zstripeI'm curious!!!! Did you have a,wind up TV??LOL..
Come on Frank, surely you've heard of "steam driven".
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hornby. h.o 060. Beutiful runner.
Surprisingly, one of my first HO locomotives was the same as the O.P., however, mine was manufactured by Tyco and a part of a train set manufactured by the same. It was a Christmas present that also came with a Varney Dockside "Little Joe" 0-4-0. This was the set that I got that started my interest in Model Railroading and was in 1960. Sorry, no photos exist. These models were given to my nephew, probably late in the 1960s. He did give me the Varney "Little Joe" locomotive back, which still runs and for it's size, pulls the best of any locomotives I have.
I could take a photo of this loco, post it here; but, have no interest in doing so.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
gandydancer19 My first was a Lionel 0-27 train set that had a 2-6-2 steam loco. I got the train set for Christmas 1946. I seem to remember the loco number was 1666. I sold the engine about 10 years ago.
My first was a Lionel 0-27 train set that had a 2-6-2 steam loco. I got the train set for Christmas 1946. I seem to remember the loco number was 1666. I sold the engine about 10 years ago.
I believe my first loco was the same as yours, Elmer! Mine got stolen (along with the set, the track and other acquisitions) by the movers in a house move in 1992. I remember the original set had a gondola, a tank car and a hopper car, as well as a caboose. I was always disappointed that there was no boxcar in the set. a few Charismas' later my parents got me three boxcars to go with the rest of it.
My first HO locomotive? Well that's a good question. It actually was an Athearn GP35 (Chessie, B & O) that was given to my boys as a Christmas gift by my brother. But, as my boys never had an interest in trains, I inherited it. That was back in about 1993. The first locomotive I actually bought for myself may have been an Atlas Alco S2, but I'm not sure, as I acquired a number of locomotives within a short time period back in the mid-90's. have kept all of these locomotives, as I run DC. They all run well.
shayfan84325 My first was this Tyco F unit. I still have it and it still runs. It turns 50 this Christmas. The rest of the train came in the same set.
My first was this Tyco F unit. I still have it and it still runs. It turns 50 this Christmas. The rest of the train came in the same set.
Yes! Mine was the same only as a Union Pacific. Also have this one too as a second set that I bought, couldn't find a Southern Pacific at that time.
Very much testing the memory here. In about 1960, my first engines were (I think) a B&O F7, maybe a Tyco?? Another of the first two was probably a Varney SW7.
The 2nd time around, around 1980, I probably had those same engines around (not sure) but definitely still had a Great Northern 4-8-4 (by PFM, I think) and a United 2-8-0 from additions in high school.
This time around (last year), and going DCC, my first engine was an Athearn Genesis GP-9.
Sorry, but no photos of the older engines. I have no idea what happened to the first engines. The PFM 4-8-4 and United 2-8-0 I was dumb enough to sell for a few bucks in 2005 garage sale because the motors didn't work, the foam in the boxes had stuck to them, etc. I'm once again kicking myself, as I could at least have in this latest phase cleaned them up and put them on the shelf as nice display items.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
The first model train set that I remember was 4 or 5 years old. It was battery operated G Scale locomotive built by New Bright Ind. Co. ltd. and I had remote control. Sorry to say it lasted a couple weeks my parents said I broke it, but I don't remember doing it because I loved it to much.
My first electric train set would the HO Scale Main Line that came with a GP38-2 AT&SF yellow bonnet diesel with a Chicago, Northwestern stock car, and a santa fe Grand Canyon reefer with a caboose. Sadly that didn't last long either
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
My first HO unit was a Tyco 4 axle ALCO painted in Bi-centennial colors. Over the years it became a practice canvas for various paint schemes for my road. It's long gone. My first "real" HO loco was an Atlas GP38 in Illinois Central. I still have it and it still runs. When I was in high school it took a ride to the floor off my dad's layout damaging the shell. A couple of years later I found a replacement shell and had it repainted into ICG's orange and gray scheme that it still wears to this day.
Dan Metzger
I read the O.P.'s original question as "First MODEL train engine". If you where born in the 1950-60s, there is some likelihood that you received a Marx, Lionel; or, American Flyer train set at some point, as a kid. I considered these to be "Toy Trains" and not models. If were going to include "Toy Trains", then I received an American Flyer "Pennsy" K-4 Pacific back in the mid 1950s for Christmas.
I'd like to begin by saying that after six weeks of observing this forum I'm finally contributing.
Two model locomotives come to mind or at least the first I remember. A rubber band drive Athearn F7 and a Tyco/Mantua 2-8-2, both very early 60's.
But honestly the locomotive that launched me headfirst into model railroading was a real locomotive. In 1971 at age 9, I got to ride on a freight train on Reading RS3 #448 along the Allentown line.
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Not auspicious starts
Late 1960's: battery O gauge made in Czech POS train than ran like carp
Early 1970's: got a Tyco set, GP20 engine, ran OK then died
Couple years later things got better, got a Marx Big Rail set, ran the wheels off that, wish I still had it.
Also got a Hot Wheels Hotline trainset, that was an awesome set and very fun to mess with.
Have fun with your trains
Hi Gang,
My first RR. train was a Marx wind up with three cars, a gondola, a tank car and caboose on a figure eight track. Slid in & out of the area under my bed for several years.
Then my Father and I ventured into Lionel with I believe the same locomotive the Elmer mentioned. That took me from 1946 to 1956, and from a sheet of 4x8 to 2/3rds of our basement. In total we had six locos. Two steamers, one was a Hudson and four diesels, an A-B Santa Fe, an SW -? Seaboard,A-B Erie built Alcos that were NYC and for the life of me I can't remember the forth. Will have to go to the old catalog when I get home. Wish I still had it all, but it was sold to finance my first car, a 1941 Chev. coach (2dr). Then a hiatus for girls and cars.
I started scratch building HO cars in 1964 and a few years later my first purchase on my own was a set of GP-18s from IHC. I bought them at Moon's in Rochester, Minn. Of course they were in the silver and orange livery of the WP. one powered and the other a dummy. The powered one still runs but they are mainly Shelf Queens..... and the story continues.................Do love Atlas and Kato lokies now.
Johnboy out....................................and reminiscing..
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
First decent and longest owned HO loco is this Athearn blue box SD-9.As you can see it is still a project after some 33 years.I bought her in January of 1980.My first HO loco was a TYCO C-420.It actually lasted for about 3 years,I bought that set in 1978 only thing left from it is the track.
My Dad bought this one in a set for me and my brother in 1955 which we always set up for Christmas on a plywood sheet. We called it the MMP&R Railroad. I ran this engine in the YMCA Indian Guides Great Locomotive Race in 1958 and it was the overall winner. Great memories.
The first one I played with was a Marx F3 Rock Island Paint scheme vintage 1959 or so. The first locomotive that was actually mine I got for Christmas 1967 it was an AHM 4-4-0 V&T Reno. I got an MRC Ampack too. Still have them both.
A Marklin SNCF 4-6-2. Still runs, still pulls the doors off the house and if I trusted the kids would have it set up. Debating for the tree when the littlest turns 4.
My first locomotive was a Tyco 0-4-0 Shifter and Tender, lettered for the AT&SF. It was part of a set that a LHS helped my parents put together as a Christmas gift in 1972. If I remember correctly, there were seven cars (including a Waycar),
I no longer have anything from that set, it was traded off a few years later for some N scale equipment. I wish I had kept my first loco. I do not have any photos.
At present, I'm in HO narrow gauge.
Vernon in Central Indiana
I don't remember the locomotive, but I remember the train set. My father was stationed in Phalsbourg, France while in the Air Force. For Christmas one year, he got a Marklin train set, that he mounted on a sheet of plywood. But, that trainset lit a spark that's been in me for over 50 years. Now, that I have a basement, er, train room, I have my own empire!
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
The first locomotive I ever got was a Bachmann F9 from their Challenger train set. I still have it with all of the cars it came with, and I think that they have all seen better days...
Check out my work here:
http://rmd-painting.weebly.com/
Mines was a Tyco Silver Streak! Long gone now. Would not go well with the PRR steam I have! LOL