The F19 Pacific-type was distinctive for its air pumps lining the front of the smokebox. These steam locomotives were developed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and famously pulled the George Washington between Cincinnati and Washington D.C. One feature that made the train a stand out was the Pullman heavyweights that featured the route’s name across the letterboard on the center of each car while “Pullman” was moved to smaller lettering at each end..
Opening the box, this model is packed vertically with the traditional Lionel wrapping. An extra foam insert is placed inside the cab, adding stability and reducing any shifting inside the box. The tender is wrapped tightly and has foam between the wheels and tender frame.
The locomotive weighs in at 4 lbs. 15.5 ounces, while the tender weighs is at 3 lbs. 5.5 ounces. The versions with a “Standard” Berkshire-style tender measure 24 inches in length, while the Vanderbilt tender bumps the overall length to 25”.
As I placed the model of the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac No. 350 version on the track, the tender details caught my eye. While not more detailed than other Standard or Vanderbilt tenders we’ve seen recently, the rivet detailing and spring suspension in the trucks really pop out.
I also found myself getting lost in the details of the locomotive, and continued to find something new each time I look at it. The front end starts at the top with the feedwater heater flying in front of the stack. Moving down, the brass bell contrasts the black and chrome detailing from the air pumps. The LED headlight sits low, almost sitting on top of the pilot. Moving backward, the blue boiler jacketing contrasts the black frame, and seems to pull the blue coloring from the logo on the tender. he red cab windows also draw your attention.
This model’s programming switches are easily found under the sand dome. Once it’s programmed and started up, the features come to life. I did need to turn the master volume down a notch or two due to some reverberation in the tender. The marker lights are bright, but this isn’t new. The locomotive was able to pull two pounds on even level track and can safely navigate O-54 curves..
Lionel hasn’t offered the F19 in a long time. The last release that I could find was a TMCC model from 2007. The latest rendition features Legacy railsounds, rear ElectroCoupler, fan driven smoke, whistle steam, Bluetooth, IR sensor, and more. The separately-applied details set this model apart. Offered with a Vanderbilt or Standard tender, this model was cataloged in 9 different road numbers. Four came with C&O lettering: No. 490 Sportsman (2431100), No. 494 with a gray boiler (2431140), No. 493 (2431130), No. 491 with or without George Washington lettering (2431150 or 2431110), and No. 492 circa 1929 or with George Washington lettering (2431120 or 2431160). Lionel also cataloged Pere Marquette No. 730 (2431180) and three fantasy schemes: RF&P No. 350 (2431190), Halloween Pacific No. 310 (2431170), and Christmas No. 1224 (2431620).
Lionel Legacy F19 Pacific RF&P No. 350 (2431190)
Features: TMCC, Legacy, or conventional control; Bluetooth control; Lionel Voice Control; fan-driven smoke unit; IR transmittor for SensorTrack, two ElectroCouplers, fan-driven smoke unit; O-54 operation
MSRP: $1,299.99
Roadnames: See text above
Website: lionel.com
