Each of us certainly has an engine or a oiece of rolling stoch which is very dear to you for various reasons. Don´t keep them hidden - show us your treasures!
Aside from an old Marklin HO scale electric locomotive my wife gave me for our first anniversary, my hidden treasure is a WMC HOn3 D&RGW T-12 4-6-0, which I bought 45 years ago, and painted, lettered and weathered. She has never seen any service, other than the occasional shuttle run on a 15" long plank.
The purchase of this engine was a milestone in my "career" as a model railroader. It marked the end of my time playing with toy trains and turning into a model railroader.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
This engine, D&H #7312, is special because one, I used to see it in Plattsburgh when I was around 7, and buying the loco marked the starting of my first "real" layout, the D&H champlain division north end, as well as the start of my blog.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
I'd say if I have any treasures, it's some signature D&RGW rolling stock that has been only availalbe in brass, yet trains looks so much more "Rio Grande" if they have them, vs a foobie.
So far I have six D&RGW shop built correct brass cabooses; five are painted at present:
Rio Grande Zephyr combine:
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
STRATTON AND GILLETTE locomotive #4.
.
The very first locomotive ever built for the SGRR, over 35 years ago.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Here's my pride and joys.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I grew up around Cleveland, Ohio, where these big motors once roamed. Sadly their last runs in Cleveland were about five years before I was born.
IMG_6782_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Twenty-two were built by Alco-GE in 1929. When their service was done at C.U.T. they moved eastward to finish out their duty hauling the likes of the Century, Commodore Vanderbilt and Empire State Express on the last thirty miles of the NYC mainline, under Park Avenue and into Grand Central Terminal.
Fortunately I was able to ride behind them on several occasions. It is truly an awesome experience to feel the silent, relentless power that many of these types of "big" electrics are capable of providing.
IMG_6789_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
When Overland announced a run of these locomotives in 1997, I was fortunate to have been able to afford one, years later I found a stable mate. Only two hundred models were produced. I would say that if I ever had to liquidate my collection, these would be the very last to leave the clutches of my feeble grasp.
Thank You, Ed
riogrande5761 Rio Grande Zephyr combine:
That combine is hard to find! I have been wanting one for a while and have only ever seen two of them, this being the second one.
Speaking of Rio Grande Cabooses, I have been working on four ProtoWest Scale Models Resin kits. I have finished two but haven't taken the final photos yet. Here is it in construction.
I actually scratchbuilt one before I started on the Protowest Kits. I actually think the scratchbuilt one was easier. I did realize much later that its actually the wrong color. I used DRGW Orange instead of Gold. Oops. Not repainting it.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
All of my rolling stock sits on the layout or in a crate until the layout is more complete.
Keep up the great work everyone. What fantastic photos. They are role models!
I treasure every locomotive and piece of rolling stock in my collection but if I have to pick just one it would have to be this yellow box Atlas GP40 from the 1970s. My first two HO scale locomotives were Tyco F7 toys which sadly didn't last very long before they broke. This was my first real scale model. I was so happy when I got it. The Tycos were still around when I got this but this was the locomotive that I really wanted.
This is what it looks like now. I converted it to Kadee couplers and added details in the early 1990s.
This picture was circa 1979.
My grandfather's Seaboard Coast Bicentennial locomotive he gave to me when I was 9 or 10. I somehow managed to keep it all these year's
I was too young to appreciate it and abused it so it doesn't work anymore so I got a replacement that does work
Memories.... it's all beat up but I appreciate it now
My Katsumi Shay is definitely one of my favorites. Took her apart, and put her back together with a fresh coat of paint, new motor, DCC and LED lighting. Works like a champ... Simon
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Can't show no photos but i have three yellow box locos just like the above Santa Fe one GP40 hand painted SCL and a GP38 Clinchfield hand painted and last a GP40 in ICG orange and gray MR ran back in the 80's on how to paint that one they all still run great.
Russell
Renagade,
That Prospector combine was bought from Caboose Hobbies back in 1989 and was from one of two runs of Palace Car Company brass P-S Prospector runs. I had also ordered a PCC Wilson McCarthy business car and Dome Chair car, but they didn't arrive until after I had moved away from Texas and my meddling mother returned them. Still makes me mad I missed out on them due to that. The combine pictured was not the one I ordered but Caboose Hobbies had the less often used combine from the late 70s with the blanked out dorm windows so I bought. It was unpainted until a couple years ago when a fellow Rio Grande fan painted it for me.
In the late 1990s a skirted version PCC combine with the dorm windows came up for sale at a hobby shop where I used to live. It's being painted and decalled also. It would be good up until about 1973 when the skirts were removed.
During the last 6 or 7 years Division Point did decorated P-S Prospector cars as well and we're gogeous but about $500 each!
BTW, that 4-stripe caboose I pictured is a Div Pt. The rest are Overland.
Your Protowest look very nice. I've seen some constructed that looked kind of rough. They must require some skill to have come out looking good like yours. Great job!
It's very satisfying to have signature equipment for modeling the DRGW!
I cannot post pictures, but my favorite loco out of my entire fleet of HO and O is my Atlas O Conrail C630 #6770. I have never seen another O scale Atlas C630 other than mine.
A few more of my treasures.
This train was built by a Japanese model railroader and dear friend of mine. It is OO9 scale, i.e. OO scale running on 9mm gauge track. The engine and cars have no specific prototype, but closely follow British NG specs. The engine is powered by a Kato 2-axle drive and runs great!
For me, it's a toss-up. In no particular order, is an undecorated Athearn GP-40, painted in Missouri-Northern Arkansas colors.
Next, is the Santa Fe 4-8-4 Northern from Broadway Limited.
And, finally, a Broadway Limited Blueline Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I have a couple of favorite locos, but no treaures. No family history of railroding, model or other wise, in my family, or my step dad's family.
I'm the only one, and I don't mind that at all.
Mike.
My You Tube
snjroy My Katsumi Shay is definitely one of my favorites. Took her apart, and put her back together with a fresh coat of paint, new motor, DCC and LED lighting. Works like a champ... Simon DSC_0117 by " alt="" />
This is a great idea for a thread Ulrich, thanks.
It has been educational as well. Though I feel like Brody in the movie Jaws when everyone is showing off their battle scars and all he has to show is his where his appendix incision was.
Keep'em coming.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I have 2 "Treasure's"
# 1 : My Roundhouse 2 truck Shay.
"Treasure # 2: My Hallmark AS-616.
It's hard to tell in these picture's , but I painted it in SP's Texas & New orleans scheme.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
I hate to play favourites because I'm your typical 'collector' (I saw you wince, Sheldon... who finds pleasure in my now sizeable hodge-podge of locomotives.
I like big steam, the bigger the better. Oddly, no Big Boy yet. I'd say my newest #1 would have to be this fine model from BLI:
It's their UP 9000 series hybrid brass that was five years in the waiting.
Crandell, is that the new layout? If so how about a tour?
riogrande5761 Renagade, That Prospector combine was bought from Caboose Hobbies back in 1989 and was from one of two runs of Palace Car Company brass P-S Prospector runs. I had also ordered a PCC Wilson McCarthy business car and Dome Chair car, but they didn't arrive until after I had moved away from Texas and my meddling mother returned them. Still makes me mad I missed out on them due to that. The combine pictured was not the one I ordered but Caboose Hobbies had the less often used combine from the late 70s with the blanked out dorm windows so I bought. It was unpainted until a couple years ago when a fellow Rio Grande fan painted it for me. In the late 1990s a skirted version PCC combine with the dorm windows came up for sale at a hobby shop where I used to live. It's being painted and decalled also. It would be good up until about 1973 when the skirts were removed. During the last 6 or 7 years Division Point did decorated P-S Prospector cars as well and we're gogeous but about $500 each! BTW, that 4-stripe caboose I pictured is a Div Pt. The rest are Overland. Your Protowest look very nice. I've seen some constructed that looked kind of rough. They must require some skill to have come out looking good like yours. Great job! It's very satisfying to have signature equipment for modeling the DRGW!
I'm from Denver originally even though I now live in WA State, so i have spent my fair share of time at Caboose Hobbies. Was a great store!
Funny you mention the Palace Car Co Wilson McCarthy. I found one someone was selling for $150! Last time I looked someone had one on Feebay for $450. I still haven't painted it yet but the one plus I love about brass is that if I screw it up, dunk in laquer thinner for 30 minutes and a tooth brush and its good to go again.
Thank you for the compliment on the ProtoWest cabooses. I have spent almost 2 months constructing and painting all four of them. They are not an easy kit. I'm not quite done with two of them since i am waiting on trucks for them. They all have working end lights (both the white and red) and the trucks I use are the Athearn Genesis caboose trucks. They are about the closest (other than Tahoe model works) to the correct caboose trucks I can find that have electrical pickups.
All of the Protowest cabooses also have a anti-flicker circuit to keep tail light on. I hate flickering lights.
I also have a few DP and Overland cabooses as well and one PFM brass caboose I found up in Canada for 95 CAD (75$ US). I don't think I will need to many more. I am at 10, 1400 series and 3 1500 series cabosoes. More if you count the athearn/ atlas knock offs. More than suffiecient for my layout. I'm trying to phase out the ones that are not true 1400 or 1500 series models. Also I have scratch build one as well and now have files to make another if I want (although it takes like 3 months to build it).
Division point does nice work but $$$$$. The Caboose was not cheap when I got it but still cheaper than new.
Gotta admit the 4-stripe and single stripe are not easy to paint. I really know why they switched to the all gold scheme in real life after painting those two.
Looks like Union Station products sells car sides for the combine. I might have to find a sacrificial donor body and buy the car sides and make my own.
BATMANThis is a great idea for a thread Ulrich, thanks. It has been educational as well.
I have been enjoying this thread also. I am glad it did not turn into a "My Brass Engine Is BIgger Than Yours" thread.
There has been some really great stuff posted in here.
I got to thinking this morning and I suspect this is my real pride and joy since I wouldn't sell or trade it for anything.
Brent, alas, it's the one I got about 70% finished prior to selling in 2015. I moved it all as best I could, but it wouldn't fit into the new space. I salvaged a lot of the track and all but one Peco #6.
I am partway through the scenery of the latest creation, with trains running well. I am awaiting the b turnout in ME's new #5 ladder turnout series; it is backordered. Really looking forward to creating a yard. I'm mostly making trees at the moment.
I will post some images in the next few weeks.
-Crandell
Tinplate Toddler Each of us certainly has an engine or a oiece of rolling stoch which is very dear to you for various reasons. Don´t keep them hidden - show us your treasures!
Here are some of my old treasures.
It was about 1955 when my father was in Japan, and he returned home with a gift for me. .... A tenshodo NYC 4-6-4. ... I was too young for it, and I dropped in on the floor too many times. I kept its pieces in its wooden box until about 15 years ago when I rebuilt it. The rebuilding required stripping paint, buying parts including tender trucks, resoldering details, and repainting. The 4-6-4 still runs with DC. The photo is on my current layout.
I grew into my upper teens, and decided I wanted a Tenshodo Santa Fe passenger train. I worked many long hours doing odd jobs to save enough money to buy my dream train. ... The photo shows the locomotive units on my current layout. Two units are powered, and they still run on DC. I still have the passenger cars which are Tenshodo 60's shorties.
This brass model of Skookum, a 2-4-4-2, was a gift from my wife over 25 years ago. The engine still runs smoothly with DC. The photo is on a section of my layout which as a 1900 era scene to accommodate some of my old era models.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU