which road to choose

[Anonymous]

I would like to switch to steam (HO) being that there is some nice plastic locos out now. But which road has the most locos avilable. I am also using dcc.if that helps.

[Anonymous]

Ok, depends on what era of steam you want to model, there is a vast number of Roads out there in steam to choose from. All of which have numerous items availble for them.

Jay

[Anonymous]

Most companies have a lot of nice Pennsy steamers right now, like the Spectrum K4 Pacific. Lots of companies also make great UP steam locomotives as well (I just got a Spectrum UP 4-8-2, runs like a dream).

[nfmisso]

Assuming HO, and strictly prototype, and you may have to decal some.....

(5) C&O: Rivarossi H8 2-6-6-6, Spectrum J2 4-8-2, Spectrum H5 2-6-6-2. P2K 2-8-4, BLI T1 2-10-4

(6) NKP: P2k 2-8-4, 0-8-0, 0-6-0, Spectrum 2-6-6-2, BLI 2-8-2 Heavy USRA, Genesis 2-8-2 Light USRA
kit bash 4-6-4 from Genesis or IHC USRA light 4-6-2.

(5) N&W: P2K Y3/Y3a 2-8-8-2, Rivarossi Y6b 2-8-8-2, BLI 2-6-6-4, Spectrum J 4-8-4, K2 4-8-2
Plus 6 more
Kit bash post WWII K2/K2a 4-8-2 from old Bachmann J shell and 4-8-2 chassis from Spectrum, IHC or Bowser.
Kit bash post WWII K14-8-2 from IHC USRA Heavy Mountain
Kit bash Y5 2-8-8-2 from P2k Y3a and Rivarossi Y6b shell.
Kit bash E3 4-6-2 from Spectrum 4-6-2
Kit bash E2 4-6-2 from Bowser NYC K11 4-6-2
Kit bash G 2-8-0 from Model Power or MDC-Roundhouse old time Baldwin 2-8-0

(6) UP: Rivarossi 4-8-8-4, 4-6-6-4, 4-8-4, Trix 4-8-8-4, Lionel 4-6-6-4, Genesis 4-6-6-4, BLI 4-8-2, LL P2K 2-8-8-2 and 0-6-0, and Bowser Challenger & Big Boy

NC&StL: Spectrum 2-10-0, light 4-8-2

PRR Spectrum K4 4-6-2, BLI T1 4-4-4-4 and J1 2-10-4,LL P2K 2-8-8-2 and many Bowser (metal) kits

See also: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/usra.html
All the USRA locomotives have been done in "plastic" except the 2-10-2. IHC has light 4-6-2, light 2-8-2 and heavy 4-8-2, Spectrum has light and heavy 4-8-2, 2-6-6-2, Genesis light 4-6-2 and light 2-8-2, BLI heavy 2-8-2, Rivarossi Heavy 2-8-2 and Heavy 4-6-2. In die-cast Bowser has the light 2-8-2 & 4-6-2, the heavy 4-8-2 & 2-10-2. The P2K 2-8-8-2 is a N&W Y3, which just a modified USRA 2-8-8-2 - not too bad to re-detail.

I am most familiar with N&W, and we have it pretty good.....

edited

[nfmisso]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

Most companies have a lot of nice Pennsy steamers right now, like the Spectrum K4 Pacific. Lots of companies also make great UP steam locomotives as well (I just got a Spectrum UP 4-8-2, runs like a dream).

Which is not strictly prototype, but what are the ground rules here?
[:D]
It is your railroad....run what you want.

[Anonymous]

I would like to stick with the better stuff genesis,spectrum,proto 2000 and maybe broadway. And I am open to any ere with the most equipment.

[AntonioFP45]

For steam, I'm a big New York Central fan. The streamlined J-Class Hudsons are my favorite steamers.

But I have to be honest, Pennsylvania and Union Pacific are on top of the "food chain" when it comes to sheer numbers of steamers in the fleet between 1910 and 1950. Check out the T-1 from Broadway LImited. This steamer would definetly win a locomotive beauty contest!

[EL PARRo]

Union Pacific had a lot of different steam locos:
0-6-0 (Proto 2000)
2-8-0 (Spectrum)
4-6-0
4-6-2
4-4-0
4-6-6-4 (Rivarossi, Athearn Genesis, Lionel)
4-8-8-4 (Rivarossi, Trix)
4-8-4 (Rivarossi)
4-8-2 (Bachmann Spectrum)
2-8-8-2 (Proto 2000)
2-8-8-0
2-10-2
4-10-2
4-12-2
2-8-2 (Athearn Genesis)

I'm not sure if you can find any good models of the ones that I didn't list a manufcturer for, but you might also be able to find some undecorated models and just add UP decals. There's also a lot of other good railroads out there too, though.

[Anonymous]

Union Pacific engines will cost you about ten or fifteen dollars more than the rest because of stUPid's copyright rule.

[Anonymous]

Have to agree with Antonio: Although it isn't either my era or road, the Pennsy T1 is an absolute hands-down stunner. The GG1 isn't far behind.

I'm seriously thinking of buying one just to have it on display for inspiration.

Randy

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nfmisso

Assuming HO, and strictly prototype, and you may have to decal some.....

(6) NKP: P2k 2-8-4, 0-8-0, 0-6-0, Spectrum 2-6-6-2, BLI 2-8-2 Heavy USRA, Genesis 2-8-2 Light USRA
kit bash 4-6-4 from Genesis or IHC USRA light 4-6-2.

Nigel,

Don't forget the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0, which is VERY close to two classes of NKP steam, and the Bachmann 4-6-0, which can be made into a very nice P-3, bringing the NKP's steam choices up to eight locos! I'll leave the Bowser and Roundhouse choices out of it, since they all require extensive build/modify time.

The NYC isn't a slouch either, when it comes to steam power. Unfortunately, none of the L-classes of Mountains have been released, except in brass, but there's a lot of other stuff available:

BLI 4-6-4
BLI USRA heavy 2-8-2
Athearn USRA light 2-8-2
Bachmann Plus 4-8-4
Rivarossi 4-6-4, standard
Rivarossi 4-6-4, streamlined
Bowser K-11 4-6-2
Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0
Bachmann Spectrum 4-6-0

[Anonymous]

Umm..guys we apparently have derailed here. He wasn't asking what Engines to buy, but rather what Roadname has the most equipment out there in steam.

And I'll have to reliterate that it'll depend on your era, late steam is primarily in UP and PPR, the earlier stuff has at least 6 or 7 roadnames in abundance. so the best bet is to got to www.walthers.com and do an advanced search on locomotives, using steam as the keyword. take a look at the names that appear and make note of the, say top 5 that seem to be most previlant.

Then, do a freight and/or passenger car seach using those 5 roadname and see which one has the most equipment available in those areas, note the top 3 here.

Now you'll have the three top Roadnames to choose from, from here I'd do a seach for other items (buildings, ect) and find if any of these have any other stuff available as well.

This should help you find a good roadname and them may even settle you to a specific time frame.

And as mentioned before, I'd stay away from UP, since they're trying to rake the industry over the coals with a 5-10% trademark fee per model.

Jay

[nfmisso]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EL PARRo

Union Pacific ...
2-8-0 (Spectrum)
4-8-2 (Bachmann Spectrum)

These two are not like any UP locomotive, and the the USRA Light 2-8-2 was limited to a subsidary. Spectrum offers these decorated for UP, but they are not prototypically correct.

Hey; it is your rr, so you can do what you want, but know what you are changing.......

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the info I am looking at UP, Pennsy and NYC.

[EL PARRo]

NTDN, I think you might want to change something in your last post. The link you gave should be www.walthers.com , not www.walther.com . walther.com just takes you to some high school website.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EL PARRo

NTDN, I hink you might want to change something in your last post. The link you gave should be www.walthers.com , not www.walther.com . walther.com just takes you to some high school website.

Ah thanks, fast typing misstroke [:p] And I stand by my post anyways. Still say stay away from the UP until they pull thier heads out from where the sun don't shine. [:D]

Jay

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by milwroad

Thanks for all the info I am looking at UP, Pennsy and NYC.

How much experience do you have in building stuff? If you have some, then the Pennsy has the most steamers available, hands down. Including kits and new stuff from BLI, here's what I think's out there right now:

Bowser:
A-5 0-4-0
B-6 0-6-0
H-9 2-8-0
L-1a 2-8-2
L-1b 2-8-2
I-1 2-10-0
N-2s 2-10-2
E-6 4-4-2
G-5 4-6-0
K-4 4-6-2
M-1 4-8-2
M-1a 4-8-2
T-1 4-4-4-4

Roundhouse:
E-6 4-4-2
J-28 2-6-2
G-5 4-6-0
H-9/H-10 2-8-0

Bachmann Spectrum K-4 4-6-2
Athearn Genesis L-1b 2-8-2
BLI T-1 4-4-4-4
BLI J-1 2-10-4
BLI M-1a 4-8-2
Life Like Proto 0-6-0
Like Like Proto 2-8-8-2

That's 24 engines right there! I'm sure I've missed a few (like the IHC L-1b), but you get the idea. Yes, you can get a lot of big steam for the UP (4-6-6-4, 4-8-8-4, 4-10-2, 4-8-4, 2-8-2), but you can't get ANY of their smaller engines, which were the backbome of their steam fleet. Don't even think about trying to model the Santa Fe without looking at the brass market!