It Crawls Like Molasses! Lionel ALCO S-2 Switcher 

Enjoy this video folks. I believe the next locomotive review will be for the Lionel 4-6-6T tank engine. Enjoy!

I appreciate O-Scale for what it is, and I'm saying that as an N-Scale modeler. It's large, packs features that might be hard to pull off in N-Scale form (smoke units), and brings a smile to everyone's faces.

Erics trains: This knife is awesome. Me: No it’s massive.

I remember fondly watching your videos as a five/six year old. Your channel will always hold a spot in my heart!

we have 2 over here on the Oc&t railroad in pennsylvania sweet little locos

Amazing. It really sounds like a real Alco! Pretty cool you can bring it to run 8 in idle. All the stuff I've been missing since I last played with TMCC 20 years ago.

Beautiful color on the unit

I actually have a WABCO A2 long bell horn that came off a scrapped B&O ALCO S2. Bought it from a train show in MD for only $300. Planning to soon have it restored and installed on my car by the end of the year. Great looking model I must say.

This is a nice little switcher. I have the TMCC version with the same drive - works very well. I don’t know if they changed the insides (besides the boards) but, if you open it, you will find it challenging to get everything back inside the narrow hood. My big complaint about both Lionel and MTH versions is that it is the wrong engine sounds. It appears that the sounds are the 244 engine, not the 539T. The 539T used a Buchi turbocharger which had a very distinctive whine. Listen to some of the RU-vid videos of the S2’s in action and you will hear the difference.

Eric, you do a fine job of describing this models key points. Thanks!!

I overlooked one of these in my favorite road name the other day in a train store... I'm gonna go back and get it.

3:25 Saftey first why be reckless? *Reckless rates drop to zero*

Nice review of a nice engine. Fixed end steps. Slow speed control (for more appropriate prototypical "crawling"). Let's hope Lionel views this and gets some Alco sounds on them in future batches. Mr. Muffin is coming out in 2024 with a custom Delaware & Hudson version I have my eyes on.

Can’t remember if it’s an S2 or S4 but we had a switcher for a coal loading plant that was re-engined with a CAT prime mover. Surprisingly nice locomotive for those that used it.

Great review Eric. Love the speed control. Just kind of wished Lionel Matched their horn sounds up a little better with the locomotive.

Thats a nice engine, I just ordered a lionchief gp38 starter set for under our Christmas tree. I felt the lion chief gp38 was the nicest looking cheap engine set they have available. The Santa fe set you reviewed while back was also a nice set for the money. Take care!

Very nice! Like that this has fixed pilots unfortunately the MTH S2s I have don't have that feature.

You know I love model trains but I don’t have the space nor the money to buy and use them . So I watch channels like yours to kind of experience what it’s like to use model trains. And I thank you for making these videos. :) Edit fixed spelling

Good afternoon, Happy Thanksgiving! I just found your channel just researching Lionel trains for my son. Really enjoy your videos! Keep up the good work!

Great review, Eric! Now you have another switching locomotive to your fleet.

I'm thinking about getting the Northern Pacific or the Southern Pacific version. But anyways, awesome review Eric. Keep them coming!

Great review! Love these switchers. FYI the cab roof is removable for the master volume switch. Just be careful taking it off as you have to slide the headlight housing out. It’s in the manual too. May be a cool way to add interior detail!

It appears that there's one horn bell sticking out of the front of the cab, yet the horn sound would suggest multiple horn bells.....hmmmm.....

Like the reverb on the Horn.And yes Lionel has the Best slow speed operation.Being a fan of MTH this was always a issue....Nice review.

Same gearing as my SW-7, I love it for switching.

Nice boxcars too! lightly weathered they look great

Hey Eric, Great Review and that's a sweet unit!

I loved that camera shot at 16:00

Horn sounds wrong for the style that is on the cab and sounds more like an EMD 567.

That sign is so fitting

I have a 2003 Lionel Northern Pacific S-4 722 6-28530 in black with yellow on the sides and I love the low speed. I wish it would have Bluetooth,

Awesome locomotive! Thanks for the Review!

I need to start saving some of my money for a nice Lionel switcher

I don't care for 3 rail O but was curious due to title...What do you mean " Six pilots" ? I count 2; one on each end. Or, 4 if you split them for the couplers..And, why replace couplers with scale ones if the track is toyish ? I haven't looked at 3 rail in decades and must admit, the detail on the cars and engine are quite impressive !! Nice weathering, too !! But, $500.00 for a switcher !! Whoa !! I'll stick with HO !....... To be fair though, I completely understand and respect the love you and O, 3-railers have for these trains and do not consider myself any better a train person than you..Just to love trains, any trains, is enough.... M, Los Angeles

Didn't even see these advertised in the model Railroad press. And NYSW is available.

I think your models are beautiful

I have an HO scale one for BN

Do you ever have to worry about flooding in your basement? I know Atlanta is more inland Georgia. But it could still be hit by a hurricane right? I live in Virginia and I have to worry about, well I actually don’t even have a basement because of flooding.

Very nice model

I’ve seen an S2 switcher in the harbor of Panama City, Florida. I believe I have a picture of it on my iPhone

That's awesome Eric I actually had to turn down the volume when you started it up.😂😂

Looks so Awsome :D

What a beauty

Killer paint job. It should have a Nathan M3 horn. It also should sound like an Alco, not an EMD. I hope you can download the correct sounds for that price.

I think we can all agree even model alco engines sound amazing.

Seeing as its 0-36 compatible I should get one

Nice model and good review video. Question, can the sound in this model of loco be changed to accurate sounds for this type? Thank you!

Lionel should make a Staten Island Rapid Transit ALCO S-2

I have a good train its the Pheobe Snow and is a Erie Lackawanna it ran between scranton PA and Hoboken Nj it can be very expensive as my dad has one but they are very nice trains (I believe it was an alco)

Love the video

All of the oddities of O gauge came from the fact it originated from toy train sets which is absolutely fine, no hate on that. I just love O gauge for what it is. That's why fine O scale models exist, for the rivetcounters

That’s what I call slow crawling!! Another great review, Eric. Lionel’s 2019 Vol. II has a great selection. Unlike their 2020 catalogs

another fine job! A quick question, who makes that Ontario Northern Box Car? I couldn't see a built by marking.

Another good 'un, Eric. Personally looking forward to seeing the "History of O Gauge-Or Why We Have Three Rails and All the Other Oddities" video if and when you make it.

Nice thanks for sharing.

*sees caboose: keep on truckin with trains* Me:👍

Hi

I have a dt&i switcher from the 70’s or 60’s

Awesome review Eric!!!

Now that is a nice Locomotive,19:23

Wow thats cool!!

Really great filming! New HD camera?

Who else wants him to work on his moc/rooms more

Cool knife, the locomotive is interesting

they really didn't capture the chug of the ALCo inline 6 well

Are you planning on doing a 2020 Christmas Bonanza? It's almost that time of year again

I agree ... a really pretty engine ...

Well done review. I'm with the others, in that it didn't sound like an Alco horn. That wouldn't be a deal breaker, though.

Very nice! 👏😌

Wow that is nice!

Am I wrong or does the cab door open when you start the locomotive?

With time comes change I guess, but I do miss the “Hi I’m Eric Siegel with ericstrains.com!” intro format

As someone who grew up with HO I’d love a O-Scale explanation video!

Did Lionel have the correct horn installed for this? Sounds like a dual horn, but I only see a blaster type mounted.

Hey Eric what’s the s longest train you’ve pulled on your layout

I would have jumped at an ho version of this in Lehigh New England or Lehigh Valley

wow you don't usually see people running O scale so slow :D

Hey Eric I just got a new Lionel train myself idk how to program it can u help me

Awsome video Eric, I wold love to get this switcher but in the B&O paint scheme do they have that?

I have the alco s-2 santa fe command control and boy does it run like a chicken and no slow speed in it

hola buenas tarde muchas gracias por subir el video abrazo grande

I see what you mean by they make them to go really slow it is really like molasses

What is the name of the song used in the video?

this is a Question that I've been wondering I Have a new york special Niagra the Lionel Century Club And the plastic drive shaft broke does anyone know were I can find that part I'm having a hard time finding it also Great Video

I use a steak knife to open my boxes, does the same thing as. $50 knife 😁😆

sweet

Those are emd sounds.

Lionel should really change the color shades of their headlights. What they use now in very unrealistic. They need more of a Sunny White shade to look correct. They should know that blueish tent to their headlights is horrible.

Here it is theymake you pay for the electronics and the engine sounds are incorrect as well as the horn sounds as well. For the price that they charge it is a small detail to get the engine sounds correct but they can't be bothered. For the price that they charge it should have the correct sounds to go with the locomotive.

Because what kind of a man are you without hundreds of trains AND a Swiss Army knife collection?

Great video Eric! Do they have any Lackawanna?

you need too do knife reviews to :)

That’s my only beef with Lionel. I’ve been blue and orange my whole life and probably forever will. This model looks incredible, but then you blew the horn, I’m just tired of Lionel using that same horn that multiple engines I have use, and it’s even more for you Eric. I guess we all just have to tolerate it, but it is getting a bit old.

Horn sound is wrong as unit only has single horn! Sound is for a multi horn set. Otherwise a nice model.

Nothing looked real, where is all of the graffiti? Ron W4BIN

0:39 normally I wouldn’t say this( I’m black and fear that anything I say is gonna get misinterpreted)

First time ever first

Eric, Not your fault but to me the sounds on this loco as well as many other modern locos sound like a digital recording of a train and that recording includes a echo. This make it sound like it is not coming from that train engine but from a train on the other side of the layout. The sounds are well detailed, but that echo/hollow sound is just wrong. The engine sound on this one seamed pretty good, but still like it was a engine farther away, but the horn, and bell were worse. Crew talk is to loud as well, in fact the crew talk makes it more like a child's toy then a mans hobby. A whistle in the engine or tender and sound coming from a direct even electronic sound system like they were in the 1970's and 1980's is more likable; due simply because it does not have the weird echo/hollow sound, even tho these modern ones are more true to the real sound type, the echo/hollow sound ruins it..

so you got a chinese pile of junk for lionel . WOW .

Why would anyone care what knife you use to open a box???? Nice looking engine. Too bad it's a three rail Lionel.