It's Here! - Lionel's Strasburg #90 Steam Engine Arrives - Wow!

[@OGaugeGreg]

They absolutely NAILED IT with this model!!!

[@seanstraindepot]

Yeah, I have been comparing pictures to the real one and it is super accurate.

[@Nicetrains]

I just got my Strasburg 90 2000 model delivered today. It is awesome. I am just missing the pipette. Can’t wait to run it.

[@wvu33771]

I love seeing the smoke come out the whistle

[@TheTrainboard]

Looks like Lionel did a great job with #90. I kinda wish we had waited, but the price was steep. The Aux 3 feature is pretty cool. The camera picked it up well. I'm happy that the folks who have a personal connection to #90 can finally have the actual one in their collection. Great review, Sean! - Ryan

[@cliveunderwood8812]

Wow, indeed, so excited. Thank you. This is the model I chose. Those passenger cars look awesome 👌

[@timothymclaughlin6860]

Wow! Lionel really did a phenomenal job! Tremendous detail. We rode behind #90 twenty years ago when our son was a little boy. First steam engine we rode behind . Wonderful memory. It was a great experience at the Strasburg Railroad. Great FWI’s on your unboxing . So thank you very much

[@mattstrainroom]

This was great, Sean, thank you - watching this from the Hamptons, mine will be waiting at home when I return later this week. To say I'm excited is an understatement! Really appreciate the advance knowledge on unboxing and packaging. It looks like Lionel did a great job on these and spared no expense in packaging. Probably the most intricate and "intense" packaging I've ever seen from Lionel.

[@FordEnthusiast413]

WOW! What a beautifully detailed locomotive. I am sure it was worth the wait!!!

[@strasburgsteamproductions3302]

Nice video! Thank you for that opening demonstration. Once I get mine, I will be able to unbox it without breaking it.

[@tomrogers5516]

That's a really cool engine, Sean! Lots of detail and great finish. The echo feature of the whistle is very clear...what an excellent feature! Good to see such super packaging and no damage to report. The pricing does seem steep, but it's certainly a sharpe looking loco. Thanks for this excellent review.

[@westernnewyorkrailfan]

Great video and layout! Thank you for taking the effort to share it with all of us. Not much of an O - scaler, so this might be a naïve question as far as operating within the scale. Is there the ability to have a usable knuckle fitted to the front? I’m sure it wouldn’t look as pristine as they look with the scale coupler, but a big part of Strasburg’s operation is tender-first. Without a front coupler I’d think to some degree that limits the operation of the model. Either way, I can’t wait to see one of these things in real life sometime! Thanks again, Trevor

[@seanstraindepot]

Actually, it does have a coupler to switch out for the scale one to be able to push the cars too. Almost all Lionel engines do. Originally, I thought this one didn't but after looking closely it does.

[@westernnewyorkrailfan]

@@seanstraindepot ​​⁠that’s amazing. Makes this model 100x better in my opinion as far as “play” value goes. It is truly a fantastic model and seems to have been worth the wait. I can’t wait to see one in person!

[@OgdenTunkRR]

Beautiful engine but I’m a little disappointed I thought Lionel was going to use crew talk from the original engine Lionel really needs to update their crew talk sound files

[@seanstraindepot]

They did use 90 specific crew talk, but I agree, they do not sound like they used actual voices of Strasburg RR workers. But maybe they would have had to pay them if they did, who knows!

[@carolyndow4209]

What a beautiful engine! Little engines can do big things!

[@bethmotgomery2662]

True but this is a tender engine. Tender engines DON'T shunt!!

[@cu29640]

Beautiful. What would be the most accurate scheme for the 1989 version? The dates of the schemes seem to skip that date and I am not an expert on Strasburg RR.

[@seanstraindepot]

Well, you are close to the 1990's version for 1989, but of course it would have looked like the version before that until 1990 which would be mine.

[@cu29640]

Thanks. Well I did pre-order the pilot version because I expect the brass to just appear stunning. @@seanstraindepot

[@Emanlivesteam]

Amazing!! Nice review, gorgeous layout! Thanks for sharing

[@jeffw1126]

Awesome, which switches work best for it to go thru,kinda setting my layout to kinda operate like real rr

[@ThunderboltSirenStudios]

When did Lionel start incorporating air pump sounds into their legacy models?

[@seanstraindepot]

Not sure if they have, can't remember any other ones with it. This model had the sounds that were recorded at Strasburg so these are definitely the actual 90's sounds. Could be just for this model.

[@dennis2494]

Love the whistle echo effect.

[@DJE2025]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Sean! Very nice loco, I could hear the echo clearly.

[@MrLunchHour2]

Finally!!!!!! I genuinely felt bad for the people who ordered it. It seems like it took forever. I’m glad your orders were filled

[@Coreyt1976]

Great video Sean. That train looks and sounds great. Seems like it was worth the wait.

[@ChazzLyons]

Awesome 👍 Great detail 💯 thanks for sharing this video 😊

[@angelgabriella7974]

Sean, another great video. The pictures of that engine did not due it justice. I know you're going to enjoy it. The cars look great behind the engine.

[@rsconover7957]

Hooray! I was waiting for you to get this train! And the theme park looks AMAZING!!

[@redengine01]

Great video Sean, I have a question, maybe I missed it in the video but did you have to “prime” the smoke unit before you ran it? I got mine a few days ago and I’ve been having issues making it produce a noticeable amount of smoke. I am running on TMCC at 18 volts, and I think I added about 20 drops out of the box. been refilling it regularly and it seems to either run through the fluid, or it gets air bubbles constantly.

[@seanstraindepot]

Yes, I primed it. I usually do like 16 drops initially. Can't remember a way to set it to high on TMCC remote. Only legacy. TMCC is on/off if I remember and maybe it's on low setting by default. I know 9 is the smoke boost on the remote, you could try to hold that down and see if it increases. Could be because you are not running it in Legacy and lose the smoke output levels? Not sure.

[@JC-xf5jc]

Nice engine…. You can hear the ghost whistle 👍🏼

[@Charles-nx4yt]

Sean, what was it about the red cab roof and tender that put you off about the 2231020 version. Matching the red on the Strasburg coaches? Nobody who posts photos or videos seems to have purchased the 1020 version. Am I the only one who likes it?

[@seanstraindepot]

Just everyone's preference on the year/version they like. When I was picking up my engine a guy at the hobby shop was opening one with the red roof, so you are not alone! lol.

[@LoCoMotiveTimeTravelersDNA]

Thanks for the review ! Great vid !

[@johnh.toytrainfanatic5300]

Awesome video on it , now Saturday can't get here soon enough for me to get mine. The unboxing part is great and should save quite a few modelers.

[@mslickstrains]

What a beautiful model. Definitely regret not ordering one. Hopefully Lionel will re release it in the future. I wish Lionel would ship all their engines like that

[@seanstraindepot]

Well, if you want one call Nicholas Smith! I ordered 2 by accident so they have an extra one in stock now.

[@James-Railyard]

Lionel is doing a second run with the extended smokebox she has on the GWR.

[@mslickstrains]

LOL now is not a good time with all the other preorders coming in @@seanstraindepot

[@seanstraindepot]

Tell me about it! I still have the Dreyfuss coming!

[@mslickstrains]

@@seanstraindepot that’s gunna be awesome. Please do a video on it!

[@ArtsModelTrains]

Gorgeous engine, second guessing myself for not pre-ordering one. Really great video showing off the details, that packing job was really impressive. Was that coal load different than a standard legacy locomotive? It looked more "chunk" like coal pieces.

[@seanstraindepot]

Coal load seems about the same, it varies by engine.

[@LawsonRailway]

wow sean that is a really great locomotive i love that ghost whistle ive never heard that before ona model train you have a keeper in my book

[@drewhuff3457]

Nice looking steam. Wish a company would make the Strasburg steams in HO scale also.

[@mikeyanello3664]

Sean what a cool engine with w ghost whistle

[@mattcooper7175]

Thanks for the heads up on the packaging, Sean. Mine came today while I was at work. Hopefully, I will get a chance to play with it over the holiday. I'm not going to lie though, I'm a little scared to pack/unpack the engine. lol.

[@seanstraindepot]

Once you get it out if you remove those 2 foam blocks, then the foam will slide back over it no problem.

[@daivdwalker2374]

Beautiful engine

[@TrainsAndMarvelFan202]

What a beautiful locomotive

[@jebbthetrainkid1281]

Very Nice. I should get mine next Week. Bought the 2000s Version. Nice Layout. Looked like #90 going by Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park. Just Subbed.

[@hectoravila7036]

So beautiful!!!!

[@strasburgrailfan90]

I'm pretty sure that cab is 100% accurate, just going off my memory of all the times I've been in 90s cab.

[@strasburgrailfan90]

I had to order mine direct from Lionel last second lol it was the last one

[@seanstraindepot]

Awesome, thanks for confirming!

[@markl6734]

Nice video! Have two coming this week but will sell one. I wanted 2231030 but ordered the wrong one….

[@Northcoastrails]

A beautiful steam engine 😀

[@Tattooedtrains]

They should have made this a Visionline! I want to get one However, the price is too much considering I just got a vision big boy and have the Dreyfuss on the way.

[@seanstraindepot]

I know how you feel, this month everything is coming in!

[@Charles-nx4yt]

Very nice engine and for the money it should be. That said the care needed in reboxing gives me the willies as I do not display trains and have a 6 month multi holiday seasonal layout. Consequently there will be reboxing for sure. But as for your engine, your layout and the engine show each at their best.

[@seanstraindepot]

All you have to do is remove the 2 gray foam blocks from inside the Foam cover and then it will slide on and off without any worry.

[@GlennFresch]

The price is a difficult one. In a lot of cases it has to do with the level of tooling and detailing and production numbers. A small number of units produced equals a much higher price and era specific details for each era of engine produced can drive the costs way up. I would expect the different eras of this engine to have era specific details. Do they? When you compare this to the prices of g gauge metal / brass hybrid engines this one almost seems like a deal!

[@robertcook347]

Another great video Sean live # 90 I had to cancel mine. But yes great engine ❤. Love all your video's and what you do for the Model Train Hobby. Happy Railroading and Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

[@XCP_trains]

Beautiful engine, I have the trainworld exclusive #90, the brass one is not worth $1800 for it in terms of features.

[@seanstraindepot]

Agreed, the price is hard to swallow.

[@dathanpoole871]

Loved the ghost whistle! She's a beautiful piece. What was that back ground banging sound in the beginning of the demo? Wow that packaging, nice and secure, is that going to be the norm?

[@seanstraindepot]

I think it was special packaging just for this engine.

[@dathanpoole871]

@@seanstraindepot although it was a beautiful engine, I was just wondering what set it apart from other Legacy steam locomotives that made them package it like that. That's all

[@seanstraindepot]

I think because it's a brass hybrid and all the applied details.

[@patrickd.3681]

I would’ve ordered one if my layout was big enough.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Sweet!

[@Jared-91]

Amazing! I wish I had bought one.

[@seanstraindepot]

I had pre-ordered 2 by accident, so Nicholas Smith has an extra one now if interested!

[@donaldwiller9238]

Nice

[@GlennFresch]

What a great looking engine. Brass hybrids are the best! Actually, is this a brass hybrid?

[@seanstraindepot]

Yes, that is what they said.

[@GlennFresch]

@@seanstraindepotIn some ways the brass die cast hybrids can exceed the realism of all brass. In general this might be the case here and it’s probably more a function of budget than anything else. Lionel clearly went all out with the details, hence the high cost. Where this one falls a bit short of a sunset brass model is the area under the boiler. You can clearly see the gearbox where on the real engine this area in front of the firebox and behind would have nothing there but air. Could sunset do this area better? I’m not sure, but at least some of their engines have more air between the drivers and boiler and firebox than this one. Im guessing the Lionel drive train takes up more space.

[@Phillyrail]

How do you get the aux 3 and rule 17 if you don’t have a sensor track to program with?

[@seanstraindepot]

You can still program it manually into the remote, just pick the correct mode.

[@radarditti560]

I thought that 90 was a brass engine could that be the reason for the higher price?

[@seanstraindepot]

Yeah, I'm sure that is a factor, but still, it is a lot!

[@wolf_among_sheep7875]

Lucky you, I need one soon to pull your previous Strasburg 90’s cars 😉 and yes the price is a bit too high, too close to a VL Challenger and not far from paying for a VL BigBoy 😢