The Great Train Race - Lionel Hogwarts vs. Polar Express

A little over two years ago, I did a video comparing the Lego and Lionel versions of the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express. Many viewers thought it was a race, which would have been difficult given the different curvatures of the track loops. However, over 400,000 hits has convinced me that maybe a race would be a popular subject.

But how to make it fair? Two trains would have to be comparable in quality and run on the same track. (I don't have 50 lineal feet of straight parallel track to use) So I decided to race two Lionel products sold in boxed sets - the Polar Express and the Hogwarts Express. They both come with three passenger cars and the engines are similar, although not exactly the same. (One is British and one American, after all)

The results surprised me. The Polar Express runs quite a bit faster at the same voltage (approximately 15-16 volts) and nearly crashes into the rear of the Hogwarts after a couple of circuits and starting directly in front of the British train.

I bet I get a lot of comments about the fairness of the race, particularly from Harry Potter fans, but the results speak for themselves. Maybe its because the Polar Express only runs once a year.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Pinnacle
• Studio
• Ultimate
• Lionel
• The Polar Express
• Train
• Harry
• Potter
• Hogwarts
• Express
• Railway
• Racing
• Race
• Harry Potter (character)
• toy
• train
• layout
• Trains
• Railroad

[inktvis009]

Polar Express won because it was simply not made for sightseeing

[bluecomet390]

@inktvis009 Think it was fresher because it only runs once a year.

[grizzleybearz282004]

that was cool cant wait to be doing the same types of things once my new 4x8 layout is up its going to be great should be up by the end of next month and then little by little add more things to it i always wanted a o gauge layout of my own growing up while i seen every one eleses i had a HO layout at my grandmomther and grandfathers house which was nice but it wanst the same

[bluecomet390]

@grizzleybearz282004 Thanks for your comment. I know what you mean about O gauge versus HO. I think the additional size and weight of O gauge, together with the incredible level of detail makes them seem more prototypical than HO. Look forward to seeing your layout when you have it running.

[chiconian49]

Fantastic! It's all in the gearing and the drag on curves (longer passenger cars and tight curves = more drag) as to which train is fastest. Is that a high pitched European sounding whistle coming from the Hogwarts? I remember Lionel getting a lot of grief when they first released it with a low pitched traditional American sounding whistle.

[bluecomet390]

@chiconian49 Thanks Chuck. Yes, I thought the Hogwarts would do better, with the lighter carriages and smaller engine. Perhaps Lionel knew they were going to issue a multitude of additional Polar Express cars and added a little more "oomph" to the engine to be sure it would be able to pull them all. And, yes, that is a replacement whistle in the Hogwarts. A friend did the job for me using an American whistle the nature of which I have forgotten. The whistle does sound authentic, however.

[SRNJ102]

cool i like the red one

[inktvis009]

@bluecomet390 either that or what i said, considering for what purpose they serve

[chiconian49]

No idea, I can still see my comments. Nice to know my hearing is not going. The European whistle sounds great! It would have cost Lionel a few pennies to upgrade the whistle on each Hogwarts, yet they apparently never thought to, very short sighted. I have a re-release of the Lionel red 256 Red Comet passenger set. The little nickle smoke stacks on all sets were installed backwards. Shhh, it's our secret. LOL

[bluecomet390]

@chiconian49 Chuck, who is removing your comments and marking them as spam? Not me, for sure. I always enjoy your comments.