Your first large-scale locomotive

[Rene Schweitzer]

In most every layout story in the magazine, the author will tell a little about where/how he obtained his first locomotive. What's your story?

[BillBrakeman]

It was a Bachmann "Annie". It & the Big hauler rolling stock had/have the look & price that I want.
Bill

[cacole]

Mine was the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation, and has been followed by nothing but Bachmann Spectrum 1:20.3 scale engines.

[TheJoat]

Mine was a Bachmann Anniversary edition 10 wheeler. I replainted it and lettered it for my fledgling railroad. Put in battery, RCS, and Sierra sound.

Sadly it doesn't run as much anymore, as I'm headed over to the 1:20 side....

[Anonymous]

Mine was the ubiquitous LGB Stainz. I can see why they put them in the starter sets though as they'll haul incredible loads for their size (40+ axles in one test I read about, and that was on a proper garden line not an LGB publicity stunt!).

[kstrong]

I clicked on "other," as "all of the above" wasn't an option.

Our first loco was an LGB #2070 "Zillertahlbahn" loco. While this was an individual purchase, it was done as part of a set of the loco, three cars, and an oval of track--a build-your-own starter set, if you will. So, that takes care of the first two options. Since dad actually bought the loco, and just recently gave it to me for my collection, that qualifies it as a gift, right? So, "all of the above."

Later,

K

[Curmudgeon]

I refuse to buy "sets" as something I need to use fully.
I may just to break it up to get the car I want if the price is right.

My first was a selection of engine, cars, track, most of which I still have and use, 20 years later.

TOC

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Because I had such an intimate relationship with them (I rode on the PRSL RDCs for 10 or 12 years), as soon as I saw them in an ad, I ordered 2! Waited a year and a half for that slo boat to get here from China! Was another 6 months getting enough track down to really run them on!

[toenailridgesl]

An original Bachmann Big-Hauler battery op. R/C 10-wheeler.
Gutless, noisy,..... wish i still had it!

[amotz]

Around 1978 my wife and I visited a local Christmas store which had a very attractively decorated artificial tree encircled by an LGB passenger starter set plus caboose. My wife said she wished she could get the tree just as it was, and I said something to the effect that she could have the tree if I could have the train -- assuming this was fantasy talk. Two weeks later the train was greeting me on a dining room chair, and I was told that the tree could be picked up after Christmas. The following Christmas the tree was reassembled and decoration began. However we had acquired two kittens that we had hand-raised during the previous year. As soon as they saw the tree, they ran up my wife's back and immediately broke two ornaments. The tree was stored.
As for the starter set , the engine and one car, accompanied by two additional red/white vintage coaches spent last night running on my woodlands loop with sharp turns and a four percent grade. I used the Stainz because I didn't want to run out in the 25-degree cold to rescue a stalled train. Three trains ran for several hours on close headway on this automatically blocked single line -- and I periodically looked out the window and never failed to see the distinctive single headlight of my 28-year-old first engine aggressively holding its own in the sequence of trains passing in the moonlight..

[gvdobler]

Mine was an LGB 0-4-0 and about 5 cars, for around the tree at Christmas. I have set it up each year for 20 years.

It runs for about 2 months each year and has survived lots of kids playing trains with it. If kids are not allowed to handle a train, then they are just watching you play trains, and they become bored quickly.

That's a lot of use, so I had to repower to loco this year, the tender motor seemed okay.

[Anonymous]

My first LS locomotive came from my wife, as an xmas gift in 1988. It was an LGB 2018D Mogul. Still running flawlessly today[8D]

[Ray Dunakin]

My first was a battery operated, R/C Bachmann Big Hauler. Ran it a few times but didn't have enough room for anything more than a loop and got bored. Also the performance was not real impressive. So it got boxed up and sat in my garage for about 15 years. After I get some track down on the new permanent layout, I'll try it out and see how it handles the grades. If it works ok I'll keep it for the kids to play with until they're old enough to handle the more expensive equipment. If that doesn't work out I'll sell it on ebay.

This past December I found a Buddy L set that had been used briefly for an in-store display, and was marked down to $99. It looked a lot nicer than the ugly green plastic Big Hauler, and the railroading bug bit me again. Had fun running it with the grandkids over the holidays, and kept trying to come up with a way to put in a decent-sized, permanent layout. That's when I hatched the plan to convert our iceplant-covered hill into a desert railroad.

BTW, the transformation is coming along nicely. Slow, but a bit faster than I'd expected. I think I've removed nearly 3/4 of the iceplant. I've started building steps at each end of the hill for access. The retaining wall at the bottom is nearly complete. I've also accumulated a fairly large pile of rocks which will be used to build my desert mountains.

[grandpopswalt]

I bought my first B'mann Big Hauler set about 15 years ago. I've run it and several others on two small layouts over the years. They were a great way to break into LS wirhout laying out a lot of dough for something that might not prove to be all that interesting.

Walt

[John Busby]

Hi Rene
My first loco was an orange diesle that came in the LGB work train set
Its only techniclay the first .
As I bought a second hand 2020 and two 4Wh passanger coaches one Zillertal and one for the US market at the same time.
I still have and use all of it exept the Carp controler which as been replaced with a much better one.
regards John

[Anonymous]

An LGB circus loc, from a discounted set. I promptly took it apart, repainted it in realistic colors, put it back together, and still have it.

By the way, I do now also have a somewhat later version, left it original...

[tmcc man]

My first LS engine was from the LGB European passenger set. The little green 4 wheeler, and is still my favorite even though I have an LGB F7 AB set, and a few more locos, including an RS3, an LGB Porter, and the Chloe Engine.

[Anonymous]

I had a choice between a LGB starter set and a Aristocraft Union Pacific FA/FB unit. I thought the Stainz was a little toylike so I bought the Aristocraft. Big mistake - it was too large for my layouts tight curves. I donated it to my club last year.. I use the Critters and Eggliners with my Stainzs'.

[emipapa]

Hi Rene,
My first locomotive and tender was an LGB 2-4-0 Union Pacific unit that was complete with sound and a decoder. It was one of the Christmas presents from my wife two years ago.
Ron
[:)]

[jamesbaker]

My first and only G-Scale engine was part of a Lionel set that my Parents bought for me over 14 years ago, She is back up and running sence 2 days ago.

<img src="http://www.photolocker.net/images/FrameLayN88/dcp6963.jpg" alt="image hosting by http://www.photolocker.net/" />

[vsmith]

LGB Porter. off Ebay. soon followed by an HLW Mack[:D]

[kimbrit]

Berwick-on-Tweed, early summer, late '86 and just back from the Falklands with a shed full of money. Walked past a town centre shop and an LGB loco came past the shop window. I'd always promised myself a garden railway so I went in and bought the Stainz passenger set. The loco chassis is now the running part of my Mason Bogie.
Kim

[Anonymous]

USA GP7 Rock Island, Rec'd for Christmas way back in 2005 from my wife/ my parents.... I cant wait for spring to start on the layout in the back yard so I can run it

[smcgill]

A USA starter set !
3- more USA engine's!

[SandyR]

1984, the starter set with the 2010 black Stainz, Chiquita banana boxcar, brown gon. And also got the 4065 caboose. The 2010, aka 'Old Faithful' is still going strong! After 22 years! The caboose has travelled so many miles that the holes in the journals have enlarged, and now I need to drill them a bit bigger and install brass bushings...but the loco runs like it's brand new. Hats off to LGB!!
SandyR

[CandCRR]

Our first was an Aristo Christmas starter set that was several years old but still new in the box with a very good discount.

[Anonymous]

I got an LGB Stainz in my first starter set and an ICE train in my 2nd starter set. The Stainz is a terrific little engine and I got so interested init that i actually visited the town of Stainz in Austria during my last trip to Europe. However i have added to it, it now has an LGB decoder and a powered tender with sound and it is still my favourite unit. It will outpull my Sachsen but not my Mallet or my Crocodile.


Rgds Ian

PS its not going at the moment but i'm pretty sure its the decoder not the loco.

[markperr]

A B&O RS3 from Aristo. Got it back in '98 and it's still running like a champ. One of my best runners.

Mark

[ttrigg]

My first (and all) engines have come from starter sets. Street car, and gandydancer are my only "non-set" self powered units.

[piercedan]

I voted other as mine was a gift set. The LGB 30th anniversary set.