R. T. POTEET wrote:I don't have my favorite model steam locomotive!
May we respectfully suggest that you rectify the sitcheeashun forthwith? There's nothing quite so pathetic as a needy model railroader, you know? We have an image to maintain here.
Mine is My Great Western Rwy #90, a 2-10-0 Decapod.Its an exact brass replica imported by Empire Midland of Korea.I painted and lettered it because I didn't like the brass color.The prototype is now owned by the Strasburg rr in Pennsylvania and is used for steam excursions.
My Mikado has got to be my favorite.....
Bob Berger, C.O.O. N-ovation & Northwestern R.R. My patio layout....SEE IT HERE
There's no place like ~/ ;)
Steam618lover1
Hi everyone, this is a very hard subject, because since i have 50 steam engines, my most favorite one right now is my POLAR EXPRESS, i bought walthers proto serious PM berkshire 1235 and had a local hobby shop change the three to a two to dedicate the 1225pm the engine itself is dc/dcc sound, the cars are ihc heavy weights, i hand painted the maroon on the four cars, i still have to put the decals on the cars, i will post a picture of the polar express when i finish,my other favorites are all my articulates 4884, 2882, also 484-611, 4449, 844, my dreyfus hudson, oh yes there is still one above my polar express berk, and that is the 9000 class biggie is the 2-12-4 i wish someone would build one without morgageing your house.
STEAM RULES FOREVER Earl
PASMITH,
That is awesome, congrats on an excellent job.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Probably my PRR T1, actually have two of them and two Proto 2000 2-8-8-2's
Here are mine. A few diesels too. I wouldn't say they are my favs but some that I would have posted have already been done.
Articulated Steam
Non Articulated
Heritage Diesel
Modern Diesel
OJLAR wrote:...These are 1st the biggest baddest steam eng ever produced...
gonna nitpick on this one -- The *first* biggest and baddest steam locomotive built was done be one Richard Trevthick in 1802 (though this was more experimental than anything). Followed in 1829 by Stephenson's rocket (which started the practical use of steam power).
As for my favorite steamer (that I own) my Bowser NYC K-11 Pacific.
My favorite steamer of all time is the PRR K-4
(borrowed from rr-fallenflags)
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
NeO6874 wrote: OJLAR wrote:...These are 1st the biggest baddest steam eng ever produced... gonna nitpick on this one -- The *first* biggest and baddest steam locomotive built was done be one Richard Trevthick in 1802 (though this was more experimental than anything). Followed in 1829 by Stephenson's rocket (which started the practical use of steam power). As for my favorite steamer (that I own) my Bowser NYC K-11 Pacific.My favorite steamer of all time is the PRR K-4(borrowed from rr-fallenflags)
He wasn't claiming that the Big Boy was the first, he was referring to his first selection.
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
The wording is such that he appears to be talking about the 1:1 challengers, and not his personal models.
So, if you're around OJLAR -- which were you talking about?
Time I chimed in here. My favorite of my fleet would still be this:
">
Bachmann 2-6-6-2 decaled for the SLOW. She is a great runner and puller and puts on a good show for guests!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
NeO6874 wrote: The wording is such that he appears to be talking about the 1:1 challengers, and not his personal models. So, if you're around OJLAR -- which were you talking about?
Hi Dan,
He mentions that he has the Athearn Genesis models of, Big Boy 4005, the Challenger 3985 and the FEF 4-8-4 #844. Then states his reasons for liking them is that the prototypes, the the Big Boys were the Biggest and Baddest Steamers built, the 3985 is the Biggest Steamer still operating today, and that the #844 is the only Steamer on a Class 1 Railroad that has never been retired. Then he says that they are all great fun to run, meaning his models.
Doug
My Forum Name and Avatar, should give my favorites away, but here is a pic, both Lionel and both cab# 3980. If I had to choose just one though, the size and sheer mass of the O-Gauge model makes it impressive 28 inches long about 14 pounds and pulling my 8 car scale length matched heavyweight passenger train about 14 feet long.
My Lionel Challenger.... (4-6-6-4)... dang she is SWEEEEEEEEETTT! Especially now that I have her tuned up, new LED front light, etc.... thinking of putting marker lights on her, but I gotta do some research on that first....
Brian
For me it's a tie:
Both of these were non-runners when I got them. The rear bolster on the NWSL shay was mis-located so it could not make it through #6 turnouts and the front truck bolster was too wide preventing the spur and crown gears from meshing. The open frame motor ran, but the gears were misaligned, so it struggled to even move. Over 2 years I tinkered with it - finally diagnosing its issues. Fixed it and added a coreless motor. Now it runs and tracks great.
The Forney ran, but it had two speeds: fast and stop. It would not track through a curve worth a darn. I finally figured out that it needed a centering spring on the rear truck. That got it tracking better; a coreless motor and NWSL gears fixed its speed issues.
I love these guys because I've invested so much effort into getting them right, they are two of my most reliable locos.
BTW, I scratch built that ground throw.
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
Shayfan--
Ah, the Brass Basket Case, right? Those are two little beauties, and aren't you glad you took the time and effort to get them running? And really, when you come down to it, isn't brass forgiving to work with? It's almost like it says, "Hey, I can DO this, just help me out a little."
I'll add two Basket Cases here--one is a Yellowstone I got about two months ago, had to take apart and re-do, re-build and re-'cosmetic' (still in THAT process), but finally got it together enough to try it out this last weekend, and it's just a HONEY! And it's almost 50 years old. The very nice guy that sold it to me at a swap meet said, "It needs a LOT of work," and boy, did it! But it's just about there. Runs smooth and pulls like a team of oxen. Right next to it at the right of the photo is my first 'Basket Case', a PFM Santa Fe 2-10-2 that I got for $25 about 20 years ago and kit-bashed into a kinda-sorta Rio Grande F-81. Took a lot of work, but it's a really sweet loco and I use it a lot.
So I guess these are pretty 'favorite' steamers on my roster, too.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
twhite wrote: Shayfan--Ah, the Brass Basket Case, right? Those are two little beauties, and aren't you glad you took the time and effort to get them running? And really, when you come down to it, isn't brass forgiving to work with? It's almost like it says, "Hey, I can DO this, just help me out a little." I'll add two Basket Cases here--one is a Yellowstone I got about two months ago, had to take apart and re-do, re-build and re-'cosmetic' (still in THAT process), but finally got it together enough to try it out this last weekend, and it's just a HONEY! And it's almost 50 years old. The very nice guy that sold it to me at a swap meet said, "It needs a LOT of work," and boy, did it! But it's just about there. Runs smooth and pulls like a team of oxen. Right next to it at the right of the photo is my first 'Basket Case', a PFM Santa Fe 2-10-2 that I got for $25 about 20 years ago and kit-bashed into a kinda-sorta Rio Grande F-81. Took a lot of work, but it's a really sweet loco and I use it a lot. So I guess these are pretty 'favorite' steamers on my roster, too. Tom
Tom,
Those two engines look really sweet. Nice work!
I acually shop for problem brass locos because I enjoy the process of getting them right; I buy them used and, like you, I find that often the price is pretty good because of the poor performance. Brass locos look so nice; I want them to run equally well, and you're right it is nice to work on them. Of my 15 brass locos, I only have 2 that I feel run the way they should, with no improvement possible; the other 13 spent a lot of time on my workbench.
My Allegheny H8 is my favorite Steam Locomotive.
Lillen wrote: Well it would be this: Magnus
Well it would be this:
Magnus
Mine would be the very same, except one, that has blueline sound, no smoke, and a different color LED.
I have 4...... and it's the hardest choice i'd ever have to make to say i have a favorite. all ho
1: a bachmann spectrum 3-truck climax
2: an IHC mogul (i've repaired her so-many times.....)
3: a life-like 0-4-0
4: a bachmann 0-6-0
Planning a 1940's logging road in HO scale.
Hmm, this is tough, but for a long time it had been my Athearn Mikado that I reworked a bit to better resemble a B&O Q3. I still have it but it is not in prime aesthetic shape, though with a bit of work it could be I imagine... than I got a model of my favorite steam engine of all time, N&W J 611, a Spectrum model that I loved much until I picked up BLI N&W J 606, which I've done some work on, including a sound unit, figures, coal load and eventually a little weathering.
Alvie
Not a tough one for me! it´s this one:
It´s a Japanese National Railway D51 made by Kato (N scale). Not only good looking and well detailed, but also a smooth runner!
Did I say it is my one and only N scale steamer
My Bachmann Spectrum Mikado DCC OnBoard. WOuldn't trade it for the world.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Hmmmmm, I thought I had replied to this thread back in 2008 when it was frist posted but I don't see it here.
I have a hard time choosing between the original Varney 0-4-0 dockside that I had when I was 6 years old, the AHM 4-4-0 Reno I got for Christmas when I was in 4th grade, the Powerhouse 2-4-4-2 from 1987? or so, the smooth running Trix 2-8-2, or the Monster Brass 2-8-8-4 DM&IR Yellowstone (repowered with a super can motor).
So I'll have to go with - the 4-4-0. Don't run it much anymore but it looks good sitting on the shelf.
Surprised this thread is still alive. Since I don't own my original entry, I swap it for my Paragon 2 NYC Hudson that I have for club use...
It is hard to say with mine. I have so many and so many of them are very different.
It would be a toss-up among a few in this set of three photos:
The 2-8-0 at the bottom left if the photo shown in the link above is an all brass Mantua 1939 Pre-WWII consolidation. I like it very much, but the fully restored Tenshodo Signature series 4-8-8-4 Brass Big Boy is nice as well in this picture linked below:
]
In this photo, it would have to be the Winton 2-6-6-6 all brass Allegheny, but the Pre & Post-WWII Mantua brass Atlantics are nice too:
The two super detailed vintage Varney locomotives that I have and am really impressed with, however are these:
Super Consolidation:
Economy Pacific:
Sean
My C&O Allegheney H8 as well, as it was arguably the "biggest baddest steam engine ever produced." ;)