Hey everybody, sorry for the late update. This video took WAY longer to put together than I expected. Editing was rushed so please excuse any mistakes here or there. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eric trains I wanna say your video was perfect and you did a great job on everything and explaining on every topic but I also want to say I'm an ho train guy and I personally enjoy your channel and the great work you done with the layout and channel I wanna say I don't care about being realistic on all my models I enjoy what I do and ik prices on new models are crazy but for what they offer is exceptional for the bells and whistles and I'm sorry some ppl have to leave not good comments to you and this hobby is about fun not being so strict on realism but there's always love in hobby I'm 23 but still do the ole power pack and track and I'm slowly learning dcc but trying to keep both worlds together and I want to wish you best of luck for you and keep doing what your doing, your videos never disappoint and again merry Christmas eric🎄🎁
Really like your channel .. great content and you're one of the best at providing reviews of new engines and rolling stock. Many years ago worked for McKesson (General Medical at the time, Richmond VA) then worked for Owens & Minor (Gill Minor on the beach in the Bahamas, shorts, black socks and tennis shoes was an image). Both Co's before IT focus were razor thin margins.
Another enjoyable video Eric. Thank you for keeping the hobby fun! You always speak in a realistic manner regarding the hobby and the products. Truly appreciate it. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eric. Been watching you from the beginning enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the great work. You’re definitely the goat of all model railroaders. Looking forward to seeing more adventures in 2025.
Eric, while it was great to learn what you do and how you do it, your 110% correct, it’s no one’s business where your income and revenue stream comes from. But, thank you for being honest. Very refreshing
For the part where you were saying if model trains were supposed to be hyper-realistic or not, I like to think it’s up to what you desire most. Do you just wanna have fun, make a masterpiece, or both? I settled on both from my custom g scale locomotives, they’re based off locomotives from a British children’s book series from the mid 1940’s, but I love the resulting mix between fun toy trains and (slowly becoming more) realistic NorthWestern Railway locomotives. Steam and Diesel. I’m actually on my way to motorizing my first locomotive and giving it the correct passenger cars to go with it, hopefully for a very special video to kick off my new year. 😁🚂 BTW, I love the work into this video! I thought the replies to some of the criticisms are freaking hilarious!😂
I have a mix of both in my collection. The nice thing about less detailed models is that they're less expensive and arguably more durable (less fine detail parts to break).
Merry (late) Christmas, Eric! I've been watching your stuff for years, and I think you may have been the first model railroad youtuber I subscribed to. Your stuff is fantastic, even though I can't do a lot with the information (I do HO scale, so that's on me). I'm glad you addressed the China complaint. My folks are from Taiwan, so we have ZERO love for the CCP. However, I think the models coming out of the factories in China are generally pretty good. Credit where credit is due some companies (most notably Scaletrains and Rapido), have gone so far as to have videos touring their factories in China. I think the quality control is what matters at that point. On that note, my Aunt runs a toy retail business that has factories and warehouses in China, and she can tell you that dealing with the CCP comes with A LOT of headaches. I can imagine model train companies deal with similar problems. From the way my mom and my Aunt talk the cost might be the only real advantage of being in China. Everything else sounds like a logistical and legal nightmare. Lastly, I find that 3 rail complaint from the Dutch guy funny. One of the major companies in Europe is Marklin, a German company that does HO scale trains. Thing is, they require a proprietary 3-rail system, which is not even remotely standard in that scale. That also makes it harder when browsing for European model trains because now you have to consider whether something runs on DC or AC power, never mind sound, digital control, and curve radius. At least for Lionel and MTH, the 3 rails are standard in O gauge. So I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish.
Hi Eric. Last night, I got to watch this video in full, uninterrupted and it was great. So sorry about your upcoming knee surgery. I have a colleague who had a knee replacement two years ago and he said though his recovery was tedious and even painful, now, it was definitely worth it because it's good now so you can at least look forward to that. My only grip about Lionel trains coming out of China is this issue with zinc rot. None of my Korea built locos are suffering from this and it has been only a few of my Chinese-built models which have had issues, but the issue does exist and replacement parts are not always available. I have a Lionel Southern PS4 which I inherited from my father back in 2011 and it was fine then. But two years ago< i finally got some shelves up and went to put it on a shelf but upon unwrapping, the tender trucks had crumbled and Lionel was out of stack so I had to go to MTH and get their trucks which were not as detailed as Lionel's, but they didn't suffer with this rot issue. Lionel dealt with zinc rot way back in 1937 with their first run of the 700E but it was readily addressed by 1938. I just feel like here in 2024, Chinese manufacturers should know of this and address it readily before manufacture begins. These models are beautiful with lots of detail but the issue of zinc rot does take some of the fun out of buying these models, even curtailing the decision to purchase at times. Does anyone have any MTH models which are made in Korea showing zinc rot? I suppose it could happen but I've never seen it. I remember first hand exactly what you said about items made in Japan, then Korea, now China, next (probably India). When Yamaha first introduced their French horns, they were frowned upon as being less than exceptable. Now, they rank among the finest on earth. Anyways, keep up the great work (it is work to do these videos and I and so many others do know and appreciate this.) Looking forward no to the next video presentations.
One thing I thoroughly enjoy from your videos is that you are real. You are honest. You tell it like it is and don’t make it political. It is a hobby that we should enjoy. When someone gets too strict and too prototypical, it’s no longer fun. Thanks for all you do.
Love your videos. Your channel, plus Toy Train Tips and Tricks, have encouraged me to get back into running my trains and expanding, and having fun without stressing prototypical realism. BTW, there are prototypical 3-rail trains-the NYC Subway system and the LIRR come to mind, because I've been on them.
Great video Eric! I've been watching you for years now and I love your healthy perspective on things. You are a Power Block in this crazy little world we enjoy and you make it better with your work and enthusiasm. Thank you!
Hey I have been watching your channel since 2014! Thanks for sharing your hobby and passion for what I consider a lost art amongst the younger generation, I am an HO collector myself although in recent years the hobby has taken a back seat to life. However, I must admit I miss your old content on days spent building your layout and the updates that went along with that. Never the less thank you! And merry Christmas
UA-cam gold! We're getting the best, most detailed models ever as three-railers, despite being a tiny fraction of overall model train enthusiasts with a relatively small numbers of manufacturers.
Thanks for sharing your hobby with us, Eric. In addition to the other factors that allow you to enjoy your hobby, you have a smart, attractive girlfriend that you share your hobby with. I did consumer development work for Tamiya and I've been together with my wife for 50 years. We actually share the modelling hobby together and I ve been lucky to find such a partner. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Eric, great video, wanted to say thanks for getting me into the hobby. Still learning a lot and you have been a fantastic help. Keep the wheels turning and know you have a fan for many videos to come.
Another great show. How about an Eric's Trains and Kitbashed Survival mashup? What trains and layout parts would you take with you in a fictional bug out scenario where the continuation of model railroading depended on what you would bring. And, what survival gear would you keep in the cab or caboose of a real world train going across Canada in the winter in case you got stuck for a week?
Eric. Good summary of your O-scale hobby. Your videos inspired me to start a O scale UA-cam channel as well. I try to respond positively to all my channel comments and I appreciate you taking on snarky/stupid comments. This is such a wonderful and fun hobby. If you don't want to spend money for new trains, used/older trains are usually great values. Thanks for being a great ambassador for our hobby.
Thank you very much for a candid video entertaining all sorts of questions and criticisms - your patience is impressive! Your content is a highlight of my day and I absolutely love seeing such a wide variety of engines / car combinations run on your impressive layout. I'm looking forward to all the holiday videos over the next week and can't wait to see the new 125th year Lionel catalog and your review of it!
Thank you for this video Eric. Our hobby boils down to one main thing for me. It takes me back to my childhood. I don’t know of many things that do that.
first off, your layout has been my inspiration since 2013 and i love the videos. 30:51 made me chuckle because we are grown men (and ladies) playing with toy trains…. it blows my mind how people get all tore up over how we have fun with our trains! 😂
Hey Eric good luck on your knee replacement. I had total replacement on my left knee one year ago on the 28th of November. It was really not bad at all, certainly not the trying experience I expected. The best advice I can give you comes straight from my surgeon…….get a good therapist a follow the PT to the letter. This makes all the difference in the final outcome. I don’t know your level of pain but in six weeks or so your knee is going to feel better than it has in years, don’t let that fool you it still needs to heal and adapt to your body. I was bone on bone for over twenty years in both knees. And I wish I would have done them sooner. Anyway good luck I’ll pray for recovery, long time fan of your videos.
Eric, your videos got me back into model trains. I remember most of my childhood was spent every weekend at my grandads house and in his basement playing trains. Once I got into my teenage years i grew out of it a bit. Now I'm in the military and wish I could've spent his last couple years closer to him an our shared interest. But now I am back in the hobby, just without a layout. I know one day I will build a layout for the trains ive started collecting and he can watch me play trains again. Merry Christmas and a happy new year Eric and I wish you continued success!
Ever since I got back into model railroading you've been my favorite model train UA-camr. On a football note, I gotta say it knowing my Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing your Georgia Bulldogs next Wednesday, sorry man, but Go Irish! Beat Bulldogs! Good thing your surgery is Tuesday so you can watch. It should be a good game man. I actually customized some of my trains and made myself a Notre Dame train.
Thanks for the great explanation of Tinplate. I’m a big tinplate fan and know the story, but I have to wonder how many people today actually understand the history of tinplate trains. I’m sure you enlightened some of them.
About Lionel's new tooling that they did in the past. I am BEYOND glad they took the time and effort to make a new Berkshire model for the Polar Express. I would have been fuming if they had taken a postwar berk and plastered the Polar Express's look over it. Glad they went with the much more expensive option. It paid off well in the end, as The Polar Express is one of Lionel's best selling sets of all time. P.S. PLEASE keep making more of these comment reaction videos. They're funny.
Thanks for the video. Hope you have a happy new year. Good luck on your knee replacement. I hope it goes well. I’d love for you to run the UP number 80 again. That’s my favorite piece that you have. Again happy new year and quick recovery.
Great video Eric. Been watching the channel since I found it back in 2019. Your videos have inspired me and my dad to return to the O gauge hobby after 13 years of “taking time off” from the hobby. By your product reviews and unboxings of various O gauge equipment, I think we have added 10 new pieces of rolling stock to the collection since then. Keep up the hard work man and thanks for the tips when it comes to cleaning and maintaining a layout. Just a question to ask but what type of handheld vaccum/ air dusters do you use and recommend for keeping the Engines and rolling stock from getting full of dust?
Hi Eric, Merry Christmas! Thanks for doing this video. I guess I am a little surprised as you have addressed many of these questions in your reviews over the years. 1st of all, it is nobody's business what your financial status is or how you can afford your trains? They are just jealous! 2ndly, I find your videos informative and entertaining. I really enjoyed the review on some of the higher end engines. I can't afford them all, however, I have been able to make some educated buys based on your reviews. Also, your lubrication analogy makes a lot of sense. I hope you and Lisa have a wonderful holiday season, and a speedy recovery on your knee replacement. Joe Gozzo
Eric, great video. I am sure that you get thousands of questions. I will ask one: What is your best open house story? Proud to be a premium nation member!
I had a visitor who filled up on leftover halloween candy we were giving out. Later that night he had a heart attack and had to go to the ER. He's still around, though. He's a great friend and we always have a laugh about that whenever we hang out.
Hey Eric, I would have said you're probably a lawyer lol! I too work hard and buy pretty much what I want. I'm HO/N but you've got a great channel, enjoy our wonderful hobby and good luck with the knee brother!
All of these are very good points and very true Eric. I left the M+M podcast server because that pack of assholes just would not stop shooting down my ideas left and right. Granted on some things I was misinformed previously and I admit to my mistakes. But the condescending attitudes of many of them towards me I simply wouldn't tolerate any longer. It wasn't a matter of me thinking I know more than they do, it was what I like to call Oak Ridge Boys syndrome. Getting a big head and letting your influence in whatever you do, hobbies ETC go to your head. A couple of the guys in there have done just that and I will not name anyone just to keep the B.S. to a minimum, but yeah I had to leave it. All it did was remind me of something told to me as a kid, don't tell people what you're gonna do. Let them sit back with their mouths open catching bugs after you've done it. Also, you're definitely very correct on the car analogy and it's pretty accurate to use as well. But I will say, a car from 1970, let's use a 1970 dodge super bee, can be made safer and more reliable. That is however thanks to new technology and the use of reinforcement metal to make the unibody stronger. Will that make that 70 super bee a better daily driver? Yes and no. Yes it'll make it better than what it was. But even with a modern hemi V8, it still won't get super great fuel economy.. well unless you put a diesel in it with the right transmission and rear end ratio. Then you'd be getting prius levels of fuel economy without lack of performance.
I feel your pain with the Jumbo MTH Eric. So to cope with never getting one, I bought this little static model of a B 52 (looks very similar to MTH’s model) by Del Prado. And it looks very nice ngl.
Great video Eric, good luck with the knee surgery, BTW I work at a manufacturing plant here in the US and we are already getting alot of our parts sourced in from India. I agree I think they will be the next in line after China for parts.
It really amazes me how some people can't get over how others enjoy the hobby differently than they do. Like bro its not that serious. Let people enjoy things lol. Btw Love the videos Eric been following for a long time!
Very informative video and well done. I agree with your comments and chuckled at what some are asking or writing. Duck Tape will not cure Stupid! Just a FYI. lol
Merry Christmas Eric look forward to your Christmas Bonanza every year when you have fun all year round with your layout Wish I had to space to make one myself but I don't I have this set I put around the Christmas tree every year and that's it
Hi Eric. Comment to your knee replace ment. Make sure its a whole knee not a halfknee. Speaking from expierence. Also take your meds and do the physico Work thru the pain. Dont stop. Even tho the first 24 to 48 hrs you will want to hurt someone real bad when you swing that knew knee off the bed for the first time . But dont worry after 6months the pain will go away . Good luck Bob
Congratulations on everything you've accomplished good luck with the upcoming surgery o by the way this will make you laugh I'm currently in Tampa Florida last week I'd had too tow a tesla using my 1970 f100
Eric, hope your surgery is successful! This isn't a question you addressed: I want to buy my dad a starter set (or at least a locomotive to get rolling). My great grandfather worked for UP. Do you have a suggestion for a strong pulling UP streamer in the Lionel O gauge line?
I was wondering you might know about the new Hiawatha 4-4-2 thats on Lionel’s website now. That’s probably my favorite loco ever and I hope to get my hands on one someday!
Do you think the semi scale side of O gauge will see a resurgence? Since MTH downsized it feels like Lionchief is the only high quality semi scale line that makes new releases. Also, in terms of steam locomotives, do you find Railsounds or Proto-Sound to have a more accurate chuff sound? I'm a big steam fan and I find sound quality to be a major factor in my decision making for buying locomotives.
Hey Eric great video. Good luck with the knee surgery. Quick question: i am starting a new layout with fasttrack. Would it be worthwhile to get the cab3 system from lionel since im planning to have a bigger layout with many trains?
I have a question for you Eric. Do you consider your trains an investment as well as a hobby? I come from the vintage sports card world and am just getting started in trains. I am only buying LionChief level stuff right now and see that there is not much of a resale value there with this level of train. Is that different with the higher end stuff? Do they retain their value or increase in value over time? I am just curious. For me, jumping in to the hobby is all about having fun and trying something new, but I am curious about how the resale market works. Thanks
The big reason I asked about the powermaster is because they have a switch built into the side that allows you to change between command control and conventional control so you can run older locomotives as if they were Legacy or TMCC without spending hundreds of dollars to convert them to something more manageable for the system. Speaking as someone who operates mostly conventional because of affordability and accessibility, it would be a shame to have a proto 1 locomotive with the most nostalgic whistle of all time, and have to convert it to TMCC and lose a significant part of the charm.
Thanks for the great Q&A. I am a bit shocked at the reasoning for China after my knowledge of what happened to jeep and other car manufacturer. I thought lionel simply couldn't afford to leave while using the casting that are in China.
Eric and viewers. For cleaning you may want to try Awesome, sold at the dollar store. No acid, no ammonia, no bleach and non flammable. John from Hayden ,Idaho
This past November at the Edison NJ show I was able to pick up some new-in-box Lionel O-Scale 50-foot box cars for $20.00, each.....I felt like I had just one the lottery or found these cars in a box at the end of a rainbow....I know what you mean about price.
Great video. One thing about made in China is that the U.S. is not the only country having everything made in China. Toy companies from Europe like Siku, Corgi, and Schleich have switched to China. Even Swiss watches can have a certain number of components made in China. China is capable of producing high quality products, and not every factory in China is using child labor as the images we often see in the media.
Hey everybody, sorry for the late update. This video took WAY longer to put together than I expected. Editing was rushed so please excuse any mistakes here or there. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eric
Merry Christmas Eric trains I wanna say your video was perfect and you did a great job on everything and explaining on every topic but I also want to say I'm an ho train guy and I personally enjoy your channel and the great work you done with the layout and channel I wanna say I don't care about being realistic on all my models I enjoy what I do and ik prices on new models are crazy but for what they offer is exceptional for the bells and whistles and I'm sorry some ppl have to leave not good comments to you and this hobby is about fun not being so strict on realism but there's always love in hobby I'm 23 but still do the ole power pack and track and I'm slowly learning dcc but trying to keep both worlds together and I want to wish you best of luck for you and keep doing what your doing, your videos never disappoint and again merry Christmas eric🎄🎁
No need to apologize, as long as it's posted and we get to hear from you and share your expertise with us 👍🏼
Really like your channel .. great content and you're one of the best at providing reviews of new engines and rolling stock. Many years ago worked for McKesson (General Medical at the time, Richmond VA) then worked for Owens & Minor (Gill Minor on the beach in the Bahamas, shorts, black socks and tennis shoes was an image). Both Co's before IT focus were razor thin margins.
Another enjoyable video Eric.
Thank you for keeping the hobby fun! You always speak in a realistic manner regarding the hobby and the products.
Truly appreciate it. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eric. Been watching you from the beginning enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the great work. You’re definitely the goat of all model railroaders. Looking forward to seeing more adventures in 2025.
Eric, while it was great to learn what you do and how you do it, your 110% correct, it’s no one’s business where your income and revenue stream comes from. But, thank you for being honest. Very refreshing
For the part where you were saying if model trains were supposed to be hyper-realistic or not, I like to think it’s up to what you desire most. Do you just wanna have fun, make a masterpiece, or both? I settled on both from my custom g scale locomotives, they’re based off locomotives from a British children’s book series from the mid 1940’s, but I love the resulting mix between fun toy trains and (slowly becoming more) realistic NorthWestern Railway locomotives. Steam and Diesel. I’m actually on my way to motorizing my first locomotive and giving it the correct passenger cars to go with it, hopefully for a very special video to kick off my new year. 😁🚂 BTW, I love the work into this video! I thought the replies to some of the criticisms are freaking hilarious!😂
I have a mix of both in my collection. The nice thing about less detailed models is that they're less expensive and arguably more durable (less fine detail parts to break).
Merry (late) Christmas, Eric! I've been watching your stuff for years, and I think you may have been the first model railroad youtuber I subscribed to. Your stuff is fantastic, even though I can't do a lot with the information (I do HO scale, so that's on me).
I'm glad you addressed the China complaint. My folks are from Taiwan, so we have ZERO love for the CCP. However, I think the models coming out of the factories in China are generally pretty good. Credit where credit is due some companies (most notably Scaletrains and Rapido), have gone so far as to have videos touring their factories in China. I think the quality control is what matters at that point.
On that note, my Aunt runs a toy retail business that has factories and warehouses in China, and she can tell you that dealing with the CCP comes with A LOT of headaches. I can imagine model train companies deal with similar problems. From the way my mom and my Aunt talk the cost might be the only real advantage of being in China. Everything else sounds like a logistical and legal nightmare.
Lastly, I find that 3 rail complaint from the Dutch guy funny. One of the major companies in Europe is Marklin, a German company that does HO scale trains. Thing is, they require a proprietary 3-rail system, which is not even remotely standard in that scale. That also makes it harder when browsing for European model trains because now you have to consider whether something runs on DC or AC power, never mind sound, digital control, and curve radius. At least for Lionel and MTH, the 3 rails are standard in O gauge. So I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish.
Hi Eric. Last night, I got to watch this video in full, uninterrupted and it was great. So sorry about your upcoming knee surgery. I have a colleague who had a knee replacement two years ago and he said though his recovery was tedious and even painful, now, it was definitely worth it because it's good now so you can at least look forward to that. My only grip about Lionel trains coming out of China is this issue with zinc rot. None of my Korea built locos are suffering from this and it has been only a few of my Chinese-built models which have had issues, but the issue does exist and replacement parts are not always available. I have a Lionel Southern PS4 which I inherited from my father back in 2011 and it was fine then. But two years ago< i finally got some shelves up and went to put it on a shelf but upon unwrapping, the tender trucks had crumbled and Lionel was out of stack so I had to go to MTH and get their trucks which were not as detailed as Lionel's, but they didn't suffer with this rot issue. Lionel dealt with zinc rot way back in 1937 with their first run of the 700E but it was readily addressed by 1938. I just feel like here in 2024, Chinese manufacturers should know of this and address it readily before manufacture begins. These models are beautiful with lots of detail but the issue of zinc rot does take some of the fun out of buying these models, even curtailing the decision to purchase at times. Does anyone have any MTH models which are made in Korea showing zinc rot? I suppose it could happen but I've never seen it. I remember first hand exactly what you said about items made in Japan, then Korea, now China, next (probably India). When Yamaha first introduced their French horns, they were frowned upon as being less than exceptable. Now, they rank among the finest on earth. Anyways, keep up the great work (it is work to do these videos and I and so many others do know and appreciate this.) Looking forward no to the next video presentations.
One thing I thoroughly enjoy from your videos is that you are real. You are honest. You tell it like it is and don’t make it political. It is a hobby that we should enjoy. When someone gets too strict and too prototypical, it’s no longer fun. Thanks for all you do.
Great video Eric!! Keep up the great work!! Would love more videos similar to this one!
Thanks for all you do Eric! Good luck with the new knee!
Love your videos. Your channel, plus Toy Train Tips and Tricks, have encouraged me to get back into running my trains and expanding, and having fun without stressing prototypical realism. BTW, there are prototypical 3-rail trains-the NYC Subway system and the LIRR come to mind, because I've been on them.
I love listening to this guy talk about trains
Merry Christmas. YOU HAVE A GREAT Channel 👍. IT'S GREAT FOR O SCALE TRAINS.
Great video Eric! I've been watching you for years now and I love your healthy perspective on things. You are a Power Block in this crazy little world we enjoy and you make it better with your work and enthusiasm. Thank you!
Merry Christmas Eric! Thank you for all the great videos!
Hey I have been watching your channel since 2014! Thanks for sharing your hobby and passion for what I consider a lost art amongst the younger generation, I am an HO collector myself although in recent years the hobby has taken a back seat to life. However, I must admit I miss your old content on days spent building your layout and the updates that went along with that. Never the less thank you! And merry Christmas
UA-cam gold! We're getting the best, most detailed models ever as three-railers, despite being a tiny fraction of overall model train enthusiasts with a relatively small numbers of manufacturers.
Thanks for sharing your hobby with us, Eric. In addition to the other factors that allow you to enjoy your hobby, you have a smart, attractive girlfriend that you share your hobby with. I did consumer development work for Tamiya and I've been together with my wife for 50 years. We actually share the modelling hobby together and I ve been lucky to find such a partner.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Eric, great video, wanted to say thanks for getting me into the hobby. Still learning a lot and you have been a fantastic help. Keep the wheels turning and know you have a fan for many videos to come.
Another great show.
How about an Eric's Trains and Kitbashed Survival mashup? What trains and layout parts would you take with you in a fictional bug out scenario where the continuation of model railroading depended on what you would bring. And, what survival gear would you keep in the cab or caboose of a real world train going across Canada in the winter in case you got stuck for a week?
Eric. Good summary of your O-scale hobby. Your videos inspired me to start a O scale UA-cam channel as well. I try to respond positively to all my channel comments and I appreciate you taking on snarky/stupid comments. This is such a wonderful and fun hobby. If you don't want to spend money for new trains, used/older trains are usually great values. Thanks for being a great ambassador for our hobby.
Thank you very much for a candid video entertaining all sorts of questions and criticisms - your patience is impressive! Your content is a highlight of my day and I absolutely love seeing such a wide variety of engines / car combinations run on your impressive layout. I'm looking forward to all the holiday videos over the next week and can't wait to see the new 125th year Lionel catalog and your review of it!
Thank you for this video Eric. Our hobby boils down to one main thing for me. It takes me back to my childhood. I don’t know of many things that do that.
first off, your layout has been my inspiration since 2013 and i love the videos. 30:51 made me chuckle because we are grown men (and ladies) playing with toy trains…. it blows my mind how people get all tore up over how we have fun with our trains! 😂
Great info Eric! I always enjoy your videos! Wishing you a most happy holiday season and best of luck with your knee replacement! !
Merry Christmas love the channel all the reviews you do a great job and thank you for doing it
Jamie Case
Thank you for the video, and Happy New Year.
Really enjoyed this. It was perfect to watch while messing around with my new laptop
Merry Christmas. I appreciate all of your efforts. Your videos are top notch.
Here's a question: What train is the inspiration for your logo?
Hey Eric good luck on your knee replacement. I had total replacement on my left knee one year ago on the 28th of November. It was really not bad at all, certainly not the trying experience I expected. The best advice I can give you comes straight from my surgeon…….get a good therapist a follow the PT to the letter. This makes all the difference in the final outcome. I don’t know your level of pain but in six weeks or so your knee is going to feel better than it has in years, don’t let that fool you it still needs to heal and adapt to your body. I was bone on bone for over twenty years in both knees. And I wish I would have done them sooner. Anyway good luck I’ll pray for recovery, long time fan of your videos.
Eric, your videos got me back into model trains. I remember most of my childhood was spent every weekend at my grandads house and in his basement playing trains. Once I got into my teenage years i grew out of it a bit. Now I'm in the military and wish I could've spent his last couple years closer to him an our shared interest. But now I am back in the hobby, just without a layout. I know one day I will build a layout for the trains ive started collecting and he can watch me play trains again. Merry Christmas and a happy new year Eric and I wish you continued success!
Ever since I got back into model railroading you've been my favorite model train UA-camr. On a football note, I gotta say it knowing my Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing your Georgia Bulldogs next Wednesday, sorry man, but Go Irish! Beat Bulldogs! Good thing your surgery is Tuesday so you can watch. It should be a good game man. I actually customized some of my trains and made myself a Notre Dame train.
Thanks for the great explanation of Tinplate. I’m a big tinplate fan and know the story, but I have to wonder how many people today actually understand the history of tinplate trains. I’m sure you enlightened some of them.
I do hope I did!
About Lionel's new tooling that they did in the past. I am BEYOND glad they took the time and effort to make a new Berkshire model for the Polar Express. I would have been fuming if they had taken a postwar berk and plastered the Polar Express's look over it. Glad they went with the much more expensive option. It paid off well in the end, as The Polar Express is one of Lionel's best selling sets of all time.
P.S. PLEASE keep making more of these comment reaction videos. They're funny.
Thanks for the great content Eric! Have FUN! Happy Holidays!
Thanks Eric, Merry Christmas! Good luck with your surgery, do PT asap, all the best.
What a great video Eric!!! Thanks for sharing your more….colorful comments, hahaha!
I really enjoyed your Q&A very informative you have an extraordinary impressive train layout 👍🏻✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️
Thanks for the video. Hope you have a happy new year. Good luck on your knee replacement. I hope it goes well. I’d love for you to run the UP number 80 again. That’s my favorite piece that you have. Again happy new year and quick recovery.
YOU LOOK GREAT AND YOU APPEAR TO BE VERY HAPPY. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2025! And Happy 125th Anniversary, Lionel!
Eric! Fantastic video! Wouldn’t mind it if you made these kinda behind the scenes videos pertaining to your channel, Lionel the hobby more often.
Great video Eric. Been watching the channel since I found it back in 2019. Your videos have inspired me and my dad to return to the O gauge hobby after 13 years of “taking time off” from the hobby. By your product reviews and unboxings of various O gauge equipment, I think we have added 10 new pieces of rolling stock to the collection since then. Keep up the hard work man and thanks for the tips when it comes to cleaning and maintaining a layout. Just a question to ask but what type of handheld vaccum/ air dusters do you use and recommend for keeping the Engines and rolling stock from getting full of dust?
Good luck with your upcoming operation. Happy new year
Good luck on your replacement, I am getting mine on Feb. 26th
Hi Eric, Merry Christmas! Thanks for doing this video. I guess I am a little surprised as you have addressed many of these questions in your reviews over the years. 1st of all, it is nobody's business what your financial status is or how you can afford your trains? They are just jealous! 2ndly, I find your videos informative and entertaining. I really enjoyed the review on some of the higher end engines. I can't afford them all, however, I have been able to make some educated buys based on your reviews. Also, your lubrication analogy makes a lot of sense. I hope you and Lisa have a wonderful holiday season, and a speedy recovery on your knee replacement.
Joe Gozzo
Eric, great video. I am sure that you get thousands of questions. I will ask one: What is your best open house story? Proud to be a premium nation member!
I had a visitor who filled up on leftover halloween candy we were giving out. Later that night he had a heart attack and had to go to the ER. He's still around, though. He's a great friend and we always have a laugh about that whenever we hang out.
That must have been stressful! Wow!@@Ericstrains
Merry Christmas, best of luck in your surgery!
I had both knees replaced…the key is good PT after the surgery. Merry Christmas and Godspeed!
Hey Eric, I would have said you're probably a lawyer lol! I too work hard and buy pretty much what I want. I'm HO/N but you've got a great channel, enjoy our wonderful hobby and good luck with the knee brother!
All of these are very good points and very true Eric. I left the M+M podcast server because that pack of assholes just would not stop shooting down my ideas left and right. Granted on some things I was misinformed previously and I admit to my mistakes. But the condescending attitudes of many of them towards me I simply wouldn't tolerate any longer. It wasn't a matter of me thinking I know more than they do, it was what I like to call Oak Ridge Boys syndrome. Getting a big head and letting your influence in whatever you do, hobbies ETC go to your head. A couple of the guys in there have done just that and I will not name anyone just to keep the B.S. to a minimum, but yeah I had to leave it. All it did was remind me of something told to me as a kid, don't tell people what you're gonna do. Let them sit back with their mouths open catching bugs after you've done it. Also, you're definitely very correct on the car analogy and it's pretty accurate to use as well. But I will say, a car from 1970, let's use a 1970 dodge super bee, can be made safer and more reliable. That is however thanks to new technology and the use of reinforcement metal to make the unibody stronger. Will that make that 70 super bee a better daily driver? Yes and no. Yes it'll make it better than what it was. But even with a modern hemi V8, it still won't get super great fuel economy.. well unless you put a diesel in it with the right transmission and rear end ratio. Then you'd be getting prius levels of fuel economy without lack of performance.
I feel your pain with the Jumbo MTH Eric. So to cope with never getting one, I bought this little static model of a B 52 (looks very similar to MTH’s model) by Del Prado. And it looks very nice ngl.
Great video Eric, good luck with the knee surgery, BTW I work at a manufacturing plant here in the US and we are already getting alot of our parts sourced in from India. I agree I think they will be the next in line after China for parts.
Great video, especially the 2nd half. Haters and stupid people will always have their say. Keep on keeping on.
Thanks eric for the video. Proud to be a patreon
I personally like O gauge trains. What MTH, Lionel, and Atlas did making them to O scale proportions was a great thing.
Great video. Seems most people don't understand the definition of fun.
Thanks for the tip on oil and the time you take making your videos.😁👍👍
It really amazes me how some people can't get over how others enjoy the hobby differently than they do. Like bro its not that serious. Let people enjoy things lol. Btw Love the videos Eric been following for a long time!
Very informative video and well done. I agree with your comments and chuckled at what some are asking or writing. Duck Tape will not cure Stupid! Just a FYI. lol
Merry Christmas Eric look forward to your Christmas Bonanza every year when you have fun all year round with your layout
Wish I had to space to make one myself but I don't
I have this set I put around the Christmas tree every year and that's it
Thank you. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays Eric🎄🎄🎄🦃🦃🎁🎁💙
Good luck on your surgery cuz. My mom had dual replacement. It really helped her
Hi Eric. Comment to your knee replace ment. Make sure its a whole knee not a halfknee. Speaking from expierence. Also take your meds and do the physico Work thru the pain. Dont stop. Even tho the first 24 to 48 hrs you will want to hurt someone real bad when you swing that knew knee off the bed for the first time . But dont worry after 6months the pain will go away . Good luck
Bob
Congratulations on everything you've accomplished good luck with the upcoming surgery o by the way this will make you laugh I'm currently in Tampa Florida last week I'd had too tow a tesla using my 1970 f100
Merry Christmas Eric
I agree with you on replying with smart remarks. I'd do the same thing. Some People really think they know everything sometimes, lol
Great video hope surgery goes well . Do you have a Burlington 2328 ?
I love the trains behind you
Eric, hope your surgery is successful! This isn't a question you addressed: I want to buy my dad a starter set (or at least a locomotive to get rolling). My great grandfather worked for UP. Do you have a suggestion for a strong pulling UP streamer in the Lionel O gauge line?
I was wondering you might know about the new Hiawatha 4-4-2 thats on Lionel’s website now. That’s probably my favorite loco ever and I hope to get my hands on one someday!
Yep, I’m here. That one comment was WIIILLLLLDDDD. Can’t believe that lol.
Cool video well said
22:07 as a 17 year old, 90% of my collection is postwar locomotives. Us young modelers LOVE postwar👍
Crap I just realized 35:30 was my comment. embarrassing! It was the T1
Here's a new question, fot the next Q&A if you could own only 1 model trainset what would it be?...mine would be the Marx sound o power.
Do you think the semi scale side of O gauge will see a resurgence? Since MTH downsized it feels like Lionchief is the only high quality semi scale line that makes new releases.
Also, in terms of steam locomotives, do you find Railsounds or Proto-Sound to have a more accurate chuff sound? I'm a big steam fan and I find sound quality to be a major factor in my decision making for buying locomotives.
Hey Eric great video. Good luck with the knee surgery. Quick question: i am starting a new layout with fasttrack. Would it be worthwhile to get the cab3 system from lionel since im planning to have a bigger layout with many trains?
Eric do you do all the maintenance yourself on the trains. Etc board repairs ,smoke units ,upgrades ? Can you recommend a technician?
I have a question for you Eric. Do you consider your trains an investment as well as a hobby? I come from the vintage sports card world and am just getting started in trains. I am only buying LionChief level stuff right now and see that there is not much of a resale value there with this level of train. Is that different with the higher end stuff? Do they retain their value or increase in value over time? I am just curious. For me, jumping in to the hobby is all about having fun and trying something new, but I am curious about how the resale market works. Thanks
Have you ever seen the 3rd rail Virginian AE and what are your thoughts on it?
The big reason I asked about the powermaster is because they have a switch built into the side that allows you to change between command control and conventional control so you can run older locomotives as if they were Legacy or TMCC without spending hundreds of dollars to convert them to something more manageable for the system.
Speaking as someone who operates mostly conventional because of affordability and accessibility, it would be a shame to have a proto 1 locomotive with the most nostalgic whistle of all time, and have to convert it to TMCC and lose a significant part of the charm.
Are you going to review any locomotives in this bonanza?
Thanks for the great Q&A.
I am a bit shocked at the reasoning for China after my knowledge of what happened to jeep and other car manufacturer. I thought lionel simply couldn't afford to leave while using the casting that are in China.
Great video 😎🚂🚋🚃🚋🚃🚋🚃👍
Commenting on every Ericstrains video #894! 😁😁
Merry Christmas
Eric and viewers. For cleaning you may want to try Awesome, sold at the dollar store. No acid, no ammonia, no bleach and non flammable.
John from Hayden ,Idaho
Great info Eric👍👍👍
Thanks! 👍
Will we see a video of the new Legacy C&O F19 during the 8 days?
This past November at the Edison NJ show I was able to pick up some new-in-box Lionel O-Scale 50-foot box cars for $20.00, each.....I felt like I had just one the lottery or found these cars in a box at the end of a rainbow....I know what you mean about price.
26:43 😂😂 had to clear that up give. Recent events I suppose
I'm praying for your knees surgery. But I have to make the joke. Pov: That feeling when knee surgery is tomorrow.
Nice video
Great video. One thing about made in China is that the U.S. is not the only country having everything made in China. Toy companies from Europe like Siku, Corgi, and Schleich have switched to China. Even Swiss watches can have a certain number of components made in China. China is capable of producing high quality products, and not every factory in China is using child labor as the images we often see in the media.
Let’s start the infrastructure to make these items here. If India is next we should be on that line
It would be nice if someone made a new model of the BP20 pennsy sharks!
Yeah
Will Lionel ever make the Command Legacy Remote's again?
People are always so critical of Lionel