Why not have an opposite thread from What's the worst locomotive you have ever owned? My best is a Athearn GP 38-2.
Justin
Proto 1000 RS-2. Just finished installing sound in it. It is my absolute favorite.
sfb
I couldn't really put one single loco on the top of my list; there are too many very good running locos. But, I will say that my Mantua Pacific that I built from a kit in the 1950's is still one of the smoothest locos I have ever owned, but just as important is the durability and reliability of this gem.
-Bob
PS: I have BLI's, Spectrums, Atlas, P2K's and a few other brands, so I am not basing this on just a couple of locos.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Tough one, most of us have a lot more good locomotives than duds. But if I had topick one I'd say my Atlas N Scale Alco C420. Smooth, quiet, good puller and an absolute work of art in the looks department. I could say the same of my Life Like USRA 0-8-0.
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
OK, I'll participate in this one!
I would have to say a couple of my first Katos (1999+), I got an SD40 & an SD45 (same chassis) they were the ones that had the LED boards & cast wipers in the wind sheilds. I've got the most miles on them, with the least amount of issues. These like running together without any modifications too. (although I do check & maintain them).
I have lots of favorites, but when it comes to operation, I'll grab a Kato.
Just over two weeks ago, I purchased NS 3010, an Atlas Silver Series GP40-2.
I've only gotten to run it for a limited amount of time, but it's amazing. It's absolutely beautiful, and runs flawlessly.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Tough one for me. Just about all of my locos have been fine-tuned to run as well as I can possibly make them.
I'd say that the most INDESTRUCTABLE locos I have are my 3 old 1964 Akane Yellowstones--built like Sherman tanks, haul like a team of oxen and are as dependable as they come.
Of the locos I've bought recently, I'd say my Proto 2000 Rio Grande USRA clone 2-8-8-2 is the sweetest--quiet, smooth, crawls like a baby and (amazing for Proto, at least IMO) is a VERY decent hauler.
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!
I guess it depends what you mean by "best". Since I operate both steam and early diesel on my layout, I'll give one of each.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Difficult for me to pinpoint what I think is "the best" I've ever owned... I'll say my favorites, though, are my Athearn RTR diesels, even though they have each had a problem or two in the past...
My little 4x10' HO layout may be small, and I may not have enough money to make it a masterpiece, but that doesn't make me any less of a modeler!
Best locos I have are a pair of 70's era Atlad GP40's. Next in line is a pair of SDP40F's originally built as Athearn blue box units. Lead unit rebuilt to Athearn RTR hex drive, second unit repowered with a cut down Proto 2000 E6 chassis.
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
Any one of my engines with the N&W Logo
No doubts for me, the new Blackstone C-19s are the clear winners. I have been in the hobby since the early 1980's and have never seen anyhting like them. Awesome slow speed performance, the sound is incredible, and the detail is amazing.
The best, my Athearn BB CP Rail SD40-2 # 5415.
Bought it back in 1996 upon my return to the hobby!
followed closely by my P2K D&H PA
Gordon
Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!
K1a - all the way
1) HO scale Bachmann Climax, super performance
2) Rivarossi Heisler (the last run, can motor, DCC ready) Excellent running loco
3) Proto 0-8-0, smooth as silk, It needed weight to improve tractive effort but is silky smooth and silent.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
I have a number of fine locomotives that I like. The one that surprised me the most is my Union Pacific/Western Pacific SD70ACE from Mikes Train House. It is really a good runner with excellent detail and sound.
Arnold Rapido Pacific with die-cast metal body.
Steamer, the best would have to be the amazing metal BLI PCM Norfolk & Western Y6b. If BLI had only ever made that one engine, they would be legendary...if odd. I hope they get a grip on their recent 'issues'.
Diesel, hands down the Atlas Master Gold Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster with QSI.
Electric, I only have the one, a Trix GG1, and that thing is a hawg....nice, heavy, pulls the tread off tractor tires.
My best is likely a BLI J from the Chinese made run, though I added a sound-chip from an older BLI J. I gave it a coat of semi-gloss that I'd been hesitant at first to add but after doing so really love the look, a little bit of weathering, a better coal load and upgraded electronics will soon enhance it even further.
The manufacturers will not make your best loco, you will, so make it how you imagine it. That said I'm thankful for all the great models that are superb starting points.
Alvie
Steam Engines: I recently acquired a Bachmann Spectrum Heavy Mountain on e-bay. I posted a low bid and to my surprise I won the item.
When the engine arrived I discovered that this was the newer sound version. I am sure the Vendor did not realize that as it did not come with a box.
This engine will pull all I can give it I have other Spectrum Heavy Mountains and while they are also good pullers, not surprisingly as they all have die-cast frames and boilers, they can not complete with this engine. I think I am lucky to have found this locomotive..It must have perfect balance to its weight.
Diesels: Intermountain CNR FP9A/F7B lash-up. This set amazes me with its pulling power. Slow to start but it has torque. I only wish my other diesels could match this set.
My best running loco? Well actually are "Locos" These are always run in consist as the origional prototype. My Stewart/ Kato, F3 Ph2 ABBA in B&O origional paint. These are the smoothest running, best pulling and most dependable engines of anything I have. These have been run for shows and open houses for quite a number of years (about 14 years) The shell doesn't have the greatest detail but that Kato chassis is phenominal.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
That is hard because there are so many that are close...and BEST could mean many things, best looking, best running, best reliablity, best sounding, best deal, best puller, etc.For HO Scale my selection would be from....The original Atlas RS-3 with the Kato drive has to be under consideration.Then there are the original Stewart F3s with the Kato drive.The Atlas Trainmaster.The Oriental Powerhouse 2-4-4-2.A Trix Mikado.BLI 4-8-4.I've got a Bachmann Overland that has the Bowser re-build kit.
I've got a Proto 2000 F7 for GN that is probably the best looking but it is way too slow for a passenger hauller.
Someone else talked about the Proto 2000 2-8-8-2. I have three and none of them can pull much of anything.
I think I am going to have to go with the Stewart F units. I've probably put more time on them than any other unit.
I love how my Atlas NRE 3GS21B runs.. Smooth like budda
My Life-Like GM switchers. I've got a couple dozen of them.
Second to them would be my Atlas Alco RS units.
I'll break it down into steam and diesel.
The best running steam locomotive I ever owned was a United AT&SF 1950 Class 2-8-0.This engine would craw on brass track..
The best running diesel to date has been a Athearn CF7..While all of my locomotives perform quite well none can beat this engine's creep-not even my Atlas locos.I never seen a RTR locomotive to do that straight from the box.
My best N Scale diesel is a Atlas GP9 with their slow speed motor..This one is slower then my other Atlas locomotives equipped with the slo-mo..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I have always loved my MDC Boxcab diesel.
For steam it would be my SHS 2-8-0.
Enjoy
Paul
Proto 2000 GP38-2. For whatever reason these started going for deep discounts so I picked one up. I was a little shocked at how smooth the drive was on it. A year later I picked up another and the same thing. Both are just great runners with zero problems and also have fine details.
Ahhhhh, another subjective question for us to discuss!
After updating my HO fleet over the last several years, most all of my locos are terrific runners and fit in with my MR parameters. And, given that the word "best" can be taken many ways, I'll have to split my answers.
My "best" in regards to overall looks and appeal is the BLI ATSF 4-8-4.
My "best" in regards to smoothness is a couple Atlas Kato powered ATSF RSD 4/5s.
My "best" in regards to bringing me back to my childhood is the P2K IC E7 A/A combo.
My "best" in regards to pulling power is a couple of Stewart ATSF FT ABBA lash-ups.
My "best" for switching fun are a couple of Stewart Baldwin ATSF switchers.
My oldest and earliest "best" loco is the Spectrum ATSF 2-8-0 loco.
Yikes, I sure have a lot of "bests", and the truth is the all are pretty special to me.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
That's going to have to be a Kato SD 40-2. About 10 years old now and they just don't come any quieter or smoother.
Jarrell
Tied. For smooth running out of the box and no tweaking, my BLI PRR Q2. For being a beast that was dropped 3 feet to a concrete floor and still kept running, my BLI C&O T1. Darn thing is a tank.
It's hard pick one "best", and everyone has different ideas about best, best running, best detail, best pulling, but balancing all factors the cream of the crop would be:
Athearn Genesis F units
Bachmann Spectrum USRA Heavy Mountains
Intermountain F units and FP units
Proto2000 USRA 0-8-0
But I can't say there is anything in my current fleet that I am unhappy with (at least now that I rebuilt the two Broadway Mikados), and it includes mostly Spectrum steam, Proto2000 diesels and steam, Intermountain, and just a few BLI/PCM both steam and diesel.
Sheldon