# Fantasy Engines



## Guest (Oct 4, 2015)

There has been a history of train manufacturers supplying us with fantasy engines, either with a fantasy paint scheme or a complete fantasy package like the Phantom Series. I for one like them. 

Last year when Lionel cataloged the Daylight version of the Cab Forward, I immediately liked it, a lot. The Daylight colors only serve to enhance a beautiful engine. What was remarkable about this was the Daylight version outsold all of the other "real world" paint schemes. 

It will be interesting to learn how you feel about fantasy engines. Do you like them? Do you own any? Many of us know an individual from another planet (let's call it the world of the fantasy haters) who came close to having a stroke when the Daylight was announced (LOL). Fortunately, the MTF members are far more polite in expressing their opinions.

Tell me what you think.

View attachment 84658


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## njrailer93 (Nov 28, 2011)

i do enjoy the fantasy engines. i have a Norfolk Southern sd70ace with the New York central heritage paint scheme and i love it.


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

I have a lot of fantasy engines, mainly because I like Lionel livery items..orange and blue. Something about that color scheme captivates me. Pure fantasy and what-if paint schemes are interesting and fun to me.

I love the look of the Daylight Cab-Forward. It is a beautiful what-if. Seriously it is something the SP should have had. Funny, the cab-forward is one of my favorite real life locomotives, but I never cared to have one in Southern Pacific lettering. It just doesn't fit my territory.

A LionMaster cab-forward found its way to me many years ago. I purchased it second hand and immediately changed the lettering...


...and its auxiliary tender carries my own road name...


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Among "fantasy" locos produced by Lionel, MTH, etc., by repainting models of real locos, I liked the Baldwin Sharks in Daylight that were produced a couple of years back. I understand that was a fantasy scheme, that Southern Pacific never had any Sharks (I could be wrong though). Regardless, the Baldwin Sharks looked very good in daylight: their shape and upper faceted body fits that paint scheme well.

I suppose my favorite fantasy in terms of paint scheme on a real loco is my Union Pacific Greyhound N&W J. Shown below. It is a particularly handsome loco. The UP paint scheme suits it well.








A fantasy in terms of the loco itself never existed anywhere is my model of the never-built 6-4-4-4 "Steamliner" Baldwin proposed to build for Santa Fe in the late 1940s, for the Super Chief. It is fantasy in that it was never built, and more: had Baldwin built it, they would nt doubt have put a Shark-like cab on it to make sure there was a family identity to it, but I like EMD's cab shape better. 







Finally, in the photo above you can see part of a fantasy train: some of the cars from the fictional Lionel 1947 V-1 Missile Defense System Train Set I made so I could take pictures of it for my book on Veranda Turbine (the cars and loco are labeled Gp 148). I have not run it in about a year, but had a lot of fun making all the operating cars.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

I like them when done tastefully, such as the SP cab forward. 
My line of thinking is this:
When I was a kid, my Dad used cruppled up newspaper and camo. fabric to simulate scenery. With a 8 year old imagination, it looked real. While I've learned to do much better scenery, I retained that 8 year old imagination, which serves me well. I've often thought "what if the railroad I model had survived?" What would the motive power and rolling stock look like in the 50's? Even considered repainting a geep into what I imagine my railroad would have done. 

I live in a "grown-up" world now, with a job, mortgage, bills, and all the problems/advantages that go with it. Once a week or so, I get to be 8 years old again, and imagine times past and what might have been.


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Sometimes I re-letter or strip and paint a locomotive to make it fit my theme of Lionel Lines or roads that ran in Michigan and Ohio. Repaints of what-ifs are fun. I'm a fan of Lionel LionMaster steam locomotives so when I came across a secondhand N&W A Class at a steal, I jumped on it. Just prior to that, I had purchased an eight car sRailKing Army passenger set. Painting the A Class as an Army locomotive became my project.

I know the Army did not have an engine painted this way, but I do and I love the way it came out. Dry transfer lettering and stars were easy to find for it.







This one was so easy to disassemble and paint. The only thing I couldn't remove was the whistle. A good tape job preserved it just fine.


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## HarborBelt1970 (Sep 24, 2015)

I'm also in favor of fantasy schemes but not only on engines. I have a set of MTH Chicago South Shore & South Bend Madison passenger cars. Although made of plastic they are beautifully finished and are pulled behind a CSS&SB 801 Little Joe. As far as I can recall the railroad never had such cars and its Little Joes were exclusively freight engines. Nonetheless I like them and so do my spectators/visitors, the majority of whom are not model train enthusiasts.

On the other forum I've already posted photos of my SP Daylight cab forward fantasy excursion train but for practice I will try adding one here:









I have one serious fantasy project on the go, which I hope to complete and post about later this month or early next. That is also fantasy rolling stock namely a Lionel 21" aluminum Texas Special observation car I am equipping with a full interior. This will not be prototypical but my idea of what a fully equipped bar lounge car should or could look like!


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## davidone (Apr 20, 2015)

I love the fantasy schemes and your daylight cab forward Brian is amazing. I picked up a blow out from Charlie Ro on the legacy EM1 with whistle steam but the road name I did not like. So I changed the tender lettering to Union Pacific.

When I posted a picture on the other site you would have thought I committed a sin. 

But I liked it and that is all that counts.


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## AndyH (Sep 21, 2015)

I like a well-done fantasy scheme. The Daylight Cab Forward is a beautiful example. I wish I could have bought one (no room in budget at the time). It is the only cab forward that ever interested me.

Andy


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## davidone (Apr 20, 2015)

I have suggested to MTH that they do some of their fantasy schemes like the Halloween Es44ac in Ho. Not for everybody but I think some of them are interesting.


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## Kmac (Sep 19, 2015)

I like the fantasy anything. Personally I think the fantasy is what this hobby is all about. My next purchase might be a Williams by Bachmann N&W J class with a Santa Fe Blue Goose paint scheme to go with some aluminum Blue Goose passenger cars I have. I know the real Blue Goose was a 4-6-4 but this is a really nice engine and the paint matches my cars to a T.










Keaton


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## Laidoffsick (Sep 20, 2015)

Not my thing. I stick to stuff that really exist, or did at one time. I have too many things on my "want list" to spend my $$$ on fantasy stuff.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Kmac said:


> I like the fantasy anything. Personally I think the fantasy is what this hobby is all about. My next purchase might be a Williams by Bachmann N&W J class with a Santa Fe Blue Goose paint scheme to go with some aluminum Blue Goose passenger cars I have. I know the real Blue Goose was a 4-6-4 but this is a really nice engine and the paint matches my cars to a T.
> 
> 
> View attachment 84810
> ...


First, I agree that the hobby is so much about fantasy. 

Second, that is a cool loco and train. I love the Blue Goose and I missed the fact that Bachman had a blue goose version of their J. 

Great idea!


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Bob Ross said "It's your world so make it what you want" Most of my collection are scale models but I do own some fantasy cars. No fantasy engines yet. I have a set of Warner Brothers Looney Tunes cars that I plan to make an engine for. I also made a bunch of fantasy cars for my kids when they were younger, including New Kids on the Block and Beauty and the beast. John at my club has a beautiful set of hand made Disney cars. Do what makes you feel good that's the beauty of the hobby.


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

I've never been a fan of the Cab Forward, but I have to admit I like it in the Daylight colors. 

Being a tinplate guy, just about everything I own is fantasy. Even Lionel's prewar Blue Comet was fantasy. It's blue, and the coaches have the same names as the real train, but that's about it for similarities.


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2015)

John, this all started with the Tinplate "thing". You are in good company!!!!


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## arkady (May 15, 2013)

The only "fantasy" locomotives that would really interest me would be modern locomotives lettered and painted for fallen-flag roads. In my case, that would be NYC, PRR and RDG, but no doubt others would have their own favorites.

Planned but never built locomotives like the successor to the PRR's S2 steam turbine would be interesting, too.


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## Mario_S (Sep 22, 2015)

arkady said:


> The only "fantasy" locomotives that would really interest me would be modern locomotives lettered and painted for fallen-flag roads. In my case, that would be NYC, PRR and RDG, but no doubt others would have their own favorites.
> 
> Planned but never built locomotives like the successor to the PRR's S2 steam turbine would be interesting, too.


I drew pictures of this when I was a kid, modern six-axle (back in the 80's anyway), and always wanted to do the same thing... except someone did it!






and also from Matt's FB collection; how many different fantasy schemes can you spot?









Thanks,
Mario


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## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

I like fantasy engines. I really like the paint scheme on the SP Daylight cab forward. If I had the space for it, I might have purchased one. Brian, I remember you posted a thread on the other forum about what influences your purchasing decision on engines. The consensus was color. For many it was their favorite color. In my opinion owning all black steam engines or all engines in the same color is boring! Fantasy paint schemes on engines liven up my collection. 

I particularly like the Southern Railroad because many of their engines are green and my favorite color is green. Before Norfolk Southern came out with their Heritage units, Lionel created their own fantasy heritage units. This past summer I was able to purchase Lionel’s SD70ACe NS Southern Heritage unit to match my matching rolling stock in my collection. Below is my video of NS Southern SD70ACe.


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## Chris Lonero (Sep 13, 2015)

One of my favorites!


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## 86TA355SR (Feb 27, 2015)

davidone said:


> I love the fantasy schemes and your daylight cab forward Brian is amazing. I picked up a blow out from Charlie Ro on the legacy EM1 with whistle steam but the road name I did not like. So I changed the tender lettering to Union Pacific.
> 
> When I posted a picture on the other site you would have thought I committed a sin.
> 
> But I liked it and that is all that counts.


*Dave, *
The EM1 looked very nice and tastefully done in the UP. I remember _that_ thread and posted publicly I was glad to see someone think outside the box/do something different. The argument that soon errupted over the font style/color I found childish-not surprised it was the same jokers stirring the pot-over a fantasy scheme... 

*Brian*, I like some of the fantasy schemes. The Daylight CF is a beautiful model-it looks like a real locomotive used during the steam era. Lionel nailed it, IMO.

The fantasy scheme I really want/missed was the* UP 4-12-2*, in *TTG Grey*. It's impossible to find now, there must've been a low production. The Pilot and 'weathered' versions are common compared to it. 

*Lee,*
Always enjoy your 'fantasy' models.


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

First, let me preface my answer by saying I've never seen a train in any scale I didn't like.

As far as fantasy trains, I can't say I don't like them but I prefer to buy prototypical trains most often. There are exceptions that I have bought, such as the Lionel built Nathan's Hot Dog reefers and Christmas freight cars with an MTH Imperial Railking Christmas ES44 with charging lights.

Although I wasn't in the market for another Cab Forward, the daylight model is really nice. And I hope at some point to get a scale Polar Express set.


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2015)

Indeed Lionel nailed the Daylight Cab Forward. When you combine this engine wit the K-Line 21" Daylight passenger cars set. it is a beautiful thing.


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## bluecomet400 (Sep 13, 2015)

How about a "Double Fantasty" engine?? This little 236W passenger set is already a fantasy train as nothing like it ever really existed--but I love it just the same. I have this set, but it's awaiting a full restoration. Dad & I had planned to repaint it in a color scheme completely different from anything Lionel ever did back in the prewar years, but never got to it. 

Brian, you just gave me an idea: painting this little passenger set in SP Daylight colors. MTH has done a similar set in Chessie colors, but to my knowledge Daylight hasn't been done yet. I might just try it.


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## J. S. Bach (Sep 20, 2015)

Mario_S said:


> I ...snip... and also from Matt's FB collection; how many different fantasy schemes can you spot? Thanks, Mario


The SPSF is not a true fantasy scheme, at least one motor was painted that way after the merger attempt was announced; an SD40-2, I think but don't hold me to that. Athearn released a model in that scheme but they are quite hard to find. I did get lucky and find a MDC boxcar painted SPSF.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

I absolutely love the fantasy engines. There are some I'm love to see that were prototype's that never went anywhere. Once such was the Besler type.

http://www.american-rails.com/class-w1-besler-type.html


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## Guest (Oct 7, 2015)

John, two examples of stellar fantasy trains.


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