How many locomotives does one need?

[Anonymous]

Heh... I have (all N scale), 1 Chessie U25-b(atlas), 2 conrail GP-35's(atlas), 2 Conrail dash8's(bachman spectrum), 2 conrail GP-40's(kato), 1 CNW SD40-2(bachman spectrum), 1 Conrail SD45(modelpower), and 1 CSX SD40-2(bachman spectrum)... Yet I still need a bunch more engine's.

[Anonymous]

i am trying to have a decent roster that represents what the Southern Pacific owned at the time i am modeling.

on the line i am modeling, Beaumont Hill, the SP usually ran anywhere from 4 to 10 locomotives per train so i need lots of power to make a decent looking train.

say the SP had 6 SD45's and 24 SD40T-2's running as helpers on the hill. if i had 1 model SD45 i also need 4 model SD40T-2's so i can try to represent the same consists with the same numbers and types of diesels. it just makes it look better to me.

to be honest, i dont need all the locomotives that i own, but if i have an operating session with 15 trains, i dont want to run the same diesels on different trains all the time (except for the helpers) i want to have a unique consist on each train.

[CP5415]

As many as I can buy.
Right now I'm sitting at 42 locomotives.
There will be more.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

You only need one. But where is the fun in that? Only one works in very few hobbies like sailing or flying. We just set conditions to keep the 'gimmee, gimmee, gimmee' in line with our pocket book. Currently at several (15 is several, not many), close to many and headed to lots.

[Paul3]

AggroJones wrote:

QUOTE: What is your reasoning for owning the locomotives you do? You do prototype operations and each fills an operating roll? You own what you like? Only a certain family of roadnames? You take what ever you can get your hands on?

I model the New Haven, so that's what I own, for the most part. I will confess to owning one P&W GP38, two MBTA engines, two Conrail engines, a CN M420, and two Quincy Bay Terminal engines, but the rest of my 50-odd engines are all New Haven. My excuse for having these non-NH oddballs is that I either worked or rode on the real thing.

My reasoning behind the large number of NH engines is that I don't just model March 7th, 1959, or December 3rd, 1948, I model everything I can before 1969. Obviously, I can't do that all at once, so my goal is for my layout to gradually change eras over time, kind of like The Model Railroad Club in NJ, before it resets back to steam.

This means I have to have steam for the 1940's, early Alco's for the early-1950's, GP9's, RS-11's, FL9's and H16-44's for late 1950's, etc. So while I can't run 50 engines at the same time, I will be running 50 engines sequentially.

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[Javern]

hey railman, whats the best hobby shop up there?

[CNJ831]

I'd have to say coal drag is probable pretty close to the truth of the matter; 3 to 5 locomotives should satisfy the needs of the average small to modest-sized layouts most of us build. Of course, basement-filling empires do require more but still not the totally yard filling collections often seen.

That said, I'll be the first to admit that locomotives are like potato chips or peanuts...you'll never be satisfied with the just one (or two...or ten!). I have close to 100 locomotives, collected over the past quarter of a century and I still purchase an additional one from time to time. Most don't ever run on the layout but rather are mainly true collector's pieces (old and rare).

CNJ831

[railman]

Modeling the Milwaukee Road, every time I see something in the roadname I feel urged to buy it...I rarely see Milw. stuff around here. (central Minnesota.), so when it comes up, it's a cause for celebration.

[Anonymous]

Eventually.................I'll have that basement layout I want, ya know, the huge one!!

Until then, the fleet grows a bit every year, between limited runs, deals I can't refuse and the fact that I like to build and superdetail locos.
Besides, having too many locos is like having too much fresh air!
You may be a little giddy, but I hurts no one.[:D]

Current count, 82 .All but 7 with DCC
Plus 1 under construction
and 2 in the paint line
4 more in the planning stages

.......and the beat goes on!......

[Mikeygaw]

you can never have enough... although personally i try to get a feel for what each locomotive looks good pulling and often will use it for those types of trains primarily

[Junctionfan]

Out of all the locomotives that the Great Lakes and Atlantic supposedly has, I only plan to have 25. Some for switching, others for intermodal, manifests, coal drags etc.

In my club that I am in, we operate our rollingstock on a card system (waybills) and we do it with our locomotives too so we get a chance to use different locomotives per run.

[Anonymous]

I enjoy Rock Island, CB&Q, Great Northern, and Northern Pacific.
I'll SLOWLY get a decent amount of engines for all 4 lines, maybe about 6 Q engines and 1 or 2 locomotives for the other lines....

[Roadtrp]

All you need is three. That's how many I have. [;)]

My locomotives match the time period of my consists, but I don't claim any great adherence to prototype beyond that. I model the 80's & 90's. I have a BN GP38-2 for my freights, an Amtrak F40PH pulling Amtrak dome cars and an Amtrak P42 pulling a set of Superliners. I would like to get a couple more locomotives for my freights and a couple for switching, but I'm doing OK with what I have now.

[Fergmiester]

A locomotive for every reason

[coal drag]

All of the above [:D][:D]

Seriously though. With the limited run thinking of the manufactures, if you want some, you better get it now !! I do both what I need for consists, and what I like, even though it doesn't "fit" in. Doing mostly western stuff you can and see many of the eastern roads as well. I do mostly '80s to present so there really isn't much that would be out of place. Even if it does, if you don't like it, you can leave, is my thinking. After all, I'm the boss of my RR.

[AggroJones]

I was sitting in my room one night and staring at my BLI 3751. And I realized, I'm pushing the limit of having too many locomotives. According to me, I have a huge roster. 23 now, not including the "junkers". Each one has its own purpose and gets a chance to run. Some people on this board have way more, but I wonder how many actually get ran.

If a DMIR M-3/4 comes out in HO, I 'll try my darnest to obtain one. Even though it doesn't fit the SP/SF theme, I still want it. My roster, for the most part, consist of locomotives I thought had cool prototypes. Which explains my N&W Y3, PRR GP-7, SP AC-5, and UP FEF-3 all on the same layout.

My railroad doesn't have specifically designated assignments for engines.(switching units, branch liners, main freight, passenger units) I own the ones I do mostly because they are raw. But thats not to say I run horribly incorrect consist, like a N&W 2-8-8-2 on a Daylights passenger train. Or USRA 4-8-2B on a modern intermodal. Every thing still makes sense here.

What is your reasoning for owning the locomotives you do? You do prototype operations and each fills an operating roll? You own what you like? Only a certain family of roadnames? You take what ever you can get your hands on?