You probably have your favorite loco. Maybe it's the first one you got as a kid for Christmas or maybe the first one you puchased. Maybe it's a hand-me-down from your grandfather or father. Mine is my father's American Flyer 316 steamer he purchased in 1953.
I must have over a dozen steamers and a few electric locomotives from the 1920's. But I have no diesel's.
What's your story????
Ray
Bayville, NJ
Life is what happens to youWhile you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
Boy thats a tough one, I probably have 2 that are tied for that honor. Both are picks are from the real deals that I was very familiar with as a youngster in the State of Washington.
The Milwaukee Bi-Polars, very unique looking and I remember as a youngster those brutes running the electrified line in Washington, they were massive, almost scary.
The other would be the Northern Pacific F-3's and 7's. The family would catch the NP local powered by F units in Auburn, Washington and take over the Cascades Mountains to visit relatives in Cle Elum Washington.
Bill T.
Ray,
My "story" bears similarities to yours.
Mine is my American Flyer 312 steamer that my father purchased for me for Christmas in 1948. I still have it, and after many years in storage, it is in good running order once again.
Rich
Alton Junction
O gauge locos, my favorites are the Santa Fe 2333/2343/2353 with the war bonnet paint scheme
Real locos, my favorites are the Garratts, American Articulateds, and Shays.
Mine would be the Lionel 2026 from 1948/49. That was our first train. I have numerous of these, and have given the original to my nephew as it was my brothers train. I also have nemerous 2035 and 600 locos as that is what we had growing up. The original 2026 still runs good and smokes, has 1 broken marker light, but for the use that engine saw, it speaks well to Lionel.
Thats My Story,
Alan
It would have to be my American Flyer 322AC. Runs and smokes great.
It would have to be this, the American Flyer 9915 engine from 1935
For me,
As far as LOCOs it has to be my Lionel Santa Fe ALCO FA # 218 ABBA set.
As for the steamers, even though they never made it in real lift it would be the Lionel 681 S-2 Turbine, a great puller and smoker.
Kev
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
I like steamers, the bigger the better, but my favs are the cab forward and the Shays.
Diesela are cool too. I have a Preamble Express A-B-A that I love.
As a kid My dad had five American Flyer Locomotives. A 312 Pensy K5 pacific a 336 UP Northern, a Santa Fe Alco PA/PB the Rocket Alco PA1 AA set and a 370 GP7. I always like the looks of the Penny K-5 so I choose that as my favorite. In fact I was running a 312 K-5 SIT version last night as I now have multiple copies of this engine in my roster.
Real Locos: I like any articulated steam loco's the bigger the better!
When I head for the museum anything that operates as it is supposed to.
Remember the Veterans. Past, present and future.
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The four pound Marx 333 , a petite lead boat anchor of a Hudson that pulls without complaint even with a driver slip or two as it powers up ..all business, no fancy gimmicks a rock solid half century old reliable loco that requires minimal attention..no heart stopping electronic quirks ..just a pleasure to run. From the folks who had the stones to number a loco 666..and create the Great Garoo along with Power Wheels, what else could I ask for? Don't ask. Politically correct Lionel or Flyer could never top a twelve year olds demented and cultivated appetite for mayhem.
watch?v=I0p0WRhAp9o&feature=related
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
My Uncle's 2020 Turblne always got my attentlon. the keystone cemented my lnterest n the PRR.
my 675 ls the flrst steamer l bought for myself.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
Presently I would have to say it's my NYC A-B-B-A PA's/PB's I bought a PA-1 missing the number boards and number board holders I thought no problem I can order those parts Well 1/2 right can't order the number board holders as lionel only sold them as part of the shell. So what happened to the original who knows. anyway so I set out to get another PA-1 thinking if I could get one I could make the holder by seeing what it looks like well wrong again to a point I kinda can as I can't get them out as there glued and kinda looks like melted in there from the back so you can't do that. but I have an idea what it looks like so its a project coming down the road. Well since the original PA didn't have a PB-1 and Lionel's were selling for over $200 ( thats the unit that has the rail sound in it) I figured I could buy a Williams and do it my self for about the same money and get some knowledge at the same time well Yes thats correct this time but I didn't put rail sounds in it yet anyway. I have put coil couplers in it and lights in it and have learned some things too but by the way both my PA-1 now have coil couplers front and back seeing they didn't come with them from the factory and when I bought the second PA-1 well it had a PB-1 with it with rail sounds and I actually got the set A&B for about what the B's were selling for so I got lucky on that but they are a nice set of diesels on my shelf layout I'm building heres a pic to give you an idea how nice they are.
Yes the original Pa-1 needs to have its fuel tank and trucks painted black to match the rest. Some one had the PA-1 and the PB-1 by lionel custom painted so it matched the Passenger cars they had and the Williams came black so its just logical to paint the other one to match. But thats another down the road prodject also.
So thats my favorite at this time. I have always been a fan of diesels but I like steam also.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Well I don't know if my opinion counts here as I'm an HO guy. I actually have three favorites. Each of them are permanently mu'd pairs. A pair of Bachmann GP7's, a Pair of Atlas FP7's(one is a 70'sera model and the other is an 80's era model) and a pair of SDP40F's (one is all Athearn and the other is a Proto 2000 E6 chassis wearing an Athearn body).
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I would be remiss if I didn't give my Marx Wells Fargo loco an honorable mention here as it was my first train set I got for Christmas in 1959 or 1960. I still have it and it runs like a top. Those Marx lococ's will run right off the track if you let them, they are so fast.
Where are all the Marx fans??????
Lionel C&O Ten Wheeler - love the paint schemeMTH C&O Yellowbelly HudsonLionel B&O scale MikadoLionel Chessie GP30s (have three of them tripple headed)Lionel CSX Heritage series B&O AC6000 - paint scheme may not be prototypical but it is a beaut!
My favorite prototype locomotives are the PRR and NYC electrics. Electric locomotives have always fascinated me.
In O gauge, it's a tie between the second-run Lionel 2026 that Santa brought me in 1951 (my first locomotive) and the Lionel 252 with passenger cars, that was my father's first locomotive in 1929. Both of them are still alive and well and running happily today.
Any of my postwar steam like the 2025, 2046, 736 are my favorites. I am also partial to the Santa Fe 2353 that I just acquired. Williams makes the odd shaped BL-2 and I love it.
My AF Santa Fe Alco PA 360-364 with the horn, the solid pilot and that wonderful, colorful "Warbonet" paint scheme. I received it for my 1st Christmas and it has been my favorite ever since.
Little Tommy
Any early postwar early screentop F3s.
runtime
Mine would probably be the SP GS4 Northern Daylight. I have the MTH rtr set that i bought for myself. I am also fond of any of the Pennsylvania locos, such as the 4-6-2, Torpedo, and the K4's. Diesel's i kind of like the F3's; but i'm more of a steam engine fan anyway though.
Ok everyone, thanks for your responses. If anyone else wants to chime in please do so.
Have a Merry Christmas!
I like all of my engines, but my two favorites when it comes to style are the EMD F units and the N&W J class 4-8-4's. I also love the Conrail SD80MAC (at least my model).
AF53 I would be remiss if I didn't give my Marx Wells Fargo loco an honorable mention here as it was my first train set I got for Christmas in 1959 or 1960. I still have it and it runs like a top. Those Marx lococ's will run right off the track if you let them, they are so fast. Where are all the Marx fans?????? Ray
Hey I am here. Love mine too, Ray, i only run mine now ant then up on the wall most of the time.
Kev.
Can you tell from my avatar? It is the GG1 hands down.
I'm with you there.
Ray: You did say "type"! For me, it is any Postwar Steam. (Like my 2046 4-6-4 and my 2035 2-6-4)
Other type favorites: 2350 Electric and 2353 Diesel Thanks for asking.
traindaddy1 - You are correct, I did say type. And that's what my initial intention was. As his thread progressed I noticed many mentioned thier favorite loco by make. And aside from wallyworld nobody mention Marx.
Like you I also prefer steamers.
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