Lionel Southern Pacific AC-9

A review of the new 3-Rail O-Scale Southern Pacific 2-8-8-4 AC-9 from Lionel. More videos on the Eric's Trains KZbin Channel and at www.ericstrains.com

[@Oat_meal_YT]

To be honest it would have been nice if the AC-9 was preserved

[@qilinprime5615]

Ikr. This is one of my favorite engines and when I learned they were all scrapped I was mad. Big Boy and Challenger are pretty much the favorites of all articulated engined

[@highoctanegames]

I would agree with this

[@Thomasthestreamliner]

Me too

[@saxonaudio]

Same.

[@synthwaveguy_2942]

@@qilinprime5615 along with the Allegheny’s and N&W’s Class A mallets aka (#1218).

[@mootsym]

saw a picture in the daylight scheme, and it's just incredible.

[@byates59]

AWESOME engine and AWESOME review as always Eric! Thanks bud!

[@Ericstrains]

Thanks!

[@johnhagan7742]

Great engine and review. Note: There are actually THREE crew figures in the cab, engineer, fireman, and a brakeman. The brakeman figure is right behind the fireman in the cab, if you didn't notice.

[@MPT_Productions]

20:55 the chuffing sounds a bit odd, but I see Lionel is making the chuffing go in and out of sync with each other

[@Highballer-500X]

MPT 1225 Why that?

[@nathancorcoran5347]

What if there was an SP AC9 in preservation?

[@theidiotwithinternet]

Once I heard that incredible whistle I knew this was gonna be good. It didn't disappoint.

[@awp2902]

This one of my favorite Articulate engine

[@TobyPasman]

For those of you wondering about times, 1730 means 5:30 PM.

[@anthonystrainsandstuff2942]

Toby Pasman bro everyone knows that

[@retrokingranch]

@@anthonystrainsandstuff2942 Some ignorant Americans don't, though.

[@bluefoxy6478]

@@retrokingranch and so do many other people, not just america.

[@evanyacka]

I agree

[@graphtonix6607]

The AC-9 is my most favorite steam locomotive. It's really sad that they are long gone.

[@fernandosantiagorodrigueze2655]

A replica can be built someday or...

[@graphtonix6607]

@@fernandosantiagorodrigueze2655 OK.

[@oxolotleman7226]

The ac-9 is one of my favorites

[@TrainChamber]

This is such a cool engine amazing and well done!

[@Calvin-pc6os]

Same it's really awesome!

[@brendanliamgill99]

Wish the hobby wasn't expensive I got a pennsylvania railroad keystone special from 2008 for $300 when looking online for new trains and some of them like the one review here is like $2000 I paid less than that for my car how is this stuff expensive but I still love how that engine was put together great review but wish was able to afford stuff for my hobby

[@Mildcat743]

Such an underappreciated giant. I love the look of them because they take two of my favorite aesthetics, GS-series plows and skyline casings, and big articulated steamers. The only thing I guess you could say was a "missed opportunity" was to have the big conical smokebox front from the GS2s and 6s.

[@johnhagan7742]

I understand what you're saying.

[@najam_042]

Hi I've been watching you since 2014

[@TexasRailfan21-RailfanRyan]

The AC-9 was Southern Pacific own version of 2-8-8-4s commonly referred to as Yellowstones. All of them were scrapped the only example of a Yellowstone is a Yellowstone from the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railroad iron ore carrier #227

[@HazelReserveUnit]

Have you seen the new VisionLine NYC Niagara? It looks absolutely stunning. There is also a bunch of matching rolling stock to go with it.

[@westtexasrailfan]

Stephen Hawley I've seen it at a local train fair, it's awesome, they let me test drive it on their clubs layout, unfortunately I didn't buy it, I'm an ho scale guy and it was out of my price range.

[@bigharryyy03]

Eric is getting it.

[@mychemicalbromance97]

Sounds like there are some new crew talk sounds, at least ones I've not heard before

[@MPT_Productions]

That Lionel Legacy sticker is new. My Mogul and NKP 587 have them. I have seem them on the NW2 as well. It is new I believe for this year.

[@crushbadasx]

This locomotive is actually a mix between two engines

[@NERRP2017]

The AC-9 is a boiler forward version of the cab forward. Also it has the same wheel configuration as the AC-10 CAB forward.

[@503railfan]

YES! My favorite loco of all time! Long live the SP!

[@Therickrollkid]

if u haven't heard southern Pacific is dead except for the 4449

[@jbtrains]

Just out of question, when doing a running session does it ever worry you with the articulated locos that on some of the double or triple wide areas on the layout that they may hang over so much on a tight curve they hit another model?

[@stephaniemiller5455]

Southern Pacific #3800 has 1 whistle and 1 horn. (13:01) Steam Whistle (13:44) Air Horn

[@TheCrewChief374]

It would be nice if there was some way of rigging up a scale on a section of track in order to weight the engines and car's!

[@ishirotanaka]

I Wish Lionel Would Make An Oil Burning Version With A 25,200 Gallon Converted C&O H7 Tender.

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

Im going to have to grab one of these just for the joke of blowing the air horn only to have smoke shooting out of the whistle from the whistle steam effect. 🤣🤣🤣

[@johnnyrvf]

I’m always puzzled by the dialogue. It takes hours to ger any locomotive up to steam let alone one as massive as this one. What’s with the “ Start your engine up “ line? Don’t the office know the company employs thousands of people tommake sure the engines are ready for their work load?

[@jakeumebayashi3243]

johnnyrvf dude, it's o scale, it's not like irl, u don't want an engine to take 4 hours to start on your layout if you want to run them

[@mrail3]

I'm also curious how the crew is responding, since steam engines generally didn't have radios back in the day. Lionel crew talk is so cringe worthy.

[@mrail3]

What's even worse is the fact that after they receive the radio call, they fire up the generator. What was powering the radio if the generator was off???????

[@baldypalmsrailroad]

Another great review Eric! That engine is a beast. I can see why O72 is the minimum curve with the huge overhang on the curves. Thanks for posting the review. Ron//

[@Ericstrains]

Thanks

[@Barney-hk3es]

I like the way your road looks. What material did you use to make it?

[@Toaster844]

maybe the reason why the smoke comes out of the whistle when u sound the horn is becase most horns on steamers back then (I think) were air horns or maybe because the horn uses like air pressure, so the horn would need a place for the steam to come out. so maybe thats why the steam comes out of the whistle. I dunno someone research it

[@switchpointproductions7927]

Stunning locomotive, will probably be an attention grabber at your next open house!

[@Chase_TRAINZ]

Nice vid bro keep up the GRATE work👍

[@davidkasparian4089]

This is hands down one of the finest looking steam locomotives I've ever seen this side of a big boy

[@Oat_meal_YT]

13:44 LOL the whistle blowing while the horn blowing

[@RCTanksTrucks247]

Absolutely beautiful locomotive

[@Rammstein45]

Gorgeous locomotive!

[@NinjagoGuy416]

If BLI makes a Paragon3 version of this model in HO, I’m going to be snatching one up in a second! 😁

[@danieldoesdumbstuff]

To be honest, I love the whistle effect, but I don't like the whistle sound itself.

[@jacksonlucero1025]

The S.P AC-9 looks like a GS- 4 up on steroids.

[@raptorproductions1639]

13:44 with the horn and smoke it looks like it’s farting

[@Therickrollkid]

yea it does sound like a truck

[@JerryDoesThings_1604]

What a beauty!

[@struck2soon]

Air horn sounds about right(Leslie A200)not sure about the whistle? Sounds more like the one fitted to NKP Berkshire, whereas I believe SP were users of the Star Brass 5 chime for most of their steam fleet.

[@trainfan06]

Articulated steam engines are one of my favorite trains

[@lukegoldstonofficial1614]

I’m not a fan of the white lining on the wheels.

[@Thomasthestreamliner]

I knew the ac-9s pulled passenger trains

[@michael61985]

A horn on a steam train humm the sounds are off as well there almost realistic

[@michael_young]

Great review Eric. I wanted to ask about something. I want to purchase a great realistic steam locomotive from Lionel. But the problem is that I’m a 13 year old boy. I currently own an American Flyer Union Pacific BigBoy, but I really want to upgrade to O-gauge. So to make things short, I’d like to know what you would recommend as your personal best steam locomotive from Lionel that isn’t LionCheif or LionCheif+, but a Legacy locomotive at least. Thank you for reading if you do. (I ask this cause my birthday is nearly a month away)

[@TyTytheTrainGuy]

This is awesome Eric!

[@kstrains]

Lionel announced that Legacy engines will now have tracking numbers placed on them for tracking purposes. The smoke coming out of the whistle while blowing the horn is kind of funny but also annoying! Nice one on the crew talk, Eric! I can hear someone say...What!

[@WideWorldofTrains]

Awesome stuff

[@vijayalakshmipandian6169]

The AC-9 is farting with horn and the whistle Steam Smoke effect

[@lisathow6981]

Lionel did a very good job on this Yellowstone (2-8-8-4=Yellowstone ),I heard there is an AC9 with a daylight scheme,I dunno which company made it though.

[@PeaceyPraps]

I love the whistle steam smoke effect as well, but seeing the steam come out when the horn is blown just looked too silly for words. XD

[@Broncort1]

I love the KZbin app on my iPad...gives you the 10 sec. skip option around crew talk time....lol

[@expressdesires8220]

Wow that’s awesome!!! Thank you for all your efforts making these videos it gives hobbiest like me and everyone else who enjoy model railroading a great deal of history we may not have otherwise known. 👍👍👍

[@TheRealEasyA]

AC9: For when you want a Big Boy but you also wanna look nice. Btw, I'm surprised the minimum curve requirement isn't higher with this thing.

[@Mnrr6131]

I’m suprised the AC-9s were made before my guys the AC-12

[@Gordons1888]

How are the front drivers connected?

[@TrainChamber]

The front pair of drivers is connected to the bottom of the boiler at an articulation point

[@Gordons1888]

Train Chamber sorry I wasn’t clear I mean IRL, like are the pipes swivelled?

[@TrainChamber]

Its completely fine no need to apologize i was just trying to answer your question + I'm pretty sure the only pipes that are swiveled are the ones that are connected to the front set of pistons that carry the steam from the back set to front set of pistons

[@jomama05]

The front drivers are connected by a gigantic hinge pin beneath the boiler. And these were simple articulated locos which means the steam is used once, not twice like compound locomotives. High pressure steam goes to all the cylinders at once.

[@SouthernerFloridain2006]

You said you have the gs4 on the website do a reiveiw on it let me guess the road number is it 4449

[@jakeumebayashi3243]

Hey Eric, why does the AC-9 have a horn, ik that the 261 has one for tax purposes, is that the same with this, and I'm a huge fan

[@johnhagan7742]

Great locomotive and video. I learned a little bit of a history lesson about this locomotive series the first time I watched this video.

[@struck2soon]

Air horn sounds about right(Leslie A200)not sure about the whistle? Sounds more like the one fitted to NKP Berkshire, whereas I believe SP were users of the Star Brass 5 chime for most of their steam fleet.

[@alpal.mp4]

struck2soon it could be a SP 3 chime

[@Mercatoyd]

man..what a beauty.. great review once again. 30+ inches long..lol....that's a train...

[@Mr300bowler]

Hey eric your AC9 its wishle it. Sounds like the Santa Fe 4-8-4 northern 3751

[@bruhmomentum7155]

If the day light and the big boy had a baby

[@potatohead5910]

7:57 So that's why O-gauge trains have 3 rails...

[@highoctanegames]

Yes

[@highoctanegames]

It's an old design and they just kept it after many years

[@graphtonix6607]

I think the AC-9 should return in 2023. How awesome would that be???

[@Ericstrains]

You mean the model should return? It's probably a little too early for that as it was just done in 2017. But I''m sure they'll do it again at some point.

[@graphtonix6607]

@@Ericstrains No I was talking about the real AC-9 locomotive.

[@MPT_Productions]

AWESOME Eric! I love this engine!

[@raptorproductions1639]

MPT 765 hey do you know who the mini you tuber Nickel Plate Road 765

[@MPT_Productions]

I believe so yea. Why?

[@raptorproductions1639]

MPT 765 yeah I’m him but that channel is dead 💀

[@MPT_Productions]

Union Pacific 9000 oh ok

[@raptorproductions1639]

MPT 765 so yeah what’s going on with you?

[@solarsaturnyt8731]

Oh hey its the big boy’s cousin lol

[@nolanpickert5768]

Did you order the Niagara

[@รุสลีเพียรสกุล]

4449 have 8 wheel 444449 have 16 wheel lol

[@magatron3094]

is compatible with mth train cars

[@jeffdemition2308]

well they are just backward cab forwards but with some streamlining

[@RockerTopper-hh3ru]

I think the train store in my hometown of Louisville sold the Daylight version of this engine right before Christmas. Man, that was a gorgeous engine.

[@shannonlapres945]

What about the Yellowstone or the Virginian 800 :(

[@JKramer328]

This is a Yellowstone series. SP had Yellowstone # 7765 -7776. One famous SP Yellowstone was the # 3800.

[@Gordons1888]

I’m not usually keen on yank trains but your videos make them seem good

[@Chessie1985]

Great review as always and i really liked the whistle steam seem to work better then i have seen some other lionel steam engines!!

[@kdcwilliams1839]

I wish the Southern Pacific A-C 9 was in service in the year 2020

[@SRRC245]

When is the MTH Aem7 review coming out? Awesome review.

[@TobyPasman]

As far as I know, the AC-9 is the only AC class engine the SP ordered not to be a Cab Forward.

[@TobyPasman]

Lionel is offering a Heavy Pacific as Atlanta & West Point #290. Have you thought of ordering that?

[@wesleyhymbaugh1450]

John Kirkland Used Southern Pacific Photographer AC-9 Articulated Yellowstone's 2-8-8-8-4 #3805 & #3809

[@wesleyhymbaugh1450]

🚂🚂🚂🚂 ❤️❤️❤️

[@fmartino100]

Hi Eric, Great review, great engine. Does Legacy Station offer installment plans? Frank

[@vijayalakshmipandian6169]

The Piolet Looks Like Southern Pacific Black 4446

[@JonathanColemanTrains]

When are you going to get the new Union Pacific diesel engine

[@tysmodeltrains8488]

Great Review Eric this steam engine is a beauty. 🚂🚃🚃

[@austingrozier1520]

Why did they add a horn to a steam locomotive if it already has a whistle?

[@christineanderson6750]

Great vid Eric but please bring back the outtakes in the outro

[@anthonystrainsandstuff2942]

Does this come with the legacy module for the remote?

[@vijayalakshmipandian6169]

Sounds like Santa Fe 3751 (Whistle)

[@raybiscoejr5684]

why does it look like bigboy

[@harringbr]

Every time I hear that Steam Horm it makes me laugh so loud!

[@djmpvae27091978]

Is there also a 2-6-6-4?

[@gustman9048]

The cab forward Reversed

[@danibelu6306]

It looks like a big boy !!!

[@trainman07011]

One of my all-time favorite locomotives. Wish someone would make one in HO.

[@falseprophet4223]

Are you gonna check out the new vision line niagara?

[@larrywilcox4625]

I feel sorry for the ac 9s not being on display

[@railroadmillion681]

Sometimes I wish you would run some of your trains a little faster than you do in your videos.

[@JKramer328]

Ac speed on Yellowstone were about 75mph.

[@josephcirillo5292]

Eric...love your reviews as always.....the video and shots you got of not only the train itself but the scenery looks great.....just when you think Eric did it all...he takes the review process to another lever.....thanks again Eric!!!!

[@Ericstrains]

Thanks

[@alpal.mp4]

Lionel should make the SP 2-6-6-2s

[@DylanRailVids04]

Awesome locomotive and I love the whistle