HO Steam Locomotives

[bedmondh]

Getting back into model trains after a 45 year absence. I have a 6'5" X 15'6" table. What is a good brand to buy for a CP steamer? My original HO train was a Marklin that I got for Christmas in 1960 or 61 - wish I still had it as it was great! My local dealer has IHC - are these good - I only have DC but I might go DCC down the road - I plan to be the only operator.

[joseph2]

I have an IHC Premier 2-6-0 that I like,it has a dummy front coupler though. "Premier "are better detailed IHC locomotives.IHC has a website that lists their locomotives,perhaps they make a CP steam locomotive also.I haven't bought a new loco in years but BLI,Bachmann,Athearn and Lifelike are some of the steam locomotive manufacturers.Welcome back to the hobby and to this forum. Joe

[Budliner]

in the beging use some cheep locos till you get better

trust me
its the learning curve

[selector]

I know of no Canadian steam other than the Broadway Limited Importes (or BLI) Toronto, Hamilton, & Buffalo J1d Hudson (4-6-4), or the locos that Canadian Model Trains sells specially labelled for us. They are very good, and cost $127 US at trainworld.com if still available. They even come with sound and are digitally controlled, something that you really should grit your teeth and get into if you wi***o take advantage of everything that the hobby has to offer these days.

For other Canadian steam, you will have to buy brass, or sratchbuild your own.

[tstage]

bedmondh,

I have to contradict Budliner's recommendation: Do NOT settle for "cheep" transportation. You will only regret your purchase. If you can, spend the extra amount and only buy a GOOD steamer, like a BLI.

Even if you have the most exquisitely modeled layout, but your locomotives don't run well, your layout isn't worth two hoots in a hand basket. Buy the best you can afford. You won't regret it...

Tom

[NZRMac]

My first steamer was a Bachman standard line 2-8-0, If I'd knowen better I wouldn't have parted with $120 NZ . it is crap. It will be the scrap loco on the back of the roundhouse for display loco.

An IHC or a Bachmann Spectrum or BLI would be a much better investment.

Ken.

[WickhamMan]

You may be in luck. Trainworld is running a huge deal on BLI Hudsons:
http://www.trainworld.com/closeouts_blowouts_clearance/clearance_ho.htm

The may carry the TH&B #502 for their blowout price of $129. It includes DCC and sound. I own one of these and love it. Unfortunately, I paid considerably more for mine. [:(]

Good luck.

[Berk-fan284]

Bachmann has a CN 2-10-2 in their Spectrum line that is supposed to be out shortly if you are patient enough to wait for it. I have 4 Spectrum steam engines and I can't say enough good things about them. IHC makes a 2-8-0 Consolidation that is a reasonably priced runner, they make or made a Mountain 4-8-2 type in CN livery that are ebay fodder if you can get them. Bachmann also had a 2-6-0 in CN that you will have to look on ebay also. Lifelike's Proto 2000 Steam Heritage series had/has a 0-6-0 and a 0-8-0 in CN (maybe CP) livery , excellent detail, smooth, quiet runners, not a lot of pulling power though.Athearn also had a 2-8-2 Mikado in the Genisis line that was well detailed, quiet, a little light on pulling power and sometimes prone to splitting drive gears. About the only way to get this loco is off of ebay. I don't know how well stocked your area hobby shops are but that's how it is in my neck of the woods for availability , prices are all over the place here also.

[Anonymous]

I know you'all have seen the Beverly Hillbilly's and the shows with the Northern, Yankee, Canadaian agression. With the hard feeling still it may be hard to get a good Canadian steamer. Elly Mae and Granny should have offed U.S. Grant with some Full Metal Jacketed :"Lady Fingures from her last batch out of the chocolate flavored plaster of paris. Sorry, its late and I saw opportunity for some terrible jokes. All kidding aside I do have a nice IHC 2-8-0 thats pulls about right for a small branchline steamer. I can't say the same for the IHC 4-8-2 Mountain. I've added weights everywhere and it will not pull the hat off your head with Vaseline around the edges. I spent about $250.00 on a BLI UP MT-73 4-8-2 Mountain with full sound and it does great. I guess you get what you pay for. The 2-8-0 is lettere for a shortline, McCabe and Brier River or something like that.. I think is DCC ready, factory painted graphite on stack and smokejacket and green on cab. I may would consider some sort of trade. Well, its even later and me more lunar. Maybe I'll see ya in the sunshine Jeff Kerr

[Fergmiester]

Oh my life for a truly Canadian Steamer.

There are several options. You can go with IHC, which are what I consider entry level Steam Engines. They run well but are lacking in detail or accuracy. They put out several CP/CN engines non of which are prototypical. They are based on a USRA design and even there they fall a bit short.

Bachmann is will be releasing a CN 2-10-2 but again it is the USRA version. Saying that it can easily be converted to the CN version with the addition of detail parts.

Bachmann also has a nice 2-8-0 which can be detailed.

Heritage Line by Life Like also produces 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 CN switchers and they are excellent!

Cal scale sells brass detail castings for CN/CP

Canadian Model Railroader Magazine may be of some assistance for suppliers.


Regards

Fergie

[ICRR1964]

I would hit some train shows or ask the LHS owner to give a test run of different loco's from different manufactures to give you a look at proformance and cost factors. There are allot of good deals out there, so don't settle for anything less than you can afford or like, your the judge.

[bedmondh]

Thanks to everyone for the tips. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for, so money isn't the limiting factor, I just wanted something I can be proud of to show my friends and little nephews (and nieces).

[Darth Santa Fe]

IHC's steam engines are very good runners. The two that I have are very smooth and don't give me much trouble at all. Their 2-8-2s and 4-6-2s aren't extremely detailed, but that just makes it easier to add your own detail later.[:D] I'd say that IHC is a very good brand to start with.[:D]

I did a review on their 2-6-0 Mogul a few months ago. Here's a link to it.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=43309

I hope this helps![:D][:D]

[selector]

I agree that the IHC trains run quite well. I just had a Tsunami decoder installed in one (hey, don't laugh!), and it is a great combination. It may not be a premium loco, but it was a thoughtful gift, and it gets the 5-carat treatment from me.

[CMSTPP]

Overland models sells steamers in pretty much every style, but your going to pay some money for one. Probably the best detail at the moment.
James

[BRVRR]

If you can afford it and can find one, you can't go wrong with a BLI steamer. I have a Mike and soon will have a NYC Hudson (Santa's bringing it.) Both are smooth runners. On advantage of BLI is that you get sound that will work with DC or DCC. No one else offers that in a ready to run steam loco that I know of. With the 'special' pricing of retailers like Trainworld, the BLIs are real bargains right now.
Good luck with whatever you choose and:

[waltersrails]

go bachmann spectrum or mantua.

[dinwitty]

it curious that IHC makes an 0-8-0 and it happens to be near accurate to the
Belt Railway of Chicago which I plan to build, but thats it, they re-letter them to any line and dont change the details.

I have a couple of Spectrum 0-8-0's however from ebay, one smacked to the floor (by the previous owner) but its recoverable, the other is perfect, and oh, what a great deal it was...

I will give it the detail workover to match the BRofC

pardone me but

sheyot, those are great prices at trainworld, if I werent a NYC fan I would be jumping all over that one.

[Budliner]

I just say get some cheaper units
you know in the beginig trains will derail
and if your like me hit the floor and get busted
so I say start with some inexpencive ones
that way you dont bust up the $400 bli's

[Anonymous]

There are NO Canadian steam, or diesel locos for that matter, available ready to run from any manufacturer.

Sure, there are models painted in Canadian colours but not one of them is accurate for a Canadian prototype.

[doctorwayne]

Along with the Broadway TH&B Hudson, Life-Like Canada makes very credible GP-7s,-9s, and switchers lettered for TH&B. They also offer C-Liners in both CNR and CPR and RS-10s and 18s in various CN and CP paint schemes. Athearn has recently released Genesis F-7s in the CNR green and gold. Most of these models are good representations of Canadian prototypes and would require little work to make them even better.
Wayne

[ereimer]

check here

http://www.georgestrains.com/

my LHS