A review and running of Lionel's latest 3-Rail O-Scale Pennsylvania B6sb 0-6-0 Steam Switcher. More videos available on the Eric's Trains CZcams channel and at www.ericstrains.com
Ive always had a love of small engines, growing up with an HO layout of mostly 4 axle EMDs and 060 and 080 steamers. My largest locomotives were a UP 4-8-4 and a ATSF Kodachrome SD40-2 back then.
I saw one of these in live action when I was a very little kid, had to have been in the early 1950s. It was switching near my grandmother's house in Prospect Park, Pa.
Outstanding review Eric! Love the engine sounds! Thanks for the brief history lesson and the explanation of the "electrical footprint" as it applies model railroading!
Never know that the little 0-6-0 I drove past every day at work was one of two surviving B6s. It's pronounced Hoe-Kessin, Delaware. Thanks for another great video.
Nice video as usual, i bought one my self, the Lionel B6's are actually old K-line tooling. If you remove the engine shell, you will see the K-line logo stamped underneath the cab floor. And if you look for the the original K line b6 it will look exactly the same
very nice review eric , I think it is great you go behond and give details of the real life history of the loco.s always nice to learn something each day ,, thanks for sharing
As always Eric, a great video. I so wish I could visit your layout someday. I love how you mix some history into what you review. I love O gauge trains, and while I cannot afford the level you are on, I love your reviews, and I love how you highlights highlights differences between a good model and a great model. Thanks.
Great reviews as always! Thanks for explaining the electrical footprint, I have an MTH Premier USRA NKP 0-6-0 and it would always short out on my Atlas switches as it only has pick up rollers on the tender and not the engine itself. Don't understand why they couldn't add them on to the engine when there seems to be room.
Lionel actually has had the coal filling sound effect on their Legacy steam engines since 2009. It's just the Big Boy took the extra step to have a feature to go with it, but I have many Legacy steamers with the same sound if you wanted to use it, such as the 700E Hudson and the Crescent Limited.
As always Eric... very impressive review... but your comment and usage of the crew talk feature of these engines got me to thinking (painful at best). Maybe we could sweet talk MTH into adding a feature to their control systems that allows us to record our own Crew talk messages to fit our layouts....
you're probably right there... and if they do include the ability to record our own crew talk and charge us for that ability... I expect and demand a royalty... I was my idea after all. lol
Also, switch engines do not whistle/honk in the yards for sound level reasons. They usually whistle/honk once to announce their presence at the control tower and twice to say they are leaving that yard area to shunt more cars or something like that.
This is a great little engine , I have one my self. The only thing I noticed was it seems sometimes the whistle crackles at times, I though something was wrong with mine but after hearing others it seemed some what normal.
Hopefully one day they'll make more pennsy locos like 7002 and 1223 or maybe the Strasburg Locos but thats just a thought anyway love your vids all of them
I like that you were able to be a little more creative about where you filmed this locomotive Eric. We don't get to see your trains operate in the yard much on regular videos so this one was a treat just for that. It was also great that you spent a good amount of time explaining why Lionel does what it does even if it seems like a step backwards initially. Personally, I don't know if this locomotive would work with a layout I have planned when it would be based off of the Milwaukee Road and the Nickel Plate Road. Does Lionel offer different road numbers or was the B6 made specifically for the Pennsy?
The wired tether could be seen as real connections between the engine and tender. Given Lionel’s genius, it likely would have been better received if they’d put a drop plate to bridge the gap, but that’s usually what MTH does.
Hey man just found your channel n subscribed. Im lookin to get either this engine (0-6-0) or the Legacy H-10 . But i noticed you dont have a review of that one yet... Just sayin id like to see it lol
P.s Ive lived a couple towns over from Strasburg P.A my whole life.... Its pronounced Str as burg, not str ahs burg... like strap or strangle.. strasburg ... :)
I wish Lionel had chosen to fix the major flaw in the K-Line B6. The tender looks like it is on stilts. Look at photos online of the B6 and drawings in Linn Westcott's Steam Locomotive Cyclopedia. The prototype B6 slope back tender sits 6"~8" lower than the K-Line/Lionel model as do both of Lionel's original B6's. Not too big a job for a DIY project. I will post a description of how to lower it with photos on the O Gauge Forum. Not all that wild about crew talk seems kinda hokey. PRRs Trainphone system (1943~1962) would have been available during the career of the B6 but I have never seen the Trainphone antenna on a B6 loco or tender. Not that I have seen all the PRR B6. If someone knows if they were so equipped I would like to know. Gotta love that whistle though. j
Now I've commented before how much I hatrd the crew talk, but for the main reason that the voice acting sounds monotone and unauthentic, and after serving some time with a short line railroad at a museum I could practically smell it. Was Lionel reading my comments? because the crew talk on this switcher is exactly the opposite. it's damn good! "Goin' to bean" was especially a nice touch.
Why doesn't this engine seem to have Dynachuff? It sounds like it is on maximum chuff all the time. Were you riding the train brake in Legacy? It should drift into a softer chuff.
Eric, you say that sometimes you have tours if I understand correctly bringing kids or families in to see the trains? Where exactly are you located in and what state?
I had an MTH one. I Got for Christmas, but sadly its motor stopped working on the morning of December 26th, and all I did was run it conventionally. I was so upset.
assuming someone would let go of the 8976 it would be 1/10 of a million dollars because of age, and I don't think that he has that kind of money just laying around... and the later one would probably be $5,000-$10,000 and I still don't think he has that laying around... I could be very wrong about the prices.
+Squishy1225 I think your numbers may be a little off, I haven’t seen an 8976 on eBay recently but I get the feeling that they go for less than the fabled 700e which seems to go for $2,000 to $5,000. So it would be a fair estimate for an 8976 to go for the same or less due to the fact that it is not as coveted or as well known. The 1989 re-issue is a completely different story though it is not only common but relatively inexpensive coming in at $200 to $400 on da bay.
+PennLineProductions +Squishy1225 Guys, it's just a wish of mine. I don't know if I'd every be able to find one of afford one, but it would be really cool if I could make it happen one day. I'd like to be able to have an original 700e as well...one of these days.
Gordon: tender engines don’t shunt!
B6sb: hold my coal
Fun Fact: the B6 is stronger than Gordon (an A1 Pacific).
@@Trainmaster909
Gordon: well you can maybe shunt, but your not as strong as me!
B6SB: hold my coal again
Rekt.
@@mattdotsonrailfanproductio266 lol
"Never overlook a little engine!"
little ones are really useful too!
No god no god no
“It was time for Thomas to leave. He had seen everything.”
Little engines can do big things!
If you think that bigger is better then your making a mistake!
I have to say she looked brilliant shoving that cut of hopper cars.
Well its good to see that he is using the correct whistle code.
It's automated
That whistle sends chills down my spine!
That's not just a great whistle. It's an AWESOME whistle!
A little engine and trust me on this can do BIG things!
You should have that engine shunting when you have your open houses! It would be awesome!
The Gaming Rhino *switching
SkullsAndCrossbones ` true, I guess the terminology doesn't really depend on where you live.
Ive always had a love of small engines, growing up with an HO layout of mostly 4 axle EMDs and 060 and 080 steamers. My largest locomotives were a UP 4-8-4 and a ATSF Kodachrome SD40-2 back then.
I saw one of these in live action when I was a very little kid, had to have been in the early 1950s. It was switching near my grandmother's house in Prospect Park, Pa.
Lionel did a great job with the pennsy banshee whistle
Outstanding review Eric! Love the engine sounds! Thanks for the brief history lesson and the explanation of the "electrical footprint" as it applies model railroading!
Thanks
Never know that the little 0-6-0 I drove past every day at work was one of two surviving B6s. It's pronounced Hoe-Kessin, Delaware. Thanks for another great video.
Nice video as usual, i bought one my self, the Lionel B6's are actually old K-line tooling. If you remove the engine shell, you will see the K-line logo stamped underneath the cab floor. And if you look for the the original K line b6 it will look exactly the same
Bruk Bannister I thought so.
very nice review eric , I think it is great you go behond and give details of the real life history of the loco.s always nice to learn something each day ,, thanks for sharing
+sparky107107 Thanks
sparky107107 #5
The Lionel Reading T-1 from 1989/1990 was one of the first Lionel High-Rail locomotives.
Grest review, suprised at the amount of detail in a Lionel 0 scale, great realistic smoke generator best I have seen.
As always Eric, a great video. I so wish I could visit your layout someday.
I love how you mix some history into what you review.
I love O gauge trains, and while I cannot afford the level you are on, I love your reviews, and I love how you highlights highlights differences between a good model and a great model.
Thanks.
Try n scale?
Great reviews as always! Thanks for explaining the electrical footprint, I have an MTH Premier USRA NKP 0-6-0 and it would always short out on my Atlas switches as it only has pick up rollers on the tender and not the engine itself. Don't understand why they couldn't add them on to the engine when there seems to be room.
Lionel actually has had the coal filling sound effect on their Legacy steam engines since 2009. It's just the Big Boy took the extra step to have a feature to go with it, but I have many Legacy steamers with the same sound if you wanted to use it, such as the 700E Hudson and the Crescent Limited.
I love that CSX control tower Eric, looks amazing in your layout!
Lionel wireless tethers started in 1998. First models to use it were the #3005 Mohawk and the upcoming Allegheny 1601.
Hey Eric , just wanted to Wish you A Merry Christmas and Thank you for your videos. Tks Sam
Very nice switcher Eric. Another fantastic review.
Awesome Review Eric i think this is one of the best reviews youve ever done. Great Work.
As always Eric... very impressive review... but your comment and usage of the crew talk feature of these engines got me to thinking (painful at best). Maybe we could sweet talk MTH into adding a feature to their control systems that allows us to record our own Crew talk messages to fit our layouts....
Bill Westbury that would actually be a good feature. Of course they would probably charge extra
you're probably right there... and if they do include the ability to record our own crew talk and charge us for that ability... I expect and demand a royalty... I was my idea after all. lol
Didn't they do that before?
That’s literally a feature
Been waiting for you to review this!
Love the history lessons I have that train
It sounds so happy to be doing it's job.
Beautiful engine. Looks great
Lovely Banshee whistle on that B6.
I just ordered one for 2020. Great informative video and excellent photography.
this is the first time I seen an switcher have an tender
Great review Eric
Excellent review as always. I have the same engine in HO scale.
Great review Eric!
I really enjoy your reviews, although I no longer have enough space to run O scale anymore. Still nice to see what's out there now.
Your reviews are going to cost me a lot of money. . .you've been able to change my opinion about multiple locomotives now.
nice job eric, i'll definitely have to pick one up
I bought one of those, and it is perfect for my layout! it really pulls good
the crew talk reminds me of kids playing with walkie-talkies
Then you would hate the Broadway Limited Imports crew talk
unless they're using actual recorded radio chatter, crew talk shouldn't even be a feature, it's so cringe
edit: it's also way too loud
Great review! The B6sb is one of my favorite PRR switchers. I wish someone made it in HO scale.
Bachmann used to in the 80s
Fantastic sound.
Nice review Eric! I have the seashore version still sealed in shipper. That's too bad the roof vent doesn't open.
Also, switch engines do not whistle/honk in the yards for sound level reasons. They usually whistle/honk once to announce their presence at the control tower and twice to say they are leaving that yard area to shunt more cars or something like that.
You can never whistle too much
Great info. Had no idea. 🚂😎
I love the video, from DE. Pronounced Ho-kess-in
This is a great little engine , I have one my self. The only thing I noticed was it seems sometimes the whistle
crackles at times, I though something was wrong with mine but after hearing others it seemed some what normal.
Like the deep puffing noise, sounds realistic!!!!
Lionel's whistle sounds great
Awesome review! You used my joke at 20:45! I think I might get one now, just because Strasburg has one.
Lil tike sounds like a big boi I like the strong chuff it has
Hi-Rail started with the Reading T-1 #2100 from 1988.
I saw this locomotive in the railroad museum of Pennsylvania, and I already have the videos too.
The whistle sounds like a mountain lion kicked in the nuts lol
The whistle sounds like MTH's PRR whistle
cool video
Eric, Lionel Trains Inc reissued the B6 in 1989 not 1988 because RailSounds was not in Lionel trains until 1989.
I saw 1670 when my dad and I went to Pennsylvania in May 2011
Hopefully one day they'll make more pennsy locos like 7002 and 1223 or maybe the Strasburg Locos but thats just a thought anyway love your vids all of them
If I was going to get into O gauge I would definitely get this
I believe that this wonderful locomotive is based on the Kline molding that was out in the early 2000`s. My Kline is identical to this model.
I like that you were able to be a little more creative about where you filmed this locomotive Eric. We don't get to see your trains operate in the yard much on regular videos so this one was a treat just for that. It was also great that you spent a good amount of time explaining why Lionel does what it does even if it seems like a step backwards initially. Personally, I don't know if this locomotive would work with a layout I have planned when it would be based off of the Milwaukee Road and the Nickel Plate Road. Does Lionel offer different road numbers or was the B6 made specifically for the Pennsy?
The 360p club!! Great video Eric, as always.
+Prasanth Kasa 360p?
+ericstrains 360p video quality. He watched the video so early that the quality was still not fully finished processing.
+ericstrains
Yea, as +MichaelB450 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) explained. CZcams takes time to process the higher resolutions.
Nice!
eric I am a big fan of you and I was wondering if you can say in your layout tour of what is your favorite locomotive
The wired tether could be seen as real connections between the engine and tender. Given Lionel’s genius, it likely would have been better received if they’d put a drop plate to bridge the gap, but that’s usually what MTH does.
Is there a noticeable difference in build quality between the Vision Line and the regular line of engines?
I like the Vanderbelt tender on this model u don't see those everyday nice vid
That is a SLOPE BACK TENDER not a Vanderbelt
Phillip dunn are you dumb?
You should get one of the Scale Lionchief A5's next
Hey man just found your channel n subscribed. Im lookin to get either this engine (0-6-0) or the Legacy H-10 . But i noticed you dont have a review of that one yet... Just sayin id like to see it lol
P.s Ive lived a couple towns over from Strasburg P.A my whole life.... Its pronounced Str as burg, not str ahs burg... like strap or strangle.. strasburg ... :)
This is my favorite wheel arrangement. But I like tank engines instead of tender tank engines. I love the e2 class locomotives.
But sadly the e2 were not so successful
The Lil’ Penny that could.
You should do one for an A5!
Eric , have you made a how to video on making your asphalt roads? They look great
+Joey Badabing Not yet
Now that you have a steam shunter you should make a shunting video
Hey Eric are those Pennsy coal hoppers from Weaver?
I know this sounds off-topic, but 1912 was the year that the R.M.S. Titanic sank.
I'm from Delaware and it's called Ho-Kess-In
I wish Lionel had chosen to fix the major flaw in the K-Line B6. The tender looks like it is on stilts. Look at photos online of the B6 and drawings in Linn Westcott's Steam Locomotive Cyclopedia. The prototype B6 slope back tender sits 6"~8" lower than the K-Line/Lionel model as do both of Lionel's original B6's. Not too big a job for a DIY project. I will post a description of how to lower it with photos on the O Gauge Forum. Not all that wild about crew talk seems kinda hokey. PRRs Trainphone system (1943~1962) would have been available during the career of the B6 but I have never seen the Trainphone antenna on a B6 loco or tender. Not that I have seen all the PRR B6. If someone knows if they were so equipped I would like to know. Gotta love that whistle though. j
Now I've commented before how much I hatrd the crew talk, but for the main reason that the voice acting sounds monotone and unauthentic, and after serving some time with a short line railroad at a museum I could practically smell it. Was Lionel reading my comments? because the crew talk on this switcher is exactly the opposite. it's damn good! "Goin' to bean" was especially a nice touch.
I would turn on Crew Talk if there was a comedy version with dialogue from the movie Airplane or something like that.
Why doesn't this engine seem to have Dynachuff? It sounds like it is on maximum chuff all the time. Were you riding the train brake in Legacy? It should drift into a softer chuff.
I'm not Eric, but I like to have the labor set all the way up, all the time. I'm sure this has dynachuff
Nice review. Just one small point- it's a belpaire firebox, not a belspaire firebox. No 's'
You should get the A5.
Hi eric I have been curious for years. what is the green stick that you use to point out details in locos.
That's a trade secret.
Union Pacific had one of these. The road number was 4466
Do you get all your trains from legacy station?
Eric, you say that sometimes you have tours if I understand correctly bringing kids or families in to see the trains? Where exactly are you located in and what state?
6️⃣0️⃣3️⃣🚂😎. Kool video
I had an MTH one. I Got for Christmas, but sadly its motor stopped working on the morning of December 26th, and all I did was run it conventionally. I was so upset.
do the Pennsylvania flyer review
He is more of a high end reviewer.
Was there radio communications back in the 1940's on steam engines? Need some enlightenment here.
Please do a Christmas review for the polar express!
(Which is a differently made 2-8-4 Berkshire. But for Christmas!)
Have the B6's ever done "Banking" duties? That means helping a heavy train up a steep hill.
Most likely, they were small yet powerful little beasts
Assuming you can track down an example of 8976 and the re-issue would we be so lucky as to get a review of them on CZcams?
assuming someone would let go of the 8976 it would be 1/10 of a million dollars because of age, and I don't think that he has that kind of money just laying around... and the later one would probably be $5,000-$10,000 and I still don't think he has that laying around... I could be very wrong about the prices.
+Squishy1225 then again... he wants them... so we never know.
+Squishy1225 I think your numbers may be a little off, I haven’t seen an 8976 on eBay recently but I get the feeling that they go for less than the fabled 700e which seems to go for $2,000 to $5,000. So it would be a fair estimate for an 8976 to go for the same or less due to the fact that it is not as coveted or as well known. The 1989 re-issue is a completely different story though it is not only common but relatively inexpensive coming in at $200 to $400 on da bay.
***** well thats the internet for ya, always throwing stupid amount of numbers of money at ya
+PennLineProductions +Squishy1225 Guys, it's just a wish of mine. I don't know if I'd every be able to find one of afford one, but it would be really cool if I could make it happen one day. I'd like to be able to have an original 700e as well...one of these days.
(Buddythetruck2018) that whistle sounds like a British train i think that model train is great
Is there a triple switch, a dopple slip switch, and crossovers?
The smoke on this engine seems much thicker than it does on other Lionel engines. Any explanation?
+traingeek2000 I use JT's mega-steam smoke fluid, which produces great smoke output.
You should make a double header