What should I buy

[NZRMac]

I'm thinking of selling my race car and trailer, I should get a few thousand dollars NZ.
What should I be looking at buying, Loco's cars etc
I'd like to model modern coal trains and have steam passennger railfaning trips.
My layout has one or two 20" radius turns the rest are 22" and about a #4.5 turnouts grades are 2%. I'm running DCC and love sound.
The Atlas trainmaster goldseries loco's are apealling.

Thanks Ken.

[Anonymous]

How many cars can you fit onto your coal train and still be seen as a decent train?

Do you have a specific favorite steam engine you want to duplicate your railfanning excursions?

You probably are going to be looking at engines already equippted with DCC and Sound at the factory. If you choose a engine that is NOT equipped then you probably will need to check reference sources such as "Loy's Toys" or "Tony's" to find out which decoder and speaker is the best fit for your engine and DCC system.

You appear to be modeling in the modern era. there should be no shortage of "trains" to choose from.

Best of luck!

[NZRMac]

Being down under (NZ) I don't have any favourite American Locomotives in mind, would like factory sound, I have an Athearn diesel now with soundtraxx decoder and a wee Bachmann 2-6-0 running dc.

Like something a bit bigger in the steam area would be nice. I can probably run 10-12 40' hopper cars for coal and two loco's consisted.

All HO by the way!!

Ken.

[knewsom]

My suggestion would be a BLI Class A. I have one and it should go around your turns with no problem. Another loco (one that I plan to get) is the LL Proto 2000 2-8-8-2. Both were known for hauling coal for N&W.

Where are you in NZ? I am coming to the South Island for a few weeks in March.

[Anonymous]

NZRMac or Ken Mackay

Whatever you buy I must insist that you purchase two of them. Like two SD70MAcs, 2 AC4400's and so on. Two of the same kits. Do you know where I am going here? If not I want you and someone else to be happy (ME) buy one for you and then one for me. LOL I will give you my address later, for shipping.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by knewsom

My suggestion would be a BLI Class A. I have one and it should go around your turns with no problem. Another loco (one that I plan to get) is the LL Proto 2000 2-8-8-2. Both were known for hauling coal for N&W.

Where are you in NZ? I am coming to the South Island for a few weeks in March.

Me too. The one with the QSI?

[NZRMac]

knewsom I'm in Christchurch, biggest city South Island

The BLI sounds alright (funny I already have N&W ore cars)
I'll have a look some where Internet model trains or Tony's train ex.

Ken

[Anonymous]

Hello Ken,

Sorry to digress but I have to know, what did you race? I heartily endorse your choice of a much safer pastime but after MR, watching motorsports of any kind is my weakness.

[NZRMac]

Lightbender

My Weeee race car is a MK2 Ford Escort (English) Twin cam 1600, supercharged, intercooled Toyota (out of MR2) I built it in about '92 and just mucked about with it at local car club.
It's expensive racing anything and we've been graced with wee Brigette so I like being at home more, in the garage anyway!!!

Ken.

[rexhea]

Hey Ken, don't end up in the dog house by not buying the Misses something with that car money. You may not have room for a Z gauge.[(-D]

REX

[Anonymous]

That is so true. I tend to buy my spouse a little something extra when I have a big month. I tel her it came out of my sale price savings not retail. (It's true too)

[Anonymous]

I don't think that you can go wrong with the Class A,I bought one right after there release and it performs flawlessly each and every time I run it. Life likes 2-8-8-2 was reviewed and said to be the best locomotive of all time i can't remember what editor or the magazine that published this.Between the two one would be hard pressed in my opinion to single one out of the other,BTW they use the identical sound system. I have one of the Atlas Trainmasters CP and I can tell you that the fairbanks morse sound is great,it pulls like a raped ape.and I am very pleased with this engine.One of BLI upcoming releases is the J class N&W , and the NYC 4-8-4 i think either would represent a very good excursion service engine.Also Life likes Berkshires are going to be rerealeased with factory QSI sound I think this engine will be one of the hottest sellers of 2005. We modelers are in a great position to have many of the engines that not so many years ago were out of reach of some with the price of Brass,and can actually have all the bells and whistles right out of the box. Pretty Cool .Terry

[rrinker]

OT, but Ken, with your racing hobby, do you happen to know a fellow named Ira who a few years ago ran his nice MR2 off the road and down a hill? I believe he lives in your area, he's a transplanted American, I know him from an auto-related message board I frequent.

--Randy

[rexhea]

Ken, if you choose the Class A or any articulate, make sure you have plenty of room on the sides of your 20" curve to allow for the swing of the engine cab. It should run ok on the curve, but will knock down anything too close to the track.

Rex

[Anonymous]

Dang, I was hoping it would be a sprint car....m

[NZRMac]

Randy, don't remember any incidents like that. Theres about four active car clubs here, mines got about 600 members.

I've had a good look at BLI loco's and want USRA class A 2-8-2, two EMD SD40-2 and two EMD sw NW2 phase V switchers, and if the money stretches some BLI 3 bay hopper cars 4 different 6 packs that's about $2000

I think my Misses would like the cornerstone series wharf kit and mayby a coal mine.

Now to sell that car!!!!

Ken.

[knewsom]

Ken, BLI was having a sale previously to reduce some of their inventory. I think that Standard Hobby (where I got mine) and Trainworld (http://www.trainworld1.com/broadwayltd/) still have the sale on, so you may be able to save some money on the engine. I don't know if they ship internationally though.

[NZRMac]

Thanks knewsom, Where in the South Island are you going? Business or pleasure?

I had a look at all the online discount sites, I still think Tony's is cheaper and I've dealt with them before

My list of wants come to just over $1000US which is in my price range.

Broadway EMD Switcher-QSI Snd-nw2 phV 632 B&O 9512 $154.95 ea. x2

Broadway EMD SD40-2-QSI Snd-711 N&W 1 $209.95 ea. x2

Broadway Ltd USRA Heavy 2-8-2-with DCC/DC Sound-226 IN STOCK $194.95 x1

stx-dsd100lc DSD-100LC Generic-820001 $79.95 x1 For my little Bachmann 2-6-0

tds-100 TDS 1.00 Dia Speaker $7.95 ea. 1 $7.95 x1

[NZRMac]

Or mayby I should look the 2-8-2 light which has QSI. I'm not sure the heavy has QSI sound?

Ken.

[knewsom]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NZRMac

Thanks knewsom, Where in the South Island are you going? Business or pleasure?

We are not sure yet. It is a family vacation. My wife and I spent a week in NZ on our way to Austrailia for our honeymoon and fell in love with NZ especially the South Island. So we decided to come back and spend some more time there. We are flying into Christchurch this time. We are going to get a rental car and a Kiwi Gold Pass and just enjoy ourselves.

My email is [e-mail] if you have any suggestions.

[NZRMac]

Well sold my car[:(], just waiting on the cheque to clear, and I can put the credit card into credit!!

Anymore suggestions for Loco's.

Broadway Ltd USRA Light 2-8-2-
Snd-nw2 phV
Atlas SD26 gold
Bachmann silver 3 bay hoppers

Anything else?[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

Ken.

[trolleyboy]

Hi maybe through in the proto sound equiped GP-9's they did a lot of coal haulin in the early 50'sn60's. espeacially on the NW. BTW the atlas train master is a peach speacially the CP one in my opinion by far the prettiest paint scheme[:I][:I][:I][:D][X-)] Enjoy Rob