Look what the O scalers get.

[Joetrain59]

Englewood, same thoughts here about the passenger cars.
 $2200! I don't want to hear anymore bitchin' about N scale loco prices. );
 Joe D

[peteski]

While the smoke from the stacks and even whistle in this Big Boy was impressive, the best scale-smoke I have seen in a model is a pair of Gauge 1 (1:32) German steam locos.  They even simulate the blowdown steam from the cylinders, and even some steam escaping from the area under the cab.

[JMaurer1]

The whistle smoke IS cool, but I'm not a fan of sound either. One loco with sound is okay, but it just becomes noise after you get 3-4 with sound. Also, where do you run something like that? There was a time when (it seemed) that every fairground had a large O scale layout (I remember looking forward to the fair just to see the LA county fair layouts...the G scale outside and the O scale under the stands for the horse racing track, but the O scale layout left years ago). Where I live now in Nor Cal, the HO and N scale groups were just forced out of the local fairgrounds. If there's no room for N scale, there's REALLY no room for O. A two car garage now becomes a small O scale layout...

[davefoxx]

Sound on diesels is music to my ears, but I turn it down.  Way down.  I’m running my sound units at about 30% of factory settings.  Otherwise, I can agree it would be too much and become annoying.

DFF

[SkipGear]

While the smoke from the stacks and even whistle in this Big Boy was impressive, the best scale-smoke I have seen in a model is a pair of Gauge 1 (1:32) German steam locos.  They even simulate the blowdown steam from the cylinders, and even some steam escaping from the area under the cab.

Lionel in previous years has had versions that would do blow down steam and other random bits of steam escaping. Surprised this one doesn't.

[Skeebo]

     Eh, the problem in O is the compromises you have to make, Lionel is famous for that. Back in 85' we took a trip to Allied Model Trains in L.A. where there was a Proto:48 painted brass big boy in the display case for $4,200 bucks with a sold sign on it. The guy that bought it was lucky as the next years model would cost a lot more. That loco was accurate and the details were flawless and to scale. 
    To me, no matter how much sound and smoke it makes, Lionel are toy trains.

     Jim

[peteski]

Sound on diesels is music to my ears, but I turn it down.  Way down.  I’m running my sound units at about 30% of factory settings.  Otherwise, I can agree it would be too much and become annoying.

DFF

What?! No subwoofer or "Sound of Thunder ^TM" under your layout?  No no gut-shaking bass from your model diesels?  I'm with you on that!  Sound has to scale too.

[MK]

What?! No subwoofer or "Sound of Thunder ^TM" under your layout?  No no gut-shaking bass from your model diesels?  I'm with you on that!  Sound has to scale too.

That's only when you get older and half your hearing is gone.   

[Mike C]

Dave you just had to play the triplex card.

[k27463]

Ha! We sorta have that situation already with a local guy who does something similar, but with a G scale Big Boy (maybe it's a Challenger?) and other noisy, smoky models. But wait, there's more! - he's a TRW semi-regular. Oh. Hi, Robbie. Just tweaking you.   

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

It's an MTH Big Boy -- they somehow engineered the thing so it goes around relatively standard large scale curves.  It's a great train show engine, but outside of that it's a bit useless on the average layout -- you need a lot of overhang and MTH's goofy control system.

Here's a -very- old video of the beast with a full head of steam:

I've since moved on to other large scale projects, such as fitting actual DCC decoders in locomotives; no smoke in those, and modern higher quality sound.

I also started customizing HO locos and adding tons of lights -- maybe one day I'll do a Big Boy with all those inspection lights.

It's only time and money 

[jbonkowski]

     Eh, the problem in O is the compromises you have to make, Lionel is famous for that. Back in 85' we took a trip to Allied Model Trains in L.A. where there was a Proto:48 painted brass big boy in the display case for $4,200 bucks with a sold sign on it. The guy that bought it was lucky as the next years model would cost a lot more. That loco was accurate and the details were flawless and to scale. 
    To me, no matter how much sound and smoke it makes, Lionel are toy trains.

     Jim

No matter how detailed the engine looks on a straight piece of track, when it goes around a curve with overhang like that, it just looks like a toy to me.