I don't have a particular favorite but I'll pick a steamer and diesel from my NYC roster that I enjoy:
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
My favourite locomotives are my InterMountain FP7As and Bs and my FP9As in Canadian Pacific maroon and grey. I installed Loksound decoders in them and they are the nicest running locomotives that I have.
I also have a Rapido FP9A which runs very nicely, but I don't think it runs as well as my InterMountains. The Rapido starts too quickly compared to the InterMountains. To be fair, I haven't done any tuning to the Rapido unit so that can probably be corrected, but I didn't have to do any tuning at all to any of the InterMountain engines.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I have a hodge podge of locomotives from about six different roads. I only get locomotives that appeal to me strongly. So, I am at a loss to provide an answer. I am very fond of my Lionel HO Union Pacific Challenger, about the third loco I purchased years ago. It's heavy, nicely painted, extremely reliable, even with a 17 year old QSI decoder, and pulls a good long string of cars. I love the lines of my BLI original Paragon New York Central S1b Niagara.......so much so that I purchased a P2 version as well. Finally, the brass Hybrid Q2, UP 4-12-2, UP 2-10-2, and the brutish PCM (BLI) Y6b 2-8-8-2 are all marvels, extremely reliable so far, track and run well, sound great, pull well....they're all joys to own. I'll have to will them to my grand sons because I have no intention of getting rid of them any time soon.
"Favorite" does not mean best running, best looking, or even the one that gets the most use.
My favorite is my first brass locomotive, a Tenshodo 0-8-0.
I painted it probably 20 years ago, and it still is not lettered for the STRATTON AND GILLETTE!
Plus, it was given to me by a good friend, so that makes it even more of a favorite.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Hard to pick a favorite when several seem to be equally top performers.
Possibly an Atlas AEM-7 (this one is painted in a fake "Milwaukee Road" scheme). Probably because I spent more time on them than on any other engine, and one with Amtrak paint just wouldn't look right pulling freight trains...
Other candidates: Atlas Alco c425 (painted PC), two Atlas GP40's (PC & CR), Rivarossi U25c (PC, the model runs better than the big ones ever did), and two Bowser c430's (PC & CR). Also a Walthers Proto SD9 and an old Proto 2000 GP9.
Criteria was that they all run great, fast, slow, or at medium speeds.
MDC Boxcab Diesel. Bought it back in the early 70's shortly after I got started in the hobby.
Paul
Great Northern R-2:
It is (so far) the finest running steam engine I've got, and it'll pull 50 cars--maybe more--never tried.
Plus: My Mom gave it to me as a college graduation present.
Ed
ONE: My Roundhouse 2 truck Shay
( I actually have built three of these, and I don't care what any of the naysayers think .... I love them all! )
TWO: my Athern bb SD40-T2 decorated for the SP.
THREE: My 3 Athern bb SD 9s decorated for my Demon's Hollow & Pacific.
FOUR: My 3 Stewart AS 616's.
2 decorated for the T& N O. One decorated for my Wylers Gulch & Western.
And, coming in at # 5: my Halmark AS 616 decorated for the T & N O.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
1- Atlas Alco S-2. Hands down my favorite
2- Atlas Alco RS-1
3- Walthers Mainline ML-8. It's so cute!
4- Atlas GP-7
5- BLI 2-8-0
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
Have to say hands down my Key D&RGW L-105
WhatsApp Image 2020-06-21 at 10.24.45 by Watson Wilde, on Flickr
0756300101 by Watson Wilde, on Flickr
And my Challenger Imports C&O F-19
06913603 by Watson Wilde, on Flickr
As far as diesels go I still go for Kato running quality wise.
The set of Bowser C430 locomotives I have in Western NY &Pennsylvania paint. This line runs ex-Erie RR trackage through my area, and I got a cab ride in one of their C424m units before.
These 3 units run like champs, and are very well done models.
(And I see Spacemouse likes the B&P, also from this area.... Small world!)
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I have an Alco RSC-3. It's in Milwaukee colors. It's a Proto-1000 model. I weathered it lightly and installed my first sound decoder in it. The clanking sound of an old Allco engine just can't be beat.
The RSC-3 is a special adaptation for light trackage. It has 6 axles on two trucks, which helps spread the weight.
This engine showed up when I was searching for GP9s to replace my old BB models. I ended up with a pair of those, too. Thank you, M.B. Klein.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Current favorite loco for me is tied between my Sunset brass H9s and Hallmark brass ATSF 2507 class ex KM&O 2-8-0. Both were obtained for cheap and much work was done to restore.
PRR H9s:
ATSF 2507 class:
I decided to document my restoration work for once and wrote a VERY detailed article on the forums here describing 2522:
>> http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/289165.aspx <<
My favorite locos tend to be brass not because theyre expensive but rather because they tend to require a lot of work. The more you work in an engine the more you become attached, so that's why I enjoy mine so much!
Cheers!
Charles
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Modeling the Santa Fe & Pennsylvania in HO
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLb3FRqukolAtnD1khrb6lQ
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Very difficult to answer as I love them all! Probably have to be my Sunset N&W J-1 unstreamlined 4-8-4 with my KEY Virginian BA 2-8-4 and Pro Custom Hobbies Western Maryland J-1 4-8-4 thrown in. For diesels I'd have to say my KEY Western Maryland FA-2/FA-2 set.
oldline1
My Con Cor N scale U50B's. I have five of them all DCC equipped. They run very quietly and smoothly. When tested each pulled fourteen ounces (fifteen fifty foot cars) up a three percent grade at half throttle like they had nothing behing them. Ran out of grade so I could not tell the full pulling power of the units.
The Buffalo and Pittsburg Railroad pulled a coal drag in front of my vitamin store pretty much every day when I lived in PA.
I got a model made by Atlas and I brought it to our local club and other local (within a 2 hour drive) layouts I operated in. It's in a little disrepair right now.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
My favourite locomotives are Class 52s and Class 55s.
My Father was in The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers Regiment
I have a Class 52 D1027 Western Lancer
There were 22 Class 55s built numbered 55001 to 55022, so I named one 9th Queen's Royal Lancers with the number 55023.
Both locomotives are the pride of the layout.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
A difficult question! I'll name three:
1. Climax B (two truck)
2. CN Northern 4-8-4
3. CP Royal Hudson
So many more though!
Simon
I grew up in El Paso TX in the early 1950s and the Southern Pacific northbound line was two blocks west of our house. The SP articulateds were common all day long pulling close to 100 cars north and southbound.I fell in love with the SP articulateds as a teen and finally bought a Rivarossi Cab Forward in 1993. It is my favorite locomotive, runs great and with a Soundtraxx sound decoder sounds terrific. 4294 will always be my favorite locomotive.I really enjoy restoring old HO locomotives and in the last 20 years I have restored 15 clunker Rivarossi Cab Forwards to like new or better than new condition.
I Kitbashed four Cab Forwards into SP AC9s, there were more AC9s on the northbound tracks in the early 1950s than Cab Forwards. My AC9 3805 is a close second to 4294.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
I am unsure of mine. It's either my Walthers Trainline Great Northern ALCO FA1 A-B-A Set, My CB&Q Bachmann EMD E7, or my Bachmann Green GE 45 Tonner.
My ALCO FA1 Set work excellent and look quite nice despite the low detail and 50 year old tooling. I plan on using it on my layout
The E7 works nicely and is easily the smoothest. It also is the best looking. I got it as a stand in for an E5 since I didn't have a Hallmark E5 yet and when the E5 was purchased the plan was to sell the E7 or gut it for parts. but ultimately I was able to upgrade my layout to feature two trains. So the E7 is here to stay
The Bachmann 45 Tonner was a personal favorite of mine. It was part of a group of switchers my father gave to me as my first fleet. But it's not needed anymore and is currently sitting on a shelf