What's your favorite engine manufacturor/why?

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

My Lionel and Aristo engines pick up power through the wheels, my USAtrains and LGB have the pick up shoes, do you have an opinion or pros and cons of either design?  I know when the shoes get caked with track dirt, the resulting jerkiness not only causes derailment, but that added resistance can make them hot enough to deform plastic trucks.  On the other hand, my USAtrains engines can run very smooth at slow speeds, and I like their detail.

Stack

[two tone]

Hi, Give me a loco that picks up though the wheels, they run better as you say shoes are a bit jerky. So I will go with wheel pick up

[cabbage]

Well to be honest I have to say that all my favourite locomotives are made by "Kitchen Sink Engineering". Although the total production is very low -I have never had an order turned down....

regards

ralph

[udo]

LGB picks up through the shoes & the wheels.

[g. gage]

I have Aristo, Bachmann, LGB & USA locomotives. LGB & USA have pickup shoes and electrical pick up though the wheels. I do have problems with crud on the pickup shoes & have to clean them with one of those LGB track cleaners or a green cleaning pad. I've made it part of my engine house servicing routine after a run.

As far as favoites I do like the USA locos, (4 GP9's, an SP & WP pair each & a WP F3 AB set) the traction wheels make them great pullers on my 2.5% grades and good detail.

Rob

[GearDrivenSteam]

Hartland. HANDS DOWN. Their detail might not be as good as some, but their drive blocks are slap BULLITPROOF for bashin and scratchbuildin.

[DannyS]

My first train run on an operatiung day, is always an LGB loco hauling my Aristo Track Cleaning car, the pick up skates on the LGB loco assist in cleaning the rails.

[enginear]

Well you did ask. I'm going with MTH. I have several manufacturer's engines ( USA,BACH,HO=Atlas, Broadway Ltd, Proto,etc.). I have to say that after 5 years, these (MTH) run solid, have great features built in, and are my favorite!  Joe P.

I hope to upgrade my other engines to MTH control someday, and run them too.

[Mike Dorsch CJ&M r.r.]

I have to agree with enginear , my MTH stuff is the most fun to use . Second would be my USA TRAINS collection . They run real nice and they do pick up from the wheels as well as the pick up shoes .

[Bucksco]

PIKO- They're still made in Germany

[LGBtrains1963]

I would have to say LGB... These loco's are work horses and never die, I can't wait till there shipping LGB back to America... Jack, as far as PIKO goes, will not own one until they make a United States phototype loco... My next loco's that I like would be Hartland Locomotive Works... 

[EMPIRE II LINE]

I'd have to say that my favorites by far are the American Mainline Proto-Types made by Aristo and USA, Diesels from the late 40's and up, as well as heavy Steam, and yes, the MTH engines are quite nice Too.....Their Hudson Steamers would maybe pull better with a set of traction tires though.....I own 4 of them.

Byron C.  

[Bucksco]

I would have to say LGB... These loco's are work horses and never die, I can't wait till there shipping LGB back to America... Jack, as far as PIKO goes, will not own one until they make a United States phototype loco... My next loco's that I like would be Hartland Locomotive Works... 

 

Keep your eyes and mind open then!

[Anonymous]

Jack,

Glade to see your see you are still working with them and not fired. Bad times are around every where.

Toad

Keep them rolln Jack

[vsmith]

LGB was great but is now kaput, who knows when, if, and in what form it will return. My kitbashes with Aristo bricked geared locos are outstanding performers, so are l my Hartland Mack based bashes. Only have one USA bricked bash, its fine, some of my Bachmanns are the most finiky, go figure.

My on Piko: 

Piko has to have more than just 2 European based modern engines if they want to make a dent in the US market, I know about the Germie 0-6-0T they are planning, great for the Euros, doesnt do anything for me. They need to decide if they are going to make an effort in the US market, which camp are they going to cater too, persoanlly I think I already know, based on the current offerings and with the majority of the US market leaning ever more toward the 1/29 camp, I'm pretty sure us narrow gaugers will once again be left out in the cold as the large scale world continues to move towards standard gauge 1/29 scale and Piko will go with them, cant say I blame them, all the fuss in narrow gauge between the 1/20 and 1/22 crowds chose one and PO the other, so stuff both and go for the mass market. Hopefully whatever they offer will be affordable for guys like me to bash the begeezuz out of them into my chosen scale.

[Bucksco]

Vic,

You need to keep your eyes and mind open as well. PIKO would be foolish to ignore this market.

 Hi Toad- can't get rid of me that easily! I work for Silvergate Distributors now.

[kstrong]

I think Piko would fare well in the US market, but not by releasing "yet another diesel." There is a dearth of small standard gauge steam locos that I think needs to be filled. I do hope they take the care to properly state the scale of their models, though. When the boxes are marked "1:22.5," and the models are of German standard gauge equipment, I have to scratch my head. The waters are easier to navigate when accurately charted. All the other major players are getting very good at that. There's no reason for Piko not to.

Later,

K

[piercedan]

Out of my Bachman, Aristo, LGB and USA engines, the ones with skates/pick up shoes run the best, and also the heaviest ones run great also.  Aristo SD-45, LGB Mallet without shoes run very well.  All with shoes run very well.

My poorest runner was a critter, but when coupled with a car with additional pickups, it run very well. 

[Anonymous]

 

 Hi Toad- can't get rid of me that easily! I work for Silvergate Distributors now.

Jack -e- poo,

Don't want to get rid of yeah, your our inside man!

Toad -e- poo

[Bucksco]

Didn't mean it to sound like you wanted to get rid of me. I was just turning a phrase.

 

[LGBtrains1963]

Jack, I contacted PIKO in Germany over a month ago and they said they had no plans at this time or in the near future to make any North American phototypes. This is from PIKO...  So who's going to make them, My mind and eyes are open and I don't see this at all!!! 

[Bucksco]

Patience is a virtue.

I've contacted PIKO as well...

[John Busby]

Hi Smoke Stack Lightning

My first question goes so why isn't the apropriate maitainance for the particular design being done??

If the wheels and shoes are cleaned and lubed as appropriate once in a while no problem.

If you don't clean the wheels, on a wheels only pick up you get the same kind of problems.

Now back to favorite loco manufacture thats a simple one the manufacturer that makes.

Good quality locomotives of an outline I like and I can afford which means LGB, Hartland, USA train's, Bachmann HMM may be not it's been in the workshop more than on the track, Roundhouse (UK), Argyle, don't know about Aristocraft Loco's don't have one.

The one I like will not go round my R2 curves but there rolling stock is good.

LGB's 2020 was a particularly good one it's on it's third set of wheels and shoes I suppose soon I will have to get the new model and as far as I think lesser one out of the set box and use that one.

I doubt I will be able to get new wheels and pick ups for the old one, that I bought third hand and it has never failed me except for problems caused by fair wear and tear, Oh and the broken whistle I have only just got around to getting an alternative replacement for.

regards John Busby

PS Wasn't there a pretending to be US outline version of 2020 done at one stage of precedings

[Snoq. Pass RR]

My favorite manufacturor by far is Bachmann.  I have three Bachmann locomotives (2-8-0, 2Truck Shay, and 4-6-0 Big Hauler) and they all work with very little work.  I do have a LGB 2-4-0, but without parts, I doubt it will run anytime soon or that another LGB will be joining the roster anytime soon.

[vsmith]

My favorite manufacturor by far is Bachmann.  I have three Bachmann locomotives (2-8-0, 2Truck Shay, and 4-6-0 Big Hauler) and they all work with very little work.  I do have a LGB 2-4-0, but without parts, I doubt it will run anytime soon or that another LGB will be joining the roster anytime soon.

Agreed about any future LGB aquisitions, one thing Marklin had better get done right and done quickly is to get the whole parts and repair issue for North America straightened out ASAP. The longer they wait, the longer they risk garnering some bad blood if units that need repair or need parts and are unavalaible till they decide to re-enter the US marketplace, which may be when?

Is anyone aware of anyone successfully getting an old LGB unit shipped, repaired and returned through the new contact structure? or getting parts? I'd sure like to know.

[Anonymous]

My favorite manufacturor by far is Bachmann.  I have three Bachmann locomotives (2-8-0, 2Truck Shay, and 4-6-0 Big Hauler) and they all work with very little work.  I do have a LGB 2-4-0, but without parts, I doubt it will run anytime soon or that another LGB will be joining the roster anytime soon.

Is anyone aware of anyone successfully getting an old LGB unit shipped, repaired and returned through the new contact structure? or getting parts? I'd sure like to know.

Parts? I need LGBoA/Silvergate parts but find ePay is easier to buy from and get a whole unit.

Ain't found my track cleaning thingy but think got one around $489.00...but we will see....

Toadie

[kstrong]

...they had no plans at this time or in the near future to make any North American phototypes.

http://www.piko.de/d/Neuheitenauslieferungen/Herbstneuheiten08/TLN_Herbstneuheiten08.php?navid=137

Depends on how you interpret "North American prototypes." Those ore cars and transfer caboose look suspiciously like the ones that used to be made by MDC/Roundhouse quite a few years ago. Don't let the "DB" printed on the side fool you. Those are definitely North American prototypes.

Given that the locomotive shown on the page is definitely an artists' rendering, one definitely has to wonder if the cars--as shown--are likewise representations of what will ultimately be a German prototype car, or if Piko has gained access to the old MDC molds and will be producing the line in German paint schemes.

Having said that, given Silvergate's (formerly LGB of America) history of working with LGB to get US prototypes produced, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see them continue that level of cooperation with their new flagship, Piko. I'd certainly expect to see North American prototypes down the road.

It bears notice, too, that while Marklin has said they're not doing any of LGB's old North American stuff in the near future, their version of the Minnesota ore car has also surfaced in DB paint for this product year.

Later,

K

[Anonymous]

Kev,

Think I will wait like all the rest to whatever year it maybe.

Long Gone Bye RR

Long Gone Boy scouts of America

just some sick humor

Toad

[John Busby]

Hi KStrong

Now that's interesting do you know if the Caboose will be avalable as a seperate item.

regards John Busby