So I am starting up my new O gauge layout, this one will be a modest layout, L shape and very limited room for staging (narrow shelf of 24 inches wide but 60 foot long). I think I am set with the diesels... I have 2 F-7 A-B-A TMCC Pennsy and Sante Fe's, An NYC A-B-A E-7 and a couple of 0-8-0's NYC. With the proliferation of roadnames I am not concerned with picking a location so the sky is the limit in road name ( I am looking more for what is the best and most fun to run in features), my max radius has not been determined yet buy I am looking to contain it to O-54. What two locomotives would be "got to have" as far as details, fun to run, and tops the TMCC features with great sound! Thanks for the Help!
Newest Lionel N&W J and some 6 axle Alco made by someone other than Lionel in the last 10 years. Can't find the article on it but it pulled more than hardly any other 3 rail diesel out there.
Edit: Oops a 6 axle Alco is not steam powered. Remove that one and install the also beautiful SP 4449.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
Lionel C&O Streamlined Hudson with Legacy, capable of navigating O-45 curves.Lionel 2-8-0 Consolidation in either B&O or WM with LegacyLionel Jr Mikado or Jr Berk in C&O/B&O/WM with LegacyGP-9 or GP-7 in Chessie, B&O (passenger), C&O, WM with Legacy
WM BL2 with Legacy
For ME, the Lionel LionMaster Challenger pictured below, would be one of the last that I would part with from my collection. The two tone grey paint scheme has always been one of my favorites, with the silver striping/lettering.
I would also recommend the LionMaster Big Boy with Legacy and the Lionmaster Cab-Forward, they are both VERY nice models of well known Locomotives. They will handle O-31 curves, and would be very Happy on O-54 curves.
My LionMaster Big Boy (TMCC, not Legacy) is top right, and the LionMaster Cab-Forward is 4th from top right. BTW, the Little Hudson behind the Big Boy, Earned it's position of TOP & CENTER on the display, by being the very Locomotive that got me HOOKED on O-3 Rail.
Click pics to enlarge
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
Give me steam locomotives or give me DEATH!
Berkshire Junction, bringing fourth the cry of the Iron Horse since 1900.
Doug....19 steamers! Wow! Thanks for the picture. Gets me wondering how many diesels you've got.
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
challenger3980 wrote: For ME, the Lionel LionMaster Challenger pictured below, would be one of the last that I would part with from my collection. The two tone grey paint scheme has always been one of my favorites, with the silver striping/lettering. I would also recommend the LionMaster Big Boy with Legacy and the Lionmaster Cab-Forward, they are both VERY nice models of well known Locomotives. They will handle O-31 curves, and would be very Happy on O-54 curves. My LionMaster Big Boy (TMCC, not Legacy) is top right, and the LionMaster Cab-Forward is 4th from top right. BTW, the Little Hudson behind the Big Boy, Earned it's position of TOP & CENTER on the display, by being the very Locomotive that got me HOOKED on O-3 Rail. Click pics to enlarge Doug
Doug,
Can I come to your house to run trains!? what a beaut! love that challanger... my favorite version was the NP Z-8" border="0" />
J Daddy.....love those whitewall traction tires.
RockIsland52 wrote: J Daddy.....love those whitewall traction tires. Jack
You know I think if Lionel made one of these they would sell everyone, you would have to tie me down not to run and pre-order one....
I only have two O gauge steam locomotives, a 1-700E reproduction scale NYC Hudson and a scale Pennnsylvania S-2 6-8-6 Turbine.
They both take fairly sharp curves but look better on large curves.
I think they are both really great, particularly the non-chuff sound on the Turbine.
M636C
Hi J. Daddy,
Well, if you came to my house to run trains, you might be a little disapointed, right now all I have to run this collection on is the "Christmas Tree, Carpet & Western" (CTC&W, reporting marks). Right now the Christmas Tree sub-division of the CTC&W is missing it's namesake tree, but otherwise operating, the Carpet sub-division is even less Awe-inspiring. I am working on getting the garage cleaned out, and prepped for a layout that will be better suited to my collection.
The CTC&W:
A recent addition to the CTC&W roster:
Though we may not share a passion for the same Challengers, there is no lack of taste in your choice of Locomotives, those were also Very Fine machines.
Wow these are great locomotives! And the temp. layout works and looks great! I was thinking of doing the same but had the space to do something a little more permenant. I am setting up as we speek a 30 foot by 30 foot L shape layout. the width is only 24 inches and it will be a bent dog bone shape, probably 1 dog bone over a lower dog bone. Its a shelf layout, the upper shelf host an American flyer post-war Layout, from my Dad's collection, The lionel from mine, my Uncle, and my Grandfathers, whew lots of trains. When Lionel closed the visitor's store I purchase an amazing lot of new scale standard O cars and diesel TMCC engines(they were cleaning out their warehouse), so the bug bit and the lower level will host these new trains... the detail, sounds, and functions really drew me back to O gauge and now I am figuring out what to do with the HO scale stuff packed away.
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These are my post war Lionels and A/Fs, the GG-1 acutally is a '95 version with the first TMCC offered in it. The 736 at the top, runs great, but no sound except the whistle. the little 0-4-0 slope back swither (I forget the no.) has a ringing bell, I am still trying to find info about it... I think it is prewar....The picture below shows the shelf system I am using from Home Depot, heavy duty closet shelf bracket kit. the lower level is not installed in the picture, but I will have to take more and post." border="0" />
and above the AF layout
Oh and Doug bring the trains over any time!
J. Daddy wrote:
Great collection DOUG, and love your newest aquisition.
laz57
lionroar88 wrote: J. Daddy wrote: J. - what is the station in the upper left corner? looks very similiar to the one I want to build for my layout.
It is an HO scale Faller model, great kit but wrong scale, used it on my HO layout... may fit ok for my American Flyer layout so I kept it...
lionroar88 wrote:Doug,Any chance you have a pic of the bottom of your christmas layout? I'm wondering how you did the curved corners?
Hi Brent,
It has been a while since these were posted, you are not the first to ask about those corners. Those corners ended up being A LOT more work than I had first anticipated( I am NOT looking forward to doing that AGAIN, this time with O-72 curves) The platform is 8' x 5 1/2' with the narrow splice along the straight sided back. I laid out the track on the floor first to decide what curve/straight combinations would work to give me a minimum 5 1/2" center-center track spacing( which was BARELY enough ) I then added 2" beyond the roadbed base width and figured my radius and centers. Then I drew out the cut lines on the front edge of the plywood, and cut it to shape(as best as I could any way) I took some 1x2 trim strips and planed them down to about 3/16" thick with my thickness planer. That was about as thick as I could get to bend to the needed radius. I framed the back and splice together first with 2x2s, leaving the thickness of the thinned down 1x2s inset on the sides so they would be flush when added. I then starting at the back on the sides with the thinned down 1x2s, started screwing them down from the top of the plywood, bending them and screwin g them down as I worked around the curves, as I recall, I used 1"x#4 screws which were rather hard to find, I didn't think that the 3/4"x#4s would be long enough(THOSE, were easy to find)
After I had the curved trim boards screwed into place, I then finished framing the rest of the platform, then added 2" casters to it, so I could decorate the Tree, then roll the whole thing into place. I wired each loop with four lock ons to avoid voltage drop. I used a plastic project box from Radio shack to mount a set of Bannana plug jacks in, then hard wired from that to the terminal strips for the loop wiring and building lighting. I made a set of wires for the ZW's with ring lugs on one end and bannana plugs on the other, to keep it easy to move if needed( that was a good idea as it turned out)
Those rounded corners really made the platform much more room friendly compared to having squared corners, I am Glad that I did it that way, but swore that I would never do it again for anyone that I don't know on a very personal level. It took enough more time than expected that, I didn't get past the plywood turf stage on the scenery, before Christmas.
Hi laz,
Glad to see you again, that was a recent, but not most recent addition, those are still in transit. One of the few advantages of being single and the only Daughter grown and Married, is that when the operating dept. deems there to be a NEED for more motive power, it is real easy to convince the Financial dept, that said motive power is "Justified", life is easier in many ways, one wears ALL the hats. I talked to my LTS, and Don said we can't get any more Lionel Legacy GS-4's, They're all sold out, if you can find one buy it. A couple phone calls later, the Train World operator said that they had ONE left, I told her NO YOU DON'T, YOU JUST SOLD IT TO ME. You have seen my two tone grey and silver LionMaster Challenger, and the Black one is also in the roster pic, well, my collection wouldn't be complete without the two tone grey with yellow striping/lettering, there was one on ebay, that should now be on it's way to Portland. I can't say that I don't have have enough, but I sure do enjoy what I have, and there is always that one that is still missing from the collection (Like the JLC Union Pacific H-7 "Simple Simon").
Hopefully, nothing gets lost in shipping, talk to you again soon,
I would LOVE to bring the trains over, it would be Great to meet other modelers/forum members, and especially to operate as a guest on someone's layout. But, there is a LITTLE PROBLEM, Highland, MI. is a bit more than just down the road from Portland, OR. Other than that little problem, I would say, when works for You, and how do I get there?
RockIsland52 wrote: Doug....19 steamers! Wow! Thanks for the picture. Gets me wondering how many diesels you've got.Jack
Hi (Again) Jack,
Sorry, I missed replying to this post, I'm following several threads, and trying to see as much of St. Louis as I can before we leave early Sunday morning. That pic of my roster is not the complete collection. It was taken last year when LOTS(Lionel Operating Train Society) held their National Convention in Portland, and our HO Club was one of their field trips. So I included some of my favorite Lionel's, but a few other Unique pieces as well, like the MTH AeroTrain, which is special to me, because or Zoo in Portland has a 30" gauge railroad with a scale replica of the AeroTrain. The RMT Beep is another of the Unique items and the K Line Cabeese are some of the nicest Cabeese that I have seen in 3-Rail.
There are some MTH steam and diesels not shown and others that have been collected since. As far as Diesels go, I am a died in the wool Steam Man through and through, my diesel collection does not even come close to competeing with my Steam collection in either quantity or quality.
But Hey, They are all FUN,
You have some nice Post War equipment, I don't have any PW Locomotives yet, my oldest is the Grey UP Berkshire from the 1980 FARR (Famous American Rail Roads) set. I do remember, and miss the smell of ozone from when I had American Flyer as a kid (wish I still had those). I do recognise that Sunoco 6465 tank car you have on the 4th shelf from the top though, I have several of those and really like them.
I also really like your shelves, that is something that I sorely need. I seriously need to oranise my collection, but that is not as much Fun as adding to it, Man bein a grown up isn't always as much Fun as I thought it would.
challenger3980 wrote: Hi J. Daddy, I would LOVE to bring the trains over, it would be Great to meet other modelers/forum members, and especially to operate as a guest on someone's layout. But, there is a LITTLE PROBLEM, Highland, MI. is a bit more than just down the road from Portland, OR. Other than that little problem, I would say, when works for You, and how do I get there? Doug
Any time! used to be you could take the train but the 4 hour layover in Chicago is a killer.
Just bought a GS-4 at the train meet last weekend a steal at 350.00 and she is a beaut.
Love the H-7 and I hope to aquire one but right now still doing some benchwork engineering to accommodate the 072 curves required.
Was hoping to post some pics but did not get around to it yet... maybe tonight.
Berk765 wrote:Oh, I forgot, a Lionel Jr. Mikado with Railrsounds and TMCC is another good buy. And one of Lionel's new 0-8-0 switcher engines are nice too.
Argh, make sure you get the TMCC 0-8-0. I bought 3 of the conventional 0-8-0's and was not happy, the sound is to faint when starting up and by the time you make speed the chuffs sound like a machine gun going off....
challenger3980 wrote: Hi J. Daddy, You have some nice Post War equipment, I don't have any PW Locomotives yet, my oldest is the Grey UP Berkshire from the 1980 FARR (Famous American Rail Roads) set. I do remember, and miss the smell of ozone from when I had American Flyer as a kid (wish I still had those). I do recognise that Sunoco 6465 tank car you have on the 4th shelf from the top though, I have several of those and really like them. I also really like your shelves, that is something that I sorely need. I seriously need to oranise my collection, but that is not as much Fun as adding to it, Man bein a grown up isn't always as much Fun as I thought it would. Doug
Its funny how the post war became the shelf princess as soon as I bought the modern TMCC Lionel trains, my 736, and 665 would keep me entertained for hours as a kid, but now they see only a few minutes of run time.
If your going to build shelves check out these. I was able to buy some heavy duty shelf brackets and rails at Home Depot, set them up and hung them. Then I took some MDF 1 x 6 and stacked one 1x4 on top to create a two tier effect, cut track grooves in them for the lower board and added track for the upper rear board, glued and screwed them together. Sealed them with white paint, and they were ready to go. I build 3 sets of shelve displays in less than 8 hours.
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These are all my Dad's American Flyer trains, he had a massive collection when I was a kid, then added allot of 90's Lionel AF when I went away to school...the trains sat at my Mom's for 15 years, she was going to sell them for retirement money, well long story short she gave them to me and I have taken 1 year to get them polished up, running and displayed again...They are absolutely a blast to run... but alas that was until I bought a few TMCC locomotives, and these may become shelf princes again, except for Christmas. Sure like your Christmas portable layout! Maybe I will do this with Lionel and American Flyer.
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