Help? anybody?

[countershot]

I am have made freinds that have a 3800 sq foot layout well they own a O scale musium and they have me drive they trains well they talk to people. they got a little touchie when I am driving a $1300! 4-6-6-4 challenger they would like me to get a locomotive that I can run however i want. they recomeded a Protosound 2. Can any body help me find a locomotive under $200? I would peffer a steam loco at least a 0-8-0 if that is possible. I 13 years old and not made of money

my last post 2 people put post and i got good info but i would like more

[cwclark]

try e-bay ...i've found some good deals there before..but being in O scale ..you're gonna pay big bucks for anything you buy to begin with...

[Anonymous]

It's not clear if you want an O or HO.

[selector]

Friend, you may have to sprtiz that fire in your gut with some cool water. Yes, try e-bay, but you have been warned that it will still likely tear your skins off...if you know what I mean.

Could you be patient a little longer and save up for the locomotive that you'd really lke to have,,,youknow, THE locomotive, the one you dream of?

If you simply HAVE TO get one on the tracks, you'll have to pay, and you may not get what you really desire anyway! If you can stand some advice from an older man, waiting makes the eventuality ten times sweeter.......really.

[Virginian]

Why do they get touchy? Maybe you need to change how you are operating that baby. Otherwise, save up or volunteer to do extra chores for money until you can get you one. Just remember, you usually get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Virginian raises a good point. It sounds to me that there might be an issue concerning respect for the equipment. You wouldn't run a locomotive on my layout "however you want" no matter whose locomotive it was or how much or little it cost.

Possibly they were gently trying to let you know they don't trust you to be responsible. Working on that may be a better investment than buying a loco to run on someone elses layout.

Wayne

[countershot]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Virginian

Why do they get touchy? Maybe you need to change how you are operating that baby. Otherwise, save up or volunteer to do extra chores for money until you can get you one. Just remember, you usually get what you pay for.

Well it is no how I am running the loco it was the loco i was driving he had just repaired the challenger and he had me test running it and it was making weird sounds, so he took the controll to see what was happening and like 20sec later one of the drive rods fell off and cought in the ties and fliped over so he said "mabey WE should not run this one any more" so he put on display and brought out #3985 and let me run that for the rest of the day and he was just fine with it he even had me put to gether a consist in the yard with. I think he is fine with me driving these realy expensive loco's, he said "it would be neet if you got a locomotive for your self one you can call your own, seeing how you look at mine and if you do have any track you can run it here and when you take it home it will look nice on display, you should try protosound 2" and there was a few others but i can t not remember. just to clear things up It is O scale [;)]

[selector]

Good point, Wayne, and nicely stated.

[countershot]

oh.............. Trust me on this one after i heard how must it cost witch was before he had every considerd letting drive i have looked at it in a all new way. now when i drive my knees shack my hands swet i fear of recking it, if anything sounds or looks rong i stop! and go get him to check it. If he think I do not have respect for his trains he would not let me drive at all. the first time i got to drive i drove so slow[:I] i was scared and he knew that that is probably why he lets me drive all the time becouse he know that i RESPECT his trains.

[Anonymous]

One point when hunting down a loco: Budget diesels will tend to outperform cheaper steam. If your friend is ok with early diesels, you might want to look for one of these in preference - is the layout 3-rail or 2-rail? If it's 3-rail, there are a few locos out there that might be worth a look - I'd advise asking over on the "Classic Toy Trains" forum about what they'd recommend, they actually have a thread about yard switchers running at the moment. I've heard of a smallish switcher modelled on a GP7/GP9 and named a "Beep" that might be ideal. Also worth doing is investigating the prices of used equipment on ebay - some paint schemes cost a lot more than others, so it pays not to be too fussy. Some of the discount stockists who advertise in MR have special deals on 3-rail O from time to time as well.

If the layout is 2-rail then you're probably looking at super-detailed models - again, starting with something cheaper and upgrading is a good way to get into the hobby, you'll be left with a model as attractive as the most expensive but that cost you a lot less. I can't recall the name of the manufacturer but there's one out there who offers models with scale bodywork and wheels but with similar levels of detail to Lionel coarse-scale, so you can add upgrade parts and be left with a fine loco for a reasonable sum. Hope this helps!

[grayfox1119]

Right On Matt, good steam is tough to find (new) for under $200.

[tatans]

Spellcheck.

[Anonymous]

What an opportuninity! I would think you would want to do whatever you can to maintain this friendship.
You want to find something to run you can afford AND be proud of? Take advantage of the K-Line, O-Guage Mikados while they are out there at this price.
http://www.trainworld1.com/kline/KLINE%20MIKADOS%20CLOSEOUT.htm
I have one I relettered and still have a hard time appreciating the good value it is.

[ben10ben]

Good point on the Mikado. Those things originally sold for close to $700 with TMCC. Even better is you can add cruise control for $50-75 more and have an engine that runs even better.

[countershot]

woh!...... That is the first time that i have seen a steam locomtive that cheap.
but how much are they realy first it says $319 and $219 but when you click on it, it jumps to $529 and $600 witch is it. I have work one hole year to get as much as i have and i am still short $200.
Oh it looks so nice but if i have to work alot more time to have the amount of money that is it might be gone. see i can afored 319 and 219 but 500 and 600 way out of my price rang[:(]

[countershot]

well he has a track that is both 3-rail and 2-rail i do not what it is called