While I haven't featured any Harry Potter stuff in a while I have been busy taking photos. A part of this year's tax refund went to buy the last ready-to-run train set on my bucket list: Lionel's #2523140 Harry Potter Hogwarts Express LionChief Set with Dementors Coach cataloged in 2025.
This is one of several Harry Potter themed train sets offered by Lionel. I posted the smaller Lionel battery operated Hogwarts Express #7-11981 back on 29 Nov 2024, which was cataloged in 2022. It was not only smaller than the set we'll look at today but was also an inaccurate representation of the screen shown version being an entirely different class of locomotive. What we'll be looking at now is more accurate, larger, and full of features.
The various Lionel Harry Potter Hogwarts Express train sets are among the most popular fantasy schemes produced by Lionel, along with their line of Polar Express trains. They were offered as battery operated as well as conventionally run trains ('conventional' meaning the train was controlled by a transformer with either levers or dials) and finally transitioning to command control and finally to Bluetooth technology. The first set came out in 2008 and there have been six iterations of this set since then. Blunami as a control medium has been a hot topic for the past year and who knows, maybe the technology will eventually find its way into Lionel's products.
Hogwarts Express Sets Through The Years
It's a bit tricky finding dates and set numbers for these but I believe the following is correct however, if you believe there are any errors let me know.
2008: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #7-11080 G-Gauge Battery Operated with engine and 2 cars (Coaches #99719, 99720), The engine is controlled by a hand held remote and features steam.
2013: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #7-11020 O-Gauge Conventional operation with engine and 3 cars (Coaches #99718, 99719, 99720)
2016: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #6-83620 O-Gauge LionChief with engine and 3 cars (Coaches #99718, 99719, 99720)
2017: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #6-83972 LionChief Bluetooth App with engine and 3 cars (Coaches #99718, 99719, 99720)
2022: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #7-11981 Ready to Play Mini O-gauge (S-gauge bodies on O-gauge trucks) Battery Operated with engine and 2 cars (Coaches #99719, 99720)
2025: Harry Potter Hogwarts Express #2523140 Express LionChief / Bluetooth Set with engine and 3 cars (Coaches #99717 Dementor Coach, 99719, 99720)
As technologies change, so have the train sets changed to keep up with them. Conventionally-controlled trains are the type you may be more familiar with: track, engine and cars, with the engine being controlled by a separate transformer. Then, came command control systems. While Lionel offers a couple of different command-&-control options, their starter sets were converted to the LionChief system. The LionChief system consists of a 'wall-wart' a fixed voltage transformer that plugs directly into the wall socket, and a hand-held controller. Speed and other features (bell, horn, whistle, crew talk, etc.) are controlled by the hand-held remote. All the functions are controlled by circuit cards inside the engine or tender.
With the advent of Bluetooth technology, that feature was added as well. What does that do? By downloading the LionChief app on your smart phone, you can now control your train via Bluetooth technology directly from your phone! The app also has more features than are available on the hand-held controller.
There are also five additional separate sale cars lettered for:
-Hogwarts
-Gryffindor
-Hufflepuff
-Ravenclaw
-Slytherin
Let's take a quick look at what's in the box, and I'll post photo essays for the engine and cars in separate installments
Ed
Set #2523140 Hogwarts Express
My photos
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