How many locomotives does one need?

[Jetrock]

I've got more locos than I "need" for my current layout, but I don't always want to run the same locomotive. I started out a little indiscriminate, since I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do in the hobby, and so my roster is a little top-heavy. Let's see...right now I think I have:

Sacramento Northern:
2 44-ton GE (one black, one Zephyr)
1 SW-7 (not prototype, it is numbered as an SN S-1, too cute to pass up)
1 Baldwin-Westinghouse Type E steeplecab
2 single-truck Birney "safety car" trolleys

Central California Traction:
1 70-ton GE (painted but not lettered)

Western Pacific:
1 GP-7
1 S-1

Southern Pacific:
1 GP-7
1 F-unit of indeterminate parentage, with damage
1 unassembled 2-8-0 oil-burner I got with a box of assorted stuff

I also have a Proto 1000 F-3 that I eventually want to paint for SN, a couple of spare Bachmann 44 and 70 tonners to cannibalize for traction motors, and a few Bachmann Brill trolleys for kitbashing purposes.

One's need for locomotives can multiply based on situation--if I want to run electric, I use the B-W and run the Birney as a way to interfere with a switching schedule, with wood-sided boxcars. If I want to run early diesels I have the 44 and 70 tonners, and if I want later power I have the SW-7, S1 and GP-9 (hey, for me that is later power--the latest era I model is around 1970.) The structures don't really have to change much, I just swap out car models to reinforce an era's feel.

Extra engines are also nice for interchange traffic or having to wait for a crossing to clear during an operation session.

But, in essence, trains are kind of like guns. Few people really need more than one or two firearms, but once you start buying them you almost invariably start buying more. Gee, I have a home-defense pistol but I could use a target pistol for the range, and a Magnum revolver because they're fun, and a .22 because they're cheap, and a bolt-action hunting rifle, and a shotgun for trapshooting, another for hunting, and another for blowing up watermelons and pumpkins....

[orsonroy]

How many engines do I "need"? Well, to operate my layout at full capacity (one 24-hour cycle), I'll need the following:

NKP:
three westbound time freights
one westbound passenger train
two westbound extra freights
two eastbound time freights, each of two sections
one eastbound passenger train
one eastbound extra
one local switch engine in Bloomington
two spare engines to handle overloads or breakdowns

P&PU:
five switch engines (east yard, west yard, passenger yard, freights, interchanges)

IC:
one Bloomington local engine
one Peoria interchange engine
one Peoria passenger engine

GM&O:
one Bloomington local engine
one F3 ABA set for Peoria traffic

TP&W:
one East Peoria interchange engine
one F3 AB set for through traffic

PRR:
two freight engines

P&E:
two freight engines for Bloomington
one Bloomington switcher
one passenger engine
one Peoria local freight engine

C&IM:
one passenger engine
one time freight engine
one drag freight engine

one interchange engine from each of the following roads:
ATSF, CB&Q, C&NW, M&StL, CRI&P

OK, that's a grand total of 45 engines, with 38 of them steam.

Unfortunately, my roster is made up of about 150 engines, with over 100 steam. Only about 30 of the engines I've got now are good for the roster I've got in mind for operations, meaning I'll need ANOTHER 15 engines. Oh, and since I'm a dedicated steam junkie, I'll be picking up one or two stray engines along the way...

I am trying to thin down my roster however. I've got more than 50 engines that are in the "sell" pile. I'm just waiting for the local shows in December and April to roll around before I can make some ca***o buy more engines!


Addicting, isn't it?

[aloco]

Hey, man... locomotives are where it's at! It's what the hobby is all about. The more the better! :D

[jrbernier]

A really loaded question! On my railroad, 8 to 9 engines will operate it. Now I suspect I can get all 23 engines on the track at once, but I would have lots of track tied up just to park them.

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

I enjoy repairing, kit-bashing and scratch-building locomotives. So once one project is done its on to the next.
I suppose I'm one of those guys most people think has to many locomotives, But I own what I like and I like what I own. I am what I am.

Here's a few links to some of my latest projects.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=10856

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=10032

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=10858

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=9503

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=10925

[Anonymous]

I like it. it's in my price range. I buy it. I'll find a use for it.[:D]

[Anonymous]

Unless your layout is ernormous, I'd say about 8. One for every type of duty.
A high drivered steamer for passenger trains.
A fat 2-8-0 or 0-8-0 for shuffling cars.
A plodding Santa Fe type for drag freights.
A challenger or cabforward for a long reefer block.
2 large drivered mountains for fast freight.
And creeping mallet for those coal drags.

[Nieuweboer]

If one has been a model railroader as long as I've been-40+ years-it stands to reason that one collects a sizable numer of locomotives. It all started with a Globe F-unit around 1958 and after that a numer of Tyco GP20's and F7's as well as a Tyco Mikado and an Athearn GP9 in the sixties. Also in the sixties came the first Atlas units, SD24, GP40 and boy were they an improvement on the Tyco's and Athearns. Later came Life Like and Kato and each time the locomotives were better than the older ones. So I couldn't resist buying some of them and now I have a huge collection of engines. The old Athearns are repowered with can motors and the Tyco's are dummied and all play their role from time to time next to the newer generation.

[AntonioFP45]

I understand what some of you mean. In the past decade, I actually shrunk my fleet as I had various railroads. I'm now concentrating on railroads found on the eastern half of the U.S circa 1960s thru early 70s (SCL, FEC, L&N, NH, NYC,. Only exception, of course, are those sleek Santa Fe cowls.

Don't want to have any more than 25 HO locomotives tops! While it sounds nice to have more, I discovered the hard way that units that sit for a "L-O-N-G" time on shelves between runs can actually develop annoying electrical pickup and gear noise problems due to lubricants drying out, surface rust on mechanisms, and dust. Now imagine this scenario today with DCC! I don't even want to think about it! Some would say "Just put them in the boxes". But of course, many of us enjoy displaying our fleet.

High Greens!

[cacole]

Remember, he who dies with the most locomotives, wins.

[Anonymous]

I could technically get away with a single engine on my small N-scale layout. But I have some 30 planned, and I will swap them out for variety. But I am primarily doing this because I like detailing engines.

---jps

[Anonymous]

My theory if I like a engine and it runs good and isnt to expensive buy it. I know i will run them. I run steam engines on the front of an intermodal train i dont care if it matches the period or not.

My dad thinks i have to many but i dont think I have enough[:D]

[BNSFNUT]

There is no such thing as to many locos. You always seem to need 1 more than you got. I have 12 now and would like to have about 3 more.
I know I will never equal my freinds 225+ with 5 more on order. He needs a lot of power to pull his 1000+ freight and passenger cars. There is advantages to being in N scale I guess On his old layout he had about 15 locos and 100 cars max. at any one time.
But he is now planing a larger layout .
I always tell him every time he aquires a new locos that he has more locos than brains.[:D]

[trainfan1221]

You can never have too many! Well, maybe you can. I always try to get more, but always have to justify their existence, run-through power and the like. Lets just say my railroad leases a lot.

[Anonymous]

Since I don't have a layout (yet) OR a place to build, I guess you would call me a collector. One of my prizes is an Akane DM&IR 2-8-8-4 that I paid $450 for a couple of years ago. It's the only brass engine in my fleet. I have 3 DM&IR SD-9's that I painted (Athern), 32 GN (about half are F Units), 5 Milwaukee Road, 21 NP (Mostly F Units), an A-B-B Santa Fe Warbonnet lashup (I don't think these will make sense with my dreamed about Midwestern lines, but doesn't EVERYONE need some Warbonnets?) and 3 SOO Line F's. Yeah, I like the F's...most of them are now Genesis. I won't know if I have too many or not enough until I build a layout, I guess!

[Anonymous]

I suppose if you model inclined cable railways, you would need none. I'm thinking of the 7,000' long Otis Elevating Railway in the Catskill Mountains during the late 1800's. Sure they were owned by the Catskill Mountain Railway that met them at the base station, but no locos ran on the inclined line.

Some logging operations used inclined tracks, raising & lowering log cars via steam-powerd cable winches.

Wayne

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: krump offered: one more than you currently have ?

There you go, someone finally got it right! [:D]

Unless it's "At least one more than you currently have." [(-D]

I don't think it has any relation to the size of your layout or your scheme of operation. It's an addiction............we're talking need here folks.


Regards

Ed (who has way more locos than he can logically fit on a hollow core wood door.....)

[twhite]

Aggrojones: So YOU'RE the reason I can't find any more Missabe 2-8-8-4's! How do you expect me to make up a decent fleet of 'Never Were' Rio Grande 3900's if you keep beating me to the brass websites and swap meets? Seriously, though, this is a good topic--just how many locomotives do we really need on our railroads? I've got shelves full of Rio Grande, SP, GN, C&S to say nothing of Pennsy and C&O, but yes, they do get run. All of them. Depends on my mood at the time. Maybe I'll want an operating session with just Cab-Forwards and reefer blocks, or perhaps a session of Rio Grande drag freights, or some coal trains, or little Consols and Mikes chugging along with way freights, or even a Pennsy triple-header with 2 M1's and a J1. Thing is, I've got the locomotives to do it, and no, I'm not even NEAR finished collecting. After all, isn't BLI coming out with an ATSF 2-10-2 this winter? If you've got them, RUN them. And work on the junkers. I have. Let's face it, we're in the highly enjoyable hobby of model railroading, and which of us DOESN'T get an infusion of 'Squirrel Blood' once we get going? Heck, I've still got my first brass locomotive, a little PFM 1850 Santa Fe 2-8-0, and I bought it in the late 'fifties. Re-built the gear-box about ten years ago and it's still chugging away happily.

[BRAKIE]

When I started out modeling the C&O I wanted a good presentation of the C&O and Chessie(C&O) roster..In my zeal to accompli***his I ended up with far to many locomotives. As a example I have 14 GP7s and 16 GP9s..This of course is far to many of two class of locomotives even though the back bone of the C&O motive power fleet was GP7/9s.Thankfully I limited myself to 4-6 units of the other C&O locomotives except the GP38 and I ended up with 10 of these units.[8][B)]. I also have some Chessie(B&O) units.Now throw in my C&HV units and other road name locomotives you can plainly see that I ended up with far more locomotives then I planned or need.
If I could start over I would only concern myself with my C&HV roster like I did in N scale.It is a true saying :Hind sight is always 20/20..[:D]

[Anonymous]

One needs a loco to pacify an inner desire, After being in the hobby for over 50 years I don't know how many locos I've got. I probably have more locos then a lot of people have cars. If you enjoy them don't worry about the count - that's for the kids and wife to do when I die.

Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[Anonymous]

i'm sitting here a four right now. i need more[^][:D][8D][:)][:P][;)]

[Jacktal]

What's the definition of "need" in this question?What the layout's operational needs are or the modeller's hunger to own a wide choice of different types of locos?I guess half a dozen locos would operate most layouts quite well for a single operator even with some level of automation,isn't it?

But most modeller don't satisfy with this,and I fall in this category too.To my lady,who doesn't understand but accepts,I already have too many.Is twenty too many?Not to me anyway.I know a fellow who owns 200...well,maybe it is overdoing it a little for some people but yet,it's his pleasure.Personally,my goal sits around 60 or so with 35 six+ axle and 7-8 four axle diesels,mostly freight.Add to this a few switchers and my growing collection of steamers(planning on 15-20) and I feel I'll have an interesting roster.

Some of my purchases are planned but most are dictated by availability and yes,by impulse,so will I stop at that count?I wouldn't dare say that............

[Anonymous]

I know I have far more locos than I need, or have space to run at once. I tend to rotate my fleet so that three locos are in use at any one time (of a collection numbering well over 20). I've slowed down buying HO equipment of late, mainly due to the fact that I have examples of pretty much every loco and car I want - just buying up the more oddball items now (my most recent HO buy was an E R Models FP7 - wanted one of these for ages and found a store selling them very cheaply, planning to buy one of the Baldwin Sharknoses by the same manufacturer). I'm also looking out for a few locos to complete my collection - another CNW Erie-Built and the CNW DL109, both now out of stock at my LHS so eBay will be watched carefully! I'm also trying to build up usable train formations in the hope of one day building a decent size layout - working on a set of Walthers Autoracks to run with a Dash 8-40B and Dash 9 at the moment.

As a previous response said, it's a case of buying what you can, when you can - I keep forgetting to buy a set of Walthers 53' double stack cars to complete the train I have, though I know if I leave it too long the stocks at my LHS will sell out.

[Anonymous]

Hmm I am going with Noah on thiso ne two of each kind UP had betwen 1944-1955 then I will see where I stand. My grandpa had his own shortline of steamers I would have to say somewhere around 100 in all.

[BentnoseWillie]

I plan to start a large layout 5-10 years down the road, and I'm working on a fleet to populate that layout. This means that I need at least four road engines and two shunters - ideally, six and three. With three distinct groups of engines for certain timeframes in mind, that means around thirty engines, with ten or so on the layout at a time. All those engines are getting built now as time and resources allow.

Between completed models, in-progress projects and acquisitions waiting to be started, I'm around 1/3 of the way there.

And don't even get me started on how many freight cars I need to do...the numbers of LPG tanks I need is enough to make me shudder.

"...'nuther dang black tank car..." [:)]

[lupo]

for a lay-out as many as the lay-out can handle,
but,
I also like to collect locomotives and put them on display, just to look at.
at one time I will use all on my planned diesel and steam engine maintenance works.
For this reason I kept the collection to the steam-diesel transition period, around 1960,
but some more modern equipment is getting a nicer look every day, and beside bigboys, some other companies ran awsome steamers as well,
I guess there is still room for some more . . .
[:D]
btw: I WANT MORE LOCOMOTIVES THAN I NEED !

[sparkingbolt]

My layout could be run as designed with 4 locos. It could handle as many as 7. I only have...well, 30, counting those still far from completion, not counting junkers that will never run.

I like oddball stuff. 4 wheel switchers, Alco C-415, model 44 tonners are easy to obtain, but they're still kinda odd. I plan to probably operate 5 locos on the layout at a time, and rotate the roster as mood and circumstance dictate.

I have around 9 Steam, 21 Deisel My layout will be able to represent the mid 30's to late 60's Dan

[krump]

one more than you currently have ?

(gotta have a goal right - that sounds like an attainable and worthy goal. plus it keeps you interested in the hobby)

cheers,

[Anonymous]

As few as possible.

The Muddy Creek Northern needs:

1Consolidation for local road service
1 Class A Climax for switching log cars up at the camps
1 Shay to haul logs down to the mill
1 switcher serving the yard & nearby paper mill
1 switcher at the furnace.
Also:
1 doodlebug or rail motor car for passenger service and to follow the old wood-burners during the peak fire season months when use of wood or coal burners are restricted by the State.

The LPBs want all new oil burners and additional switchers for the sawmill and mine but they can hold their breath. The damn NY Central wants us to provide a dedicated loco for fire train service around their Big Shot Director's private forest preserve but he can go scratch, too. You know how much it costs to keep just these few going? Sheesh!

Wayne