I model something of a timeline. My earliest engine is a NYC Alco 2-6-0 (Bachmann Sound Value for $99, who could resist?). Newest would probably be my CR SD45-2 (although I did just buy an F59PHI from a friend). So I have lots of NYC, PC, CR, plus Amtrak from rainbow era to Phase 3. Happily, I'm not much interested in anything newer.
Incidentally, my 2-6-0 can't pull much on my club's 2%, so it (along with my 45-tonner) runs the "museum train" with 3 cars max (including my homemade "excursion car", see below). So in a way, it's running one of my most modern trains.
Electrics? Yep, I've got a GG-1 (PC), an E33 (NH), and an E60CH (Phase 2). How do we run 'em? Third rail!
Actually, since a single electric can't get a big passenger train over our 2% Western region, we run the electrics on the east end, then switch over to diesels. When doing that, I think of our Midway Yard as Croton-on-Hudson (the NYC modelers will understand).
Life's too short not to buy the trains you want. :)
Autonerd
Nice model!
And during the week, when the tourist train's not running, you can pull the seats and use it as a tie car. Probably want to unbolt the handrails, too.
Ed
AutonerdElectrics? Yep, I've got a GG-1 (PC), an E33 (NH), and an E60CH (Phase 2). How do we run 'em? Third rail!
Speaking of PRR, New Haven, NYC electrics — I sure would have loved to witness the movements on April 15, 1945, of the Franklin D. Roosevelt funeral train as it traversed the trackage from Pennsylvania Station where the train was brought in by a pair of GG1s that were then replaced by a New Haven EP-4 that pulled the train as far as New Rochelle, where the New Haven Electrics ran around the train and pulled it backward to Mott Haven Junction where New York Central motors then pulled it, now forward again, to Harmon where Hudson 5283 carried the seventeen-car train (west) to Hyde Park. There was also a second train, called the "Congressional Train" for press and other dignitaries that followed close behind. Then after the proceedings at Hyde Park the whole process was reversed for the return trips.
I have always wanted to replicate parts of this special train on my layout. I have some of the equipment and locomotives. I have the Ferdinand Magellan and enough stand-ins for the other heavyweight cars, mostly 6-3s and some 7-2s.
I don't have the New Haven EP-4 but maybe I could sneak by with the Rapido EP-5s when they are available
That's the fun of Model Railroading
Regards, Ed
My locomotives temptation would be an HO Scale 4-6-4 NYC 20th Century Limited Dreyfuss in 1938.
Get an Athearn N Scale 4-8-8-4 Big Boy in 4004. Waiting for them to make that number. I saw this locomotive in Cheyenne, Wy.
Edit: Athearn announced this June, that their making my locomotive number on the Big Boy.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
7j43k And your thoughts on the W&R 44 tonners? Besides that they cost a lot? I did finally give in and get a couple of brass 70 tonners. Really quite nice. Ed
And your thoughts on the W&R 44 tonners? Besides that they cost a lot?
I did finally give in and get a couple of brass 70 tonners. Really quite nice.
If by W&R you mean the Keystone models, my thoughts:
These are kits. The bodies are etched brass and soft metal castings, all high quality. The frame with the running boards are etched brass, and come partially assembled already. One of my 3 was not real flat, but the other 2 were fine. There is a lot of work in assembling one of these, but the fit of the parts is good.
As for the drives, the news gets even better. according to the instructions, the Delrin gear towers were made by Grandt Line, the steel worm and brass spur gears by NWSL. No plastic gears here! All are top quality presision pieces.
2 of my 44 tonners came with Sagami twin shaft can motors. One came with a Tanika, runs just as well. The silicon tubing meant for coupling the motors to the gear towers is the weak point of the set up. It won't work. It causes derailments and extreme vibration. Replacing that with NWSL 2mm U joints cured that perfectly. The motor shafts have to be shortened a little to do that. Then these run smooth and quiet. They don't come with flywheels, but there's room. I turned some on a Sherline lathe for even s moother operation.
The drives also come with 2 power pickups already attached to the trucks and motor, but 2 more are provided to make the models all 8 wheel pick-up. There are little plastic clips that are supposed to keep the axles in the truck frames, but these are all broken, a flaw in the casting process. But the axles stay in place without those, and I'll probably make some out of flat brass or something.
I bought 3 of these things, and at an average price of about $128, I think they are as good as a 44 tonner is gonna get. I made myself stop watching for them now!
I also bought a used brass 44 tonner, Westside. It needs some TLC cuz a previous owner did a hack job of putting in a can motor. Even so, The gear drives in it are OK. But if I had it to do over, I'd stick with the Keystones. Dan
Dan,
Very interesting talk about the Keystone. They sound like neat kits.
However, I wasn't talking about them. I meant these:
I believe they did all the various phases.
You can see some more pictures here:
https://www.brasstrains.com/classic/Product/Detail/032511/HO-W-R-Enterprises-GE-44-Ton-Diesel-Phase-IV
My vice is the wish to have an HO scale model of the foreign road engines I saw or photographed on the SP here in Texas between 1978 and 1986:
*=model(s) on hand.
ATSF 1 GP39-2, 2 SD40-2, 2 SD45, 1 SD45-2*, 2 B36-7, 2 C30-7
B&O 2 GP40, 2 GP40-2*
BN 4 SD40-2*, 1 U30C*, 1 B30-7A, 2 C30-7
CN 1 GP40
C&O 1 SD40
C&IM 2 SD38-2
CNW 1 GP50
CR 1 SD40-2, 2 C30-7, 1 C30-7A
D&RGW 2 GP30, 1 GP35*, 2 GP40, 2 GP40-2 *1, 4 SD40T-2 *2, 1 SD50
GRR 1 GP38-2 (Ex NW, Exx ITC)
GM&O 1 GP35*, 1 GP38-2*
GTW 1 GP40
IC 1 SD40A, 1 GP38AC,
ICG 1 GP38-2
L&N 1 GP30, 1 GP35, 1 GP38, 1 GP38AC, 2 GP38-2, 1 GP40, 1 SD40-2, 3 U23B
1 U30C
MILW 2 GP40 *1, 1 SD40-2
MKT 1 GP38-2 *, 1 GP39-2 *, 1 GP40, SD40-2 *
MP 1 GP38, 3 GP38-2 *2, 1 SD40*, 5 SD40-2 *3
NW 2 SD40-2, 1 SD45
NS 1 SD40-2
SBD 1 U30C*
SCL 1 GP40, 2 U36B*
SOU 1 GP38, 3 GP38-2 *1, 2 GP50*, 1 SD45*, 2 U23B*, 2 B23-7*, 1 B36-7
WP 1 GP40-2
In addition to the foreign power, there are 28 SP/SSW units I intend to add to the 56 I currently possess, as soon as they become available. Each unit is numbered and, if possible weathered according to its prototype.
NHTX, You don't ask for much, huh?
Ed: Yes, now I know what those are. I've seen 'em on the bay, sellers always demanding real high prices. Very nice looking, and looks like it probably has a good drive. But, a bit outside what I can justify for a locomotive. Dan
So getting back to the topic title, here is an angle on it. Say you have a model of an engine already, maybe mulitples. Then a company comes out with a better, higher fidelity version? Thats a type of temptation isn't it?
Case in point, I have a bunch of RTRAthearn SD40T-2's. By any standard 20 + years ago, it might have been compared with brass; they certainly have a good amount of detail and some key prototypical parts. Then along comes a new company who is offering their higher fidelity version - Scale Trains. I noticed ALL of the pre-orders are listed as "sold out". I did pre-order one each of the D&RGW - I gave in to temptation.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 So getting back to the topic title, here is an angle on it. Say you have a model of an engine already, maybe mulitples. Then a company comes out with a better, higher fidelity version? Thats a type of temptation isn't it? Case in point, I have a bunch of RTRAthearn SD40T-2's. By any standard 20 + years ago, it might have been compared with brass; they certainly have a good amount of detail and some key prototypical parts. Then along comes a new company who is offering their higher fidelity version - Scale Trains. I noticed ALL of the pre-orders are listed as "sold out". I did pre-order one each of the D&RGW - I gave in to temptation.
Well for me, that depends. If the roster could really use a few more of that loco type, then sure, I would likely get a few of the newer, better model.
BUT, I am not one to "replace" models I have already deemed "acceptable".
I did purge a small fleet of much older motive power about 25 years ago. Today, every one of the 140 +/- locos I own is above my minimum standards, so they will not be replaced unless they stop running and cannot be repaired.
And, I am at the point where there are very few holes remaining in my ideal roster, so it would take some very specific offerings to sell me too many more locos.
Working on completing the freight car roster now, need about 200 more.
Sheldon
riogrande5761Say you have a model of an engine already, maybe mulitples. Then a company comes out with a better, higher fidelity version? Thats a type of temptation isn't it?
.
Or... How about this one: I have all the freight locomotives I need... here is the only locomotive on my wish (dream) list: Cummins Centercab 1,000 HP switcher (no model ever made, only 1 prototype locomotive produced). If I find a good enough deal on a Whitcomb, that would be a stand-in substitute, is that a temptation?
Or... there is this one: I have 4 A/B or A/A sets of F units for freight service. If some manufacturer comes out with a 2-6-6-4 that I like, and reasonably looks like family to my EM1 2-8-8-4, some, maybe all, of these F unit sets will be replaced by the 2-6-6-4 locomotives. Is that a temptation?
I guess temptations come in all kinds of flavors.
The Cummins 1,000 HP locomotive I want:
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 riogrande5761 Say you have a model of an engine already, maybe mulitples. Then a company comes out with a better, higher fidelity version? Thats a type of temptation isn't it? . Or... How about this one: I have all the freight locomotives I need... here is the only locomotive on my wish (dream) list: Cummins Centercab 1,000 HP switcher (no model ever made, only 1 prototype locomotive produced). If I find a good enough deal on a Whitcomb, that would be a stand-in substitute, is that a temptation? . Or... there is this one: I have 4 A/B or A/A sets of F units for freight service. If some manufacturer comes out with a 2-6-6-4 that I like, and reasonably looks like family to my EM1 2-8-8-4, some, maybe all, of these F unit sets will be replaced by the 2-6-6-4 locomotives. Is that a temptation? . I guess temptations come in all kinds of flavors. . The Cummins 1,000 HP locomotive I want: . . -Kevin .
riogrande5761 Say you have a model of an engine already, maybe mulitples. Then a company comes out with a better, higher fidelity version? Thats a type of temptation isn't it?
Kevin, I don't have a picture and everything is packed right now, but I have two N&W 2-6-6-4's refitted with B&O/C&O style tenders that came from Bachmann C&O 2-8-4's to give them my ATLANTIC CENTRAL family look.
It is a larger version of this tender:
It is amazing how that alone changed the look of the N&W loco.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I have two N&W 2-6-6-4's refitted with B&O/C&O style tenders that came from Bachmann C&O 2-8-4's to give them my ATLANTIC CENTRAL family look.
To get the look I want, I think I would have to use a BLI N&W 2-6-6-4, and the tender and pilot section from a Bachmann EM1 2-8-8-4.
That would be a very expensive project, and the BLI locomitves only come with sound and DCC installed.
Not going to happen anytime soon.
I love the thought of a 2-6-6-4, but only a handful of prototypes had them, and I am not in love with the looks of any of them.
Well here on the ACR, we have a fair number of articulated locos.
They include:
The two 2-6-6-4's described above (purchased at bargain prices, tenders swapped and sound removed).
Three 2-6-6-2's with long Vandy tenders and Delta trailing trucks. (Bachmann w/Bachmann tender swap)
Two 2-8-8-0's (made by simply removing the trailing truck on the Proto 2-8-8-2)
And so far one 2-8-8-4 (yes, Bachmann EM-1)
They all have enough of a family look for my tastes.
These don't count other B&O and C&O articulated locos......
I have always modeled freelanced midwest and now southeast modern-ish shortlines, but have always had a weakness for diesels in UP paint. I think its the light colors of yellow and gray really show off the details. I simply say they are leased power, which is a fairly common role for former UP locos.
My shortline requires 3 locos, but I own about 50, all purchased to fit the prescribed theme but were attractive because of paint scheme and look. I have various scenarios to justify each set of three (about), stemming from slight economic situations of the shortline (weatherbeaten locos to new and shiny) to pre-and post ditchlight era.
If I did my math correctly, I must have about 16.66666 different scenarios to justify my purchases.
- Douglas