Help with replicating Virginia & Truckee HO train

[mbeau]

Hi everyone,

I'm brand new to the forums as well as model trains, so please forgive me in advance for my basic knowledge or lack thereof. 

I'm trying to decide on a locomotive for an HO scale setup I'm going to build for my parents at Christmas this year. Since we always spend it in Truckee, CA, I wanted to replicate a scene from the early 20th century to sit below and run around the xmas tree. I'm going to scratch build a few buildings from downtown Truckee as well as the train station, but I need help deciding on which HO locomotive to purchase first.

I could go with a train set that has everything I need, however a lot of those varieties don't really match the look I'm going for, which is the Virginia and Truckee "Tahoe" train. You can see what I'm talking about here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_and_Truckee_Railroad#/media/File:RRM_Strasburg_PA_Tahoe_1875.JPG

It doesn't look like Bachmann makes a "Tahoe" model train anymore, so I'm thinking of purchasing a similar looking locomotive and then painting it to look like the Tahoe. I'm a little overwhelmed by all the options, but would truly appreciate any advice you have for a beginner, as well as maybe a recommendation on a specific model I should look into. I was thinking something similar to this Bachmann here: https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/bachmann-ho-52705-american-4-4-0-steam-engine-western-and-atlantic-railroad-the-general/#product-reviews

Thank you so much for any insights you can lend in helping me knock this project out of the park!

Mike 

[RR_Mel]

I built up an under the tree train but I went with G gauge.  HO is pretty small and hard to keep on the rails with little ones or pets in the vicinity.  Bachmann has a couple of period G gauge ten wheelers that would be easier on the knees to keep working.  Having to constantly crawl around getting the HO going could be kinda hectic during the holidays.

 

Actually HO would work for us, we started going with a small 4’ tree on a table about 10 years ago but then again I’m older than dirt.

 

Regardless what scale you go with look at the old time ten wheelers, 4-6-0 configuration.  

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[richg1998]

I have had a couple of the Bachmann 4-4-0 and they are light on the rail but not under a Christmas tree. The newest ones are nice but still iffy under a tree. If you do, a Bachmann EZ Track loop. It comes with ballast. Get the track with NS rail, not steel rail.Stay away from Atlas sectional track. Not firm enough in my opinion.

You can check the Bachmann forums quite easily. Company reps there and many users there plus lots of info. HO forum also, plus other scale forums. Just search for Bachmann forums. It will pop right up.

Rich

[xboxtravis7992]

I'd actually say the current Bachmann 4-6-0 is a rather decent match to be honest (link at the end). The paint would need to be corrected, the pilot replaced with a proper cowcatcher, replace the coal bunker with wood and the smokestack with a bell shaped stack. They are modeling projects and not a ready to run out of the box item for sure, but it can be done. 

Of course the V&T had several other locomotive types, do some research and you might find one out of the box ready to roll. Also consider, do you want a DC or DCC locomotive? If your running just one train and don't want it to make sound DC would be a lower priced option. If you want to run more than one train though, buy a started DCC system and pay to get decoders in all the locomotives you buy though. 

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/bachmann-ho-51404-baldwin-4-6-0-steam-locomotive-chesapeake-and-ohio-377-dcc-sound-equipped/?ne_ppc_id=1079742151&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0J33_u_o3QIVBZppCh0YqAxcEAQYASABEgLO_PD_BwE

[BigDaddy]

to the forum.

Your goal is wonderful and a nice present for your parents.  However that great model railroader, Dirty Harry Callahan, said "A man has to know his limitations"

You are proposing to strip and repaint a steam locomotive and scratch build buildings and do it in 3 months.

Both have learning curves and given your time frame, steep learning curves. If you aren't already doing some other type of modeling, I am skeptical that you call pull off a decent looking job.  I would suggest getting some Walthers kits and one of the Bachmann 4-4-0's and some cars and making this a multi-year project

Get some V&T passenger cars and some poetic license to use a B&O engine.

[7j43k]

This little guy is on sale, and you don't even have to strip the paint:

 

https://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Product/Detail/094403/HO-Brass-Model-WMC-V-T-Virginia-Truckee-4-6-0-26-Unpainted-Made-in-Japan

 

Ed

[mbeau]

Thanks so much for your response, Mel. Figuring out which gauge and scale has been tough. G seems a little big for what I'm trying to accomplish, especially since the model town would need to fit beneath the tree and allow space for presents nearby. Nobody in the family has little ones or pets (yet), but that's something to consider for the future. I was considering O scale, but considering it's twice as large as HO and that products for HO are more common, I was leaning towards that scale. I just ran the measurements though, and it seems that O scale is probably wiser if it's all going to sit under an 7' or 8' tree. Does that sound like a better scale to you? Thanks again for your insight!

[mbeau]

Thanks for your honest input, Henry. Indeed, a man has to know his limitations sometimes, haha. I think I'll look into Walthers kits to see if I can find some buildings that would come close to my vision here. I'm also reconsidering HO scale for all this, since the model town and train would be pretty small beneath a 6' - 8' tree. What are your thoughts on scale for this type of project, if you don't mind?

I've been poring over pages of locomotives on various model train sites for an O scale train that would come close to looking like the V&T Tahoe, but I'm not entirely sure how to narrow it down. Do you have any ideas?

Sorry for all the questions! The world of model trains is certainly much more vast than I could have ever imagined. It's very interesting to say the least!

Thanks so much,

Mike

[mbeau]

Gotcha, thanks so much for your input! I'm starting to rethink HO scale altogether now, since it might be minuscule beneath a 7' christmas tree. What are your thoughts on O scale for a project like this? Do you know of a particular model that might come close to looking like the V&T Tahoe? I don't mind making minor modifications, so long as the bulk of it looks relatively close. Thanks so much in advance!

[rrebell]

V and T  had many paint scheams over the years, more than most so pick your color. There are a lot of passenger cars on e-bay being close enough but when you get to motive power, you can get a steam of that era but to get a decent running one that is exact, you start talking reall money. As far as buildings, e-bay has lots of kits that are taken from that time.

[richg1998]

I just did a Google search for Virginia & Truckee HO engine. They are around. Ebay sources are iffy.

One was from brasstrains.com. Unpainted brass. I think about two hundred. Used, open frame motor. Pilot loose. NWSL would suggest a better motor.

Many other links with this type loco. Do some research.

Rich

[mbeau]

Thanks for the tip! I think I'm going to go with this Bachmann in On30 scale. It's unlettered, so I could add details to it that would match the V&T Tahoe (or at least get it close enough). I'm not sure what type of track to purchase though. For someone who doesn't have any real experience with tracks, I'm not sure what terminal rerailer, power supply, speed controller, etc., that I would need. Do you or anyone here have some advice on that? Thanks again!!

[richg1998]

I am assuming you want DC. Bachmann has a DC power pack. I have seen them use it a number of times at a train show in my area.

They also sell track. On30 runs on their EZ track which is HO scale. Get the Nickel Silver track. It comes with ballast. Looks at the On30 forum. There is a teminal track to hook up.

They also have DCC but the Bachmann DCC EZ Command system is limited It can run a loco ok but cannot modify the decoders or reset a decoder if the programming gets messed up. It is a starter system. By the way, a power pack can run a decoder equipped Bachmann loco. A few do that. You just have to turn the knob up a little higher. A staright DC loco seems to be best for a Christmas alyout. Ok, too much info.

A decent DCC system is coing to cost almost a couple hundred more depending on how good a shopper you are. Maybe less.

MRC sells very good power packs right off of ebay. Some are dual throttle.

By the way, Bachmann has a On30 forum at their web site with company reps and much info about Bachmann products if you have not been there. Parts Page, Diagrams, Catalog Page, Returns Page, etc. I have belonged for a number of years as I have Bachmann locos.

Google Bachmann forums.

Rich