3RSed Lionel B&O EM-1

Here is a Lionel TMCC EM-1 from the early 2000s. I had one years ago and sold it along with a nice matching Lionel I12 caboose. I found one again recently for the right price. I updated the speed control to ERR Cruise M and used some John Will parts to change the chuff rate. I also installed his Super Chuffer but decided to decommission the smoke unit at the last minute after not liking its performance. I modified the tender drawbar to accept a Kadee coupler and I also modded its matching I12 caboose for Kadees.

[@JLCmike4014]

Stunning detail, really like the whistle that's on it.

[@jonathanerickson1543]

steam although some might disagree I really think it rivals the big boys whistle. I like it over the Y locomotives and the Allegheny. The EM-1/2 and big boys atleast sounded more muscular than those 2.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

Best train photography I've seen totally realistic, BRAVO!!!!!!

[@markantony3875]

In design and operation, the EM-1 was like a fusion of the N&W Y6b and a Class A. The EM-1 had great low speed adhesion for coal drags like the Class Ys, but could also run express trains at high speed like the Class A. The EM-1 had significantly larger boilers than either the Class Y or Class A. The EM-1's firebox direct heating surface was actually larger that the UP Big Boy's and very close in size to the C&O H8 Allegheny. Many people consider them the finest overall steam locomotive Baldwin ever designed. They were extremely powerful at speed, yet also extremely reliable and easy to maintain which explains why they were on the B&O's roster until 1960. It is actually borderline criminal that not one on them was preserved.

[@normstrains]

I just got a Y6b after all these years and hope to have a Class A this winter. PRR is my primary prototype but I also love Appalachian big steam. Someday I hope to replace my JLC Allegheny I sold.

[@ajmayowskijr]

That is a crazy steam engine. B&O at it's best. So much detail and great sound. Nice job Norm.

[@adamhoch7664]

love your layout and the amazing weathering on your engines.

[@normstrains]

Adam Hoch thx man!

[@machia0705]

Superb weathering. Love the old PRR position signals. Now they refitted them to color position.

[@vincentfontana7915]

Norm, I've got to tell ya this is outstanding I don't think they come any more realistic than your set. I'm very impressed.

[@DennyDreadBassMan]

That's a beast of a engine and I love your layout.

[@normstrains]

Thanks man!

[@henryszubielski8601]

You've done a fantastic job again! And, picked a great locomotive too! Your layout continues to amaze me.

[@nilsnordstrom4131]

This is breahtaking you are the champ of RR model roading, not the biggest layout but instead full of emotions , attention to details and nostalgia.

[@RobertEHunt-dv9sq]

Excellent modeling and attention to detail. A perfect balance of models to scenery. Good work!!

[@rogerhuber3133]

Totally fantastic in every way! Great layout and photography. Love the steady pacing shots and the drunk!

[@byates59]

AWESOME engine, consist and layout! Thanks!

[@BigPete7407]

Once again Norm, I am loving the scenery! The industry, the multi-family houses, apartment buildings, etc, all are great looking and weathered beautifully and consistently. That has got to be really difficult when you add anything at all. Thanks again.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

Absolutely REAL!!!!!!!!! beautiful work

[@Porschedude8]

Simply awesome! Thanks Norm..

[@stephaniesinger1159]

Such amazing equipment on a beautiful layout.... !

[@1955jjsboy]

So much dedication to the hobby.. My hat's off to you fantastic job.

[@flossietube2065]

Man Norm, you are the best! Absolutely love your videos. It's like I'm a kid all over again. I still can't get over the attention to detail you have put into your layout. Just amazing.

[@cstoia]

That turned out sweet Norm!

[@trainroomgary]

Cool 😎Like all the details 🚂

[@Running-with-skizers]

Best whistle ever

[@trackman174]

Not only is your railroad top notch, but your video skills are amazing. The best I've seen.

[@williamschlenger1518]

Unbelievably real.👍🏻👍🏻

[@ddotcdot6892]

Norm - beautiful layout and weathering on one of my favorite Lionels. Man, would I love to film your layout!

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

Now that’s what I call a locomotive. So realistic 👍

[@railfanjackson4531]

Wow. Norm I have to give you props. You have got to have one of the nicest layouts there is. I swear that in some of the shots in this video they look real. The weathering on that EM-1 is spot on and you did an amazing job on upgrading the sounds to 4 CPR (chuffs per revolution) and adding modern speed control. You even did a good job on the couplers and I love how you added a brake hose to the back of the tender. I always had a liking for small details like that. Awesome video and I subscribed.

[@normstrains]

TheSteamLocoMaster thx a lot man

[@railfanjackson4531]

You're welcome. Keep up the excellent work.

[@pokemonpreadythepokemonmaniac]

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad class EM-1 is a class of thirty 2-8-8-4 “Yellowstone”-type locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone, Pennsylvania, USA between 1944 and 1945. Equipped with four cylinders, Walschaerts piston valve gear, and roller bearings, they could easily pull fast mail and express passenger trains, as well as the heavy freight trains in which the EM-1’s were designed for. Sadly, none of the EM-1’s survive in the modern day, as all thirty were scrapped in 1960, after the B&O dieselized.

[@loulasalle5480]

Norm, not only do you have a beautiful layout, and trains, but you have nailed the photography as well!

[@zepledfan413]

That is a beast of a whistle

[@mike6206]

The Mighty EM-1. Thanks for sharing.

[@AndyEinstman]

Pretty amazing

[@jimmykatmitt9461]

An amazing lay-out. Thank you

[@ibrahimresatsubutay8075]

Sieht sehr kräftig aus. Super...

[@1940limited]

What a layout! Im speechless!

[@luis_ayala_134]

Beautiful steamer. Keep posting your videos.

[@Willysmb44]

Yet another excellent video!

[@theoperator9689]

Wow! There’s a restaurant named the Elbow room in my town!! Great layout!!

[@williamschlenger1518]

Track work is amazing.

[@robertsouthrey3480]

my man you have a real talent

[@Tiredoldchannel]

Love the wagontop caboose 6:47

[@NixCrossing]

Well I just bought one of these 🤞🏻😅 let’s see how it goes! Awesome video!

[@normstrains]

Good luck!

[@NixCrossing]

@@normstrains thanks so much!

[@markmatias2407]

BIG BOY!!!!!

[@TheTalemaster]

Wow, very similar to a Y3a-converted PRR HH1, except for the 4 trailing wheels, lack of tender "dog house" and the I guess steam generators on the fireman side of the boiler. Sand dome and other boiler features are even sleeker too.

[@MrDrumsPhilAmbros]

NORM A MASTERPIECE...THIS IS HOW YOU DO A RAILROAD MR. DRUMS PHIL AMBROS.SINATRA AND FRIENDS NJ I WROTE THE SONG A LIONEL CHRISTMAS.....I NOW HAVE MOST OF SINATRA TRAINS IN MY SHOWROOM

[@normstrains]

PHIL AMBROS glad you liked it!

[@DjsOgaugeTrains]

Absolutely spectacular! Incredible realism. Only 1 thing.... the whistle is totally inaccurate for an em-1. They had a deep hooter whistle. The newest run from Lionel will have the right whistle.

[@normstrains]

Thx man, Lionel seemed to like putting steamboat whistles in their articulateds back then. I have the Herron DVD with the actual sounds. Maybe someday I'll try to fix it.

[@steveww1507]

very very nice

[@218422100]

Outstanding job!! I'd like to have you weather my C&O 2-6-6-2 💯😎

[@jonathanerickson1543]

I hope they do an EM-3 and have the DM&IR, would love to have one of those pulling a long taconite haul up to the lakes.

[@centeroftheearthmining4095]

WOW!!!!!

[@eaglesfan226]

Fun fact the B&O was the first American railway to be built in American history.

[@GfwTrains]

My grandfather has this engine in fact he was on the same lionel nation as you were his name is George Werderich

[@GfwTrains]

Sorry I have all the Lionel nations and I get then confused you were in part 2 and my grandfather was in part 5 sorry

[@minutemanmac]

Norm, what kits do you use for the background mill/industrial structures

[@normstrains]

Ian MacMillan all are scratch, with a kitbash or two.

[@kevinzeh3559]

The town drunk at 7:14 looks like he was modeled after Otis Campbell from the Andy Griffith show.

[@normstrains]

That is the mayor of Northbrook on his way to Sunday school.

[@onionhat9141]

Just noticed for any trainz fans that this is being commissioned on the K&L Trainz site

[@TrainWizardProductions]

Beautiful locomotive and railroad! Just out of curiosity, what kind of camera do you use?

[@normstrains]

Train Wizard Productions thx man. I shot this with my iPhone 8 Plus. I need a tripod adapter for it.

[@Mercatoyd]

amazing. and such smooth camera movement too...

[@gettonmoreorless3741]

Wish ho sounded that good

[@backintofishing6716]

Any plans for an update article of the new layout in any of the train magazines?

[@normstrains]

Back Into Fishing no not really.

[@davidkoehler136]

wow

[@samwilliams4176]

Hey, do you have any old pennsy rolling stock?

[@valchavez9163]

Norm...did you spray the first coat with grimy black or railroad tie brown...?

[@normstrains]

Grimy black

[@valchavez9163]

@@normstrains thank you

[@joenayrikafletcher738]

When she's moving shes really breathing

[@1940limited]

Do you still have this one? Looks great weathered. I think B&O bought these late in the steam era, didn't keep them too long. They all were scrapped.

[@markantony3875]

They were delivered in 1944 and 1945. They were on the roster until 1960. Sadly, they were all scrapped. One was to be put in the B&O Museum, but it never made it there due to a mix up. They actually lasted longer than many late era Superpower designs on other railroads simply because they were so good. They were used on everything from coal and ore trains up to express mail trains.

[@iandean5085]

What kind of Kadee's do you use?

[@normstrains]

Ian Dean mostly 805s.

[@DistanceNsVeterans]

It looks like if they mixed big boy with N&W 1218

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

Could I use footage of this?

[@jasondecristoforo4882]

One hell of a layout. Awesome job. Are you around western Pennsylvania

[@normstrains]

Jason DeCristoforo thx man. I am in MI.

[@mike6206]

@Norm Charbonneau You still have this EM-1?

[@normstrains]

mike6206 it’s still kicking around. I fixed the smoke a while back but haven’t run it in a while.

[@creepynightmangamer6105]

This is big boy friend?

[@JungleYT]

More properly, "027 Gauge", rather than "Lionel" Brand name?

[@normstrains]

Not sure what you mean but this is a Lionel, built in the early 2000s. This is a full scale model, designed to run on O72 and above.

[@jacksalvin364]

All the B&O EM-1s were scrapped in 1960.

[@struck2soon]

Great clip, and nice job on weathering that engine! My only comment would be that the whistle is not the correct one, I found this clip which has great sound and lets you hear the Baldwin single- chime about 7 minutes in: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4eTXmWuq9Kaq7s

[@normstrains]

struck2soon a lot of my engines have the wrong whistle and I am familiar with the Fred McLeod films. I have the Herron B&O/C&O steam DVD in my collection. I highly recommend this video to any steam fan because of the live sound that accompanies the films.

[@struck2soon]

Norm Charbonneau I agree, the excellent accompanying soundtrack makes it stand out from the usual dubbed over affairs which are the norm, most of them poorly done as well. My own EM1 has a Soindtraxx decoder, and the Baldwin single chime is an option on these decoders.

[@struck2soon]

Here is mine in action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJWqZGN-ed-XhJY