It arrived yesterday and it runs great. The remote-control requires three AAA batteries, and the locomotive requires six C batteries (which are expensive). The 2-8-2 Berkshire steam locomotive is the same one that came with the PRR train, although they are painted a little differently. The tenders are also identical, although painted differently.
The passenger car and baggage car are much better-looking (in my opinion) than the ones that came with the Harry Potter Play Gauge train.
But the best news is that the remote controls for the PRR and Polar Express locomotives are different. You can run both trains at once without the remotes trying to control both trains.
As I now have four Play Gauge trains for my 6' by 8' train table, I bought a pair of switches. They work fine, letting me run two trains on the same track.
My advice? IF you want to go the Play Gauge route, this is a good product.
Vince53
I have the Play Gauge Polar Express and agree with you.
Sized a bit smaller than 1/32 & will run on gauge 1 track(or the floor if it derails). Extra track can be located and i've adapted other varieties of gauge 1 plastic track to meet up with the Lionel track. If adding other manufacturers large scale train cars to your consist, you will find the little wire ties off of bread bags work as a connector since the couplers will probably not fit together.
l have seen hacks where folks have adapted the loco to track power and/or adapted 9 volt rechargable pacs.
Happy Rails!
dave
An odd note here, Dave. There is more than one Lionel Play Gauge Hogwarts Express. The first one used hooks as couplers, and because I have an off-brand Christmas train that uses hooks, I bought it so I could interchange the cars. The current Hogwarts Express train uses knuckle couplers.
Vince
Coming out of China, anything is possible especially if being sold in Mexico.
Almost everything is knocked off especially in the large scale trains. It is possible yours could be an early release with hook & loops.
Dave, you are correct, but I did it deliberately. I WANTED a Play Gauge train with hook couplers, because I have an off-brand Christmas train with hook couplers that will be compatible with it. The newer version of the Hogwarts Express uses knuckle couplers.
Vince
l use Hook & Loop couplers on most of my Large Scale Rolling Stock.
Cuts down on having to hunt down missing cars from the consist.
Some manufacturers' knuckle couplers leave alot to be desired and the little wire ties from bread bags come in handy keeping your consist together.