Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set

[Bruette]

The topic of the Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief Sets came up in another thread. early 1970s Lionel O27? In doing some research I came across this Lionel “dream set” version. The Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. A full‑blown tribute to the golden age of Lionel's Santa Fe F3 diesels with immersive sound and loaded with features for serious collectors.

But first a little background:

The Lionel Santa Fe F3s are often considered the crown jewel of Lionel’s postwar era, and for good reason. They weren’t just another train set. They marked a turning point in Lionel’s history and in the hobby itself.

When Lionel first introduced the Santa Fe F3 diesels in 1948 (catalog no. 2333 A‑A units), they were cataloged simply as “Santa Fe F3 Diesel Locomotives with matching aluminum passenger cars." The locomotives and cars were sold as separate items or grouped into sets. Lionel did not yet use the marketing name Super Chief Set.

“Super Chief” branding came later in the 1950s, when Lionel leaned into naming their deluxe passenger sets after the famous trains they represented.

The Santa Fe F3 diesels from 1948 are absolutely the ancestor of all the Lionel Super Chief sets that followed.

Now for Lionel's new Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. List price $4899.99

Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set

www.lionelstore.com

 

[Jaz avalley]

The topic of the Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief Sets came up in another thread. early 1970s Lionel O27? In doing some research I came across this Lionel “dream set” version. The Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. A full‑blown tribute to the golden age of Lionel's Santa Fe F3 diesels with immersive sound and loaded with features for serious collectors.

But first a little background:

The Lionel Santa Fe F3s are often considered the crown jewel of Lionel’s postwar era, and for good reason. They weren’t just another train set. They marked a turning point in Lionel’s history and in the hobby itself.

When Lionel first introduced the Santa Fe F3 diesels in 1948 (catalog no. 2333 A‑A units), they were cataloged simply as “Santa Fe F3 Diesel Locomotives with matching aluminum passenger cars." The locomotives and cars were sold as separate items or grouped into sets. Lionel did not yet use the marketing name Super Chief Set.

“Super Chief” branding came later in the 1950s, when Lionel leaned into naming their deluxe passenger sets after the famous trains they represented.

The Santa Fe F3 diesels from 1948 are absolutely the ancestor of all the Lionel Super Chief sets that followed.

Now for Lionel's new Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. List price $4899.99

Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set

www.lionelstore.com

How much!…..faints….

…that’s….day light robbery! And yes I see lots of features but five grand to all intents and purposes……faints again!

 

[Bruette]

I see lots of features but five grand

Considering one Lionel Legacy locomotive can sell for over $2000, the list price for this super set is not surprising. Some will consider it a bargin.

In 2018 I paid $2500 for my Lionel Legacy Amtrack GG1 with all seven Lionel Vision Line Passenger cars.

The super set comes with four locomotives, three of which are powered, and use the Legacy control system. One holds the new Super Bass sound system and is also Legacy controlled.

• 2 Powered Legacy F3A Locomotives w/sound
• 1 Powered Legacy F3B w/sound
• 1 Super Bass F3B

The set also features eight top-of-the-line Lionel passenger cars.

• 18" Vision Line Baggage Car
• 21" Sleeper Sounds Pullman
• 21" VistaVision Dome Car (with Wi‑Fi camera)
• 21" Station Sounds Diner
• 3 - 21" Sleeping Cars
• 21" Lounge Sounds Observation

The entire train is just over 17-feet long!

In Lionel’s FasTrack system, each straight section is 10 inches long. That means you’d need about 21 straight sections to line it up end‑to‑end without curves. Add another 5 feet in length to run it on Lionel's largest radius curves (O96) and you will need a layout footprint of about 9'X22'

This is not my grandfather's Lionel.

 

[Jaz avalley]

Considering one Lionel Legacy locomotive can sell for over $2000, the list price for this super set is not surprising. Some will consider it a bargin.

In 2018 I paid $2500 for my Lionel Legacy Amtrack GG1 with all seven Lionel Vision Line Passenger cars.

The super set comes with four locomotives, three of which are powered, and use the Legacy control system. One holds the new Super Bass sound system and is also Legacy controlled.

• 2 Powered Legacy F3A Locomotives w/sound
• 1 Powered Legacy F3B w/sound
• 1 Super Bass F3B

The set also features eight top-of-the-line Lionel passenger cars.

• 18" Vision Line Baggage Car
• 21" Sleeper Sounds Pullman
• 21" VistaVision Dome Car (with Wi‑Fi camera)
• 21" Station Sounds Diner
• 3 - 21" Sleeping Cars
• 21" Lounge Sounds Observation

The entire train is just over 17-feet long!

In Lionel’s FasTrack system, each straight section is 10 inches long. That means you’d need about 21 straight sections to line it up end‑to‑end without curves. Add another 5 feet in length to run it on Lionel's largest radius curves (O96) and you will need a layout footprint of about 9'X22'

This is not my grandfather's Lionel.

17 feet!

You cannot get far enough away to photograph it, just a very long video!

 

[TheXModelRailroader]

If someone is looking for one of these at a good deal, this might be a steal!

https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...place_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

 

[Iron Horseman]

The topic of the Lionel Santa Fe Super Chief Sets came up in another thread. early 1970s Lionel O27? In doing some research I came across this Lionel “dream set” version. The Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. A full‑blown tribute to the golden age of Lionel's Santa Fe F3 diesels with immersive sound and loaded with features for serious collectors.

they need MORE pictures!. If there weren't so many other things on my want list, I would like to get these. But by the time I can afford them, they will be sold out and the price will be doubled.

 

[Bruette]

they need MORE pictuers!.

That was my first thought. It could be they haven't even created the prototypes yet.

You might have more time than you think. This one could take some time before Lionel has them ready. This train is groundbreaking!

Typically, after the preorders are filled dealers like Train World and others will have inventory for another year or so. but there is nothing typical about this train.

I got my Vision Line GG1 Amtrak Phase one complete train from Brady's Trains. I held out from making the preorder hoping for a discount. After shipping I didn't save 10%. It was down to only two available. I had to pull the trigger on that one. It is my favorite train, I saw it roar past me as a boy. For me the GG1 is the eighth wonder of the world!

I missed out on the Vision Line Conrail Bicentennial GG1. As you predicted it has doubled in price on the secondary market. Which is why I settled for the MTH Premier version. The Lionel Vision Line sells for more than double the list price now. I saved almost 30% off the list price for the MTH full scale version. From a distance it is hard to tell the difference. But I know and if you look closely, you can't miss the difference.

Trying to get a deal I struck out again with the Vision Line Acela. I was watching it at Train World, waiting for a deal, then it was gone. I should have known better.

they will be sold out and the price will be doubled.

I would bet on it! When they do sell out and hit the secondary market the sky will be the limit.

This one doesn't appeal to me, but it is magnificent! It is history, the Golden Age of Lionel, the evolution of technology and craftsmanship all in one. It is the pinnacle of Lionel's Santa Fe Super Chief, what more can I say?

It would be exceptionally cool to see all 17 feet of it snaking through your Christmas Forest. Few have that kind of space to utilize O96 curves and make it look so real. It wouldn't be the first Santa Fe Super Chief to run under a Christmas tree. It might be the first to run under so many Christmas trees all at once!

Did you see they advertise:

• Easy conversion to scale couplers

I know you!

 

[Iron Horseman]

That was my first thought. It could be they haven't even created the prototypes yet.

You might have more time than you think. This one could take some time before Lionel has them ready. This train is groundbreaking!

Typically, after the preorders are filled dealers like Train World and others will have inventory for another year or so. but there is nothing typical about this train.

I got my Vision Line GG1 Amtrak Phase one complete train from Brady's Trains. I held out from making the preorder hoping for a discount. After shipping I didn't save 10%. It was down to only two available. I had to pull the trigger on that one. It is my favorite train, I saw it roar past me as a boy. For me the GG1 is the eighth wonder of the world!

I missed out on the Vision Line Conrail Bicentennial GG1. As you predicted it has doubled in price on the secondary market. Which is why I settled for the MTH Premier version. The Lionel Vision Line sells for more than double the list price now. I saved almost 30% off the list price for the MTH full scale version. From a distance it is hard to tell the difference. But I know and if you look closely, you can't miss the difference.

Trying to get a deal I struck out again with the Vision Line Acela. I was watching it at Train World, waiting for a deal, then it was gone. I should have known better.

I would bet on it! When they do sell out and hit the secondary market the sky will be the limit.

This one doesn't appeal to me, but it is magnificent! It is history, the Golden Age of Lionel, the evolution of technology and craftsmanship all in one. It is the pinnacle of Lionel's Santa Fe Super Chief, what more can I say?

It would be exceptionally cool to see all 17 feet of it snaking through your Christmas Forest. Few have that kind of space to utilize O96 curves and make it look so real. It wouldn't be the first Santa Fe Super Chief to run under a Christmas tree. It might be the first to run under so many Christmas trees all at once!

Did you see they advertise:

• Easy conversion to scale couplers

I know you!

Ond thing that bothers me a bit, it that they chose the F3 rather than the F7. The normally assigned locos on the SuperChief went straight from the E6s to F7s in 1949. Other trains like the California Limited, Chief, Scout, and Grand Canyon had F3s. SuperChief only got them when there were power shortages.

Where is everyone getting this 0-96 stuff from? It says it will run on standard O, which would be O-31. Which also means there are huge compromises in the under floor details and car spacing department. Then someone said that O-96 was largest. I pretty certain both Atlas and one other (Gargraves?) make something like O-108 curves.

 

[Bruette]

that they chose the F3 rather than the F7.

The Santa Fe F3 diesels from 1948 are absolutely the ancestor of all the Lionel Super Chief sets that followed. Which is why Lionel used F3s for The Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set. This set celebrates the original and all those that followed. As Lionel said in the description "For those whose love of the rails started with a Lionel F3"

Where is everyone getting this 0-96 stuff from?

I can't speak for others, but for me I would run it on O96 which is the largest available in the Lionel Fastrack line of track. I only run Lionel's Fastrack. Other manufactures of track are irrelevant to me, and I know truly little about them.

The Santa Fe Super Chief Super Set as it is out of the box will run on O31. Which is why it doesn't come with scale couplers.

Which also means there are huge compromises in the under floor details and car spacing department.

Lionel doesn't advertise this train as scale. Neither do they say traditional scale. They don't specify the scale. Usually, they will specify the scale on the product page, they make no mention of the scale for this train, other than O Gauge.

Again, this set celebrates the original and all those that followed.