Good pulling cheaper Steam engines?

[Boyd]

I "might" sell my Wisconsin Central 3547 4-4-2 steamer to buy a better pulling engine. Any suggestions?

[pbjwilson]

Hi Boyd,
The MTH 2-8-0 steam engines are really nice. Most of their starter sets come with this engine. You can get them on e-bay for around $150. They will pull your 13 cars with ease.

[csxt30]

What Paul said is right on the money !! I got that very MTH 2-8-0 in P&LE colors just one year ago, & I probably have 15 hrs running time on & it 's just like new yet ! Terrific smoke yet & Pulls about 10 cars. Just got, for my 2nd. steamer, a Lionel Challenger & it has dual motors & I proably don't have enough cars to see how many it will pull ! Hope this helps for running long trains ! [:D]
Thanks,

[Anonymous]

I have two heavy duty passenger cars, and only one of my engines, a lionel 2-4-2 will pullone of them. what size engine do i need to do the job?

[brianel027]

All my el-cheapo plastic Lionel steamers will pull 13 cars will utter ease. My Lionel all-plastic Docksider once pulled 22 cars, but that was pushing it. But it still did it.

The key is to selectively add weight to the loco and to modify the traction tires which is standard procedure for me. These locos are available for a song and a dance as far as locos go: I paid under a dollar for my Lionel Docksider and years ago got 2 cheap 2-4-0 locos (one DC, one AC) with extra cars to boot for under $35. At those prices, I don't mind repainting and rebuilding so I can have the road names Lionel chooses to ignore.

Years ago I rebuilt a small postwar 4-4-2 steamer and did it in a two-two Jersey Central scheme. Even with a plastic body it pulls and smokes like a champ. I recall almost passing the loco by, but bought it so I could have a steamer with a coupler up from and figured the plastic body would make the job easier which it did. It also made adding the extra details like handrails easier. I've had the thing at shows and some wondered how I got it to smoke so well and to pull as many cars... a little bit of patience, skill, engineering know how and determination AND it can be done.

I have one of my cheap steamers on the layout now, with a dozen cars and it could easily pull more, no problem.

Those die cast bodied Columbia type steams are also decent pullers as is. You do need to re-adhere the traction tire though. As is from the factory they tend to wear loose. 3M carpet tape is one way to re-adhere traction tires. Others have used different types of glue. Either way though, you must clean the surface of the wheel before readhering the traction tire using 91% isopropyl alchohol.

[jimhaleyscomet]

Beer,

Have you oiled your axles and engine recently?

Jim H

[Dr. John]

Lionel's 0-6-0 docksider is a great little puller. It's diecast and you can find them for under $90.

[pbjwilson]

Boyd,
The other thing you need to consider is the transformer you are using. The starter set transformers dont deliver much power. A 75 or 100 watt transformer will greatly improve your engines performance.

[laz 57]

BOYD,
I have an assortment of LIONEL NYC plain Jane steamers. Lionel number is 6-18606 they are great little pullers. I have pulled 23 cars with these little brutes. They will give you puffs of smoke and lots of power. I got most of mine on e-bay for less then $75. All in conventional mode.
Hope this helps?
laz57

[mickey4479]

My first 3 rail o guage train was a proto 1 Penn 2-8-0 train set with a circle of track, 75 watt transfomer, 2 cars and a caboose. The loco is proportionally O scale, but not as detailed as a Premier loco. I later decided to go to O scale, and now have 4 Lionel steamers that I run with TMCC. But I still have that Proto 1 on my layout and run it with my track cleaning car once in a while. As others have commented, it is a good runner and not very expensive.

[krapug1]

The K-Line 3000 seris are good reliable "cheap" steamers.
The earliest ones were made directly from the Marx 333 mold, and later ones have been made from a new mold created from the 333. The run quiet, have a 3 position reverse, and most have an air whistle in the tender.

another often overlooked "cheap" reliable steam engine seris are the die-cast 4-4-2's made by MPC during the 70's. These engines came in many road names (C & O, B & O, Pennsy, Milw, and others), most have the somewhat annoying "Mighty Sound of Steam", a few of the early C & O's also have a whistle. The biggest issue with these engines is that MPC fitted them with a 2 position reverse.

Ken

[pbjwilson]

The K-lines are very nice. I got a set before Cristmas with the Santa Fe engine w/railsounds tender. It was a bit of a jack rabbit at first but has broken in nicely. Real smooth low speed runner. Great paint job. The NYC is done in grey/black/white scheme.

[poppyl]

Any of the Williams are very good pullers. You get one at significantly below Williams' list from Marty at Ma and Pa Junction or Justrains.

Poppyl

[phillyreading]

Like Poppyl said Williams makes great steam locomotives fro the price and has a whistle and will usually outpull Lionel or MTH locomotive any day! I have an S-2 turbine
Pennsy that will pull around 29 Lehigh Valley post-war quad hoppers.
Lee F.

[Anonymous]

With a nice 224E you can pull at least 8-10 pre/postwar cars (provided they have clean wheels and properly lubed axles). I'd claim you can pull much more than that, but I think you are really looking for new stuff. I think I have pulled12 or 13 skeaky 2600 series cars with a 224E and diecast tender. Great fun.

[phillyreading]

ogage, my 224E locomotive came with a 2224 tender with box & pin coupler and will pull about nine 2640 pre-war passenger cars. I had to buy a secondary tender to use it with post-war stuff as couplers are totally differant.
Lee F.

[Anonymous]

For good post war puller and cheap, try the Lionel 2018 or 2026 they are 2-6-2 engines. I got 8 of them.

For better puller and a little more $ go for the 2035 with Magnatraction, a real heavy beast and it is a 2-6-2. I find it just derails and does not turn over when hitting curves (027) at high speeds. Once I got a 2035 I favor them epecially to pull a heavy consist of milk car, cattle car, barrel car, metal search light car, whistle tender and caboose. I have 3 plus a 2025 none magnatraction.

Charlie

[Boyd]

Wow lots of choices. Now with the oddball group of steamers and diesels, older and newer, AC and DC I gotta decide if I sell some or what. I never thought of adding weight to my 4-4-2 3547 Wisconsin Central steamer.