I have to brag on MOH. This weekend I was relaxing in front of ebay drooling over a "Bowser" loco". MOH came in and asked what I was doing. I showed her this loco and told her I had been wanting to buy a Bowser loco for years but had not been able to find the one I wanted in HO. She said "you should buy it, you never spend money on yourself..."
So in a few days I will be the owner of my very first Bowser loco and I am very fortunate to be married to one great wife who supports my hobby !
YGW
Congratulations on your purchase and especially on having such an understanding OH. Mine has allowed me to spend my "cigarette" (never smoked) money as I want. She travels south to ferry her friend back and forth spring and fall and usually one trip down in the winter, I don't ask the cost of tickets, lodging, etc.
I have my first 2 Bowsers (RS-3's) on order, don't expect them until first of next year. Long wait but expect it will be worth it.
Have fun,
Richard
I have two Bowser diesels, an RS-12 and a VO1000 and I like them a lot.
Alvie
YGW,
Which one are you getting? I have two Baldwin VO-660s, a VO-1000, and two EMD FT A-Bs. They are all terrific runners and I've been very happy with the purchases.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Bowser has really raised the bar since the old days. At the most I remember them making was steam and those trolly type PCC cars. How long has Bowser been producing Diesels?
YGW, now you'll be spoiled.
I'm working on the 'Purchasing Department' to add a PRR Alco C630 to the roster. The newest Bowsers on the roster at this time consist of:
ALco C628 LV #629 'redbird'
ALco C628 LV #626 'snowbird'
ALco C628 LV #637 'snowbird'
ALco C630 RDG #5303
ALco C630 RDG #5309
Oh I forgot the Stewart acquisition. Thanks Randy.
Remember most of their diesels came from their aquisition of Stewart. There have been updates and some changes to them, but they started with models that were a far cry from the metal steam loco kits Bowser was producing.
I have quite a few of these, several sets of F units and a whole bunch of the Baldwin switchers, as well as a set of AS16's. Some were Stewart and some I bought since Bowser took over the line in 2004. All are great runners, the little switchers even more so due to an extremely fine mechanism with Canon motor. What's interesting is that the Stewart versions were actually made by Ajin, a Korean company noted for their fine quality brass models.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
For the record I have seen those "old Bowser" kits superdetailed and looking as good as brass models, but then perhaps I am biased because I did my share of the boiler casting and drilling of the shells.
The diesels have had significant if subtle upgrades over the Stewart models. In particular they have redone the handrails twice on some units based upon customer feedback, to make them better, to look more finescale, to better accept paint and to stay on the models better. Where it makes economic sense to do so Lee has retooled plenty of details and parts of the shells, in addition to introducing several models that Stewart never made.
The newest motors may be the best yet. They are very quiet with plenty of torque and nobody is doing working class lights on new diesel models better than Bowser.
John
I have Santa Fe blue and yellow warbonnet F-9's on order, which excepting rare Overland brass models, have never been available in a decent HO version. Excepting a similar Proto 2000 b/y freight warbonnet GP7, they will be my only diesels, as otherwise I have all brass or hybrid steam power.
All these responses assume the loco is a diesel. I'm still waiting to hear just what it actually is.
YGW -
If they are anything like my two Bowser C430 units, you will absolutely love them. They run super smooth, and pull a ton.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
It is a Peabody AS-16 PBCC. Every since John Denver sang the song about "peabodies coal train" and the bright yellow color I have been fascinated by that RR. Always wanted one !
ACY All these responses assume the loco is a diesel. I'm still waiting to hear just what it actually is. Tom
Well seeing as how they stopped selling the metal steam loco kits...
Yes, fully outfitted with superdetail parts they do look quite nice. Ypu can repalce the motor and install better gearboxes and they can run as good as they look. But out of the box? Only towards the end did they start including the 'superdetail' parts which brought them up to contemporary plastic standards, to truly superdetail them you had to flip over to their Selley and Cal-Scale section and order a whole lot more parts.
Once you got them going though - pretty near unstoppable with all that weight.
rrinker ACY All these responses assume the loco is a diesel. I'm still waiting to hear just what it actually is. Tom Well seeing as how they stopped selling the metal steam loco kits... Yes, fully outfitted with superdetail parts they do look quite nice. Ypu can repalce the motor and install better gearboxes and they can run as good as they look. But out of the box? Only towards the end did they start including the 'superdetail' parts which brought them up to contemporary plastic standards, to truly superdetail them you had to flip over to their Selley and Cal-Scale section and order a whole lot more parts. Once you got them going though - pretty near unstoppable with all that weight. --Randy
It was on ebay --- not new. It could be recent production, or fairly old. Either way, Bowser has made some very desirable locos, and still does.