NOT another green E8! Is the NEWEST Lionel Southern E8 worth the hype?

[@clemsonpirate7144]

The blocked off head light on the lead unit is a road name specific detail that Lionel did for this set. Some of the E8s that the Southern Railway ordered from EMD had a mars light on the top of the nose and a regular headlight below it on the door. Later when Southern decided to stop using the mars light on these specific E8s, they blocked off the headlight on the door and moved it up to the top of the nose where the mars light was originally. So this was something prototypical of certain E8s that the Southern had. Good looking set, glad you’re back!

[@gizmotrains]

@clemsonpirate7144 thanks for the info! Pretty cool of Lionel to make it that accurate!

[@tonyarsenault4256]

Your layout and your money so pick any color scheme you like. All your points are valid and spot on for choosing the Southern paint scheme.

[@DelHudson1]

I think you made the right choice getting the Southern engines instead of the NYC. They are sharp looking and classy. Thanks for the track tip mod to keep contact rollers running smoothly.

[@dalespencer8494]

Just seeing your channel for the first time. I got those as well as the AC&W. I live in Hickory,NC and grew up with Southern.

[@99thObsidian]

Gizmo, great review. I have MTH C&O E8's. Man you are so close to 1k subs. I just hit 600 and subbed you. Yes, being a train collector means we don't make good financial decisions. Nothing better than new train day.

[@gizmotrains]

Thanks!!!

[@sunnysiderails397]

My train room is full of "bad financial decisions" LOL... Great video and good lookin locos! -Ken

[@gizmotrains]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Gilstrains]

I love the E8’s. This paint scheme is nice, but , oh man, that typical green/blue New York Central scheme does cast a long shadow in the mind’s eye. 👍

[@Dakman]

I agree that Super Bass should be standard in a set. I know when it came to Lionel F3 locomotives made a coup😂years back they offered a F3 AA set and if you wanted Super Bass you had to buy the B unit. Was that a Atlas O switch. I know it's a common problem on the Atlas O switch where the center rail needs extending for certain Lionel locomotives

[@gizmotrains]

Yes I have atlas switches. Overall they aren’t too bad, but I’ve had to extend a few center rails and repair some power rail on segments where they seem to disconnect underneath. Part of the hobby I assume!

[@gordonsnell6735]

Pretty cool 😎😎 Good job there

[@deweyhall712]

The hobo union approves this video, and will setup a camp on this layout..😊😊😊😊😊

[@GlennFresch]

Southern had some nice looking engines. No doubt about it.

[@nathanschronce8703]

Talked to a guy at Lionel. If they added a super bass to the other unit. The MSRP would be around $1,500. They didn't add it this time to try to keep the cost down. It's nice, but not necessary. You did get powered unit with smoke. The super bass units are usually unpowered. I'll take powered with smoke over extra sound. That's just me

[@gizmotrains]

Thanks for the info!

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Amazing locomotives!!

[@raysrails2164]

Neato , have fun with them !

[@LarryDickmann]

I live in North Carolina too. Fayettenam NC is my hometown... 😳😞😭

[@gizmotrains]

🤣🤣🤣 fayettenam

[@lashendawest7509]

Great video gizmo

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

I completely agree about the color thing, can we stomach another orange Greenbrier video? Can’t imagine how many “Hotdog” videos are coming later this year. I agree about sound in the second unit; in my opinion it should’ve been another lead unit sans personnel. I solved this dilemma in my streamlined power by adding 2-SuperBass units strategically placing the silent unit between in an ABBB configuration- a stopgap measure. Lionel should’ve put full sound in it. Today’s railroader has moved past any semblance of silent dummy’s. Great video and love your power management on the wall.

[@TwistedMacGyversTrains]

Sounds and looks great!😊

[@dagryffynhobby]

Very nice. They do look bette than the NYC green.

[@Bens_Trains_]

I think you made a great choice!!

[@gizmotrains]

Thanks Ben! I know you have room still to grab one too 😉

[@TheNewYorkCentral]

Nice video and good choice. I am a New York Central collector, and I didn’t even consider getting the green ones. There was only one unit ever painted green on the actual railroad and it was repainted shortly after that experiment so it’s not very prototypical running those green engines around the water level route! By the way, I have a question for you. The last three sets of Lionel legacy E eights I purchased had the same problem -- running the two engines together at speed if you quickly dial the throttle down to zero to get the nice slow screeching stop, the two engines would come to a stop at different times meaning one would be pushing or pulling the other at the end. All three had to go back to Lionel and the most recent one from 2021 they still haven’t been able to fix! Can you test this out on your engines and let me know if this set has eliminated the problem?

[@gizmotrains]

@TheNewYorkCentral I’ll check it out and let you know!

[@TheNewYorkCentral]

@@gizmotrainsThanks!

[@Ed-ICE-Berg]

Great looking engines, the Southern tuxedo scheme is quite striking! I agree with getting something other than the NYC greens. While the NYC engines are a nice scheme, they've already become a bit boring. Kind of like what happened last year when everyone was buying Pennsy GG1's. You couldn't turn around on Y'allTube without bumping into a GG1 video.

[@ericwilliams2619]

Very extraordinary looking locomotives ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️👍🏻

[@davidjenkins1484]

The NYC "jade green," actually turquoise in my opinion, is in fact prototypical because NYC actually painted those 2 locomotives that color as an experiment and the 4083 has been restored and in in a museum. The 4053 was unfortunately junked at the end of its life. But you chose a great looking E8 AA set for sure, real sharp! Lionel has done an E8 with only the lead unit powered in the past so the duel power is an upgrade. But I agree' sound in only the lead of any AA set where B units with sound are not offered are underwhelming. Yours is smoking stronger than mine. How much fluid did you put in? What brand of switches are you using? Your solution looks good. I would have liked to see an overhead view of it. My Lionel O-72 tubular track switches are the pits and spoil the fun all the time. Do you think that maybe beveling the edge of that rail with a Dremel tool would solve the problem?

[@gizmotrains]

@davidjenkins1484 yea I wasn’t clear in the video, when I was talking fantasy I was referring to those (and heritage) normally being the colorful type engines. As you say, NYC did actually have these! I normally do about 10 drops more than what Lionel recommends, I find they are a bit conservative on requirements I use atlas switches. Normally they work decent but have had (and heard of others) sometimes this issue, but I think they updated some of their newer units. (A lot of mine are bought used as I started during Covid when things were hard to get!). I don’t think beveling would solve it, really need the extra support on the roller.

[@davidjenkins1484]

Thanks for the information. I'll try adding some extra drops and see if I can get more smoke output.@@gizmotrains

[@keithjackson9141]

Love those E8s

[@gizmotrains]

They are for sale! Email me if interested [e-mail]

[@gregleuze6657]

I don’t think the New York Central is a fantasy scheme. Just saw one at Boonton last weekend. Any E8 is a good E8 and there were a bunch in that catalogue. I would want some fantasy turquoise passenger cars to go with that engine.

[@gizmotrains]

They were 100% a thing. When I referenced the fantasy schemes I meant more of generally they have the colorful schemes and such, I could have elaborated a little more on that comment in the video.

[@gregleuze6657]

@@gizmotrainsnot a big deal. I don’t have many colorful engines so I picked that one up. Good video overall. Subscribed.

[@marshallbritt7184]

I. Remember. Black. E8. ,ost. Of. Them. Were. Pulling. Freight.

[@shayfan05]

Would you be willing to purchase the MTH office car special?

[@gizmotrains]

Possibly!

[@andrewmunczenski3632]

Being from Georgia southern railways for me.

[@conductorjohnmthtrains2239]

I ordered from ATLAS, both powered & both sound, Green Penn Central. I have a major problem w Lionel, prices up! No sound in one unit. Cost cutting as usual Lionel but still over pricing, no thanks. MTH/ATLAS is win win. Proto 3😊

[@gizmotrains]

I am for sure bummed Lionel didn’t include sound on the second unit. I’ll have to keep my eyes open when Atlas releases theirs!

[@conductorjohnmthtrains2239]

I meant to say black not green my bad. Actually they came out Spring 2023, they have AMTRAK, Burlington North,NJ Transit, Penn Central,Rock Islands & KS SOUTHERN. All very cool, but no southern this time around. I have a ton of lionel but i've found MTH& ATLAS have risen to the occasion unlike lionel. I still by lionel steam and thats all. But those engines you have are still very nice pieces

[@bryanvandyke8523]

I just got those and new York central from bradies were we talked

[@gizmotrains]

Awesome! I’ll be in town next week, may see you there again!

[@bryanvandyke8523]

I'm there every Friday their tent sale is tomm

[@rj.trains]

Great title 🤣