Your Favourite Locomotive or Train

[Anonymous]

Hey Ya'll

I have become interested in asking people what their favourite railroads, train, or locomotive is.

Mine is the Humble Sotuhern Railway Mikado 4501.

Nick

[palallin]

My favorite roads are the Frisco, the MoPac, and the T & P. I intend to have a complete collection of cataloged Lionel Modern Era equipment from these three roads, and I'm about 85% there in terms of pieces, maybe 75% there in terms of value (I need some of the big ticket items, like the T & P Mountain, one piece but big bucks).

My favorite locomotive is a little more complicated. The favorite loco that I actually possess is my 'bashed MoPac Berkshire (an MPC-era [1985] Southern Mike with details added/modified to represent a MoPac 1121-class Berkshire). My favorite O loco is a toss up between the T & P Mountain and the Frisco Mike. My favorite prototype locomotive is the Frisco 1500-class Mountains. My favorite Standard Gauge locos are both Ives: the 3243 NYC S-motor and the 1132 steamer.

My dreams are, of course, bigger than my current wallet, alas.

[daan]

My favourite is my 2353 F3. Since I knew that they had been made in such a "big" scale I wanted to have one. Last spring I saw one on an internetpage of a german Lego-seller, and I bought it. This was the start of my 0-gauge adventure..
The second best is the early type 2026, with puffing smoke. I love the technique used to make the steamer puff and the very heavy diecast boogie on the back.
My third best is a K-line MP-15, imported from USA. I like that one because it matches perfectly with Lionel diesels and is in the same level of detail. Besides that the electronic reversing unit is great.
My other engines, a 2037, a GP9 from Lionel and an S2 from K-line are all nice machines too, but they all have some negatives.. The 2037 has a worn e-unit and drives only forward, besides that the detail doesn't match the 2026 by far.
The GP9 is one without magnetraction but uses rubber on the wheels, that's the only neg, but a big one.. The S2 is converted to much stronger motors and pulls out the mp15, but also lacks an e-unit.
The S2 will get a maerklin e-unit with forward/reverse only as a try-out.

[cnw1995]

My favorite real railroad is the Chicago and North Western. My favorite O engine is probably my pre-war 248 and pullman and obs car, followed closely by my pre-war 2-4-2 #1684. with its litho gon 1677, Shell tanker 1680, 805 boxcar and 1682 caboose. My favorite real engine is the IRM's Frisco 1530

[ben10ben]

I like the British Gresley-designed A3 and A4 Pacifics, which are possibly two of the best engineered steam locomotives of all time. One of the 5 surviving A4s, in fact, holds the official world steam speed record of 126 MPH.

My favorite diesel is the FM H-24-66.

And, finally, my favorite model is my Lionel 681, because mainly of the work that I did that turned it from an under the table piece to a very presentable piece that I'm proud to show off even when not running[:)]. It's also a great looking and running engine.

[tjsprague]

My favorite "train", my Lionel 1938 set #190W! A swmooth-as-silk 226 diecast steamer and tender pulling 3 Blue Comet passenger cars. Diecast + tinplate= a beautiful train coming around the bend.

My favorite Locomotive ( you did ask about both) I have to agree with the 2026. I have an early one with the nickle drivers. No matter what else catches my fancy, '49 2332 GG1 or new Lionmaster Hudson, I keep coming back to the 2026. And now that someone's making smoke pills again time to lube it up and get it working again![:D]

[3railguy]

For me, it's a toss up between a postwar Lionel 2245 Texas Special F3 and a 2331 Virginian Trainmaster.

[Anonymous]

Too many to list all, but the new scale GS-2 from lionel, the scale Erie triplex, the Erie 0-8-8-0, from MTH and of course my postwar 2344 ABA NYC F-3s are just a few i really like to run.

Dave

[Anonymous]

The new MTH Premier N&W J class 4-8-4 no. 611. Even though the drive rods are way to dark. (The N&W J is my favorite American Loco) Marklin's Trans Europe Express VT11.5 and their all metal Rheingold express train set. are tied for my favorite European.

[Anonymous]

My favorite locomotive is my GG-1 (or any GG-1 since it's such a nice looking engine) it pulls a nice long string of cars and is on the tracks most of the time.

My favorite train is a string of 6464 series box cars pulled by my GG-1

Ben
(I really like the GG-1)

[Anonymous]

Hey Ya'll

By favourite locomotive or train, I meant rel trains. Not 0 gauge models. Sorry.
By the way, I like the Gresleys too. They are attractive.

Nick

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive10

Hey Ya'll
By favourite locomotive or train, I meant rel trains. Not 0 gauge models. Sorry.
By the way, I like the Gresleys too. They are attractive.
Nick

You never mentioned real trains in your post. This is the toy train forum, not the Trains - Railroad forum so we assumed toy trains. My favorite real engine is an SP SD-40t-2 Tunnel motor.

[Anonymous]

Got to be the N&W "A," followed closely by the "J."

[Anonymous]

Hey Ya'll

I suspected that you would think that. But, If you want to post your favourite toy train(s), be my geust.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know what the gresley A3s and A4s are, They were british locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the Great Northern Railway(Only A3's) and afetr it's demise London North Eastern took that over as LNER and had gresley A3s and A4s.

The only surviving A3 is the "Flying Scotsman", that reached over 100 miles per hour in the 1920s or 30s. They man who owned it had gone Bankrupt and it was put up for auction and won by the National Railroad Meuseum in York, England.

The only A4s are the "Mallard" (preserved in it's blue LNER paint and lettering) that went over 120 mph in the 1930s, the "Sir Nigel Gresley"(Also in LNER Blue like the Mallard) that was named after the designer, and the Union of South Africa (Preserved in it's British Railways Green, which was formed after Nationalissation in England, made up of London North Eastern Railway (LNER),The Great Western Railway (GWR), the London, Midland and Scottich Railway (LMS), and the Southern Railway (SR).)

Nick

[ben10ben]

Nick,
There are 5 A4s left. In addition to the two you named, there's the Dwight D. Eisenhower preserved here in the United States, and one other one whose name escapes my mind at the moment. Glad to meet another enthusiast.

[Back2Trains]

My favorite railroad is the C&O and my favorite real engine is the Allegheny, specifically the one preserved in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. I never saw one in operation that I know of, but I remember reading the article in the Detroit News in the '50s when C&O donated this magnificent piece to the museum and how much trouble they went through to get this monster inside the musem. Although it has not been in steam for about a half century it is well preserved because it has been kept inside since about 1956, which has kept it from deteriorating from the weather. Even as a static display it is a truly remarkable piece of history and I have spent a lot of time looking it over and being greatful for the opportunity.
My favorite Lionel engine(s) are the Lionel 2023 set from 1950. The Golden Anniversary freight set was under the Christmas tree that year and I have been in love with Lionel trains ever since. Actually, I like all of the high-end Lionel engines of the postwar period, but not those terrible redesigned Alcos after 1955.

Jim

[nitroboy]

All my trains are my favorites!!! If I had to narrow it down, I would say my Williams FM Virginian. It looks great and is a super runner. I now own 3 Williams engines and they are by-far the best runners for me. As for sentimental, I would say my Lionel 2353 Santa fe F3's. I played with them when I was little, and still play with them today.

[02hawk21]

My favorite rr has to be the Pennsy.

My favorite train to run is my postwar electronic set with the 671R and all the electronic cars.

[brianel027]

Hard to narrow it down to just one...
- I like the Penn Central for their insight and innovation against near impossible odds.
- The Lehigh Valley for their tenacity, spirit, colorful variety and quirkiness.
- The CNJ for being the underdog and for that Coastguard scheme.
- The New Haven for all that color during the McGinnis era - that and another underdog.
- The Reading for their fighting spirit and devotion to equipment upkeep.
- Conrail for making it against all odds (though at a tremendous workforce cost)... talk about variety with "Big Blue" inheriting the best and worst of the EL, CNJ, LV, RDG and the PC. Lots of paint scheme exceptions especially in the early days. Many things the Penn Central had wanted to do, but were denied permission to do were quickly done once the government took over under the banner of Conrail.
- Sure it's all black, but the Norfolk Southern has the horse logo and kids sure recognize that. I like the new revised italicized logo typeface.
- And the CSX who may a leading contender for the changing paint scheme award... really love the new deep blue scheme. Did it on a K-Line S-2 which looks great!!

I've custom painted every road above on my motive power, with paint scheme variations included such as the yellow jacket, snowbird, cigarband and Cornell red variations of the Lehigh Valley.

[cnw1995]

Brianel, what's your favorite Lionel engine?

[brianel027]

Doug, my favorite loco is actually a K-Line: the long discontinued Alco S-2 switcher, which I add many details to in addition to new paint schemes. I also prefer the K-Line Alco FA to the Lionel version because of the front apron, additional detail and metal frame, which Lionel deleted some years ago for a plastic one.

Of the Lionel locos, I like the 14 inch U36B, the version tooled up by MPC. Though I don't like that the recent offerings from Lionel have only one motorized truck. I had really wanted the Conrail one too. The one thing I don't like about the U-boat is the high height of the shell, but I can shorten the height of the shell to make it actually appear like a larger engine. It also has the "look" of a more modern locomotive. Though Railking has made some modern locos, they also suffer from poor proportioning and a "shoebox on wheels" appearance - and because the walkway is part of the shell, the body can't be easily shortened.

I have several Lionel Industrial Switchers which I also like, but not as is as out of the box. I make major modifications to the Industrial Switchers, so when I'm done they easily pull 10 cars with no trouble.

Of course I have other K-line and Lionel locos. Actually I like them all. Disclaimer: I have tended to buy lower end lesser detailed locos that are NOT scale because of my 027 curves and smaller layout (and rolling stock). I don't mind making changes, revisions and adding details which I have done to all locomotives.

I like running engines that look at home on a detail and size perspective with the kinds of cars I run. I can't see the logic of running some beautiful scale sized and detailed steam locomotive with 6464 box cars... but I have seen photos in the train mags of guys that do this very thing.

Then again, I'm sure they may not see the logic in the things I do. I guess that's the beauty of the hobby... and the curse sometimes as witnessed on the forums!

[daan]

If asked what real lokomotive I like the best, I must say it is a swiss one. Since I'm born and raised in Switserland, those machines have had the deepest inpact. The best ones I guess where the Ae 6/6 and Re 6/6 both designed in the seventies for the gotthard-line. The most beautifull ones are the narrow gauge FO-bahn rack steam loco's which operate on a museum track there. The most impressive ones are the Ae6/8, the crocodiles.
The challengers, F3's etc are all impressive too, but I've never seen one in reality and therefore will not count with this postings..

[lionelsoni]

Dann, the crocodiles are very interesting locomotives. Have you seen the O-scale models made by ETS? They do very good work, but their stuff is a little expensive.

I got to see the crocodile that is on display in Erstfeld. If you should happen to go there, be sure to stay in the Frohsinn (http://www.frohsinn-erstfeld.ch/) and get a room overlooking the train yard. The guy that owns it is a train buff (and the mayor).

[daan]

Besides ETS there is another manufacturer which makes an awesome and even more expensive crocodile. Fulgurex. Their crocodile is completely metal, nowhere diecast, everything made with lathes and other metalwork machinery..
Maerklin also is a master in building crocodile-models. I've seen the 0 rauge and 1 gauge crocodiles from the postwar and prewar erea in a museum.. Very nice.
Besides that, Switserland has the only official Lionel shop in Europe..
I'll check at the adress you mentionned, I'll be around sooner or later next year.

[pbjwilson]

My 249E. Just got it the other day. Runs real smooth and looks like an old Cadillac.
SWEET!

[Anonymous]

Favorite (prototype) locomotive..........NYC Hudson
Favorite (prototype) train.....................1938 Dreyfuss NYC 20th Century Ltd.
Favorite (model) locomotive...............3rd Rail B&O S-1a (Big Six)
Favorite (model) train............................Aforementioned S-1a w/2 dozen "high cars" or coal hoppers on its drawbar and a "wagontop" bringing up the markers.....pure B&O!

[railfanespee4449]

Chalk up a vote for Lionel's 1666!

[RI Jim]

My favorite RR is the Boston and Maine. My favorite locomotive is the R-1-d Mountain:

[laz 57]

My favorite for conventional 0-27 would have to be NYC baby Hudson Lionel #6-18606. It can pull about 25 cars like nothing but doesn't have any bells whistles or fancy stuff just a good workhorse.
As far as TMCC I have to go with my Lionmaster Big Boy Lionel # 6-38075 great puller with fantastic sound run her on 054 track looks great!!!!![:D][:D]

[bogaziddy]

My favorite Railroads:

Central of New Jersey - A way cool logo
The Milwaukee Road - especially the electrified portion through the Rockies and the Saddle Mountains
SP & Santa Fe a logical since I live here out West

Favorite Toy train locomotives:
My Western Pacific F-3 AA lashup from Lionel.
The SP AC-9 2-8-8-4 by Lionel and which, if I am not mistaken, has yet to be delivered by Lionel.

Also on my wish list;
Lionel post war C&O NW-2 switcher
Erie-Lackawanna FM Trainmaster
Pennsy K-4 Pacific