What a great and a much appreciated re-issue.

It is nice, except for the trucks which are hideous. Shame they cannot replicate the originals.

PRRDave

Glad you like it. I received my operating NYC box car and am generally pleased as well. The only thing odd is how the pick-up foot is engineered backwards - - it has no give when you (or the op-car track's 3rd rail) push up on it, but it does give some when you push down on it (which never happens). Gilbert's were made to have the spring give some when the foot encounters the rail. Lionel's lift that side of truck up off the rails - - just a bit, not enough derail. The spring it appears is only there for electrical purposes (to ensure continuty between the foot and the post from which the lead wire extends), but not for any mechanical relief purposes.

Yeah I noticed that about the pickup arm. Its also rather flimsy and sharp. I am not sure why Lionel strugles so much to just copy Gilberts truck and coupler design.

I cut mine a bit shorter so it doesn't stick out so far any more (no longer past the edge of S-trax roadbed) and painted it satin black (the top surface) so it's not so noticeable.