought the Weaver version of the MILW S3 a while back.. Can't wait to see what else Lionel has to offer in the future.. Again great review, and looking for whats to come.
I have been watching Eric for a while I love your videos Eric keep the good work up
incredible loco...I heard that they were a bargain too! really neat thank you for sharing!
Eric, your reviews are EXCELLENT! You get to the point quick and you cover the details thoroughly. Your knowledge of trains and how they work is very impressive and I like how you explain how the real locomotive works and then how those functions are modeled (secondary cyclinders mentioned in another video). I'm an HO modeler and HO trains don't seem to have these awesome features like glowing ash pan and cylinder steam. You have a new subscriber even though I'm an HO guy. Very NICE vids.
What an awesome looking model. Nice Review!!
this would be my favorite steam locomotive ever IF the bell and mars light were mounted symmetrically along the middle of the locomotive. love this review!
Thanks for another great video
Awesome review Eric!!!!!!!! Man it looks like Lionel really did a great job on the 261: great detail, sweet sounds, and you got to love the cylinder steam effect. And how about that self adjusting draw bar, it is so simple and yet so very effective! ... Thanks for the awesome review bro and have a great one!
man, this is a beautiful engine. I have 3 postwar steam engines, which I like.. but these new steamers from Lionel are really special. The Southern Pacific GS-2, the PRR S2 Turbine, The #611 N&W, and of course the Vision Line 700E. Beautiful engines.
#261 was the first steam engine I ever saw operating in person.
Coolest trains ever eric thanks for your great vids
dear Eric
My friend thank you for posting these i am having second thoughts about my ho layout and upgrading and you have helped me with that your reviews and help are amazing. if somehow you can get your hands on a Acela express train and do a review a friend of mine would like you to and also me. again wonderful reviews and thank you.
Great review as usual. Anyone buying a Lionel product should check your reviews, you really cover all the bases. Thanks!
Oh my god this is amazing!
Love the video ! Thanks for sharing..
Hey this a great review Eric. Can you do one on the "Big Boy" locomotive. If you do i will be so happy
awesome review! i know someone whos in charge of the refurbishment!- he had some great photos of the progress!
PRR T1 DUPLEX 4-4-4-4
Great Review
The wait for your video posts is torture... but as soon as it is posted its worth the wait. I still cant believe MTH or Lionel has yet to sign you up to do exclusive reviews.
You are 100% correct. I looked up the S-Class and GS-Class locomotive blueprints and all were equipped with the air horn. Another locomotive equipped with an air horn is the NYC 4-8-4 Niagara.
if it was only that easy to start up a steam loco...lol
Awesome Engine!
You are correct on the horn, the original was a 3 chime, they had to add a 5 chime modern horn for Amtrak compliance.
The Cylinder steam smoke effect was first used on the MPC Lionel Norfolk and Western J in 1981.
I don't know if 261 originally had that horn or not, but I do know that 261 originally had that high-toned whistle, while the low-toned whistle was added to 261 in 1996. The high-toned whistle is a 3 chime whistle, while the low-toned whistle is a Santa Fe 6 chime whistle. The 3 chime whistle is probably a Milwaukee Road 3 chime, since it's 261's original whistle.
I already got one of the new Crescents. I'll do a review on it soon. I think the main reason they have to put the speakers in the tender is that many times there's simply no room for a full speaker in the engine. It's pretty cramped in there. :)
@jesusito224 The price is stated at the end of the video. It retails for just under $1,000, but a good Lionel dealer will discount that some.
Another 4-8-4 was the J class! Those look AWESOME!
Nice video!
The 261 and most Milwaukee road steamers were originally equipped with air horns. It was common practice in the later days of steam. Another well known steam locomotive that featured and air horn was the GS-4 Source: 4 years volunteering at the National Railroad Museum.
Hey Eric. If you are still wondering about that horn i have the anwer. I have done a little research on its brothers 208 and 260. I have found pictures of them in their "hay days" and foun that the horns are original. SP4449 and UP FEF844 also had horns.
I did some research I found a picture of the 262 from 1944 and what appears to be the 265, that is displayed at the Illinois Railway Museum, and you can cleary see that the 262 has an air horn. It also becomes apparent that the red mars light what a later addition. I recomend that when you do reseach of steam locomotives that are running today that you look for pictures of other engines of the same class. That way you don't have to swim through all of the modern pictures and info.
I have no idea about the Vision 2-10-10-2, but my guess would be the sound board is located in the tender. The sound board on the Hudson is in the tender.
I did find out it had the horn in 1950 but that's the earliest photo I could find
@Broncort1 I think the cylinder steam effect is actually more noticeable, it just doesn't show up that well on the video. Lionel is putting out cooler stuff than MTH right now, but MTH has better quality control so it's sort of yin and yang. MTH's european stuff, however, is amazing.
It is fantastic !
Although some people in these comments say otherwise, the horn on the 261 was not installed by The Friends of the 261. It was on the locomotive before that. I don't know if it was there when the locomotive was first built. But it was on the locomotive while it was in service with the Milwaukee Road. The 261 wasn't built with the Mars light, that was something The Milwaukee Road added after a few years to all the S3 locomotives. It is possible that was when the horn was installed, then again it could have lust been built with the locomotive. If you need proof than look at the 261's only remaining sister locomotive, the 265 at the Illinois Railway Museum. It also has a horn mounted in the same spot. Also, before it was restored it was at the National Railroad Museum. And in pictures taken of the 261 there show that it has the horn. I don't think that the Friends did anything to the locomotive for Amtrak. Most of the work they did was upgrading their passenger cars. However when they were rebuilding it for the 15 year inspection, they added controls for a diesel locomotive so they could control it straight from the 261. However that wasn't required by Amtrak, they did it out of convenience.
ExcessMean Here is a picture of 267 before The Milwaukee Road installed the mars light. It does have the air horn, which leads me to believe it was build with all the s3's.
ctr.trains.com/~/media/images/the-way-it-was/photo-of-the-day/large-images/photo-of-the-day/2015/03/20150310.jpg
I think the MILW always mounted the bells on their engines off-center. It looks weird without the Mars light.
Yay its here.
I remember watching this video when I was 7
Wow. Eric what a train. I do not own any lionel trains and for that matter also don't own any steam engine. I'm more of a diesel guy but this would be the first steam engine I would def get. Guess I am too late to the party. Very difficult and expensive to come by now. Thanks for the review.
The Milwaukee Road S3 265 at Illinois Railway Museum has a horn in the same location, so it was probably added by the Milwaukee Road at some point or was original. Amtrak most likely had nothing to do with the horn placement on the 261.
my father is one of the friends of 261 (as in he's apart of the group), and he says the horn was added after the deal with Amtrak because steam whistles lose their intensity in fog and over valleys, such as in Minnesota where it operates, so they needed an air horn for safety purposes. the 4449 daylight has this modification as well.
Honestly i like the first whistle better. I hope to get Lionel's newest rendition in 2018!
Now @HENRY FORSTER
can often be heard at least once on any given trip.
Yes.
261 is back in service for reals. Still gorgeous.
I will eventually. The layout's not done yet.
Excellent review Eric, like always. Now that you're getting into the steamers world, are we going to see a Big Boy down The Appalachian?
Thanks!
This is my second favorite review after the 4-6-6-4 challenger
Actually the horn is an orginal part of the engine. I nearned it from a Pentrex video on the 261 when it was first restored.
You should do a video of this engine with your Weaver Milwaukee Road F-6a Baltic. They'd go great running side by side!!!!
The horn was fitted between 1990 and somewhere in the early 2000s
This is a cool train! I am thinking about getting a real steam train with a smoking whistle and a puffing smoke stack! And the firebox glow and the ash pan glow!
Nice review. I have a question too. Seeing as your part of the Piedmont Pilgrimage, do you know of any specific area you have to be in to exhibit your layout in the event? I'm going to be moving to the central South Carolina area and it says that that is part of the Piedmont division on the NMRA website. Can I participate in the pilgrimage? Any info you could provide it appreciated.
Nice!
Lionel should have used 261's actual whistle. The one it had during the Scranton PA Steam Festival of the mid-late 90s.
You know, I was reading a book about Railpower and I saw the 261. I never saw an air horn, the book has some old pictures that include trains the don't operate today. So I don't think it had an air horn ever before.
@Chatzi473 Cool, thanks for the info.
The 1st whistle of the 261 sounds like the Santa Fe 3751
I have a b&w pic of the 215 (almost identical to the 261) and it has a horn on it. This pic if from the very early 1900's.
@SeansOGR Not usually. I buy MTH premier engines.
@esiegel76 Well that's too bad. I'll have to look into that. Either way when the time comes, I'm going to come visit your layout during the Pilgrimage.
Either the cylinder steam effect or the whistle sounds.
It was added at a later date and I think the reason was because of the Amtrak deal.
@ericstrains Hey Eric, is it just me, or is one of the grab irons on the front of the tender missing? when you did a close up of the front and showed the skirt attachment, I noticed that there is a grab iron on the right (left of the tender, right on the screen) but not one on the left, yet there are stanchions sticking out for it. Did it break off in shipping or something?
Horns were put on some steamers back in the day. The Horns were suppose to be better for higher speed running because the sound could carry better at faster speeds.
Lionel was going to do a new version of the Acela, which I ordered. But they cancelled production of that model, I think because they got so much negative feedback about it. Hopefully they will do it again in the future.
Out of all the two whistles and horn on this engine, which one is your favorite?
I hear a steam locomotive at night near my place sometimes. I wonder if its this one :p
The S1B Niagara's, the S-3 Class, and the GS Class of engines all had a horn default standard. I bet there were more than these 3 classes, but this is what what I know.
@trainroomgary Thanks, I'll check it out. I wish I could do this as a full-time job. That would be great.
I saw a photo of 268 and 264 with a horn.
@726berkshire The first whistle is my favorite.
How many steam locomotives do you have in your collection??
Also, 261 did have an airhorn as far back as when it was in the NRM in 1970
eric i like that steam engine i already buy mines and i cant wait til ups come to my house