...says the wife. I just picked up a brand new 2006 (year) Lionel Southern engine number 1404 (I think) Just had it on the tracks for a few hours. Yes it is 4:20 am here, got to head to bed.

Nonetheless, bar none, I, in my opinion, think this is the best O scale engine I have ever seen (from Lionel), with a higher detail level than JLC engines. It even has two "ropes", one for the front mounted bell, and one for the steam whistle. I truly have not seen so much added on detail on a Lionel engine. I think you could be fooled into thinking this is a brass engine until you pick it up.

Pistons on this engine are awesome! Ditto for piping detail, and pipe WRAP!
Dual fat boys in the tender, excellent paint all around, and the closet feature set you could get to a Legacy Engine without being one -- 3 adjustable levels of smoke output, changing dialogs, 15 levels of chuff, tons more. CAB light, figures, painted handles inside and outside the cab.

I suck at putting up picture, but I'll try when I wake up tomorrow. Wish we could post full res pics. That is what ALWAYS screw up my photos...the conversion to match the board.

Very interested in hearing other commens, and love the whitewall wheels which are HUGE drivers.

Good Night ALL!

So what color is it? Just kidding...I think this is the Southern PS-4 you just picked up. I saw this a couple of years ago and found it an extremely attractive locomotive. I don't have any Southern equipment but this has always been on my wish list because I loved it so much. My favorite color happens to be green. I really want a Crescent Limited though!!

Congratulations on your acquisition, Don!

I too have had my eye on this locomotive ever since it first appeared in a catalogue. I just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Your post might just be the mommentum I need.

If I can find the locomotive and the passenger cars that had been introduced with it for a descent price, I'm in.