First locomotive

[tomnoy3]

Athearn C&NW SD45

[Anonymous]

Lionel Model 2018 in 027 scale. Christmas present in 1957. I still have that locomotive and it still works, still makes smoke, and pulls nicely.

[NHRRJET]

My first HO engine was actually the Varney Aerotrain, given to me by my Mom and Dad in the mid 1950's.

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was an Amtrak F9A made by Tyco. Close behind that was a Burlington Northern Alco FA made by Model Power. That was probably... 28 or 29 years ago. And it's been down hill ever since. I might even still have them, even though most of my fleet now is Athearn.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

I wish I new? Lionel, Engine and tender were Blue and it came in a set 1974-1976 maybe

Any help from others would be appreciated carpenter Matt

Maybe it was the Blue Comet.

[PistolPete]

Either an F7 or a docksider 0-4-0, I just can not remember which one I opened first. They arrived in the same box almost 30 years ago. [tup]

[Anonymous]

Very first, Lionel in 1940. My first HO scale is Tenshodo AT&SF war bonnet F-7 and 6 cars, I bought it just off the Ginza in Tokyo. I also bought the 0-6-0T and track in 1957. They had horn hook couplers.
Lindsay

[bruce22]

1949 a Lionel ?- 6 - ? In 1952 a Mantua 0-4-0 T . Gee where does the time go ????

[joecool1212]

My first was a GP20 Reading Lines by Mnatua Tyco. I still have it but it is usually is in the shop more than on the tracks. Joe

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was a Southern Pacific GS-4 in Daylight colors. It was given to me by grandfather as a Christmas present when I was 20. It was prized more for sentimental reasons than anything else. Sadly, it was also the first (and last) piece of equipment destroyed by my rambunctious dog, who managed to knock it to the floor, pick it up, run through the house with it (the tender was a total lost) before dropping it down the stairs from the second floor landing.[:(!] Anybody in need of a four legged companion?

Jesting of course. Wouldn't trade the pooch for anything.

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was a Mantua GP20 in UP colors. The same Christmas I also got a 0-4-0 Santa Fe switcher. The GP20 was striped and painted in D&RGW colors, although they never had any, but that was the road that i wanted to model. The years passed an I sold the loco for about $15.00.

[Anonymous]

My first one was a CN model power GP-38, only because I didn't know any better.

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was a Mantua 4-6-0 that came in a set w/ three small simulated wood passenger cars. The set was modeled after the TV series Petticoat Junction. Interestingly enough, does anyone remember the name of that railroad?? The phonetics were: C&FS Rwy. I don't have the set any longer but a year or so ago, I found a set of the cars on eBay and purchased them. I am still looking for one of the locomotives. The C&FS Rwy was the Chicago & Far Side Rwy.

[Anonymous]

The first locomotive I could say was just mine (not shared with big brother) was a 1953 Christmas present, a Mantua Mikado. It now sports a Cary light mike boiler with complete detail. The motor and gears have been replaced. It is and always has been one of the smoothest running and sure footed locomotives I own.

Tom















.

[andyhjn]

my first was a lionel texas special,rip.i believe it was an alco fa.

[cacole]

My first locomotive, which I still have and occasionally use, was a Roundhouse Little Switcher cast metal 0-4-0 unpainted kit with slope back tender, purchased back in 1962 and painted with an artist's brush. I definitely had more time on my hands back then. More patience, too. Now I purchase Bachmann Spectrum, Rivarossi, Broadway Limited, Athearn Genesis, Atlas, etc. that you just take out of the box, put onto the track, and run.

[GerFust]

Chessie System F7 A&B - Atlass, I think, part of a set. I still have it!

[Anonymous]

A Bachmann GP-30 in Chessie System livery. As with others who have posted, I've moved on quite a ways from those days, but I still run the thing every Christmas under the tree.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by michaelstevens

Thanks "Sask", especially for the photos.
That is indeed a sad approximation of a Western Region Hymek -- the last example of the Western's Diesel-hydraulic independent identity.
Anybody know where you can get a good HO model of a Hymek ?
Chances should be good -- there's at least one operable (full size) copy in preservation.

Sad to say I don't think there's a HO Hymek available. Heljan have just brought out a new one in OO and Hornby are planning to re-release their venerable model - these were available in the '70s if not earlier. The Heljan model will certainly be a better runner and looks better as well - judging from the one example I've seen in my LHS.

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was in 62 or so which was a Christmas present, it was a Lionel 2-6-0 I believe. After that, a few years later I got an HO set for Christmas, a Pennsy 0-6-0 (?) and I've been hooked on HO ever since. I don't have the Lionel's anymore, and all that is left of the HO set is a green City oil tank car and a CB&Q caboose which still remain on the roster even though they are a bit out of place period wise and road.

[Anonymous]

First one, was a Tyco GP-20, about 30 yrs. ago, still have it, Next came a Rivarossi Hudson, still runs great, Last one was an Athearn Amtrak AMD 103, In case anyone is wondering, It has the new Hex drive, and is very close to Kato in running ability, but still has typical Athearn noise,but maybe a little quieter than the average Blue Box kit.

[Hawks05]

that BN GP50 is my first real as i call locomotive that will actually be run on my layout. my first ever locomotive is a Bachman Sante Fe F7 from like 1992 or something. long time ago it seems.

[joecool1212]

My first was Reading lines GP18 By Tyco . My dad purchased it at an auction. When i was 12 I saved $12.00 and purchased my first new loco It was a Burlington Northern Green GP18 By Tyco. I still have it. But it dosent work well. Joe

[Anonymous]

i really dont remember what my first one was. i started off with HO scale Tyco and Life Like train sets back in the 80's when i was a kid. i cant remember what all i had back then.

all i remember is that i would get very frustrated trying to get the trains to run on that bad sectional track. i do remember my first good locomotive. it was an Athearn Union Pacific GP50 that i got from Arnies Trains in California back in 1989

[emdgp92]

My first engine was a Bachmann F9A, painted in Chessie (C&O) colors. It ran well for awhile, until the motor cooked. I replaced it with another Bachman F9...which I retired a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

My first locomotive was a LGB Stainz in a work train starter set. My Uncle got it for me when I was two and it still runs great today.

[Anonymous]

Mine was a Conrail SW1500.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by michaelstevens

Thanks "Sask", especially for the photos.
That is indeed a sad approximation of a Western Region Hymek -- the last example of the Western's Diesel-hydraulic independent identity.
Anybody know where you can get a good HO model of a Hymek ?
Chances should be good -- there's at least one operable (full size) copy in preservation.

In the March, 1993 Railway Magazine there was an article all about the history of the Hymeks. It said that there were 4 examples in preservation, all of which were operating. It said that two were at the West Somerest Railway, one at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and one at the East Lancashire Railway. Chances are that that's changed in the past 10 years, though.

In my own collection I own one of the original Tri-ang Big Big "Blue Flyer" Hymeks that the Japanese one was copied from. The colours aren't accurate, but at least it's closer to what BR used than the red. Tri-ang also made a verion that was yellow with a red roof and ends.

[Anonymous]

First one that was really mine (not Dad's) was a Plymouth switcher made by Tyco and painted in Santa Fe colors (picture and description: http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycotrains/id16.html).
This was a tiny locomotive, with only one truck! My grandparents bought a Tyco set for me for Christmas when I was eight years old (1975), and it was called "The Switcher Freight." Consisted of the loco, two cars, a caboose, and a circle of track. Boy did I have a blast with that thing, just watching it go round and round (especially at night with the lights out!)
I'll never forget going to Gimbel's department store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with my grandparents, a few weeks before Christmas, and seeing the massive layout they had set up in the train department. Oh man, I was absolutely drooling.
Dad had a Lionel set when I was much younger, with a B&O F unit and a few freight cars, but I think he did something stupid and gave it away or something--haven't seen it since.